1
before I pass out I just have to file this quickie report:
Saturday race 3 Am GTL:
- spent too much time on the trailer this week, not enough time on the SV
- rounded off the over-torqued axle bolt last night, spent hours trying to get it off so I could mount my race wheel with a new Conti
- gave up at 10:30pm, went to bed planning on racing with a 4 year old PP front
- spent way too much time Sat morning learning how to load and tie a bike on a trailer, and cramming way too much stuff into the car
- stopped at 3 auto parts places on the way to the track before I finally found one with a 6 point 17mm wrench, but
- my happiness was short lived when I realized the only thing I had forgotten to pack on a cold windy day was my tire warmers, and if I went back to get them I would miss my race
- unloaded at the track, my new wrench worked, race wheel/tire on, speared myself with safety wire and got blood on my rotor, missed both practices, tech'ed after the riders meeting and a stern scolding from registration
- started getting ready during what I thought was race 1, then heard 3rd call for race 3, fahhhk! I've never gotten geared up so fast in my life, made it to pre-grid just in time
- still cold, I planned on a mellow start and then a few easy laps on my cold tires to feel them out, but
- the green flag flew, I saw red and momentarily had the holeshot from the second row until Chuck nipped me on the inside entering one
- new tires felt good so I went for it, but I blew at least one turn a lap including an adventure in the dirt between T8 and T9
- got passed by a few experts, and what turned out to be one AM
- fastest lap of 1:24.90, my last lap of GTL as usual, less than a second off my PB from last round
3rd place out of 15, my first real AM podium!
[online results seem to be scrambled, pretty sure I didn't come in 9th]
Sunday, LWSS:
- felt fast in practice, checked times afterwards and I was dog slow as usual
- forgot how long a wait it is to race 9, did a lot of walking around, sitting, shivering, watched some races (it's still scary being a spectator), but actually got to say hi to a bunch of people in the garages I haven't chatted with for awhile
- gearing up felt really good, pre-grid even better, and I won the warm-up lap!
- good enough start, went into T1 in 4th from the second row, stayed with the pack through the exit of T2 when Bill Cool went down (he's OK AFAIK), red flag
- restart without Bill, but I'm 3rd into T1!
- Keith checked out up front, but I'm right on the tail of #276 for the next 4 laps, faster in many places but not enough for a clean pass
- I pull ahead once on the outside of T6, but backed off so I wouldn't chop him off
- next lap I'm alongside him over hill in T5 and diving deep on the outside of T6 again; I decide not to brake until I see him drop back in my peripheral, then tip in and take the corner, but it was a great dice and the most fun laps of the weekend
- I turned slow laps like most everyone else, and no where near yesterdays GTL, but they felt faster and got me:
2nd place out of 5 finishers! say hello to these guys again:
It was awesome being on track again, seeing old pit mates and new ones, and being more competitive withsome guys that used to be far ahead of me. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to slow down when it's cold and windy, but it worked. And Ima love my Conti DOT's in the cold.
PS: I forgot how good it feels to be exhausted, really buzzed on adrenaline, and replaying the weekend's races (especially the starts) over and over in my head like a little kid.
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Originally Posted by brady
I think you and I have a GTL date next weekend I'll meet you at turn 1
