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NV 117 race (etc) report. Sorry for the long one.
Thursday night I rolled up to the track to a very warm welcome from the T1a crew. The LDR guys are a great crew to hang with and I can’t thank them enough for the support and laughter.
Novice Formula 4: My start was much improved after advice from Heath and some practice. Harlan Hildebrand #551 still beat me into turn 1 and we both spent the first couple laps pushing our way through the crowd. He’s much more confident at passing and he walked away from me as we weaved our way forward. I finished in second.
Novice Rookie 4: Ben Travisano #130 walked away from me in the beginning. I managed to hold off Harlan for a few laps and then he passed me. Harlan went down on the last lap so I still managed to hold onto second. During the race I was constantly checking up behind other riders from the earlier waves, unwilling to pass them until the time was right.
Novice Starter 4: OK, game on. This time I’m going to beat Harlan fair and square! My goal is to keep Ben in sight and finish before Harlan. I manage to do both and have a very good race with Harlan. I’m still not confident in my passes but after a lot of back and forth with Harlan he gets hung up behind another rider going into three on the last lap and I stick the pass past the two of them. Another second place finish but I think either Harlan or I could have had a good shot at first if we weren’t duking it out with each other.
In the end I managed to pull times below the cusp to bump to amateur so I’m hoping to be running yellow plates next race.
Monday was a huge breakthrough for me. I did the personal instruction with Tony’s Track Days. Gino and I talked for a bit in the morning about working on a couple of corners that I was vague on and then went out for a session. I started off slow(ish) and worked on a couple corners with Gino talking to me over the headset and sometimes leading me around the track. I pushed myself during the session and came away from it exhausted. My shagged out tires felt like they were slipping in four and while I felt good during the session I talked to Gino about stepping it down a notch for the next session. Later in the day we went out again, the Hawk had a fresh set of tires and I was feeling rejuvenated after a couple of no-pressure practice sessions. Gino had been watching me from the skybox for the Saturday races so he knew my passing needed (a lot of) work. He started by having me pass him in a couple of corners and then he’d read the rider in front of me and push me to pass when he knew I could stick it. Clearly I need to get better about reading other riders. It was crazy fun and I felt quick and confident in myself and my bike. I was much less exhausted after this session and never had a slip or an “oh shit” moment during the entire session. While reviewing the video we timed one of my laps. It was THREE SECONDS faster than my race times. Crazy! Talk about confidence inspiring! A huge thanks to Gino and the entire TTD staff!
LRRS EX #7
Low Down Racing
- Woodcraft - Armour Bodies - Computrack Boston - Lifeproof -
Dude. I heard about the times after you did the PI with Gino. NUTS! Can't wait to see you next round now! Bet those plates will be turning yellow![]()
-Christian LRRS/CCS HasBeen ECK Racing
2011 Pit Bike Race CHAMPION!
Congrats on the performance John, and glad the PI worked out well for ya! I really need to get in on that myself...
Also, thanks for letting me try out that Hawk! Def would take a little getting used to...but I might have to start looking into those (in my negative spare time)!
Bill Cool --- CRA EX #47 --- 2023 NEMRR GTO Champion, 2020-21 LRRS LWSS Champion --- RSP Racing / TTD / MTAG-Pirelli / Woodcraft / Sportbike Track Gear / Seacoast Sport Cycle
awesome work on the time improvement, see you on the grid next round!![]()
'02 SV650 street|woods|race LRRS #128
Just got word from Graham. Time to add some yellow to the bike!
LRRS EX #7
Low Down Racing
- Woodcraft - Armour Bodies - Computrack Boston - Lifeproof -
Fantastic work my man!!!! It was great watching you race and working with you during the TTD.
3 Frigging Seconds is awesome!!!!!! Holy shit dude!!
Great news on the Yellow.
LRRS/CCS Expert #820 / RSP Racing / Woodcraft / MTAG Pirelli / Dyno Solutions / Tony's Track Days / Sport Bike Track Gear / GMD Computrack /
yellow plates. nice. I had trouble with passing last year. once you learn to read the other riders its just a matter of taking the spot. It took awhile for me to get over the whole track day play nice mentality. If you know you're faster than just stick it in there somewhere. underneath in 3 is a great spot, if you're next to them before tip in then you have it. Amateurs might stick it back up the inside in 4 if you run it a little wide but its all part of the fun.
LRRS Am #331
Graphic Tailor / Woodcraft / Armour Bodies / Suomy / Cycle Performance Autobody / Shorai / ChickenHawk Racing
Last edited by Doc; 06-21-12 at 09:35 PM.
"I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow"
Bikes: Ducati: 748 (Track) Honda: RC31 (Race/street)/ CRF 110 Mini Moto/ Hawk Endurance Racer Kawasaki: ZXR1200R
BOMO Instructor
EX# X
See you on the grid, congrats on the bump!
A man of many names...Jay, Gennaro, Gerry, etc.
I'm used to riding a "shitty" bike on track, as my XB9S was my main track weapon first, and for longer than any other m/c...and it's certainly not set up right for the track (though the low seating position is very similar to the Hawk). I didn't get to really rail on the Hawk, since I was in red group, with a red jersey, on a borrowed bike, whose owner was trying to work with Gino through the day...but I did scrape a knee in a couple places.
Overall it's "relatively" similar to other non-supersports I've owned (SV, Buell) inasmuch as how much you need to wring its neck, seating position, that sort of thing. The lock-to-lock distance is vastly diminished compared to my SV...but it's totally managable once you get used to it. Lack of wind protection was obviously a downer, but since I had no idea how fast I was going, I can't compare it to how I felt on the SV. It seemed quicker to rev than the SV, and I found myself hovering near the "redline" (quotes since there was no redline marked) often w/o realizing it, trying to base my shift points initially on sound of the engine.
If I was going to add another bike to the stable, to pick up a couple extra/different races, I would definitely look into a Hawk more.
Bill Cool --- CRA EX #47 --- 2023 NEMRR GTO Champion, 2020-21 LRRS LWSS Champion --- RSP Racing / TTD / MTAG-Pirelli / Woodcraft / Sportbike Track Gear / Seacoast Sport Cycle
Congrats on the weekend, the yellow plates, and dropping all that time with the PI. Gino does that to a lot of people, the guy is a machine :-p
Looking forward to seeing you at the next round!
LRRS/CCS EX #29
434Racer Performance Parts / Motul / Sportbike Track Gear / Knox / Dyno Solutions / Tony's Track Days / MTAG Pirelli / Nexx Helmets / Woodcraft / GMD Computrack
Thats awesome John. See you in July!
Great weekend Johnnie B Smooth.
The biggest complimet I have to SHOUT OUT is: you consitantly hit every single apex no matter what you were doing. I see more speed form you.... Build up that confidence. I'll have to figure out getting the Vid up.
Awesome passing on the outside of. 1,2,3,6,9,11.
ain't bad for 50ish HP........ you can learn a lot from that. Why? Because you have to!
BTW Love the Syryp. Kate is already thinking about putting change into that jug when we are done with it...
Gino
HAWK GT Racer Expert #929
2012 CCS LRRS ULSB Champion
2012 CCS LRRS P89 Champion
2008 CCS ULSB National Champion
ECKRACING Bridgestone Street & Competition Woodcraft MOTUL On Track Media Pine Motorparts Vanson Leathers
Hell yeah John. Good to see you got your groove back.
Cliff's Cycles KTM
NETRA enduro B-vet
Close your eyes, look deep in your soul, step outside yourself and let your mind go.
Killin it!!
Congrats on the bump!
Good to see ya...look forward to seeing you in July.
Way to go John, you earned the yellow plates for sure. Of course this will throw off our meeting schedule, ha ha
Freaking awesome John! You earned those plates!
CCS/LRRS EX #226
LOW DOWN RACING
Current stable:
2008 hyper 1100
2007 crf450r
2009 yz450f
2008 sikk mx 125 minimoto
I knew you could do that! time to stop messing about and come play!!!!! Congrats on the hard work John. we'll see you next round!
R.I.P. - Reed - 3-23-2008
Matty V you are missed.
LRRS/CCS #76 / RSP Racing / Northern New England Appraisal Services / MTAG Pirelli / Dyno Solutions / Tony's Track Days / MOTUL / Sport Bike Track Gear / Brunetto T-Shirts /
you gotta get out of trackday mode when racing. you cant always wait for the right time. the guy behind you isnt. he gonna see the door cracked and then kick it down. you gotta pass aggressively yet safe and smart. you dont have to get by them, just inside and next to them. TAKE THE POSITION. no ones gonna give it to you. when youre a fast guy at trackdays you have the luxury to basically pick and choose when you want to pass. when the green flag drops, its a RACE, and the pleasantries of 6ft outside trackday passing stay in the garage. when you catch up to someone you should immediately be looking for a way by and attack.
now that youre out of novice youll be out there with people of more experience and youll have more trust in the people that are surrounding you that they arent idiots.
ill never forget having Jay pass me on his 250. on the last lap i got a great drive out of 6 and made my move on the outside of 8. we went into 9 bar to bar with me on the inside. jay said he couldve put his knee on the side of my bike. its awesome knowing that you trust the guys around you.
When I start my KTM in the morning, rules are broken. Its inevitable...
01 SV650S (RC51 eater)/07 690SM /03 300EXC/14 XTZ1200
TRACKS:Firebird/NHMS/VIR/Calabogie/California Speedway/NJMP/MMC/NYST/Palmer/Thompson/Club Motorsports