LRRS #521 - Round 1 - 2015

[makct04]

TL;DR: I didn't have the best weekend on the track. Terrible starts, crappy finishes, but every lap I felt better on the bike since I changed quite a few things on it over the winter. Fastest lap: 1:27.436 which was 3-3.5 seconds off pace for me. Still, I had fun off the track and got to help a few fellow riders. Good times. Can't wait for Round 2.


The week of the race weekend was extremely long. Lots of long hours at work, very little sleep, bike prep, dyno tune, and getting everything ready for the first weekend.


Friday: I got out of work at 4am. Got home at 445, hooked up the trailer, finished packing the car. Virginia helped me load the bike and we were off at about 6-630am. She drove and I passed out promptly after she reached the highway, since this would be the only sleep I'd get.

Get to the garage. Unload the bike and start the finishing touches. Safety wire, number plates, stomp grips, and a once over. Sign up for practice and then roll the bike over to tech. I get flack from the tech inspector about my numbers on the lower not being big enough aka illegal. They are 3-3.5in numbers on each side. I was not able to fit my 6in numbers on each side of the tail, so I had one giant on the middle of the tail, another giant on the front plate and two smaller on the lower. They said it was in the rulebook. The inspector said, it would be fine for racer practice (run by Penguin) but it would not pass tech for LRRS. Whatever, I get a bunch of opinions and everyone summed up the guy was just being picky. I don't know why it was completely fine last year for three rounds.

Due to that debacle I missed the first of the four afternoon sessions. I put my new suit on and everything is still a little stiff. No worries, practice will help break it in a little. Pit out, roll around for the first couple of laps to get a feel for the bike, suit, myself and the track. I feel stiff, the bike runs amazing due to the Dynosolutions tune (Thanks John, you did an incredible job). After about 4 laps, I start getting massive arm pump/muscle cramp on my right forearm. Felt like I couldn't move the throttle properly or get on the brakes in any fluid motion. I summed it up to winter cobwebs and the stiff new suit.

Second session, still feel stiff but I decide to push a little after 2 laps. My arm still hurts and I'm finding it difficult to move around on the bike. Then I go into T1 hard on the brakes and the entire front end starts pulsating. WTF!? How can this be?!? Is this me putting too much input, or something wrong with the brakes?.... Ride the rest of the lap, no real drama. Get on the brakes in T1 again, pulsation gets worse. WTF?.... Go into T3, still pulsating. I pit in, and look for any major signs of issues on the front end. Nothing obvious.

Third session, I decide to go back to my trusty old suit even though it's not pretty. Instantly, I felt more relaxed and comfortable. I start to feel a little more comfortable on pit out. Again the pulsation starts from the out lap into T1, T3, and T6 so I decide to pit in early.

Talked to a few people tell them I put in new pads, lines and bled the brakes pretty good. Kurlon (Josh C) suggests that I may not have bed the pads in properly. Take off wheel and brakes, sure enough the pads are glazed. Per Mike W and Adam B's suggestion I decide to take off the rotors and hone both sides to get a fresh surface to mate the pads. Scuff the pads with some sandpaper. Hang out with a few people and off to bed.


Saturday: Woke up later than I wanted to since I was only running on 2.5-3hrs of sleep from the before. I panic seeing 730 on my phone. Wanted to be up by 630 since I still had to install/safety wire the front wheel and pass thru tech. After that was done, I only had about 15 mins to make it thru tech or I was going to miss first practice. Get to tech, they say that there is no medical form filled out. Feck. Get back to registration and then to tech. They give me a verbal warning for my numbers, better than not passing me. I’ll take it.

Second practice: Brake issue gone. Awesome, now I can finally concentrate on riding. Turn a few laps and start to feel better on the bike. I start to focus a little more on my shift points and all of that has changed since the tune. Roll around, nothing too crazy and just get used to riding again.
First race of 2015: GTL
Goal: Survive the entire race and not feel too fatigued even though it was shortened from the usual 25 mins to 20 mins. Gridded in the same row as #345 (Brian F) and a row ahead of #514 (Noel) and #609 (Kyle). Get a crappy start due to the visor fogging up on the grid. I’m somewhere towards the end of the pack going into T1, middle of the track and here comes Kyle on the outside to pass 5-6 bikes in swoop. I try to get around a couple people, no go. By the time I get to T3 Kyle is gone. Crap. I spent the rest of the race trying to be consistent in my lines, inputs and shifting. By minute 13-15 I start to feel tired and started to go into survival mode. I get lapped by #345 in T10 and then #609 in T3. Last lap, I come over the hill and see #345’s bike upside down against the air fence in T6. I see Brian walking around so that’s a good sign. It was pretty discouraging getting passed by everyone and then lapped by fellow racers. Especially since the last time I rode this bike, I was doing 24’s consistently which would of put me in the top 5 this weekend.
Finished the race, 13th out of 16th.
Fastest lap: 1:29.550

LWGP:
Goal: Shake off the rust and put GTL behind me. Get the sand out of my vagina and start passing a few people. I had trouble seeing the board and the red lights as a rider in the row ahead of me was obstructing my view. Crappy start. Go into T1 again mid-pack and middle of the track. I get passed by #609 again on the outside. Damn I need to start doing that. After about two laps, there is a cluster of six of us fighting for 4th. #763 (Roland A) passes me in T10, and then I passed him right back on the straight but since he’s on a 125GP bike, he gets me on the brakes into T1. I chase him and then #103 (CEO) passes me under power out of T2. I get him going up T4 since I had a better drive and he gets me back under power before getting on the brakes for T6. Dammit! We repeat this same process for two whole laps. At the start/finish I see the white flag. I say fuck this, I get him on the brakes into T3 and almost out brake the rider in front of him but he was already at the apex and pretty much parked. I was ready to get on the throttle but decided not to T-bone him, which ruined my drive for 4. I was hoping I put enough of a gap between #103 and myself to not let him pass into T6. Nope, never saw him. That race battle was exactly what I needed to feel more comfortable on the track.
Finished: 8th out of 14th
Fastest Lap: 1:29.080

Saturday Cookout: Good times, good food, lots of birthday cakes, cold hotdogs from me, and fresh Margaritas from Virginia. After that, #345 needed a hand getting his bike back together. So we tackled his bike to get him functional for Sunday’s races. I learned how to fiberglass, which was surprisingly easy. We finished around 1230am.

Sunday:
Went out for the only practice session, I finally felt good and started to lay down some decent laps. Got into the 28’s. Sweet. I peel off the wall and tell myself, alright “Curb, Curb, Curb” for the chicane. I get passed the first curb in 1 then go into T1a and think “Curb, Oh shit Curb, fuck” as I run right over it with my front tire and go for a slide. Dammit, not what I wanted. Get the bike back to the pits, look it over. Oh it’s not too bad. Replace the brake lever perch, footpeg and bend the rear brake lever back. Good to go.

LWSB:
This was the race that caused us to delay the restart until after lunch. I get another crappy start, go into T1 middle of the track, midpack again and two guys touch in front of me, “Oh shit, brakes!”. I stand the bike up and brake as hard as I can to avoid them. Kyle comes around the outside on his usual line to pass people, the bikes were sliding in his path. He had no choice, stood the bike up, and ended being the third person in the crash. I see him visibly in pain. I wanted to get off the bike to help but the marshals waived me off and I was hopeful that everyone involved was okay. Three busses came out to get each rider. The race gets delayed till after lunch to do clean up. Check on Kyle, he’s moving around but needs to get checked out at the hospital. #47 (Bill), #49 (Steve H) and I start loading up his trailer with bike.

The actual race, I was not entirely into it due to concern over Kyle and other rider’s health/safety. I still managed to have a good battle with #666 (Sam L) and kept #103 (CEO) behind me.
Finished: 6th out of 14th
Fastest lap: 1:27.779

Last race of the weekend: Thunderbike which was my favorite race last year since it’s against the bigger/more powerful bikes.

Get another terrible start. End up being towards the back. I tried to put down some decent laps to give chase to the riders in front of me but everyone was pretty much gone. Around lap 4 I heard a bike behind me coming out of 10 so I started to get my head down. Coming out of T12A onto the front straight, I miss a shift and sure enough #514 passes right by. I try to give chase but I miss a downshift into T3 trying to rush things. Then on the last lap I was about 5-6 bikes behind him, we come up on Novice traffic. He passes on the outside of nine I wasn’t close enough so I passed on the exit of 10 by then it was too late. Dammit!
Finished: 5th out of 6
Fastest: 1:27.436


Overall, it wasn’t the best race weekend on the track. The temps were cold, T1A was slick and I wasn’t in the right mindset for the start of the year. I was absolutely rusty on the bike having not ridden anything besides Virginia’s 250 for all of 15 miles. However, off the track I had a blast hanging out with everyone and was really happy to be back in the pits. Glad I got to return to my second home. Got to see some awesome new pups, new faces, old faces and good laughs.

Big thanks to Virginia for constantly supporting me. Big thanks to the RSP, ECK, BT1R, Kurlon, Carsick, and everyone else nearby Center 15 for helping out in anyway. Another thank you to LRRS marshals to keeping us safe and picking us up when we make mistakes out on the track.

[Kurlon]

Considering the conditions and your adventures with Tech, I'd say you did pretty good this weekend. It's going to be fun having you in the garage, feel free to just grab me an point at stuff if you want extra hands next time. I get a bit 'wander-ish' when I'm not actually racing and as a result missed a couple of your scramble or late night wrenching bits, sorry about that.

[CEO]

Fun stuff dude!

[makct04]

No worries Josh. You were a great help. I wish you were racing so I could return the favor.

CEO, I can't wait for round two. Lol

[carsick]

Mo, it was great pitting across from you so you could have your own "space". In all sincerity, I could definitely learn a thing or two from your attention to getting ready, I almost missed out on making the grid a few times. Tech and Registration hazed me a bit too, sent me back and forth repeatedly. You'll pick up a bunch of time once we can leave the garage door open.