Round 5 - Amateur# 500 - Chris Aho

[Mad Max]

The weekend started with excitement! I got to the track on Friday afternoon for practice and immediately noticed that the gearing and shock changes made the bike much easier to ride.

In Saturday morning practices I set my new PR of 1:21.6 (besting my previous by nearly 3 full seconds). I would never match it for the rest of the weekend but I was ecstatic to have made such a leap. My first race on Saturday, LWSB (Race #2) was marked with fail. I spun up the back tire in the first lap in corner 12 and fell off. Chuck, 07Bladerider was clipped by my bike as it was skipping down the track, thankfully it didn't take him out entirely.

LWGP (Race #6) was a little better, I finished(!) in 7th (started last, in 14th) and was happy to be less than 1 sec off the new PR I had set in the morning. The crash hadn't spooked me too bad, apparently.


On Sunday, my first race was GTL (Race #2) After the very good start, I worked my way through doing some passing and also being passed. I was in 5th place when I had been passed on the inside going into turn 3. My font tire clipped the back of the rider's that was passing me and I was on the ground. The other bike stayed up, not sure if he even noticed. The bike had some typical damage but I was a little banged up. Thanks to Brady, Brett Larson and Jack Mach for helping me load my stuff up in my tuck.

Apparently, the right scapula has a crack, and right wrist had a chipped bone, but all things that should heal! The bike will race again!

[csmutty]

Nice! You looked good out there for sure! Sucks about the crashes. It sounded like you were hitting your rev limiter at the end of the straight too, so maybe 1 tooth down on the rear?

[darkduc7]

good job on the times, glad to hear you arent too bad after the crashes.

dude, you did the same thing i did my first AM weekend...new PB, and 2 crashes! stop copying me and it'll be less painfull!

[Mad Max]

Yeah, I was hitting the rev limiter there. The 15/44 is supposed to be the good set-up for an SV at Loudon. I just need to go faster through 12 and make grabbing another gear worthwhile. I have been pushing my brake point for turn 1 back. I have more gears left, I just need to use them.

[Chippertheripper]

I believe that person that made a close pass on you in 3 had just returned from suspension for freaking out on somebody that made a close pass on him. Tough luck.

Good to meet ya, and hopefully we'll see you back out there soon.

[Mad Max]

good job on the times, glad to hear you arent too bad after the crashes.

dude, you did the same thing i did my first AM weekend...new PB, and 2 crashes! stop copying me and it'll be less painfull!

I think the belly pan is the common denominator. They might be cursed

[darkduc7]

I think the belly pan is the common denominator. They might be cursed

good point. im burning it.

[csmutty]

Yeah, I was hitting the rev limiter there. The 15/44 is supposed to be the good set-up for an SV at Loudon. I just need to go faster through 12 and make grabbing another gear worthwhile. I have been pushing my brake point for turn 1 back. I have more gears left, I just need to use them.

Oh you have another gear left...THAT changes EVERYTHING haha. Regardless, you still looked awesome out there.

[csmutty]

I believe that person that made a close pass on you in 3 had just returned from suspension for freaking out on somebody that made a close pass on him. Tough luck.

And no joke...I think you're right.

[Chippertheripper]

No, I'm not joking.

Heal fast chris. I was up there in t1 rooting for ya to stay ahead of him.

[CBR929RE]

what's with you SV guys and falling down.

congrats on the personal best and good racing.

[wiggeywackyo]

Good job man. Good news about the minor hurts. We were watching the race from the bathrooms over between 2 and 3. Doucette and Mullins came into a pack of you guys. Then we saw yellows.

[The Snowman]

Great first AM weekend. Congrats on the PB. You're officially .1 seconds faster than I am.

No worries on the bike hitting mine in WLSB, I seem to be a magnet for people to slam into for the last few rounds.

It was great meeting you and I hope you heal quickly.

[OreoGaborio]

Holy crap, man. 21's?!?! Noice!

Sorry about the crash. I saw you stainding in the tires when I came through but was relieved to see you up and okay... Then I saw you holding your wrist as you walked to the gate while I was on the cool down & figured you got a little injured. That's a bummer, man.

Oh well... Bones heal! Get well soon.

[brady]

Glad you made the drive home OK and it's nothing too serious. The bike seemed in great shape all things considered.
It's so nice to have a "pit" to come back to instead of just a patch of dirt, helping you pack up was the least I could do.

Now heal up....and slow the hell down!

[PainfullySlow]

Holy shit! 3 seconds faster in 1 swoop? Man that is impressive!

Sorry about the off, I also saw you in T3 (i fractured my scapula there last year, same turn) and was glad to see you were standing.

Crashing sucks but remember: Bones heal but the debt we put ourselves in to fix our race bikes will last forever! owait...well, something like that :-p

Congrats on crushing your old PB!

[Mad Max]

Thanks for all the kind words guys! I'm looking forward to getting back out there when this thing heals and doing some more racing.

[Mustang]

21s?!? Jesus man...ridiculous! Sucks about the off, but doesn't sound like it was too bad...

You're definitely flying out there. I'll be hot on your tail in October

[nt650hawk]

all these sv getting faster in the Am's. Experts be ware!! Sorry about the get offs.

Chuck was telling us about some one throwing a bike at him and how his bike stepped out and how he rode out of it.

[The Snowman]

all these sv getting faster in the Am's. Experts be ware!! Sorry about the get offs.

Chuck was telling us about some one throwing a bike at him and how his bike stepped out and how he rode out of it.

It was scary, to be sure.

Funny thing is that I saw it coming before the rear skipped out. I actually heard Gino in my head from the PI at TTD 2 days earlier saying "make sure you get up onto the pegs in the bumps in T12, I could see your rear tire moving around"

And sure enough, the rear tire broke loose.

[scottfromboston]

It was scary, to be sure.

Funny thing is that I saw it coming before the rear skipped out. I actually heard Gino in my head from the PI at TTD 2 days earlier saying "make sure you get up onto the pegs in the bumps in T12, I could see your rear tire moving around"

And sure enough, the rear tire broke loose.

There's bumps in 12? All I can recall is the turtle head and the pavement seam.

I need to ride faster....

[The Snowman]

There's bumps in 12? All I can recall is the turtle head and the pavement seam.

I need to ride faster....

The transition back onto the Nascar oval can be bumpy, depending on where you are.

[TTD]

I rarely go to Turn 12 to watch, but went over there to help Renee see how the fast guys do it.

I watched all the drama of your crash... not knowing it was you and Chuck at the time.

Glad you're both OK... it was definitely a close one! (well close for Chuck... not so much for you)