4
fresh out the oven!
I was supposed to be at the track Thursday night with cupcake in order to do practice Friday. I had to yet ride in the dry the new to me SV650.
Checking the forecast hour after hour I decided I dont want to do practice in the rain.
So instead I headed to the track Friday night and arrived a little before 10pm.
All the usual suspects were there and the RSP garage was once again full of bikes and jokes.
My bike still had the rains on since Round 1.
Saturday:
Woke up early (for me) around 830am. I wasnt going to do practice because I didnt know if i was going to race to begin with.
I changed my tires and put the fender back on. Checked the bike all around and went and signed up for LWGP. Passed tech and all good from there.
Nothing impressive from me this race for me. I was gridded dead last. Had an amazing start and made it into 1 first or second. Got passed by 441 and 413 and then red flag right after we completed one lap... Brian went down pretty bad, I saw him still holding his arm when I got there and the ambulance blocked T9 like nobody's business! Scary, very scary image that got stuck in my head! back to pregrid and we go to regrid with the original positions.. kinda upset because i was expecting to start in the front this time. oh well...Brain was my bigger concern at that time to be honest... not so good of a start I went in T1 at the end of the pack.9th i believe. Before the end of the first lap I was 5th. I kept trying to catch Kurlon (who had an amazing GTL race prior to that) but he was moving faster than me. I settled for 4th place and ended my racing for the day there.
best time 1:25.1 with most of my laps at 26-27. I was very angry with myself. The bike seemed fine, the Pirelli tires worked awesome I just couldnt get comfortable and relax my arms/hands.
Christian told me to get off the bike more, brake later into 1 and some other advice.
Went to the awards with everyone, had a lot of laughs and then it was time for my favorite part of racing; SATURDAY NIGHT!
I got subway for dinner because I was starving but I still enjoying some of the amazing food that was provided by Adam and his family and a few others.
The night ended early but with a lot of drinking and a hilarious game of Cards Against Humanity. Thanks to all for being so patient with me and explaining so many words and jokes I didnt know. "FRIENDLY FIRE"
Sunday:
This was MY RACE DAY. I woke up fresh and rested. I promised myself to have fun, get a podium in every race and finally make some times that can justify me racing the SV.
for my first time I was in Race #1 - Super Twins!
I was gridded in second row. Got a very good start and went into T1 in second (or third). from there one it was a battle between 325 and myself. I never managed to stick a pass and after I had bad breaking into T1 I fell back and just made sure I kept my 3rd position without risking anything else.
I am not sure about my times because they were never posted but I got 3rd place and i was finally having fun and enjoying myself.
Race #4- LWSS
Love this race because I usually have people to battle with and regardless of results I push new limits for myself and my bike. I usually get out of my comfort zone for a pass or to make sure someone stays behind me and that makes me a better rider. And my friend Mark Fox - 413 was planning to give me a really good race.
I was gridded 1B (i think) Between Ian and Mark i believe. Got a really good start and did my best outlap ever: 1:27.8!
Mark had lap 1 but I managed to pass him in turn 3 on the brakes (scary as fuck) and stick it. He is faster than me from t6-10 and he is way better than me in T1. I knew that so I had to make my game everywhere. We have different lines coming out of 2 but I felt I could keep him behind me there if i got on the gas a bit earlier.
On the last lap into T1 I could legit hear his bike more than mine, he was very close and right in front of us was a very slow NV. The NV rider blocked me from flipping the bike for 1A and caused me to run wide. Mark took the inside and luckily for me the NV then blocked him, forcing him to brake and me to accelerate very hard through 2 to make some a decent gap and brake very late in 3 getting a great drive out of 4. I was telling myself to not look back. I put my head down and hustled for the rest of the lap to get the checkered, my first AM podium for 2014 and my SV Career best lap time of 1:22.915. some laps in the 23s and some in the 24s.
Thank you Mark for the clean race and forcing me to move out there. Not once we touched. There were some very close moments but I believe we both trust each other and we wouldnt put each other in danger for a position and a trophie.
Rce #6 - Thunderbike
Right after winning race 4 i was sent in tech for gas inspection (I guess its standard although they tested me in round 1 too). That took a lot of my time. I didnt get to put the bike back on the warmers. Just had some water and went straight to pregrid for thunderbike.
I was gridded in the front row again. Had another amazing start with a wheelie until the 4 board. However I dont know how to take T1 and 441 Donald John flew by me like I wasnt even there. Legit this guy is FAST! too fast for me lol. Spent the next couple of laps battling with 444 Rick Kaeser but after lap 4 I couldnt see him behind me any more so I chilled and increased my lap times. On the last lap I noticed the race leader had also relaxed since he was so far ahead and was coming on some traffic. So i start hustling and trying to get surprise him with a last second pass but all I managed was to actually see him coming out of T12 into the straight to get a very easy to him victory and me to get a comfortable 2nd place. Best Lap: 1:23.1. My first few laps were 23s also but after i relaxed did 25s.
Race #11 - LWSB
This was going to be my favorite race of the day but Mark decided to change that for me.
I had a 1st, a 2nd and a 3rd place all in one day. I was happy with my comfort on the bike and my overall performance. I didnt care much about this race to be honest. I had FUN all day and thats all that matters!
When I got to the pregrid though a new feeling took over. This was going to be a very close and interesting race. 1st row was (form A to D). 441 - 604 - 508 -413! Also Kurlon and 444 were in this race! IT WAS ABOUT TO GET REAL.
First Green flag and I start like there was no tomorrow. Drag race to 1 and I am by far first. YA RIGHT. I brake because i am a pussy and 441 and 413 go by me.... I dont remember the rest of the lap but I come into 1 seeing a red glad and ERIC sliding through 1a. oh man I dont like seeing crashes...
Back to the grid.. Second green flag and I get an even better start. Slow down for 1 and same story.. 441 and 413 pass me and I can hear 444 right behind me.
This is exactly what happens next. 441 is in the lead, 413 is on his rear tire, I am on 413's rear tire. into 1A seems to me like 413 got on the gas a bit hard and loses the right. the bike slides straight and Mark is sliding on my line... I lift my knee to not hit him and I can tell I cant clear him, so i lift my whole leg up and threw the bike very hard right hoping nobody was there. Red glad and I can barely make it back to pregrid from shaking. I can hear my heart pounding.. man that was scary.. at pregrid 444 comes over and congratulates me on avoiding Mark without making this any uglier. I close my eyes and try to clear my head. I keep telling myself mark is ok and he will come to pregrid.
They sent us to grid. Mark isnt there. I try not to think about it.
3rd Green flag and off we go. Neck to neck with 441 into T1 and then he just flies away after 2. I cant catch this guy and I will not risk crashing on my last race of the weekend to prove myself wrong.. maybe next time.. I try to ride chill and then on lap 3 Mr. 444 passes me in the back straight.. oh hell no! Put my head down chase him around for a lap. We come out of two next to each other drag racing he is ahead.. but I will brake wayyy later than him, hold a very tight (and shaky) line through 3-4 and dive into the bowl testing my brake markers... he kept showing me a wheel into T1 every lap after that but never managed to complete the pass. looking behind before the bowl on the last lap he was less than a foot away from me. Put my head down and moved all my brake markers for the rest of the race, taking a very weird and bumpy line for T11-12 but kept my drive good to take 2nd place and managed a 2014 BEST LAP TIME of : 1:22.4!
I believe my best time on the hawk was 1:21.9xx but now checking the my.nhms.com website it shows my career best 1:22.4... interesting but I dont really care. the hawk was last year. My goal this year is teens and a couple of championships... so we are going by that and assuming 1:22.4 is not only mt SV best time ever, not my 2014 best time, but my Fastest personal Lap @ NHMS!
Thanks to a lot of people comments and the zip tie in the front forks I now know I need suspension set up correctly. The bike bottoms down a lot and its moving a lot under acceleration and hard turning. I couldnt notice that until today because I never rode it right!
That was my weekend in a few words. I would like to thank all the track staff and corner workers for keeping us safe. All my amazing sponsors and friends for the support. the amazing family in the RSP garage. All of you who make these 7 weekends of the year, the best time of my life! Its midnight and I got work in 8 hours after racing 4 races within a few hours. I am exhausted. Have a great week y'all
Sav
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99 + 02 SV650 ex-race - 91 FJ1200 street - 03 KDX220R woods - 12 WR450F motard/ice
Originally Posted by csmutty
