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This was my first round as an expert and also happened to be the round that my wife, Ellen, and I decided to tell our track friends that we are pregnant with triplets! As a result of the pregnancy, I would be taking an extended break from racing after Round 7…unfortunately. So with two rounds to go, I wanted to work hard to drop some more time. I signed up for the advanced class with Eric, and was extremely impressed. However, a lot of things I wanted to work on wouldn’t yield immediate results for the weekend and were long term items. I was going back and forth with some body-position stuff and it threw me off a bit…I was apparently too stiff on the bars and went down in three later in the day. I never felt “on” and was really hoping Saturday would bring better riding.
Saturday:
Practice felt better and it was time for the GTL. Gridded in the back, I got a mediocre start but was able to get by a few people. I had a great battle with Eric Connolly (26) for many laps, but I blew the entry to six and he took full advantage. I ended up finishing 17/23. I’ll take it for my debut. LWGP was a bit worse, starting from the inside of the last row, and making little headway throughout. I finished in 26/29.
Sunday:
LWSB was a really fun race, I was nipping at the heels of Brett Larson (226) but wasn’t able to make a pass. Finished 20/22, but felt as though I raced a good race dipping back into the 21s.
LWSS was the real excitement. Oreo was on cold tires and crashed in 1A, so we had a restart. From 3D I was able to get a great launch and settle in 5th behind BJ Worsham. After a few laps the ever-smooth Steve Heider showed me where I should be braking into T1, leaving me in 6th. A lap later, after just about finishing my braking into the bowl, I started to tip in when I felt a solid hit in the rear. I don’t remember anything else until waking on the ground and speaking with the medical staff. They asked if I had the Eject system installed and I told them I did. However, the air bladder would not hold pressure and they had to take the helmet off the old school way. They put me onto a back-board, with a neck-brace, and got me to the infirmary. I clearly had a broken clavicle, and was later taken to Concord Hospital where we found it was in three pieces. Still waiting to see if surgery will be necessary.
Talking with Brian Kelly (102), he thought he tangled up with me and might have caused the incident. However, a “tangle” wasn’t what I remembered and the video corroborates my recollection of a solid rear hit. I watched the video frame-by-frame and it looks like Brian is going for an outside pass and is beside my bike when it’s hit in the rear. So, I think he got slightly tangled with my bike post-impact. Mike Defazio (650) went down in a big way during the incident too from what I hear, so from what I can gather he misjudged and hit the inside of my rear tire. Shit happens.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeZFF...ature=youtu.be
Anyway, tough way to end my immediate racing career, but that’s part of the game. Thanks for all the help packing my equipment up and calming my spectating family. The LRRS crew is very tight and the support has been incredible. There are too many to thank here.
There’s more I’d like to say, but typing with one hand sucks! Thanks to all my sponsors listed in my signature for the incredible season, I wouldn’t trade this year for anything. Great times with great people, challenging myself round by round…I feel satisfied with my progress and honored to race with all the great riders of LRRS.
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Originally Posted by PPS26
