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This was my first weekend that I actually got to run my bike at the races. After swapping the engine and just about everything else, I found out that the bike was smoking because of the cheap store brand oil that I was running in it. I spent last week at the Deals gap and flew back friday. Missed my flight friday morning because a few of us got tangled up in some strippers and cocktails and my phone alarm never went off. So I got in a little late and by the time I got all my stuff together, got the bike loaded up I had missed the afternoon practice by far. I worked on the bike a bit friday night in the dark, then warmed myself by Mark's fire and got some sleep.
Got up early saturday and got the bike all fixed up in time to run my second practice. I did pretty well, I think my best time was a 1:31:00, first time ever really riding my bike aside from getting one lap black flag runs in. Some moron on a black motard got the black flag for passing me through turn three on a waving yellow and forcing me out. I got out for my first race (race #4) and felt pretty good. I got a decent start, coming into turn one is crazy though, so I lost a few places for not hammering it all the way through. I had a good steady race with running pretty consistant times of 1:28's, nearly highsided in T4 going for a pass. Ended up finishing 12th I think, out of a pretty large grid. Next race was #11, got out there and was really doing great. I got a great start but a coupe bikes went down in turn one. One of them slammed into my left side but I kept it up and was running well till they red flagged it. They restared and I got another decent one of the line. Hammering through with lap times down to 1:26 but coming down the front straight I lost a bolt from my shift linkage in the 5th or 6th lap. Went to drop down a gear to take turn five and the shifter just fell out from under me. Ran through the cones and pulled off the side on the oval. Really sucked cause I was starting to get a grove, finding my markers, and I think I was in 4th or 5th but instead ended up with a DNF.
Sunday I was up and ready in time for both of my practices, ran really well with some very consistant times and some very smooth lines. Grided up for race #3 the middleweight enurance - GTU, with Gordon right behind me. By this time it was raining pretty good and the track was mobbed with oil, rainbows all over the place. I got a good start and was running 2nd place. When Gordon took me, I think coming into turn 3? We ran the whole race fighting for second place and it was a blast, passing and repassing, back and forth, on eachother like glue. Then on the last lap coming through turn 2 he had the lead on me but lost it in some oil. I was dissapointed that he went down after such a great race. I think he had me. So I came out of that race with a nice second place. I grided up for race 8 and got a great start, was running third place in the race and I was right on top of the 1st and 2nd, they were moving at a slower pace then I felt I could do so I was confident I could get a pass on them. I think I may have pushed a little hard, setting up for a pass coming out of nine and into ten, got a good line to get them coming out of ten but they slowed much more than I expected so I had to hold the brakes a little longer, when I hit the pavement bump the front slid out and I went sliding with it. In retrospect, I should have scrubbed the speed with the rear brake and I think I would have been fine. As I was sliding I looked around and found the bike, planned on jumping up and getting back on it before we both had come to a stop. I had to stop myself from getting up while I was still slideing to run to the bike. I got over to it, got it up real quick and got it started. The rear brake was bropken and the front was bent so it was hitting the body work when I turned right so I wasn't able to get back on it. I tried slamming on it to get it bent back but the cornerworkers were unsure of the bike and I wasn't too confident either, so I wated out the checkered flag and finished the race nice and slow, but at least it wasn't a DNF.
I can't wait to race with Gordon again.
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