10
TLDR; Nostalgic story. Finished P1 and P2 respectively.
2011.....13 years ago
I owned 2 race prepped Honda F4i's and was doing pretty dang ok in the AM ranks.
13 years ago was the last time I raced and it didn't end well with a popped water pump, a belly pan full of water and a subsequent low side exiting T1 at Summit Point.
13 years ago my daughter was born and my decision to concentrate on building a family life became my priority. I sold the bikes, the trailer, all the spares and the riding suits and walked away completely.
Scott Mullin passes and I sign up for the opportunity to help with food prep for the cook out and happen to catch a whiff of hot tires and race fuel while I'm at the track. Oh dear....
Fast forward to the winter of 2021 and I score a minty 2012 Yamaha R6 with the complete track day starter kit....warmers, stands, a few spares and a nearly race prepped bike in fantastic condition.
Spring time of 2022 I dip my toes into my first track day in over a decade. I love my new bike but I am clearly very rusty on my riding skills. Jump a curb here, miss a line there....you know, complete newbie stuff and somewhat understandably so.
A few track days in 2022 as well as 2023 and the cobwebs are slowly being brushed away with each lap. The R6 and I are getting along nicely at this point and I'm starting to feel the racing urge creep in.
Jump to 2024 and I rode one track day earlier in the year but by then I had racing in mind....which leads us up to this past weekend.
After informing my wife I'd be missing her cousin's wedding since it was happening on the final NEMRR race weekend, she agreed and I didn't look back.
I scored the final track day auction on this very forum and Penguin (actually Cathy in particular) helped with getting me signed up for the licensing class.
Due to the questionable weather forecast, I opted to swap out the Dunlop slicks and go back to the RS11 Bridgestones for the weekend.
The overall goal was to sign up for Super Street in order to be eligible for a competition license for 2025.
As the Friday track day wore on, I started to learn a whole lot more about an individual who has been cleaning shop in the Super Street class for the last couple seasons. I'd want to say it sounded like it was to the point of ignoring the spirit of what Super Street is really for....that being a step between track days and full on competition. Well, this eventually lit a tiny fire inside me and I began my side quest of figuring out what needed to happen to shake that up a bit.
Friday ends on a high note as we had decent weather and lots of track time and I was officially signed up for Super Street, including the heat race on Saturday.
During the heat race it became clear the individual mentioned above was easily several seconds a lap quicker than everyone else in the group with the exception of a certain blue R6.
At this point I should note that this weekend was entirely about seeing what my competition lap times are and, as mentioned, be eligible for licensing for 2025 and nothing more.
Super Street Heat race - Started in grid 4D and realized I had not tried to launch my bike....which was immediately apparent once the starting lights went out. I picked my way through the field and eventually made my way into P2 however the Heat race was only 4 laps so I settled in and learned very quickly about the brutal acceleration of a 2023 ZX10. I also learned that the gentleman on the ZX10 wasn't exactly elegant with passing and I had lap consistency on my side. Finished P2 and about .5s behind P1
Race 9 - Super Street - I was starting to be approached by several folks in the paddock asking if I was going to be able to do anything about the ZX10. People were watching lap times and the ZX and I were on par with each other.
As I spent my practice sessions working on my launches, I knew if I could show a wheel to the ZX, it'd be game over for him and by finishing the Heat race in P2, it put me on the front row immediately next to the ZX10 in 1B. The Start lights go out the ZX launches and is easily numerous bike lengths away by T1.
I slot into 4th but quickly get by the two riders in T3 and T4 but that ZX has already set sail and the best I could hope for was lapped traffic.
I stick to my goal of simply completing laps right up until the backmarkers start showing up. I crank up the effort to 95% and am a few feet away from the ZX as we exit T2. After clearing a backmarker, the ZX and I enter T3 at which point I executed a pass then put my head down because my R6 is lacking 180hp and electronic assistance.
The pass sticks and I continue making my way in P1 all the way to the checkers.
Side quest complete
Frick yes! 13 year gap in racing and I get the W?
Little did I know the "ripple effect" that would take place in the following hours as well as during the awards ceremony. I was being approached much more frequently by folks and I'll just say it....the people were coming out of the wood works to send their congratulations. Humbling experience but also not exactly the attention I was seeking however I feel like the entire paddock was finally relieved that someone....anyone....was able to get in front of that rocketship of a ZX10.
The awards ceremony Saturday evening was also humbling in the sense that, when the announcer called 3rd place there was clapping but the rider was absent at the time.
The announcer then calls 2nd place, more clapping and some cheers. The ZX10 rider walks up and somewhat begrudgingly (at least by body language) accepts his P2 bling.
The announcer then calls P1 and as I walk up, what sounded like 300 people, all erupted with cheers. The place just exploded and it was at that exact moment that I realized what that particular P1 award meant to others in the paddock. Of course it was important to me but to hear the elation of the group was a moving experience to say the least and will stick with me for quite some time for sure.
Sunday - Race 6 - Super Street - Upon waking up, I knew I was spent. I felt it and I knew I wasn't going to fight very hard if it came down to it. Again, I stuck to my goal of completing laps and what happened on Saturday would stay exactly as stated....that was Saturday.
Not much to report on this race other than spinning up the rear in T4, T6 and T12 and accidentally backing it into T3 with a wagging rear tire. I dialed back to 80% and focused on consistency while finishing P2.
I have to say, this first weekend back was simply incredible! Seeing many old friends, making several new friends and feeling the open arms and warm embrace of the paddock....all very moving.
The support I received just to run those two races was amazing.
Thank you Carbonzx10 for the garage spot
Thank you DBConz for the transponder "rental"
Thank you legalspeed for the tidbits of guidance over the weekend to get that little extra out of my riding
And if that's not enough, the cherry on top of all this is being approached by a Penguin coach Sunday evening with an offer of some type of help. What exactly that means, I'm not sure at this time. I'll simply accept the fact that someone saw something they liked and they want to have a conversation about it.
Anyway, if you've read all this, thank you for staying. Now it's time to get ready for 2025!!!
*************EDIT****************:
Copy/ Paste from post 37
Below are links to some of the racing in Super Street.
I put links specifically because it would be awesome if you guys could Like the videos of his that you do watch. Doesn't help me one bit but the show of support would be cool.
Sat Heat race rear view - Because my launches and outlaps were pretty bad, I tailed the ZX the best I could. I get my shit together around the 6min mark
Sat Super Street front view - You can watch the entire video, obviously, or you can start from the 5:45 mark. You'll see the red bike that slowed him up just enough
Sat Super Street rear view - The party starts to warm up around 6min in. I love this video because once I make the pass, he stays close enough to hear both bikes until the checkers. I dunno, just a neat detail, IMO.
Heat Race rear view - https://youtu.be/7kjAESoy5V0?si=aol-_0laUeejX8EC
Super Street front view - https://youtu.be/HskViLoDT2s?si=eIYWHe1HTWpmaqKA
Super Street rear view - https://youtu.be/2sqMM-geAsU?si=dUdYP7u1VcZaFOpX
Sunday's race Front view - https://youtu.be/KGQJbPigjDA?si=Lv3kRcSlym1xHUIl
Sunday's race Rear view - https://youtu.be/KFr9yPhKJoQ?si=hLUIS4f8Txbe6aqE
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by hondarider102
Dude, that's awesome. Glad you had a great return. 
