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uh yeah..... I do
GTL - start 3 laps down from pit lane cuz they almost always to a race 3 and a race 3a... AM GTL is typically 3a.... nope... they kept em combined this time
I start 2-3 laps into the race and I get 5 laps in before it's red flagged... no restart, no chance to pit in and take a DNF to avoid the dreaded .000 index... oh well
It was my first time riding the track in the wet and first time on rain tires... I did a 1:40.1.... coulda done much better but it was still all new to me so I'm not too disappointed w/ that time. I was only slightly off the pace of fellow AM EX'ers Tom Joyce and Brendan Guy, which I'm happy with.
LSPM - start from pit lane AGAIN cuz i get to hot pit and I find out I forgot my transponder & have to go back for it... I come back & started from hot pit... again
I start working my way up the field, slowly picking up the pace and checking out the now drying track...
The first lap a motard went down in turn 11 and I see two bikes pitting in so i figured the race was stopped for another reason & the red flag hadn't come out yet... i slow waaayyy down as the motard jumps back onto the track & takes off down the front straight.... damnit, pin the throttle again, many seconds lost there, but no biggie, still early in the race.
I'm feeling VERY good about my tire choice at this point (switched back to DOT's) and catch up to Tom Joyce and Brendan Guy by the 2nd lap. I come outta turn 12 right behind them, get a good drive and pass them both by the apex of turn one. At that point I put my head down and try to pull away... not a single shimmy, shake, slip or slide from my Supercorsas and I'm feeling VERY good...
I've got a damn good lap going as I come outta turn 12. I get a good drive out, about to shift to 4th and the next thing i know it feels like my front slipped out a bit, came back and before I could complete the thought "can I save it?" my rear tire came out, caught, then went WAY out and caught again... my bike sent me skywards. I see the yellow number plates on my bike as I'm up in the air looking down as I fly up & over the LEFT side my bike (threw me towards the inside of the turn instead of towards the wall)
I hit the ground hard, think "I'm about to get run over by my own bike, tom or brendan"... tumble & slide... "wow, my bike didn't hit me & is REALLY far away right now... wow, i'm still tumbling... bike still sliding... i'm still tumbling... ok, so where's tom & brendan?"
I go to stand up to go to my bike but the pain hit me & I went right back down.... nope, no fuckin chance, I'm done. I stay down as Tom and Brendan finally come around 12 and pass on either side of me, I look back towards 12 & see it's clear so I hobble myself off the track, say "hi" to EMT's as they pick me up & carry me to the infirmary... end of racing for the weekend.
yeah, great way to start my Am debut.
The bike's in pretty good shape considering it's long tumble & slide. Nothing that really can't be bent back at least close to where it's supposed to be
My front end was crooked but after loostening everything up it straightened itself out nicely. Next race weekend I may bring my fork tubes over to Curt Lavoie and have him check them for straightness & bend em back if need be.
my bodywork is in pretty good shape... zipties snapped before the fiberglass so it's still 100% intact, just a couple cracks & some rash.
as for MY bodywork, it could be alot worse... my knee, hip & shoulder are all really banged up, but I'll survive. It'll just slow me down when I'm off the bike, that's all.
See you guys out there in October
EDIT: holy shit that's a long report for only having completed 7 friggin laps
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