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Yea, you know the feeling when you were 10y/o and you just KNEW you were going to get that fiddy dirtbike, or playstation or whatever it was you had your heart set on (maybe it was a ez bake oven)... I've had that feeling now for weeks!
I've seen some of you write mini novel race reports... how about a pre-race report? Screw it, I don't care what people think, I'm ridiculously amped up for this weekend... it's my FIRST RACE!
I always wanted to get to the track, just never made the commitment, never had that push... I knew I would love it...just needed somebody to give me that kick to commit to a trackday. Did the fishtail school in april (38deg first session) and fell in love... almost immediately signed up for the Penguin School in May... did the school...got my license... of course...now even more pumped up!
Immediately after the Penguin School I began searching hard for a semi-affordable track bike. I had looked after the fishtail school, but not too seriously. I found one on the WERA forums for a great deal. More on that in a minute...
Since the Penguin School, I literally go to bed at night imagining each corner in my mind... trying to remember markers, trying to remember the turns, lines, apex, etc... It's fun to race around in my head... I read the rule book, the Penguin workbook...
Since committing to signing up for a race this weekend, I've been trying to think of everything and anything I need to get ready, to bring, to fix, to have, to buy.... to read all the advice on the forum, and to not forget to have fun...
Anyway, I can't stop thinking about it, I'm crazy excited for this weekend and I don't care if I'm last in practice and my race (I'll say that now, until I line up on the grid)... it's all about track time for me right now. So if your in the same boat as I am, you can smile ear to ear with the same nervousness, excitement, fear, adrenaline, and anxiety... and if you've been doing this for years you can reminisce about your first race weekend and re-live all those feelings!
Never forget how amazing it was to take your bike to the track the first time, and never take for granted the awesome oppotunity we all have to have the finances (or debt), the machines, the time and the friends to make it all happen! There are so many out there that can't. One of the best things about this hobby / lifestyle is the community... it really is a sort of a family!
Ok, so for the bike...it's a 2003 CBR 600RR with some goodies...
Full Titanium Arata exhaust
HRC quick turn throttle
Penske triple
Racetech springs with gold valving in forks - freah oil last summer.
CRG shortie levers
Sharkskins
Braided front lines
Cut rear rotor
PCIII - mapped for Arata
Woodcraft clipons and rearsets
Vortex sprockets -1 + 3
520 chain/sprocket
Keyless gas cap
Scotts steering stabilizer
Renthal Grips
So if you see the orange bike...stop over and say hey!
Looking forward to meeting some of you guys.