jadeblue1
Fri 1/21/05, 10:33AM
Obstacles rise up only when you take your eyes off your goal.
That being said, my goals for my first novice race were: 1) cross thee start, 2) cross the finish, 3) don’t crash, 4) don’t barf on pregrid. I wasn’t sure what kind of skill set I had, because my planned day of practice was snowed out, and I hadn’t had track time since December.
Hitting 35 degree asphlat that morning for 1st practice was really just a handshake with the track. Everything was so cold it was like riding on glass. I lost all the feeling in my fingers after 3 laps, and cracked my visor partway open for the entire session to keep it from fogging up. 2nd practice was a little warmer, but still too short to figure out my race strategy. But the weather was nice, it was getting warmer, and the wind wasn’t picking up, so it was going to be a great day for racing.
My race was scheduled to be race 13, but when I checked the grid positions, I saw that it was moved to the last race of the day & I was gridded in the last row. Well, at least I get to see the rest of the races...The day went by quickly, there were no major crashes or anything else to hold up the schedule, so sometime after 3pm my race was called to pregrid. I pulled up next to the only other bike like mine-an EX 500 (the rest of lightwweight novice was 250 & 125 2-strokes). 2 other people I knew pulled up next to us & we all wished each other good luck. The starter waved us on, and as we took the warm up lap, my adrenaline started to kick in.
Adrenaline is great stuff, it makes you hyper-aware of everything, but you can still focus on the tiniest detail. I felt like I was back in Detroit, rolling Code 3, (responding to a call for service at full speed with lights & sirens going). We lined up on the starting grid, I eyed the EX 500 in the row ahead of me, and rolled on the throttle.
As the flag dropped, I got a better start off the line than the bike in front of me-an Aprilla 250-and I was going to crash into his butt. So I pulled left and had to go around a 125 that was also getting a slow start. Getting boxed in kills your drive into 1, so I got on the gas and looked for my target. I saw the bowling pin shape on the EX just exiting 1, so I went after it. As I chased him into turn 3, my plan of action was: go really fast down the back straight, go really fast up the front straight, get through the rest of it as best as I could, and catch the EX. Going into 5-6, I realized I had a better line and drive, so I tried to catch him there. He pulled away a little, and as we went into 8-9, I saw his back tire wobble and pulled up on him. I buried the throttle as we went down the front straight, riding his tail into 1. I followed him through 4, and aimed for him as we came out of 5. I started to push past him on the back straight, but he pulled back by me in 8. As we shot down the front straight, I drove harder into turn 1, almost catching him again. So I followed him through 4, and this time drove straight through 5 and passed up at 6. He started to catch up-I saw tire as we went 2 up into 8-9, then he got by me as we entered the front straight. I was in the middle of the track, but instead of going to the outside, I drove deep, and passed him low on the inside of turn 1 (i’ve seen Kurt catch people unaware with this manuever many times). I held the line going into 2, and we were 2 up as he pulled along the outside. He got by me as we exited 2 and I got on him as we went into 3. I was setting up for a pass in 5 again, and suddenly a 250 dropped between us, and a 125 was pulling beside me. Jesus Armenceyz & Nicole Branford-the 1st & 2nd place challenge-was wrapping around us. Jesus neatly went around the EX in 4b, as Nicole edged by me at the top in 4a. I watched her glide by the EX as they entered 5. That kind of popped me out of the zone for a moment, then I realized the EX was already in 5! So I rolled on more throttle, entered 5 alot faster than I used to (holy crap!), and chased the EX into the back straight, 8,9, the front straight, the checkers... rats. So ended the epic battle for sixth place. (The EX got 5th.) But it was a whole LOTTA fun! Can’t wait ‘til next month.
Many big thanks to: Kurt for all his help & listening to me gripe, Tom for helping with the bikes, & Dustin Coyner for the on track help.
That being said, my goals for my first novice race were: 1) cross thee start, 2) cross the finish, 3) don’t crash, 4) don’t barf on pregrid. I wasn’t sure what kind of skill set I had, because my planned day of practice was snowed out, and I hadn’t had track time since December.
Hitting 35 degree asphlat that morning for 1st practice was really just a handshake with the track. Everything was so cold it was like riding on glass. I lost all the feeling in my fingers after 3 laps, and cracked my visor partway open for the entire session to keep it from fogging up. 2nd practice was a little warmer, but still too short to figure out my race strategy. But the weather was nice, it was getting warmer, and the wind wasn’t picking up, so it was going to be a great day for racing.
My race was scheduled to be race 13, but when I checked the grid positions, I saw that it was moved to the last race of the day & I was gridded in the last row. Well, at least I get to see the rest of the races...The day went by quickly, there were no major crashes or anything else to hold up the schedule, so sometime after 3pm my race was called to pregrid. I pulled up next to the only other bike like mine-an EX 500 (the rest of lightwweight novice was 250 & 125 2-strokes). 2 other people I knew pulled up next to us & we all wished each other good luck. The starter waved us on, and as we took the warm up lap, my adrenaline started to kick in.
Adrenaline is great stuff, it makes you hyper-aware of everything, but you can still focus on the tiniest detail. I felt like I was back in Detroit, rolling Code 3, (responding to a call for service at full speed with lights & sirens going). We lined up on the starting grid, I eyed the EX 500 in the row ahead of me, and rolled on the throttle.
As the flag dropped, I got a better start off the line than the bike in front of me-an Aprilla 250-and I was going to crash into his butt. So I pulled left and had to go around a 125 that was also getting a slow start. Getting boxed in kills your drive into 1, so I got on the gas and looked for my target. I saw the bowling pin shape on the EX just exiting 1, so I went after it. As I chased him into turn 3, my plan of action was: go really fast down the back straight, go really fast up the front straight, get through the rest of it as best as I could, and catch the EX. Going into 5-6, I realized I had a better line and drive, so I tried to catch him there. He pulled away a little, and as we went into 8-9, I saw his back tire wobble and pulled up on him. I buried the throttle as we went down the front straight, riding his tail into 1. I followed him through 4, and aimed for him as we came out of 5. I started to push past him on the back straight, but he pulled back by me in 8. As we shot down the front straight, I drove harder into turn 1, almost catching him again. So I followed him through 4, and this time drove straight through 5 and passed up at 6. He started to catch up-I saw tire as we went 2 up into 8-9, then he got by me as we entered the front straight. I was in the middle of the track, but instead of going to the outside, I drove deep, and passed him low on the inside of turn 1 (i’ve seen Kurt catch people unaware with this manuever many times). I held the line going into 2, and we were 2 up as he pulled along the outside. He got by me as we exited 2 and I got on him as we went into 3. I was setting up for a pass in 5 again, and suddenly a 250 dropped between us, and a 125 was pulling beside me. Jesus Armenceyz & Nicole Branford-the 1st & 2nd place challenge-was wrapping around us. Jesus neatly went around the EX in 4b, as Nicole edged by me at the top in 4a. I watched her glide by the EX as they entered 5. That kind of popped me out of the zone for a moment, then I realized the EX was already in 5! So I rolled on more throttle, entered 5 alot faster than I used to (holy crap!), and chased the EX into the back straight, 8,9, the front straight, the checkers... rats. So ended the epic battle for sixth place. (The EX got 5th.) But it was a whole LOTTA fun! Can’t wait ‘til next month.
Many big thanks to: Kurt for all his help & listening to me gripe, Tom for helping with the bikes, & Dustin Coyner for the on track help.