0
First things first... I gotta thank my ECK teammates. Arcy, Jamie, Gene and the “Black Sheep Squadron” crew were awesome this year, helping me out in the pits when I needed it and supporting me, making this year the smoothest yet of my relatively short racing career.
Consistency was definitely the theme for my 2009 LRRS season... Consistently awesome teammates and consistently awesome personal improvement, both in race craft, knowledge and skill. After taking last couple of days to reflect, I really couldn't be happier with how things went for me this year. I completely blew past all of the goals I set before the season began and had just but ONE crash (w/o injury) all year... can't get much better than that...
But I definitely couldn't have done it w/o my team, fellow NESR members and sponsors (Pine Motorparts/PBE Specialists | Phoenix Graphics | Woodcraft | Moon Performance | RJ's Motorsport | Motorcycles of Manchester | BostonMoto-Pirelli).
Anyway, enough of this sappy crap... on to the race reports!
Sat Race 7 - LWSB:
Saturday's LWSB was a wet one and the grid was light as only 8 racers of 15 entries showed up to the starting line. I got a great launch off the line from way back on the 3rd row and almost got the hole-shot but Brian Kent beat me to turn 1 and I slipped in behind him in 2nd place. Mike McDermott was the next to get by and he was followed quickly by Bill Tansey who dropped me back to 4th, then on lap 2 Nate Mendel powered his way past, putting me back to 5th! GEEZ! The 1/2 way flags weren't even close to coming out yet and already it wasn't looking good.
On lap 4, however, my luck began to change. McDermott got bit by a notoriously wet turn 2 and I was able to out-break and get back past Bill Tansey going into the bowl, working my way back up to 3rd position. I laid down some consistent times in the high 1:30 to low 1:31 range and kept a HAIR ahead of Bill who was allllllll OVER me for the remainder of the race. I would out-break him going into 1 and 3, and out power him going up the hill, but he would make it all up in the corners and was absolutely climbing all over my rear tire. Mike McDermott came STORMING back from his turn 2 mishap and made a LATE charge on the last lap to get past Bill and get on my tail, but I held him off and pulled out my second Expert podium finish ever.
That night, the ECK/Black Sheep Squadron went out for dinner to TGI Fridays, celebrate the season & Arcy's birthday and I got to show my appreciation by playin the roll of “big ballah” & picked up the tab.
(Okay, actually it was all just part of my overly elaborate & expensive plan to use that picture again)
Sunday Race 7 - LWSS
BostonMoto saved a fresh Pirelli Diablo for me to close out the season and I was able to put it to good use on Sunday... Morning practice was a little damp & slippery, but by the time LWSS rolled around the sun was out and the track was dry. In this class I was 5 points behind John Tansey who sat in 5th place in the championship points. It’d be a tall order, but theoretically it was possible for me to get 6 points on him and overtake him in the standings if I got my best LWSS finish of the year and finished 5th and he finished 10th or worse.
When the green waved I got a great jump and despite having a moment in the bowl I turned a 1:21.277 on the opening lap (not sure yet, but I think that’s a new personal best) came around for lap 2 in 5th place, still within sight of the lead pack & 4 seconds ahead of 6th!It was enough of a gap for me to pick my head up just a little bit, get castaway onto “Oreo Island” all by myself (WILSONNN!), lay down some consistent mid-low 1:19’s and take home my best LWSS finish of the year. So I did my part to possibly steal 5th overall in the LWSS Championship from John, but he was able to hold onto 7th place and round out top 5 for the year, so congrats to John!
Sunday Race 10 – LWGP
LWGP kind of turned into another case of riding around all lonely like. I got a great jump, slipped into a top 3 spot & tried to catch a tow from the lead pack but they were able to slowly slip off into the distance. By the 2nd or 3rd lap I settled into a comfortable 6th place, out powered by a couple of two stroke 250’s and out maneuvered by the KTM motard of young gun Tyler Sweeny. I settled into a groove, clicking off some more mid-low 19’s but slacked off on lap 5, which let Moto Market’s Paul Conley on his Honda RS250 sneak up behind me! Luckily I spotted him before it was too late while taking a peek going up turn 4, so I put my head right back down and held him off until the end to wrap up my ’09 LRRS season.
So all in all, ’09 was awesome for me and I gotta count my blessings.
A huge thanks to everyone who came up to show your support this year, it’s great having friends & family come up and cheer us onI think we’re all digging the “ECK Coupon” envelope at the front gate to get you guys a few bucks off on your Sunday pit passes and hopefully that will be a staple next year as well.
Lastly, best wishes to all racers who were injured this year… especially Fitz, who, as I’m sure we all know by now, had a terribly unfortunate disagreement with the big red crash truck
(Dude, it's big & red! How could you not see that thing comin!!!)
Seriously though, best of luck to you in your recovery, as well as all other injured riders.
See you in 2010!
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Pookie
