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To sum it up in a single word, FUN! Cliffs below, because this is going to be LONG winded.
This was by far the best experience I have ever had on two wheels. The weekend started with the Penguin School Basic course. Not going to bore you with that, but Greg (G21forme) and Lauren (Femmekat) were also both in attendance. Not that Penguin is boring, because it's not. It's a lot of classroom instruction, mixed with session riding. It was a very important part of the weekend.
Overall, it wasn't as hectic an experience as I thought. I bought my numbers from Street & Comp and a new transponder bracket Friday evening. Thanks to Mike (Rambunctious) and Matt (not sure if he's a forum member, he's amateur #142) for the help with the stuff for the numbers. I was also able to use the my.nhms.com site to register for my races. So all I had to do Saturday morning was sign in and get my transponder and tech my bike. I was done by 7:20. All there was left to do was wait for practice.
Saturday, 8/7
Practice #1
Was just out there to get a feel of things, maybe practice a few passes where I hadn't been able to at track days (inside in 3, inside in 6, etc...). I was running consistent low 1:30's and wanted to get under, but wasn't going to push myself to the point where I felt uncomfortable. I also did a couple of practice launches on hot pit. (thanks to PK, Degsy, Scottie, and Chris (CEO) for giving my advice on starts. I took a little of each of your advice and applied it and it worked out pretty well.
Practice #2
See practice #1. (except I somehow ran a little slower, consistent high 1:30's)
Rookie Race
I gridded up last 4D (back row). I only knew Chipper in this race of 7 lightweight bikes. I got the holeshot and found myself in first, but didn't get my feet back on the pegs fast enough to make a quick upshift and found myself bouncing off the rev limiter. Two motards went by me with Chipper on my ass. I got by motard #1 inside in three by showing him a wheel (thanks Degs) and came up fast on Motard #2. I came up too hot on him in 9 too late to pass and again failed to complete the pass going into 11, so I figured I'd buy some time and take him under power om the front straight, which is just what happened. From there, it was smooth sailing for the other two laps. I was first to the line with a best lap of 1:30.385. (So yes, I was THAT guy who won the rookie race.) Those who have Scottie as a Facebook friend may have seen that I got a little emotional on the victory lap. It was very odd. I didn't have butterflies when I gridded up. (Maybe because I put a silly sign in painter's tape on my tank that read "RELAX, this shit is supposed to be fun", and I started to laugh when I looked down at my tank on the grid.) But when I crossed that finish line for the first time at the end of the race, it just hit me that "I just ran my first race, after years of saying I would, and I won it."
Race #10 - Formula 40 Lites
I gridded up 5-C, right behind Bill (Yknot). Having ridden with him at track days, I figured I cold stay with him. Little did I know that Billy got faster. I got confused with how they ran 2 classes in the same grid and wasn't completely prepared when the 1 board was up, so I damn-near missed my start. I got a decent launch and found myself midway through the two classes. I started out feeling pretty decent, but Bill was gone, since he launched perfectly. I was confused as to which bikes were in which class, so I just battled everyone.
I was thinking we were 6 laps done when I see the halfway flag at the start/finish. I was getting tired and FAST. I got passed by three other bikes, but it turns out none of which were in my class. I ended up with my first real race podium in 2nd of 7 riders with a best lap of 1:30.251. I was EXHAUSTED and had really bad arm pump. It must have been the adrenaline for my first real race, because I settled in and felt much better for the last race of the day, which was:
Race #12 - LWGP
Gridded up 5-B this time. I guess coming into the season this late yields crappy grid positions. Oh well. I launched decent again, but for the third time of the day, missed the shift to second and hit the rev limiter (my tach was broken), so I ended up rounding turn 1 dead last. I got around Chipper in turn 3 on the first lap for sixth. I was finding this to be my new favorite spot (at least for the day). Both Chip and I got around another rider, and that's how we finished. I took 5th of 7 with a new PB of 1:27.948.
Sunday, 8/8
We got there at 7:45 to get the warmers on and after all the stupid missed shifts Saturday, Annalisa suggested I look at tach and I found the issue to be a loose wire. 10 minutes later, I was back in business and didn't hit the limiter all day.
Pratice #1
Never made it out. I was all suited up, warmers off the bike, front stand down. Annalisa was about to lift the front stand when she noticed that the zipper on my suit was wide open. Well, I HAD zipped it. Turns out I had a "wardrobe malfunction" and the zipper was now broken. (Don't get me started on what I think of AGVSport's Willow 1 piece suit, let's just say it's gong back for a full refund.) I ended up opening up my wallet for a new suit from Street & Comp. $654 dollars later and I was ready to roll again. I was hoping that was the worst to happen for the day, and THANKFULLY, it was.
Practice #2
Not much to report, but found myself almost right back in the same area I was at the end of Saturday, with mid 28's.
Race #1 - GTL
I knew this race would be interesting, since Bill, Chipper, and Erik Boos were all in it. I gridded 7-D, the last row of 13 riders. I got a nice launch and found myself in 5th position, behind Bill (2nd) Mike DucatiMichael (3rd), and Lori Shaw. I was told that Lori was pretty hard to pass. I was running right with her for the first two laps when I missed a downshift going into turn 1 and went wide. I saw Chipper go by me and my concentration was shot, right then and there.
About the halfway point, I felt something I had never felt before in a tire, it was starting to let go on the left side. Every left turn I got on the throttle slid more and more. So, I figured I'd just get through the race and not really push myself. I was passed by 3 other riders after Chipper and ended up with a 9th of 13 and a new PB of 1:27.684. I was actually not as tired as I was in race 10 the previous day, but was still a little sore and even with the tire in rough shape was able to maintain 1:30's.
Race #11 - LWSS
This race was "interesting". There was supposed to be 3 in my class and 2 in another in the same wave. This one saw Jerry Randall of Valley Motorsports in the other class on a motard. I knew he was running REALLY fast times all weekend (19's on his 600), but didn't know what he was doing on the motard. One rider in my class was a DNS, so I only had to beat one person to get my first real top finish. Jerry got the holeshot from row 2 and Steve Mayer (654) got by me in the inside. I didn't want to let Jerry get away, since I saw his lap times and figured he'd pull me around quicker.
I got around Steve on the inside of turn 3 and never looked back. By now, I was at least 5 lengths behind Jerry, so I just tried to stay with him as long as I could, which wasn't long. By the 4th lap, he was nowhere in sight and I had at least a 10 second lead on Steve, but I kept driving. I felt like I was on the track by myself, which was fine, because my family was cheering my on the from the start/finish line (2 sisters and their boyfriends) and Annalisa & my son were cheering on from the bowl (My son's is 12, so he can't go outside the fence on the front straight.). I finished in 1st of 2 with another PB of 1:27.663.
What an awesome time! If anyone is considering doing this, DO IT! There a lot of people to thank for such a great weekend.
Cliff notes:
- Annalisa, for being the person she is and supporting my riding.
- My family, for coming out from western MA and northern CT to see me on Sunday.
- Zip Tie Alley (especially Chris and Bergs), for letting me garage there and putting up with my "Pirelli love", and talking "shop" and generally helping me with getting the bike ready, and me ready, mentally.
- Mike (Rambunctious) for helping me with all the little details Friday.
- PK, Degsy, Chris(again), Scottie, and James (Union) for giving me advice on launching and riding. All of you helped quash the anxiety I had regarding starting.
- No sponsors to thank, but thanks to every track day instructor I've ever worked with from BoMo, Tony's, and LAPS. You guys are invaluable!
Saturday 8/7
- Rookie Race - 1st of 7, 1:30.385 best lap
- Race #10 - NV Formula 40 Lites 2nd of 7, 1:30.251 best lap
- Race #12 - NV LWGP 5th of 7, PB of 1:27.948
Sunday 8/8
- Race #1 - NV GTL 2nd of 7, PB of 1:27.684
- Race #11 - NV LWSS 1st of 2, PB of 1:27.663
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Originally Posted by Pittenger5
The rookie "race" is not a race. It doesn't count.
