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I’m pretty happy with this weekend.
Friday, June 11
New tires, and I added a little bit of rebound to the front. All through practice I’m slow as shit thinking man that little bit of rebound I added really made this thing feel stiff, and twitchy. Well after I get off I let my buddy borrow my tire gauge, and he informs me my gauge is reading 5 lbs low causing me to run my tires at 38f 33r. LOL. I bring it to Miles and he fixes the gauge and recalibrates it. I set my tires back to normal pressures for second practice
Race 4 Am MW Superbike
First amateur second place finish. Nothing too impressive though with a fastest lap time of 18.2. Just wanted to take it easy and save my tires for the Dash.
Race 12 Am MW Grand Prix
This is my favorite race, 12 laps, and I’ve got decent amount of points so I usually get a grid spot in the front row. My goal was to get a decent start and keep up with the pack that has been leading a lot of the races I’ve been in. I knew I had 17's in me, and that getting behind that front group would help pull me along. Well I lost them early on and they gapped me for a little while. I held the gap as best I could and figured I wasn’t catching them. Then soon as I saw those guys start battling, I knew they would slow each other up a bit. I put my head down, and caught up to them. I made a few good passes to get into second. As I was trying to follow Kevin (151) around, I got passed into 3 by two experts, pushing me wide and losing Kevin. Finished with second and a PB of 1:17.2
Saturday, June 12
Do both practices despite the crappy conditions. I’m not one to miss track time, and I figured Id get some good slippery bike practice. Second session and I tried going a pound higher in my front tire than I normally run (per Mile’s recommendation). Felt awesome and now I’m really pumped because it helped some issues I was having with my suspension. I had an awesome near highside coming up turn 4 after it started raining that threw my ass right over the bike. It was good to learn how far you can push the bike on DOT's in light rain, thankfully I kept it upright.
Race 7A Am UN Supersport
After a nerve racking afternoon, trying to decide whether to change my tires because of the rain, I decide to just leave the DOTs. Good decision as it cleared long enough for the track to dry up. Shitty grid spot, but I got a good launch. Track was still a little damp and everyone ran a little slower, myself included. I finished with 4th and a best time of 1:18.522.
Race 9 Am UN Superbike
I’m still a little steamed at myself for this race. Another bad grid position but I worked my way up to 3rd. Pretty much just battled with #190 for a few laps for 2nd place, and I thought I had him beat. He had already passed me into T3 before in the race and that’s where I knew he was going to try and pass me back. Knowing that, I moved a little more to the inside on the last lap to defend, but I didn’t move over enough. Soon as he went through I tried right away to pass him back on the inside of 4 and he stuck it enough for me to have to back off and gave him a gap. I knew I could have passed him in 6 or out of 10 since I knew I was faster there. If I had done a better job defending my line in 3, or I waited for a better passing spot, I could have ended up with another 2nd. Now I'm fired up and decide I’m going to lay it out on the line for my last race of the weekend. I hate getting passed on the last lap, and I didn’t feel like I put my best effort in this race.
Sunday, June 13
Sweet, 20min sessions. Did both, tried some new suspension tweaks which worked out well. Tried working on going through T3, and felt confident by the end of the 2nd session. I feel good, confident, and am pumped to race. My rear tire was shot so I threw a new set on and save the ones that are on for the next track day/practice. While I’m at Street & Comp getting them mounted Miles plants the bug in my ear that I should look to see how many entries are in the Loudon Classic. The payout for 15th is $100, so if it’s any less than that it would be a free race. I’m all for it. 20 Laps, experts to tow me around, and its free? Id love to beat my last PB once more for the weekend. I go down and check and there are 14 riders entered. I waited until 11:55 to enter and I was the 16th entry. My odds look pretty good that someone wont finish. I put that race out of my mind and start focusing on my first race.
Race 1 Am MW Supersport
Worst grid spot you can get. I’m in the last row in 7A with one other guy in B. I have entered this race every weekend this year and have a DNF in every one. I got a good launch but with 3 rows of riders, I got boxed out, and end up going through T1 in second to last place. Still, I was determined to go as hard as I could, and do my best in this race. I managed to work my way up to 3rd where I got behind Senecal (151). I managed to pass him in 4. That alone was an accomplishment as he has been the guy to beat all season. It helped that he hurt his right arm earlier in the weekend which I found out later. Still, I finished the race in 2nd, came back from 2nd to last place, and got a new PB of 1:16.78!!! This might have been my best race to date, as I feel I put forth my best effort.
ASRA Race 4 Factory Pro Sportbike (Loudon Classic)
I thought maybe there would be some slower experts and some more amateurs in the race. I look at the grid sheet, and realize I’m probably going to get raped. No amateurs, nobody I recognize running similar lap times to me. Few guys running 15’s, but for the most part it was a lot of the really fast guys. My main goal was to complete 1 lap, then to go balls to the wall for the next 18 laps (19 total because I was going to get lapped). I wanted to learn as much as I could. I focused a lot on my fitness over winter and was excited to grind away for that many laps. Grided in the back of course, and got a decent start. I think I went into 1 ahead of a few riders, and then got immediately passed into 3. I actually managed to hang for most of that lap until we got to 12 where everyone got such a faster drive out of 12 that I lost the pack. Not that it’s the bike, but my bike pogos really bad going though the chicane and it kills my drive onto the straight. It actually throws me out of the seat it’s so bad and will often wheelie when I switch back for 12. Lesson 1- I suck through 11a & 12, and lose a TON of time going through there. I kept the group in my sights for a few laps until a red flag. I finished one lap already so I’m in the clear! I have a restart and can really try and play keep up. I get an even better start and go though in front of Martire through 1a. He passes me into T3, and I try to follow. Again I lose everyone a bit more out of 12. I hang back and do my best to keep up losing a little bit every turn. Finally after a few laps I get passed again. This guys a little quicker than me and I’m pretty sure at this point I’m 2nd to last. I follow him for a while putting in what felt like some of my best laps I’ve ever done. I kept catching up to him from 4-11 then losing him in 12 and 3. Finally he started pulling a little more and I couldn’t keep up. Turn around and I don’t even see the guy behind me. I spent a bunch of laps trying to save my legs and trying different things going into T3, and trying to put down my fastest time. By the last few laps I’m getting tired and decide I’m going to save my legs and take it easy. No one in front of me and no one behind, and I’m about to start getting lapped. Once I get lapped I wanted to try and follow some of the fast guys around for some more pointers. Greenwood goes by, in 3 again, and I follow him until 12, again. Lost him big time. Get lapped by a couple other riders and that was it. Finished the race in 14th and I made $5. Best part, I set another PB in the middle of the race of 1:16.64! I don’t even care about finishing 2nd to last, the race was the highlight of my weekend, and I’m left with a lot of stuff to work on.
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Originally Posted by strgt
