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Well this was my first race weekend since last August and to say I was nervous would be a major understatement. Drove up Thursday night with team mate Jay MaCarthy (Marshdrummer) and got to the track nice and early and was able to get checked in and teched so I could relax and just roll out for first practice in the morning.
The Cliff Notes version... (Cause this turned out to be a bit long!)
-I suck at starts
-Fresh MTAG Pirelli tires are AMAZING!
-Fourth in Super Twins
-Third in Thunderbike
-Third in ASRA Thunderbike
-RSP Team mates are the BEST!
Went out for the first and only practice of the day and although this was not the first time on the rebuilt bike but it was the first time for a race weekend and I needed to shake the track day mentality! Bike felt great and I tried a to get up to pace quickly. Tires pressure felt off so I came in and had MTAG Pirelli check them. Had them add a pound to the front and went back out. Rolled down hot pit and thought the lever felt a bit spongy but I slowed just fine. Launched into turn three chute and was not slowing down any where near what I should be. Looked down and saw something wet all over the lever and below. Crap!!! Coasted through and pitted out with no issues. Yup looks like the DOT6 ate through the gaskets on both my break and clutch master cylinders. I have a full spare break master and through that on there and not worries. Bled the Clutch master and that was still working well enough to get through. Could only manage a mid 1.24 and was four seconds off my pace from last year. Not as bad as I thought it would be but still not where I needed to be. No races for me on Friday so I packed it away for the day help out the rest of RSP.
Sat Morning went out for practice again looking for the lost 4 seconds. Could not find them but there was to much going through my mind. Remembering entry points, break markers, how was the bike, how where the tires, how was the suspension since ALL of it has changed since the last time I raced the bike. Just way too much. So I came in and got my head together decided that the 4 year old used slicks where one thing I could do to get out of my head. Only had one minor slip with them going up 4 that I'm sure was nothing but still did not want to chance it and wanted to eliminate any excuses I may have. Mike from MTAG Pirelli got me a new pair of shoes mounted and balanced right quick and I def felt better after just having them on the bike! Funny how stuff like that just settles your mind.
RACE 4 AMATEUR SUPERTWINS
Gridded up towards the back of the pack and could barely see the flagger. But caught him and watched for my que to make my AMAZING start! Yup green flag flew and I left the grid at a blistering 10 miles per hour. I will be going to a parking lot and working on this! But got the bike going and caught up the the pack by 1 and passed a few people in 1a made it through two and just romped the gas. Flew by about 4 more people into the chute of three and got up the inside. Rest of the race was nothing really notable and I was able to keep my pace and was feeling good. Finished fourth but not to bad at all for my first time back! And I found 3 of the 4 seconds with a best lap of a 1.21.3. The new Pirelli Diablo Slicks held like glue and the bike felt like it was on rails! Not a slip not a slide not a push or a jiggle!
RACE 7 AMATEUR THUNDERBIKE
Felt much better gridding up for this one. Nerves were settled a lot! Got ready for another of my craptastical launches and again left the grid dead last! But again caught up to the pack again by turn 1 and passed a few people in 1 and went up the inside of another in 1a. Screamed through 2 and again got a great drive into three. Again passed a few people on the breaks at the entry to the chute and recovered a few spots. Got behind a guy (914) on a Ducati 749 and followed him around for a two laps then decided to pass him in three as well since he was taking a wide outside line. Also knew the bike was bogging down going up the hill so I decided to grab and extra down shift to see if that would be any better. Well that was to much and I locked up the rear and the rider 419 passed me right back. Took me to the top of 4 to recover and I just could not catch him again. Finished in third with a best lap time of 1.21.4. Again I felt great and the tires felt like they were nailed to the track. I knew where I can pick up my time and just need to DO IT!! None the less I finished on the podium and it felt great!
Went to the trophy awards that night and watched my friends and team mates all get their trophy's and am so glad LRRS is doing this again the night right after the races instead of the next race weekend! So much fun to "GET ON THE BOX!!!!" Well it was time for my award and they hand me my third place medal. Then call out second place number 914. (Remember him the guy I passed then passed me back.) He comes up and Say I think something is wrong. "I won that race". By this time first place Matt Calhoun the first place winner comes up and is handed his trophy. But before any of us can "Get on the box" they take all the trophy's away. They ask the guy why he thinks he won and his answer is "my friends told me I won" They ask if he checked his times online and he says no, did he go look at the postings he says no, did he check his times in the tech garage no, Just his friends told him he won. So we all sit down and enjoy the rest of the awards. Matt and I start talking and after the ceremony go grab the guy. He was just such an ass hat about the whole thing it was amazing. I tried telling him about the pass I made on him in three and he said "no one passed me" then five minutes later was saying ya I remember that. We finally got it straightened out and I got my medal!
Sunday ASRA Thunderbike Qualifying
Again tried a practice start and yup I still suck! So I go out and do my best to put down a few hot laps. I did about 5 laps and felt I was right on pace to where I was the day before. My timer was telling me that I put down a 1.20.7 and my timer is about .3 off of the LRRS timing. So I pull in saving my energy and tires since this is going to be a 15 lap race. I figured that with my starts getting one or two positions further in the start really did not matter. Qualified 5th out of 8 and was happy with that.
Sunday ASRA Thunderbike
Nerves where HIGH again and I was definitely stressed. I wanted a podium in this race and that was my goal! I tell myself not to try a race launch but just take off like normal as even that is faster than my launches! But the nerves got the best of me and yup worse start of the weekend. I stalled it then sputtered down the straight. Did not catch the pack until turn 3 this time. Made a pass on a novice that was in the race on the outside at the top of four. Took me till the bottom of ten to catch him but could not make the pass until the front straight. Had a better drive onto the straight and drove past him. I put my head down and put down a few solid laps to make sure I put some distance on him to maybe back off a bit later in the race to save energy. I knew I was now in 3rd place and number 914 and my team mate Mike Weyant (434) where ahead of me. I tried my best to click off a few more hot laps but could feel myself getting tired and slowed down a bit for a few laps. Then I came down turn nine and saw number 419 with his arm up pitting in! I was now in 2cd place! That def gave me a boost and whicked it up a bit again. I ended up watching the wrong person at the end of pit road for most of the race and thought he was giving me signals saying I had a large lead. When that guy was was not there any more I found my team and saw they were telling me I was in 2cd. I tried looking at the bored to see if I could see how many laps left but could not and missed them telling me to hurry up. My nerves, excitment and energy where all wearing out. I was totally missing them all on the wall telling me to hurry up! I took the white flag and decided that I was gonna give the last lap everything I had. Which was not much. Rider 611 David Dayon passed me in the bowl and I was utterly suprised! I got a burst of energy and kept right with him but the bike bogged down again at the bottom of the hill and I did not get the pass. Kept with him through 11 and messed up the chicane and went through the sewer and almost threw myself off the bike! Kept it up and drove down the straight hoping not to get passed again. Took the checker for third place! Took my cool down lap and came back into the hot pit. The marshal pointed right at me with a stern look and starts shouting and I can't hear him yet. I think oh great what did I do and am I gonna get disqualified! I get closer and he points at me and say the best words I've heard in my racing career. "You need to go to the winners circle" That just felt great to hear! Best lap was a 1.21.8. But some how I managed an out lap of a 1.25.6 with a stalled start! That just shows me I can go faster!
First I would like to humbly thank my team mates! RSP Racing! With out you I would not have ever been in that circle!
Next thank you
MTAG Pirelli, They will help you "Get on the box"
Tony's Track Days, Tony your tips and advice are amazing!
Rachel. It SUCKS!!!! not having you there!
Thank you to all the rest of our sponsors. Your support has made much of this possible!
Northern New England Appraisal Services / Dyno Solutions / Namco Pool / Sport Bike Track Gear
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Originally Posted by PainfullySlow
