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Left Thursday evening to head up to the track to take Penguin School on Friday.
What a blast! I had a great day of riding out there. Nothing spectacular for lap times but overall a great learning experience. Here are a few shots of me out there playing with a couple of the instructors.
After the day was done I ran up front and got my license and registered for racing the next two days. Ran back pushed the bike through tech and I was good to go.
#179
Saturday...
The day started off great. Had my paper license in hand and my numbers on the bike. Went out for first practice and felt pretty good out there. Not really pushing it all that much just trying to get some time on track and get back into shape.
Came back in made a few adjustments to the bike and waited for next practice.
Went out for second practice. Bike was feeling phenomenal. I did a new personal best lap time of a 23.1. Knocked 1.5 seconds of my previous best. Needless to say I feel Im improving quiet well. The problem came after that lap. I was running good through 1, 1a, 2 and 3. I came up the crest of 4, spun the tire up and highsided it. Ouch! Kates told me it was a novice mistake. I input the bars too late up the hill and the bike decided to toss me for that. It was a little more reassuring to have him tell me he used to do the same thing. A quick trip to the medical building and a hard lesson learned.
No photos of when the bike got brought back but heres after Kates got his hands on it.
Only big mark I got from the crash. My helmet did its job perfectly.
I also banged up my shoulder pretty good. I think it was my first point of impact. Its really sore still. and I must have hyper extended my thumb either coming off the bike or rolling across the ground.
If anyone has any shots or saw this in the second practice Id like to know how it looked. The EMTs up on the hill was amazed I got up and was clear headed. They asked me where I was and I said NHMS, they said good. Then they asked me what I had done and I told them I highsided off 4 and the response was a Oh Yeah. Apparently it was pretty spectacular.
At this point I had nothing for the rookie race. My bike is in a million pieces and my helmet is done. Jay Holland, hessogood was awesome to let me take his motard out for it and John Van Lenten #69 who gave me his spare helmet to use. What a damn blast. I need a motard now.
Pete spent the rest of the day getting the bike back into race shape. Green tank and all.
He had it back together so I could have entered my second race Saturday but I couldnt hang onto the bars.
Sunday.
I went out for first practice. Bike felt all wrong. It had no drive off the corners and Im sure a bunch of what was wrong was in my head. My lap times were way off. I came back in and debated the rest of my day.
I noticed that we had the bike on the wrong map so I switched that and went back on for second practice. Much better drive off the corners and I felt a bit better about riding. I still wasnt really close to the lap times I posted Saturday but I was getting back up to speed. When I came back I decided that I would at least do my first race.
Race #1
I got a horrible start. A few guys passed me. Going into one was fun. Nice and clean and some good racing. I was dicing it up with a guy on a Ducati # 973 for a few laps. I wish I know where he pitted because it was some fun racing.
Its too bad he crashed a few laps later with someone else exiting turn 10. on the plus side he seemed ok and it was another spot for me. If anyone knows who he is or if he reads these boards let him know I had a good time with him.
I spent a lot of the race by myself.
I placed 19th overall which was mid-pack and 10th in my wave. Not bad but I know I could do better. I was running 3 seconds off the lap times I was doing the day before.
I really need to thank Kates for all the work he did for me even before I crashed. Fixing my bike was just above and beyond what I expected of anyone. He definitely pulled some strings to get me a tank that didnt have a gaping hole in it so I could get back out.
I need to thank Jay for letting me take his bike out for the rookie race. Dude you made the race on day two an option for me.
I also really need to thank John. Spare helmet for the rookie race and he had his wife bring up his spare tank for me to put on my bike. I owe you.
I want to thank Nazo for talking me into getting back out there day two.
I also want to thank everyone that came over to see how I was doing after the crash.
Overall it was a good weekend. Obviously I could have done without the crash but it was a learning experience. I know what not to do on turn 4.
Things to work on for next weekend. I need to get my confidence back a bit. I know what Im capable of and I need to get back to that state. I would like to knock some more time off my lap times before the end of the season. Next time up there I have four days on track. My goal is a 20 or a 19. Its definitely possible. I just need my shoulder the heal up which it should be by then and then the right hand turns wont be so painful.