WARRENHEIP’s Tracey Davies is all geared-up and excited to take on the world’s best Superbike riders at the internationally-renowned Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit at the 2016 Australian MotoGP from October 21-23.
Tracey, 30, will be competing in the Superbike Support category over three days of fun-filled racing. She last competed in the same category back in 2008.
“It’s been 8 years since I last rode at the MotoGP so a ride is well overdue. The opportunity was available to have a ride and I was pretty keen to do it this year. I have recovered from all my injuries from a past crash and I’m a lot faster than ever before,” Tracey, who’ll be competing on a Honda CRB 1000, said.
Tracey will be looking forward to mixing it with the best A-grade riders from Australia and overseas. “It’ll be great to learn as much as I can from them. To race in front of a large crowd will be something different as well. It’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m really excited about it,” she added.
Tracey, a participant of Motorcycling Victoria’s Girls Only Track Days, as well as the 2016 Motul Pirelli Victorian Road Racing Championship, has two main goals for the weekend; 1) To break her personal best time around Phillip Island and 2) To have a lot fun.
“I’d like to get quicker around the track. I want to surprise myself with what I can with the bike; that’s what it has been all about for the last year and a half. I’ve really been surprising myself lately.
“I’m forever getting faster which is very exciting,” Tracey, whose official fastest time at the Island is a 1:47.000, said.
“I’m aiming for a 1: 44.000 this weekend. I’ve gone faster than a 1:47.000 at a track day so I’m feeling good,” Tracey added.
Asked what she loved about riding at Phillip Island, Tracey replied: “It’s just the magic of the Island. It’s what it is. It’s a place where a lot of people dream to ride by they never get the chance to do. I have a lot of respect for the place.
“You just have to enjoy every lap, especially when it’s a beautiful sunny day down there – it’s pretty magical.”
Tracey also competes in the state’s premier road racing competition, the 2016 Motul Pirelli VRRC where she is currently sitting in fourth-place overall in the Superbike C-Grade category. “We’ve got one more round left in November.
“I’m hoping I can pick-up another PB and push forward and claim back third. I don’t put a lot of pressure on myself – I ride for fun.
“I’m always encouraging everybody who wants to ride to keep it fun and if it gets too full-on than it doesn’t get fun,” Tracey added.
Tracey will be looking forward the support of her friends, fellow GOTD participants, during the weekend. “They’re coming down for the weekend too and are all excited for me too. You can also learn a lot from just watching the MotoGP guys ride and talking to them,” she said.
“I’d really like to thank Phil Russell from RED-MIST Motorcycle Accessories, Abacus Affordable Plumbing and my partner Yoss Barel for all of their support. It means a lot,” Tracey added.
“It’s just going to be really good to be on track at the MotoGP instead of beside it.” You can follow Tracey’s adventures at Phillip Island throughout the weekend by following her official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/traceytrackdavies?fref=ts