NV #606 Race Report - Rd 5 2016

[BMMCBR]

tl;dr: Rain, high temps, and a new PB!


Friday

My fairing stay was broken from bending it back (from last year’s crashes) and Loudon just being so bumpy it fell apart in its weak state. In true Brendan fashion I forgot about this until the day before I needed to leave. After a post on the LRRS Facebook page Tim DiLorenzo came through for a last minute save and sold me his spare. Thanks dude!

Took my usual half day and made it up to the track in time for some dinner and chit chat. Went to bed way earlier than usual in prep for some practice and a full day of racing.



Saturday

Woke up early to get my fairing stay installed and went through tech. Felt better than ever in practice, running 1:28s and 1:29s for the first time in practice. Practice is usually in the 30-33 range for me. The weather was great compared to the previous few days, 75 and overcast, couldn't beat it!


Race 6 - NOV Formula 1

Gridded 3D. Our luck with the weather was about to change. During the warmup lap it was starting to sprinkle, which is fine, but not as crazy as what was to come. We grid up, 1D is nowhere to be found so I have a straight shot out of the grids. Lights go out and I get an awesome start filing into 4th in T1. As we're coming through 10 the sprinkle turns into a downpour, so by the time I'm headed through T11A the 2nd place guy right in front of myself and the 3rd place racer goes down exiting T12. We dodge him, and at that point the red flag is flying. Apparently 2 or 3 other people went down from the 2nd wave in T3 and T6.

We were sent back into the pits, presumably to change to rains, but the rain was starting to let up and I must have missed the 20min delay announcement so I didn't get to it until it was too late. The rain picked back up and I didn't feel comfortable running a rain race on DOTs. So I sat this one out.

DNS
Outlap: 01:36.520
Best lap: N/A


Race 10 - NOV Formula 2

Gridded 3A. After getting my rains on I headed out with only 7 of the 17 entries in wave 1, so again there was no one in front of me on the grid. I got a decent start for a rain start. Probably could have revved a bit higher, but I'm always worried I'll spool up the rear. I'll have to work on that next time it rains. Not much went on this race. It was slow, given the rain, and after passing a bunch of people the first few laps, I settled into 5th until the 6th lap where someone got by me in T3, but then I was able to get him back again on the brakes into T1. On my second to last lap, #811 Dat Nguyen lapped me coming out of T12, ending my race 1 lap early. That guy is quick in the rain! Haha.

5th of 7
Outlap: 01:51.287
Best lap: 01:43.429


Finished the night up with some Brookside and hanging out with RSP Racing, some thunderstorms, and fireworks. Seriously, fireworks during a thunderstorm...


Sunday

I woke up a bit late and still had my rains on from the day before, and my DOTs were pretty much done. So I opted to skip practice and get my tires changed.


Race 8 - NOV Rookie 1

Gridded 3A. My start was fairly poor this race. I think the rider in 1A had a bad start and I had a rough time getting around him. Went into T1 in 6th and stayed there until lap 7 when I came upon another rider who looked like he overcooked T9, but recovered. Even after his blunder, it took me until T2 to get him. I waiting a bit longer to turn in T2 and was able to get under him and out-drive him into T3, which was really fun. I’ve never done that before. Apparently he lit a fire under my ass though because I felt like I was just flying through every turn. And it turns out I was (hey, it was flying for me, haha), because I ended up getting a new PB of 1:26.716 a full tenth off my previous best!
I also found out that almost the entire race was in the 27s and 28s. Yay for consistency!

5th of 10
Outlap: 01:36.702
Best lap: 01:26.716


After taking a much needed break in July I’m glad I was able to come back and make huge gains. Not everyone likes racing in the rain, but I think it’s a fun experience and a much different style of racing. The only thing that sucks about it is doing the rain tire dance. Eff that nonsense!

Huge thanks to everyone that made my weekend amazing. RSP Racing, ECK Racing, BT1R, my Center 15 garage mates, Tim D for making my race weekend possible with that fairing stay, the emergency personnel and corner marshals at NHMS thanks for keeping us safe, and of course Moto Pizza for keeping me fed and Mad Scientist Moto for the blingy bits making my dumpster fire look fancier. You guys all seriously make racing worth it. The people are the real reason I continue to do this crazy ass sport.

[carsick]

The only thing that sucks about it is doing the rain tire dance. Eff that nonsense!

Well, for those of us with glasses, there is also the horrible fogging problem. Good to see ya on Friday. Way to go C15 newb! Thanks for the report and keep the excitement coming.

[BMMCBR]

More awesome photos from Chainwheel Moto!

Well, for those of us with glasses, there is also the horrible fogging problem. Good to see ya on Friday. Way to go C15 newb! Thanks for the report and keep the excitement coming.

Thanks dude! It was great to see you too, you coming up for the next round or two?

[carsick]

Thanks dude! It was great to see you too, you coming up for the next round or two?

No, that was a one-off. I've got my 60 days sober from racing token, and would like to keep the momentum. Know that I'm watching finishes and lap times from afar though. You will have more progress soon.