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Posting this from the track, still here in my lil trailer camping out so I can watch the vintage festivities tomorrow. I'm really loving this lil trailer.
Anyways, Friday was uneventful, took my time packing, got to the track, went to bed and listened to the torrential downpours all night.
Saturday I woke to rain, but the forecast was predicting it stopping by 11am so I gambled and left my slicks mounted and skipped practice. My gamble paid off, by the time race 2 came around the sun was trying to burn through the clouds and we had dry track. With no practice, I rolled out for the AM GTL and got one of my normal timid, horrid starts putting me dead last into T1. Something clicked, and by the time I came across the stripe for the start of lap 2 I had already picked off a couple riders and I was in a groove. I ended up fighting my way back up to 2nd. During that massive catch-up game I dropped a new PB of 1:22.529. Highlight of the race, passing Mark Fox down the front straight for 2nd on the last lap, as he's looking back to see who's behind him.
Race 9 - AM LWGP Mark Fox and I go hammer and tongs on each other. The whole race we're swapping positions and paint. In the end, Mark is able to hold me off giving me a 3rd place finish.
Race 11 - AM ULSB I chase Rick Kaeser and his 800 Duc for the whole race, finally getting him at the end for the win.
Sunday - Race 11 - AM LWSB I place 4th after another horrid start. I'm not pleased with my perf this race, my best time was a 1:26 which is pathetic.
TLDR - Kurlon finds aggression, makes some passes stick, visits the box repeatedly.
I've now got two decisions to make:
Do I drop LWGP on Saturdays? Going out, coming in for a one race pause and then going right back out sucks. I always end up rushed and tired getting out for ULSB. If there was a way to get one more race between those two I'd be much happier.
When should I request to bump? I'm churning out 24s with 23s and 22s sprinkled in now. As per the rule book:
110% of Expert Class Lap Record - 1:17 (Gino, ULSB) makes 1:24.7 the target, check
112% of Fastest Expert when looking at rain conditions - Round 1 Clark turned a 1:33 in ULSB, that same day I turned a 1:41, check (My fastest lap that race was actually faster than Jake Vader's in ULSB)
Good safety record - No crashes yet with AM plates, check
Min 15 races as an AM and turning median expert laptimes - Looking back the slow experts in ULSB range from 1:18 to 1:24 with the occasional 1:25 or 1:26. I'm going to call this a maybe.
Deportment - Yes, that's in the rule book, I think I'm polite so... check
If I bump, I'll never see the podium or any Bridgestone contingency again. It also means extra shame when I get lapped by other fellow white plates in GTLs. On the flip side, I'd like to think they could pull my lap times down a bit more?
To put it another way, hey expert ULSB riders, do you want me polluting your grids?
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Originally Posted by Kurlon
. Are you sure this is the same Kurlon that would finish behind me last year??
99 + 02 SV650 ex-race - 91 FJ1200 street - 03 KDX220R woods - 12 WR450F motard/ice
