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Ill star out with the good news, I didn't crash anything!!
We wanted to leave Thursday afternoon, but i had to work Friday. Then we planed on leaving Friday around noon. I had to work late, so Friday afternoon turned into friday after work, but kid needed to buy a new helmet. So we left at 7pm Friday, got to summit point 5am Saturday morning.
Set up our pit and van, crawled into bed around sunrise..... Missed 7am registration, missed tech inspection and spent the day spectating and checking out West Virgina.
Around 3pm when the sun was beating down on us like a blacksmiths hammer we decided to move our pits to the camping area out back, best decision we ever made. We moved to a nice shady grassy spot under a tree and relaxed in the shade listening to the sweet sounds of I-4's ripping down the front straight in the WV after noon.
When the racing was done we went for a track walk and quickly realized we where SCREWED, the front straight is almost 3/4mile and the turn onto it is a 4th gear corner. I went with 16/45 and kid with 15/42 gearing. Opps. Oh well, we played the cards we dealt ourselves.
The track was cool though, not a lot of braking, really smooth, sweeping, flowing track. Reminds me of the roads on the way in. Turn 1 was a sharp right hander with a bit of a late entry, after one i didn't touch the brakes again till turn 5, Just a quick downshift in 3 then after 5 not again till the last turn on the track. Turn 5 to 8 where the best, at times thought i could drag elbow in 6, even tried once, A couple more laps and i think i would have
Line was very important and counter intuitive for a loudon racer but i had it figured out prety well after first practice.
Saturday night one of kids friends came down from Columbus Ohio to watch us race, she got in around 9:30 and we went for another track walk and watched some fireworks. Came back to the van, tried unsuccessfully to hook up a 3some with kid and the Ohio friend and we got to bed at a decent hour.
Saturday Practice: Luckily i got out directly behind a slow expert on a duc800, so i was able to follow someone who knew the line and learn it without having to push it or getting left behind. Practice was uneventful. Ran about 7 or 8 laps and realized 3 things.
1. My gearing was way wrong
2. They guys at summit SUCK on the brakes
3. The guys at summit have LOTS of HP in those bikes.
Luckily i realized in practice that i could almost make up what i lost on the straights in the breaking zones in turn t1 and 5.
Practice times looked good i was second fastest in practice and knew i had plenty in reserve.
Kid had a great practice also. I ran the whole practice without lapping her, she kept the bike on two and learned her way around quick and without incident.
Sunday ULSB: "3rd and final call for race 5, UltraLight Superbike" Comes over the loud speaker as i'm laying in the van with my eyes shut. Shit!!! Grabbed gloved zipped up leathers, had heather pull the warmers then realized i didn't have my helmet, got the lid from the van, hopped back on the bike, Shit!! Gas... got the can got gas in it and made it out to hot-pit in time to see the rest of the field coming around finishing their sighting lap.
After a quick and somewhat unpleasant discussion with the pit road worker i realize weather i like it or not i'm starting from hotpit, not only at the back of the ULSB grid but behind the 125 guys also. So i have to give the rest o the field a 10 second head start and put in 5 guys i have to pas before i even get to my guys. Awesome.
Green flag and it feels like an eternity before they let me go. I passed the 125 guys by turn 3, got the back of the ulsb grid by turn 5, passed kid into 5 on the brakes and almost lost it, floated the rear wheel for about10ft on the brakes before locking it up it up for another 20 into the turn. made it through unharmed and got myself up to 4th buy the end of lap one. I attempted to pass for third into 9 and ended up getting passed back by start finish on the power, there where some quick sv's there for sure.
Took 3rd on the outside of 3 next lap got 2nd on the inside of the exit of 6 lap 3 and i could see the leader. Lap 4 i was gaining and actually thinking if i but my head down i could win it. Lap 5 coming into turn 5 i see a corner worker frantically waving me over.
Turns out the bike was smoking like crazy. There was oil everywhere Still not sure where it is coming from we have to take it apart and see. Disappointing end to the race.
After checking times i was the fastest in my race by almost a second a lap. But it just wasn't int he cards to win it. Best lap was a 1:28.2 and i know i left a few seconds out there. Cant wait to go back to that track. Hopefully with the right gearing and more motor.
Kid took home a 6th with a best lap of 1:37.5
Fun, fun weekend we packed up not long after the race, headed out by 5 and went up to Doug's (Dagus) place. It was a quick visit but good to say hi even if it was 12:00am by the time we got there. Got home at 5am this morning. I think next year i will make sure to take Friday off for this race
Originally Posted by Pittenger5
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