Nicky Diles #19

[NickyDiles]

http://www.nickydiles.com/main.html

I am a junior member of Preston MCC... You can view my profile on my website which i have included a link to... Thank you for your support... 

Nicky

[Mark600#56]

web site looks tops nicky!

keep up the good work

[Francis C]

Nicky Diles 2009 MotoGP Wildcard Experience
RSW RACING TEAM
#19 & #96
We arrived on Wednesday afternoon to collect our credentials from IRTA (What a great bunch of People). That?s where I met Danny Webb and Jasper Iwema who race in the world 125 GP. With all the registration out of the way, we went about setting up our pit garage in the extreme cold, wet and windy conditions.

We finished setting up on Thursday morning which gave me the afternoon to sit with my mentor Rob Carter, going over strategic planning for practice, qualifying and racing.

Late afternoon I attended a photo shoot and interviews for the Sunday Herald Sun. The photographer, Stephen Harman, showed how committed he was by lying on the wet track to take some awesome photos.

Friday Practice:
This practice session was used to collect feedback and data for tuning of the bike as we were using a lower octane FIM Approved Fuel. In this session we were also able to work on improving suspension set up. We found by using the lower octane fuel, we were losing top end speed.

Saturday Practice/Qualifying:
Free Practice was first up at 9:00am. We had made some tuning adjustments from the previous day?s feedback to see if this improved on top end speed as I was holding good corner speed and losing out on the straight. This session was also classed as a qualifying session. I qualified in this session with 1:45.847 ahead of Mavin and Gross but could only get a top speed of 211.6km/h.

With the afternoon Qualifying Practice only hours away, we continued to work on improving in this area.

In qualifying, we managed to increase top speed to 217.2km/h, my qualifying time was 1:44.063 placing me ahead of Luca Marconi (CBC Corse) 1:44.109 with the cut off at 1:44.613. We were improving but not dramatically. My times placed me in 31st position on the grid.

Sunday Warm Up:
I spent the first 5 laps running in a new piston for the race. With further changes to suspension, gearing and tuning, the bike felt good but still lacked top end, slightly increasing to 219.5km/h, improving on my qualifying time with a 1:43.305 which placed me 29th fastest in morning warm up.


Sunday, 125 GP Race:
We went into the race knowing that we still hadn?t managed to drastically improve on top end speed and that the change to the gearing meant it was going to be a tough start off the line. Aware of this, I remained positive knowing that if I continued to maintain my corner speed, I could work my way through the positions. By the end of the first lap I had made 2 positions. On the second lap, I gained another position on turn 2. While tipping into turn 4, a rider took me on the inside, and with no where to go, I came in contact with his rear tyre sending me into a slide off the track into the grassed swamped section of the circuit. By the time I managed to start the bike and rejoin the race, I was already down one lap. With my accelerator intermittently jamming and mud that found it?s way into the air box, I continued for another 5 laps, not wanting to cause further damage to the bike and for safety reasons, I returned to the pits and retired. I was devastated at the time, but that?s racing, and anything can happen.

The MotoGP was my 5th race in the 125 class. I am proud of my achievements, the experience has made me stronger and more determined to come back to compete as a wildcard in 2010 if given the opportunity.

Acknowledgments:

I would like to express my appreciation to the following Companies and individuals for their overwhelming support and encouragement:
The general public. Fellow racers competing in the National Support races. Francis Conroy, Sue Edwards, Preston MCC members. Officials and Marshalls. The IRTA guy?s. Riders and Teams from the International paddock.
The Media: ONE HD, channel 10 and The Sunday Herald Sun. Stephen Harmen (photographer). Ken Wootton (commentary).
My Partners: Aprilia Australia (JSG), Shogai Imports (PUMA boots, Clover Leathers), KBC Helmets (USA), Motosigns/ motivational media (bike signage/ banners), Acre Engineering, Impact Safe-T Armor (USA) chest & back protectors. Kiddimoto (new financial partner) signature kids bikes.

Special thanks to:
Our Federation ?Motorcycling Australia?, for granting me this opportunity, and Sam for all his support, and assistance over the weekend.

My Team RSW Racing, for all their hard work and unconditional support over the past year: Dion Diles (Chief mechanic). My mentor, Rob Carter. Suspension technicians, Rob Carter & Dave Winfield. Team Manager/ co-ordinator, Jennifer Diles.