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WARNING This is LONG!!
Ok so it all starts with my getting to go to a medical conference in Ft. Walton Beach FL. 6 hours away from Daytona and I was kinda on the fence as to if I wanted to drive all that way for the 200... Even if my rental was a convertible.
I get a call from Alex and he tells me if I can get my ass to Daytona that there is a chance he can get me a 2 up ride with Jason Pridmore around the track.
I promptly packed and drove 6 hours!
Now let me explain. Jordan Suzuki does this program to give a few military, press and VIP's the feeling of what it is like to ride these bikes. They had 4 army people ride on Thursday. I was the 6th scheduled for Friday.
I get into Daytona around midnight and check into my hotel. Alex sends me a text and says get my ass over to the "Ale House". A quick drive across the street and I am there. Meet up with Alex at the Bar and get introduced to Jason Pridmore and one of the managers for the Team (Keith I think).They promptly buy me a Guiness and Alex proceeds to point out all the racers and industry peeps in the bar.
The thing that strikes me most is no one is being mobbed and it is a very low key atmosphere. Very cool to just be chillin with some professional road racers. The talent in that bar was a million times more than I can even think of attaining.I guess I just missed Kevin Swantz.
It rolls around to 2am and Jason shows no sign of letting up. I give Alex a ride to his hotel and I go crash at mine.
I wake up the next morning and head to the track. Very cool. I have never been to Daytona so I get there right as they open and get the lay of the land and do the sightseeing thing while I wait for 1145 when I am supposed to be at the Jordan Suzuki National Guard trailer.
1130 and I show up, Alex is there and then Lou (Loun from here) shows up to say hey. I ask Lou if he would mind taking my camera and snapping pix? He pulls out his mammoth professional camera and says he has his ownAlex sees the camera and says "Hey, I can use you as a photographer"
The other people arrive and we get a briefing and sign waivers. There were 2 marketing types, A rep from Leo Vince, THE president of Dunlop tires, a female friend of Jason's and your's truly.
We then get suited up with AGV helmets, Dianese leathers , gloves and boots. The guys fitting us were AWESOME! Again very professional and made you feel like a VIP.
We make the walk to hot pit...
The Guy with the yellow shirt to my left is the Pres of Dunlop and the guy in the white leathers is the Leo Vince rep, Alex is on the right.
They decide Ride order and I am #2.
I have a perma grin on and I am not letting myself get nervous, gonna be a walk in the park, I mean I am a "Racer" too.
Photo op
Here I am coming out of the porta pottie Pre ride...
Jason takes the bike out for warm up lap and comes SCREAMING down the front straight!Holy crap that is fast!
I get interviewed about my upcoming experience. My voice on the loudspeakers at Daytona.
The first rider goes out and I am on deck, I get my gear on, get a safety check and the next thing I know in comes the bike.
Jason says something about staying loose and having fun and I get on the back.
and were off...
Ok so right off the bat I figure the first couple corners will be just putting, Oh boy was I wrong! Coming on to the track Jason spools the bike up and it is ON. God Damn this bike accelerates! I am thinking OK, Alex told him not to take it easy on me.
We go into the first Horseshoe and he tips the bike over... Friggin SWEET! What lean angle! When I remember Jason said that he is only using 40% of his ability when he does these rides.He looks back at me as we are accelerating to the next left, takes his hand off the bars and give me a thumbs up! (about 1:30 in the video)
I am doing my best just to listen to the engine and relax, I try and remember the fundamentals, I want to look through the turns etc but I can't
I think I am doing alright and I am starting to get into it when we power onto the banking and he wheelies the friggin thing coming on to the banking!! (1:58 in the video)
We are on the banking and I am feeling the G's, Trying to keep my head up and it is getting buffeted by the mind and bounced around. Well I want to get the whole experience so I slide back and tuck in behind him. BIG Mistake!
Lap 2 comes up and it is distinctly faster. Now he had told us that the first lap was gonna be a calm one but hell, If that was calm...
He Brakes for turn 1 and my feet slide a little on the pegs, it messes me up and I spend the rest of the lap trying to catch up and get back in sync with Jason, I don't think he can tell.
This man is SO smooth on the brakes and shifting and accelerating. I am just trying to process all the info!
It is INSANE how fast we are going. I have been up to 150 for a short time before but we are over that and holding for quite awhile. Just friggin Amazing! and we never got into 6th!
He is getting knee down in the corners and I feel like mine can't be very far away.
We come outta Nascar turn 4 and I know we are still doing over 100 as we come into pit road. Jason kinda pats me on the knee and gives me the thumbs up again.
We stop at the pit wall and I let out ato the laughs of everyone on pitwall.
Part 2 follows
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Originally Posted by Pookie
