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Long read.
Picked my bike up from GMD Monday and PK mentioned that I needed another caliper bolt since one had to be hacked off. So I am starting out my first full weekend with freshened up suspension and 3 caliper bolts. Thursday, I was originally going to leave work at 3 and get up to the track early. Didn't leave work until 7. After some procrastinating, I didn't get the truck packed until 11. Got up to the track at around 12:30 and set up shop in the patch just on the other side of the tunnel. Finally got to bed at 3ish.
Friday morning, water. Mad rush to find a caliper bolt. Water. Luckily the 1A crew got me pointed towards Kevin and I was good to go. Then the bike wouldn't start. Water. Crap, the battery is drained from sitting without a charger while I was away. Luckily, I remembered to bring the charger and tossed it on there for 2 hours. I missed the morning practice sessions but it allowed me to hydrate some more and just chill out. And it saved me some money. Got out in the afternoon sessions and just felt plain slow. I caught up to PK and he had some words of wisdom for me. Water. The last session was cut way short and I never got a chance to get a rhythm on.
Saturday morning. Rain. The first practice was wet and shortened but I decided to go out and try to pick up some markers and reference points. The second practice, I got out and felt a little bit better. The times showed it. At this point, I was down to 1:33's. Far from fast but still way quicker than I started at. More water. Then the wait for Race 5. A couple of minutes before Race 5, my brother comes over and tells me that Loun had some words about my line through 10, 11 and 12. I decide to work on that during the race. I got a decent start in the race but immediately started handing spots away. Didn't matter though, I was racing so it's all good. Someone lost it in 6 in front of me on lap 2 and I almost followed him but forced myself to look up at 7. Disaster averted. After Loun's advice, I felt a ton better through the back section. I ended the race 17 of 18 finishers with a best of 1:33.7. No where near threatening for podium but it felt great to finish. It was also a boost to know I was catching up to the 303. Some input from my brother told me that I looked like I was trying too hard. Duly noted.
Sunday morning. Five police cruisers from different downs surrounding my trailer. Turns out there was a home invasion somewhere and the dude ran to the safety of NHMS and decided to park right next to my trailer. The cop said he was playing peek-a-boo with him from behind the transformer.I guess that's to be expected when you hang out with the LDR crew.
Right before first practice on Sunday, legalspeed introduces himself and him and Loun go right to work fixing me. New tires, check. Line coaching, check. Mental conditioning, check. I missed first practice but I gained a shit-ton of valuable information. Got out for second practice and I was feeling much better into 1 with Dan's suggestion of moving the braking marker. I also got the 10-12 section ironed out much better and it didn't feel like I was going to crash whenever I went through that section anymore. After coming back in, I got some more input and drilled it into my brain. Then the waiting game for the Novice GTO. I got a decent start that shot me somewhere near the middle of the pack but again I gave away positions soon after. It didn't matter. I was going to use this as a 20 minute practice session. This race felt great. I got my knee down for the first time ever. It was also long and exhausting. I started getting lazy near the end and ended up running through the grass in 12 onto the straight. I need to get in shape. I finished 6 of 7 finishers with a 1:28.7. Nice. Some more input and then the wait for Race 12.
Race 12, I got another decent start and the same dropping back after turn 3 and 4. I was exhausted for this one and just didn't have much in me. I finished this one 11 of 13 with a best of 1:29.6. The debris in 6 during the last 2 laps made me nervous.
Thanks to: My brother Dan for the pit help; legalspeed, Loun for the advice and suggestions; the 1A fellas for knowing where to find things and the deer's blood; PK at GMD for the advice and turning my bike around in less than 3 days; DuncanMoto for coming through with the stand last minute; NHMS security for noticing the weirdo and preventing my brother and I from getting murdered; everyone else that made this weekend a blast.
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Originally Posted by hondarider102
