SMSP Turn 5 bumps

[BR]

After last weeks FX round I sent the following email to the ARDC regarding the T5 bumps.

Hi there,
My name is Bernie Russell.
I was a competitor in the latest round of 2016 Swan Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship at SMSP on the 11-12th of March.
I am a fan of the new track extensions and all the configurations. I think this was a positive change. While I feel that SMSP is a fantastic facility overall, I believe I need to give some feedback on the latest track maintenance work.
My main concern is with the bumps through turn 5. The new asphalt patch has more grip than before which is great, but the bumps need to be fixed. In my opinion they are bad enough to cause a crash. At best, it means making a set up compromise to handle these bumps (at the expense of other areas of the track which are beautifully smooth), at worst, it is dangerous.
I urge you to please look into fixing this.Better yet, resurface the whole track with that wonderfully grippy asphalt that has been used in the new section and for the patches!
Cheers

I got this reply back

Morning Bernie,
Thanks for your email and feedback. I have forwarded your concerns onto my CEO and circuit manager who has now contacted our contractors who worked on turn 5. They are coming out to ascertain the conditions of the circuit at turn 5 and will action it.
Unfortunately resurfacing the whole circuit is an exuberant cost so maintenance and repairs are the only option at the moment.
Thanks
Alex

I highly doubt they took this action based on my single email, so I assume there has been a fair bit of negative feedback regarding this.
Hopefully it gits fixed soon.

[Marshy]

Don't forget the turn 1 bumps!!


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[BR]

I didn't really notice them last weekend so I assumed they had done something about them....then again was on a different tyre with a bit of a setting change...

[Turbo]

Well done for sending through the email, Bernie. I was mazed that some of the ARDC guys just didn't know of any issue, when I spoke with them back in late January after the re-surface was done.
People do need to speak up! They had the contractor re-visit between the original resurface and StGeorge and it did make it a little better through T1.... T5 was still a mess tho.
There has been a lot of dry weather for it to settle down now tho. Hope they do get it sorted because, as you say, it's dangerous and the rest of the track is getting better and better.

[chubb]

I just can't believe their work wasn't checked after they finished the job!!

[BR]

Yeah chubb I heard that they knew and were not happy either.

[Leezx10r]

Just like the truck they rolled at the top of the hill full of rubble haha

[BR]

Just like the truck they rolled at the top of the hill full of rubble haha

Really??! Details?

[Leezx10r]

Really??! Details?

Yep the Friday before RD1 of Saint George lol
At the top of the hill on the outfield, so on your left hand side as you come through the gate lol
Two high-vis workers come storming up to where we parked.
"mate don't take any pics!", "pics of what?" "The truck behind you"
He was cranky, real cranky lol

[Marshy]

It was as funny as a circus!! It was a tip truck, tipped over!

[BR]

Yep the Friday before RD1 of Saint George lol
At the top of the hill on the outfield, so on your left hand side as you come through the gate lol
Two high-vis workers come storming up to where we parked.
"mate don't take any pics!", "pics of what?" "The truck behind you"
He was cranky, real cranky lol

So did you take any pictures?

[Leezx10r]

So did you take any pictures?

When someone tells you not to take a pic, what do you do
It's like "don't walk on the grass"

[simonr]

Turn 1 had water seeping through all day today. It needs to be redone again and the whole thing this time not just a shitty littl section

[Marshy]

Turn 1 had water seeping through all day today. It needs to be redone again and the whole thing this time not just a shitty littl section

Jeez. Farken idiots! They had one job.....


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[Mr.Ed]

[jaswib]

Turn 1 had water seeping through all day today. It needs to be redone again and the whole thing this time not just a shitty littl section

Noticed that on mon when i was out sure made me back off in t1 after seeing it.

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[triumph]

who was the company that done the job .

[simonr]

Apparently they've had another go at fixing turn 5 last night

[BR]

Noticed that on mon when i was out sure made me back off in t1 after seeing it.

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Interesting...What did it look like? Was it standing water? Damp patches? At FX there was a big patch of that dust on the way into the turns and just before the apex...it was discoloured (brownish). I assumed it was from oil.... You had to ride through it... After a couple of laps it seemed like there were no grip issues...then again I'm pretty slow

[jaswib]

Interesting...What did it look like? Was it standing water? Damp patches? At FX there was a big patch of that dust on the way into the turns and just before the apex...it was discoloured (brownish). I assumed it was from oil.... You had to ride through it... After a couple of laps it seemed like there were no grip issues...then again I'm pretty slow

Looked like a damp patch right at the seam on the outside edge at the start of the new patch in T 1 i started taking a tighter line through there soon after. Didn't seem to be a traction issue altho i never went near the bugger. I only noticed it after lunch not sure if it was there all day.

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[Marshy]

Apparently they've had another go at fixing turn 5 last night

Does nobody there ever check the forecast before doing remediation??? There's just been a torrential rainstorm here, just in time to ruin any work they've just done.

[simonr]

It is much better today just a bit dirty still. And now it's raining

[Kris]

Does nobody there ever check the forecast before doing remediation??? There's just been a torrential rainstorm here, just in time to ruin any work they've just done.

The barry sheene boys will ruin it again! LOL

Hilarious though, we had a period of like a month with no rain. Then it gets done the night before rain and 2 days after heavy rain. Nice work boys!

[chubb]

they have ideas...

[BR]

Ffs...

[simonr]

It is heaps better than on Thursday tomorrow and Sunday will be interesting

[dadat178]

I was flagging yesterday. As soon as it rained flag point 5 was very busy. They were still blowing the new tar with blowers right up to 9 am ...

[Dunno]

After last weeks FX round I sent the following email to the ARDC regarding the T5 bumps.



I got this reply back



I highly doubt they took this action based on my single email, so I assume there has been a fair bit of negative feedback regarding this.
Hopefully it gits fixed soon.

Good on you for speaking up and contacting the right people (or at least someone).
I rode there last month and had some scary shit going on at T1 & T5. Some of my issues may be resolved with suspension adjustments, but I was riding my new bike for the 2nd time and began to question myself "have they always been there?"

Hopefully they have a permanent solution. Perhaps in future, if we shared this info before "hitting send", 100 emails would be more effective than 1?

Cheers

Paul

[zoidberg]

https://www.facebook.com/sbsspeedwee...type=2&theater

Good footage of Bugden almost eating it on those bumps. It's taken the ARDC over 8 weeks to do anything about these "repairs". It's just bloody lucky that no one has been seriously injured. I sent emails and tried the public shaming of social media when they were first done, as did many others. Seems they aren't that fast to get anything fixed. We REALLY need some more tracks in NSW, no competition clearly means they don't have to try very hard.

I'm looking forward to trying Wakefield to see what another track offers.

[Marshy]

Holy shit!!! Unbelievable save.

[Mr.Ed]

https://www.facebook.com/sbsspeedwee...type=2&theater

Good footage of Bugden almost eating it on those bumps. It's taken the ARDC over 8 weeks to do anything about these "repairs". It's just bloody lucky that no one has been seriously injured. I sent emails and tried the public shaming of social media when they were first done, as did many others. Seems they aren't that fast to get anything fixed. We REALLY need some more tracks in NSW, no competition clearly means they don't have to try very hard.

I'm looking forward to trying Wakefield to see what another track offers.

[BR]

Well that explains the fixing.
He just kept saving and saving and saving.....incredible....

[Nelso]

Turn 5 is good now. Apparently it was a bit slippery in the wet, but I wouldn't know because I rode around the new tar in my wet races. Once it dried it was great. Granted, it was on the LC which isn't too fast through there, but it felt like they've fixed it properly now.

This was one of the last races on Sunday. Don't watch if you are scared of concrete dust.

[BR]

Turn 5 is good now. Apparently it was a bit slippery in the wet, but I wouldn't know because I rode around the new tar in my wet races. Once it dried it was great. Granted, it was on the LC which isn't too fast through there, but it felt like they've fixed it properly now.

This was one of the last races on Sunday. Don't watch if you are scared of concrete dust.

Cool vid Nelso!
Thanks for the update. That looks much better.