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Sam making me look WAY racier than I felt my first weekend back at NEMRR and NHMS. Short story, I'm slow, and I don't know how to be quick on the Buell yet. Being back at a track I kinda know was good though, it showed very quickly that I've not been asking anywhere near enough of the machine, it's got way more brakes than I'd been comfortable to use, it's got more roll speed potential, and holy shit did I forget how physical Loudon is compared to anywhere else... my fitness is gone!
Started with abysmal 1:30s in practice Saturday, of which I only got one full session, rain moved in and two laps on slicks with a half dry, half wet track was enough of that shenanigans for me in second practice. By the time LW SB rolled around it was full rain and I don't have spare wheels or rain tires so I noped out. I'm not chasing points, I'm just here to learn so no reason to risk it and interfere with the people actually racing on the right equipment. Sunday's practice felt better, got to chase a couple people and get towed to 1:27s. In Thunderbike I was still a rolling road block but learning, got down to a 1:26. Supertwins, still slow, got down to a 1:25. There are still lots of easy seconds to be had, I'm coasting 1, coasting 3 with horrible roll speed through it, coasting 6 a bit, coasting 11, roll speed in 11 through 12 is meh, my roll on speed is too slow across the board, and I can brake later everywhere. On the plus side, this bike is WAY less of a workout to ride than my R6 was, though on that I got down to 1:22s, so my opinion may change as I get back to a reasonable pace? I was surprised at how tight I could cut 10 on it, till Mike W. correctly pointed out that it was likely because I was going so slow through there... d-oh!
Felt really good to be back though, missed that place and the people. Still seems weird to see the garages so empty, miss the big random pot luck gatherings Saturday night, but overall just felt good to be back in a circle of friends.
Buell's random party trick: I can squat the rear end just by blipping the throttle at a stop in neutral. I dunno if Jim caught me amusing myself on the grid or not.
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