0
I was going to put this off until tomorrow but I can't sleep so here it goes. This second race weekend held a lot for me. Coming off the first race weekend, all I could do for 3 weeks was think about what I could do better, getting it in my head to twist the throttle sooner, brake later etc....
First practice saturday morning was very damp. Lots of wet spots from the mini-typhoon that happened saturday night and washed away part of the hill. Globs of wet dirt/mud were still on the track so I didn't push it. The FM transmitter wasn't working apparently, and I can't hear the PA system out near T1A so I was late to practice anyways. Got in 3 laps I think then pitted in.
Second Practice was much better. I got some heat into the tires and really started to push myself. My PB from round 1 was a 1:36:3. Second practice I improved to a 1:31:6!!!!! thats 5 seconds with just tweaking my brain a little. I was psyched because I knew I had a chance as doing well in NV ULSB, but I was ready for a battle.
Race 8, NV ULSB....Got onto the grid with 3 other Hawks, in the first wave. Got a decent start and went into T1 behind 6 Fingered Man and #651. My first lap sucked (still don't have tire warmers) but I held onto 3rd and after the first lap, went into 2nd place. I held onto it began bearing down to keep 2nd. 6 Fingered man was out in front of me and didn't seem like I was gaining to I just tried to maintain. Somewhere in there, I miscounted my laps in my head and expected the white flag as I finished lap six. It didn't come out but #651 was back on me. As we crossed the line, taking the white after 7, he managed to get by me. but as we went into T1, I came around the outside of him, and snuck inside for T1A and I didn't see him the rest of the lap. As I came into 3 though, it felt like I parked the bike in the middle of the corner because it seemed like I was so slow. I made it around for a 2nd place finish.
I didn't have time to check results/times after Race 8 because I had entered Race 10, LWSB. I entered for the experience and didn't figure I would even have a shot against the better powered SV's out there. I got gridded in the second row of the second wave. Got a good start and went into T1 in 3rd. Stayed in 3rd through the first lap and ended up taking 2nd on the second lap. Stayed there until the white flag flew when a Silver SV650S was able to pull on my down the straight. I diced around with him for the remainder of the lap, and ended up coming around the outside of him (#324) in T11. Ducked inside for 11a and tried like hell to get a good drive out of T12. I felt like my shifts were spot on and I was WOT down the straight for the checkered. Looked over my left shoulder and didn't see him. Kept it pinned and began looking over my right when I saw a flash of silver and I litterely screamed in my helmet as he went past. I missed 2nd place in LWSB by about 18 inches or so but I'm not complaining about a 3rd place finish.
I get back to the pits, gear off, and grab a drink. I head over to tech to check the times posted and found DDK and 6 fingered man standing there. As I walked up, 6 Fingered man tells me I ran a 26. I called bullshit until he shows me the time. I ran a new personal best, last lap of ULSB for a 1:26:674. HOLY SHIT!!!!!! I took 10 seconds off my personal best. 2nd race of my career, 6th day of tracktime with my hawk, and I drop 10 seconds?? how the hell did I pull that off? I have no clue because that last lap, felt like one of the slowest I had done all day. I was all over the place in that race, ranging from high 31's to high 28's and the last lap was my best, go figure, I can't explain it.
Race 10 I felt much better, and felt like I was starting to get into a groove. I was putting down consistently low 28's and high 27's that race, and I was happy with a 3rd place finish in that race.
So....where does this leave me? I blew away my goal for the season in round 2, so now my goal is to break 25. I'm finding that I'm hitting the limiter in 4th gear a few places on the track and now I need to shift to 5th. T3 still feels super slow and I know I can carry more speed through it so I will have to, as well as T9/10/11. One thing hindering me too is my first lap. I seriously need to borrow or buy (cheap) warmers by the next round so I can be more competitive, especially with 6 fingered man (I need to keep up with him). I can't wait for round 3 in two weeks.
Race 8
Lap Time Pos
1:37.298 2010-05-15 14:50:37.342 0
1:30.853 2010-05-15 14:52:08.195 0
1:30.723 2010-05-15 14:53:38.918 0
1:28.859 2010-05-15 14:55:07.777 0
1:31.822 2010-05-15 14:56:39.599 0
1:31.537 2010-05-15 14:58:11.136 0
1:29.234 2010-05-15 14:59:40.37 0
1:26.674 2010-05-15 15:01:07.044 0
Race 10
Lap Time Pos
01:31.276 2010-05-15 19:31:48.71983 3
01:27.536 2010-05-15 19:33:16.25844 2
01:27.459 2010-05-15 19:34:43.73431 2
01:28.250 2010-05-15 19:36:11.99499 2
01:28.207 2010-05-15 19:37:40.18632 2
01:28.533 2010-05-15 19:39:08.70949 2
01:28.589 2010-05-15 19:40:37.35737 2
01:28.312 2010-05-15 19:42:05.77613 3
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Pookie
Way to go Jason! Both your races you did your best lap on the last lap! What is that saying?
