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Barely got the bike together for this weekend. Went to bed around 1:30am on Friday, made it to the track by 8:30am. Missed first practice as I was waiting for tires (no fault of Boston Moto), made it to 2nd practic and got 4 laps in before it was flagged.
Basically, a slow start to an otherwise triumphant weekend!
Saturday - Race 3
Basically used this race as practice and shakedown to which I discovered that I still had some crash-demons to shake off from last year. I was braking too early for 3 and just plain slow through going into 1 and exiting 2. Didn't do much of anything for times.....I think nearly 5 seconds or so off my pace. Finished 12th
Saturday - Race 12
Made some fork adjustments and loosened up the rear a bit. Tightened the steering damper a skoash as I was getting some considerable head shake through 7-8. Still feeling out the bike as well as shaking off the crash-demons. Found ceo and union out there and that helped me start getting into my groove. Placed 5th and I was about 2 seconds off my pace.
Sunday - Race 3
Again, found union and rolled with him back and forth until the final turn of the last lap where I got a slightly better drive out of 12 but simply didn't have the motor to get by before the finish line. As we quickly approached a lapper and prepared to split him, James made a quick move to the right and that would end up slowing him just enough for me to squeak by to take 4th place by .05 seconds! Pretty wild feeling being right up next to the wall in full tuck with a bike within arms reach to my left.
Sunday - Race 13
As the new grids are arranged by points for this year, I was gridded in 1A......"Wow! This is a new view. Where the hell are all the bikes??"
Green flag flies and, much like the previous races, I launched my bike straight up in the air only to have to shut it down and have the bike in 1B blow on by and put me in 2nd place.....time to put in work and burn those damned demons! afterall, I want one of those trophys!!
From the get go I knew I could stay with him so I remained patient, looking for a section I was stronger in. He'd lose me coming out of 2 and I'd reel him back in by 3. He'd lose me going into 6 and I'd have him by 8-9-10....this went on for 4 laps or so until I figured out that I could stick a pass coming out of 10...so I did. It took a few tries but I made a new game plan of holding back just a little coming out of The Bowl and then going full pace all the way into 9 and getting the drive out of 10 to set up nicely for 11. BAM! 1st and white flag. This is where I started losing concentration as I began thinking about the goals I was about to acheive with this win but shut the thinking off by the end of the straight and dialed myself back into the job at hand. Gladly took 1st place which makes this my very first top finish.....and, to top it all off, I got one of those trophys I wanted!!
I would like to thank the following people for various reasons:
Boston Moto (Pirelli tires and moral support)
Duncan Moto (the windscreen did it, Ted!)
Tricky Mike (it's a long list)
Zip-Tie Alley Racing (the best team in the haddock)
ceo (for helping me get up to pace)
union (for continuing the on-track fun since day 1)
nt650hawk (observance and sage advice)
...and the people that kept on me throughout the extremely hectic weeks of my life, thank you!! You know who you are!
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Originally Posted by Pookie
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All wheel drive cars were so much easier. Plant the gas pedal... side step the clutch.... leave the gas pedal on the floor and rail through the gears...
