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Having removed the better front brakes from the SV and replacing them with the stock calipers and a brand new radial master, I was a little apprehensive about how I'd do. I found out that I made the right decision. Cliffs at the bottom.
Saturday:
I did both practices to see if I could get back where I had left off two weeks ago, only to find myself running half a second faster in the second practice. I felt really optimistic about the weekend. The deal was that the front brake setup allowed me to brake in the same places, but since the braking was a little weaker, I was actually braking deeper. Less braking = better corner speed and better drive out.
Race #2: Amateur LWSB:
I gridded second row, 2nd from the wall. I got a decent start and found myself in 5th going into T1. I tried to get around Kevin Fogg (449) a couple of times in the first lap, but he takes swooping lines and is hard to pass.
On the 2nd lap, I figured I'd take one of the 3 bikes in front of me in T3, since I had a further brake marker than I used to have, only to see Lorna Murphy (817) braking somewhat early and both Brian Cooner (501) and Kevin Fogg had to check up, as they were following her line. I took all 3 under braking and took off.
I spent the rest of the race trying to catch Dave Pang (910) and reeled in only a couple of bike lengths. I finished 2nd with my first ever amateur podium with a new personal best of 1:21.071 and running all 22's and 21's.
Race #6: Amateur LWGP:
Gridded first row on the wall and got the best start I have ever had so far in amateur. I went into T1 in 3rd position, behind Dave Pang and Brian Cooner.
I knew Cooner braked earlier than I do in T3, so I decided to go for it on the outlap and it paid off. The rest of the race, I played cat and mouse with Pang, coming within 3 bike lengths of him a few times. I found that he was out-driving me in the corners, so I needed to assess this.
I ended up with another 2nd place, again with a new PB of 1:21.045 and all laps but the outlap in the 21's!
Sunday:
I thought Sunday couldn't possibly top the day I had had on Saturday, well, I was right and I was wrong. Nothing special in the single practice session we had due to late fog and poor visibility postponing practice.
Race #2: Amateur GTL
I was gridded 2nd row 2nd from the inside. I got a great start taking 3rd into T1, but a red flag caused us to regrid and eventually return to the paddocks due to ambulance delays.
Restart, I found myself in 5th in T1, but again, a red flag caused us to regrid. Keep in mind that the sun is beating and it is upwards of 85 degrees with extremely high humidity.
Restart #2 (after being informed that another red flag ends the race and the positions we would be in would be final), I find myself again in 5th going into T1 behind the usual suspects, Matt Gendron (879), Dave Pang, Brian Cooner, and Lorna Murphy. I tried taking Lorna in T3, but ran wide and she took the position back. I got back on her and took her on the brakes into T1 on lap 2, leaving a familiar scenario to take Cooner on the brakes into T3.
From this point, I was determined not to finish behind Pang in another race. I put my head down, ran some smart laps, and after a failed pass attempt in T2 on lap 5, I got him on the brakes in T3 on lap #6 and was ecstatic!
I didn't think I'd be able to catch Gendron, but something seemed to egg me on and I found myself reeling him in. On about lap 10, I got within 3 lengths of him, but a false neutral going into T1 forced me to straighten up and go through the grass to the edge of T1 and out onto the Nascar oval. I was surprised to see that I did not lose 2nd position, so I once again put my head down and charged.
Unfortunately, this was my undoing. With just over a minute to go, I took T3 a bit too fast and did not have enough counter-steering to make a clean turn. I ended up target fixating on the top edge of the new pavement where the "beach" used to be in T4 and ended up jumping the curb, causing a tankslapper, which started to recover, but as I regained grip on the bars, the front washed and I slid up the hill in T4. I became the final red flag, which ended the race.
The bad was my first crash inside of a race. The good was that I also clicked off 2 laps in the 20's, with a new PB of 1:20.466. The rest of the race was again in the 21's and 22's.
So, all in all a decent weekend. The bike wasn't damaged much. Just the usual crash parts for a lowside (brake pedal, bent rearset bracket, and some minor plastic rash). It's going to GMD, as this is the 3rd time I've lowsided it since owning it and it hasn't been for a measurement yet. I figured it was due. I'm just sore. Nothing broken, just a few bruises.
Cliffs:
Sat:
Race 2: Am LWSB, 2nd with new PB of 1:21.071
Race 6: Am LWGP, 2nd with new PB of 1:21.045
Sun:
Race 2: Am GTL, DNF (crash) with a new PB of 1:20.466
Thanks to my sponsors, Woodcraft CFM, AMSOil, and All Balls Racing, my awesome wife, Annalisa, the guys on Team ECK, the RSP Racing Team, MTAG Pirelli, Tony's Track Days, and all the friends that helped or came out to see the races. You're all AWESOME!
BTW, on a different note, no one hit me this weekend. So, the tradition is over. (for good, hopefully)
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Originally Posted by Doc
