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Wow! The first thing I have to say is Wow!
I'll explain. (if you think Pete's was long...)
I leave for the track on friday still having to button the Hawk up a bit from switching it back to race trim. For those that don't know I started racing on a Hawk (PB 1:26 something), jumped to a Ducati last year (went faster! PB 1:23.0) Raced the Duc in June, sold the Duc to get a street 998 and jumped back to the Hawk. (In that time the Hawk got some goodies)
So I arrive and find the T1a spot encroached on.Oh well we will have to make due. I unload with help from Mitchell and get to work on the Hawk, I needed tires so I went and saw Boston Moto and got a good deal on a new set of Pirellis. (I have never run anything but michelins so I was kinda apprehensive) There was too much to do so I take it easy and stay out of practice.
Awake on saturday and start to go to tech... something is dragging..? That would be my flat rear tire. WTF? Get some air in it and go over to the Boston Moto garage they must have slept in, no one to be foundKitt helps with a bottle of degreaser to see if we can find the leak, it is the new valve stem that was installed. I put a wrench to it and it seems to be holding. Good to go. I check it all weekend and it holds fine. No worries.
Go out in practice and feel ok. I haven't been on a Hawk on the track in over a year so I wasn't expecting much. The Hawk felt good so I was happy. Check my times and I BEAT MY PB LAP ON A HAWK! First practice. Wow!
2nd Practice is good and I am still trying to find my line through 3 and 11/12. I go watch the fast guys and get some ideas for the race.
Saturday Race #2 GTL
I have never done a GTL and I am usually begging for the white flag in a sprint so I was just using this as an extended practice to get some hot laps on the Hawk. Poor start (I am not used to launching this bike), a Red flag about half way and they regrid according to race order. I hadn't lost or gained a spot
But lets look at the times! New PB on the Hawk 1:23.744! Wow!
Those Pirelli's seem to work just fine.
Race #6 LWSS
Another "Let's just get some laps" Race. Although this one is fun because I know some of the playa's (Pete, Cynthia, Lorna, Bob Stone in Form 50 on a Hawk and my new Arch Nemisis David King)
Better launch, I stayed with a pack of about 5 riders for a couple laps until they started to spread out. I settle in and try to real who I think is Dan (Mongoose441) and Bob Stone. "Dan" ends up being "Daviid" at the end of the race.
I slowly reel him in and I am right on him for lap 4. I am all over him in the bowl and I run a little wide coming out of 6 and go off the track! (I figure I owed him for going off the track in the same spot in Junes race) I keep it up and no one passes me but he has a few seconds on me now. The good thing is I have open track and can run my lines to catch him. Head down. Lap 6 and I am back on him!, I can't set up a clean pass but I am quicker in a number of spots, I almost T-bone him coming out of 10, Todd Babcock pulls up on my left going into 11, he goes up the inside of Daviid in 11, I go around the outside.
Another note; I kept Bob Stone and his Hawk in site for the entire race. I haven't done that since last fall round up on the Duc.
I place 7th with a Fastest lap of a 1:24.218 when I needed it (lap 6)
The night comes and I drink a little too much next to the gasoline stoked fire with the good tunes from "The Hawk" radio station and the good company of friends... I go to bed early enough though.
Awake at 6:30am Sunday Why am I always the first one up?
Today is ULSB day!
Race #9 ULSB
I suit up and figure Gino is gonna lap me as usual so I want to give him some encouragement when he goes by.
Line up for the race and there are only 6 of us. 1 Friggin motard.
Crappy launch and Quinn squirts by going into 1a, I pass him back going into 3 and he we drag race into 6 where he out brakes me and leads me for the first lap.... Hey would you look at that! I can see Brewmaster just ahead of Kevin.
I pass Quinn going into 1 and then Quinn and I drag race into 6 again but I out brake him this time and keep 4th leading him for lap 2. I even showed Brewmaster a wheel somewhere in here...
Quinn gets by me at some point on lap 3 (I have never swapped positions this many times in a race and it is only lap 3!!!)
But I get him back on Lap 4.
Head down now to put some distance on Kevin and close up on the Brewmaster!I notice I am a little quicker on the back section of the track and this is where I make up my time, I thought about just waiting until the last lap but I didn't want to take any chance. I get an AWESOME drive coming out of 2 and late brake going into 3. I barely hold my line and get a crappy drive out of 3 but I know if I can just stay ahead of him I am faster on the back section. I keep my head down and don't look back and do a 1:23.191 (new record for me on the Hawk!
)
I know these guys are close and just keeping going. I am tired but I have open track in front of me! Last lap and I am not looking back, still have the lead coming into 1.
Look at this! Last lap turn 2!
Me, Brew and Quinn!
I just keep telling myself to be smooth and relax! Come out of 12 and Hammer it earlier than I ever have. I have no clue how close they are but I am giving it all I have! Cross the line in 3rd place and it never felt so good.
I come around 1 to see the cheers of the 1a crew!
That was by far the best race of my short career. I hope the other fellas had as good a time as I did!
Hey Brew! Sorry I had not stopped by your pits to say hello before that day! Nice racing with you man!
Oh and that last lap... a 1:22.653! a new PB! Wow!
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Originally Posted by Pookie
We will see about that.
