As a proud sponsor, the Parktonian is pleased to announce that superbike rider David McFadden once again came out tops at the Round 3 of the 2012 National Superbike Championship. Over the long weekend, McFlash, as David is more fondly known, pulled out all the stops, securing a podium position and a number 1 place. Here is an official race report from the day, including some personal accounts from David himself.

OFFICIAL RACE REPORT– David McFadden

To say that the Pepper Racing Race Prep Kawasaki team have thus far had a “good” start to the 2012 National Superbike Championship would be like saying the Grand Canyon is a trickle of water across a field. Things just keep on getting better and better for the Cape Town based outfit and their recent trip to the, (cliché-ed to death!) windy city of Port Elizabeth was in no way  different to their first two outings this year, somewhat unsurprising in its outcome but most definitely scintillating to watch!

Coming into the third round of the Championship, the team but mostly David, were brimming with confidence. Due to the team having spent some time testing there recently, they knew David’s pace  at Aldo Scribante would be brisk and near the lap record for the coastal circuit. David’s confidence was inspired by his score sheet thus far and the fact that Aldo is one of his favourite tracks in the country.

David had this to say, “PE is a fun layout and provides for close racing. Coming into a race knowing you are mentally and physically in the best shape you have been in your career helps. Since Killarney I have put in lots of hard mileage on the bicycle, running, gym work and loads of motocross riding. Two days before the race we tested a new set of Bitubo cartridge forks and from the get go; they really made the bike’s handling even better than it was.”

Official Practice

Friday practice time sheets didn’t nearly mirror what was actually going on in the Pepper Racing Race Prep Kawasaki pit, the fastest time in every session except the first taken by David’s counterpart Gildenhuys. However, upon closer inspection one could see that their times were never more than 0.238 apart, close enough?

“In session 1 we were quickest and the bike was feeling really good, we decided at that point to keep trying to improve on set up and get the bike handling the best it could. We knew tyre wear would play a role so from then on we did not worry too much about times. We were still on the pace each session just off Greg. We rode together at times, as you do and he had a great pace so we had our work cut out for us to put it on pole for the race. The team ended friday practice really happy with the bike’s handling and I knew I could maintain a good race pace. Between Mark and Dave Freeman they really did their magic and got the bike handling like it was on rails. Making my job a little easier.”

Qualifying

What with David’s previously shaky track record in last qualifying, he and the team seem to hold their breath before each showdown. This used to be the case, but not anymore.

“Qualifying as we all know, especially in 2011, was not really my thing. 2012 has been a total turn around though and after Cape Town, I really think I’ve removed the proverbial monkey  off my back. Taking another pole position would be great just to boost the confidence and give myself the best start I possibly can”.

David only completed three laps in the session, an out lap, a tyre scrubbing in lap and a fast lap. That was enough yet at the same time, it was also not enough. The reason is that race one’s starting position is determined by the fastest lap of qualifying. McFlash managed to do that, but race two’s starting line-up is taken from your second best lap of qualifying. But there was method in the young Capetonian’s tactic, in the form of the tyres and the conservation of those tyres.

“I went out to put in one perfectly smooth lap. To put it on pole was a really good feeling and I was happy at that point .The bike was perfect so I only did one scrub in lap and one fast lap to save the tyre. I managed the fifth quickest time for the second heat but was more than happy knowing we’d have the tyre wear for the second race.” said McFadden.

Team Pepper Racing Race Prep Kawasaki’s intentions were clear and the podium was theirs for the taking but with Gildenhuys’ track record in the big bike class, it was going to be an epic pair of races.

Race 1

The lights went out for race one and the 69 Kawasaki launched away from the line with McFadden well in the mix for the drag race to the first turn. Stephen Steenkamp managed to eke ahead into turn one and the Pepper Racing Race Prep Kawasaki settled into second place into turn-one, a comfortable place to be at the start of a ten lap race. Then on the exit of the esses, Steenkamp lost the rear of his Honda and David had nowhere to go and was forced off the track having to take evasive action to avoid Steenkamp on the one side and the tumbling Honda on the other.

Thankfully McFadden managed to avoid the carnage and stayed in the saddle but unfortunately he had lost in excess of twelve seconds to the leaders and re-joined the tarmac in a lowly 12th position. Being a fighter, this didn’t hamper his spirit and he put his head down and chased the leaders. Aldo Scribante is a difficult track to pass at but David made the job look easy. By lap two he had made his way up to ninth position. Circulating at lap times some 0.8 of a second faster than the leader and consistently in the 1.01’s, he charged harder and harder to reel in rider after rider, lap after lap. By lap six, McFadden was in 4th place and only had the Ducati of Leeson and the BMWs of Grobler and Gildenhuys ahead of him. Mcflash caught the duke like child’s play and by the next lap, he was past. The last three laps of the race, McFadden did all he could to catch the top two riders and by the time the chequered flag was out, he was a mere 0.1 of a second behind Grobler in 2nd.

“After that near miss, I’m happy to take third place. I worked really hard to fight my way through the field and that was one of the hardest races I’ve raced. I was just not close enough to get 2nd but on the last lap I broke the lap record and ended right behind the two front guys. It’s not where I’d like to have finished but I’m thankful to have not crashed and came back to finish strong and bag some points.” commented an elated McFadden

Race 2

Knowing he could maintain such a great pace after race one, McFadden lined up for heat two with a tangible certainty about him. You could tell he had winning on his mind, nothing else. From P5 on the grid, McFlash got a lightning start and passed pole setter Grobbler on acceleration. It was only Chris Leeson who managed to get a better drive than David and he settled in second behind the 99 Panigale. After what must have seemed like an age, and after circulating for the first lap without any incidents, David decided to pull the pin. That is the only descriptive one could use to describe the ensuing depiction of motorcycle poetry, explosive. McFadden, the holder of the pin and it was well and truly removed…

From lap two onwards, it was as if the Kawasaki ZX10R seemed to unleash its animal-like performance onto the tarmac and McFadden revelled in the clean air. Every lap of the ten lap race, McFadden’s ZX10R crossed the line in 1.01 pace allowing him to open, extend and then compound an insurmountable lead over his counterparts. By the time the chequers were waved, David had a lead of 7.973 seconds over the 2011 Champion and moreover, had set a lap record time of 1.00.9, a mind numbingly fast time, 0.7 of a second quicker than anyone had gone all weekend.

“I put the hammer down after lap two and raced my own race. The bike was on rails and the team made my job easy. I raced the pit board, improving my times lap after lap and saw I was pulling a gap over Greg, I just kept my head down until the flag. I’m so happy with this win! I wouldn’t be where I am today without my team always believing in me and giving me the best bike possible. I’m really looking forward to the Zwartkops National. After a great first round there, it can only get better.

I would also just like to say well done to the Raceprep team and Ivan Torlage for taking the overall win in the Supersport class. The hard work the team has put into both my and Ivan’s bike is paying off. Thank you to all the sponsors and members of the team for sticking by me and giving me everything I need to be fighting up front.” David added.