Monsterdood
Thu 6/1/06, 5:30PM
4.16.2006
What a great weekend for racing! I had a blast. Ups and downs, but not in that order...
The weekend started out with my first ever crash...ever... street or track... I was going into turn 3 on Saturday. I was 4 laps into my first session, running about 90% trying to get the feel for the weekend and suddenly I realize I am way too fast going into turn 3. I wasn't sure why at the time (I think the breeze at my back was helping), but I had to squeeze the brakes that little extra to get to "my" speed through 3 and boom, the front tucks and there I am sliding and thinking crap, I'm crashing. I just got my SV last month and here I am tearing it up. I felt like I was within the limits of the bike, the rear was a little light and loose, but before I knew it I was testing my leathers. The damage is a little bodywork, a dented tank, and broken rearset, not too bad but I wasn't going to duct tape it together for the race.
So I turned my attention to my little EX. Practice was okay but I was slow. Part breeze, part old tires, and mostly post crash jitters. I put a new rear tire on and felt much better out there and was excited for Sunday. My 500MP and 500SS races were okay, I get decent starts, get passed by FZR's before turn 1 and had a few battles on my way to two 7th places.
For BOTT LW, I was gridded 3rd with Larry the Birthday Boy Cochran to my right and Michael Gougis on pole. Michael gets the hole shot, I got a decent start, but Larry absolutely throws that single cylinder into turn one and passes me on the inside and just amazes me. Unfortunately his single cylinder doesn't poke through the breeze as well as me EX so I get by him. I'm chasing down Michael thinking I can catch him and just trying to go as fast I can. I'm getting through turn 9 way better and on the third or fourth lap, I'm zipping through 9 in 5th gear at 9000 rpm or so and right at the apex, Kenny K. comes flying by me on the outside with about 15 mph more speed (maybe more!) and seems to be at the start finish line before I even reach the pit entrance. I was laughing my ass off the whole front straight thinking about how awesome that just was to get passed by Kenny right when my mind is telling my cojones that this is as fast as turn 9 can be taken.... I hope I didn't impede him and I hope I was riding a good consistent line, but that was the 2nd best moment of the race.
The best moment was getting by Michael and holding off him and Dan in order to take my first ever 1st place. Me and Michael had some good racing back and forth and it was a blast, but unfortunately his bike had some issues on the last lap and he dropped 5 seconds or so to third. Even so, it was tough to pass some lappers and to get passed by the big twins and catch him at the same time so it was a very gratifying victory for me. I even posed on the podium with my trophy. And a huge thanks to Hope (Larry's mother in law) for sponsoring the class this weekend as that was a pleasant surprise when I picked up the trophy and thanks to Larry for having a birthday so that Hope would sponsor the class. Happy birthday Larry! Great weekend!
What a great weekend for racing! I had a blast. Ups and downs, but not in that order...
The weekend started out with my first ever crash...ever... street or track... I was going into turn 3 on Saturday. I was 4 laps into my first session, running about 90% trying to get the feel for the weekend and suddenly I realize I am way too fast going into turn 3. I wasn't sure why at the time (I think the breeze at my back was helping), but I had to squeeze the brakes that little extra to get to "my" speed through 3 and boom, the front tucks and there I am sliding and thinking crap, I'm crashing. I just got my SV last month and here I am tearing it up. I felt like I was within the limits of the bike, the rear was a little light and loose, but before I knew it I was testing my leathers. The damage is a little bodywork, a dented tank, and broken rearset, not too bad but I wasn't going to duct tape it together for the race.
So I turned my attention to my little EX. Practice was okay but I was slow. Part breeze, part old tires, and mostly post crash jitters. I put a new rear tire on and felt much better out there and was excited for Sunday. My 500MP and 500SS races were okay, I get decent starts, get passed by FZR's before turn 1 and had a few battles on my way to two 7th places.
For BOTT LW, I was gridded 3rd with Larry the Birthday Boy Cochran to my right and Michael Gougis on pole. Michael gets the hole shot, I got a decent start, but Larry absolutely throws that single cylinder into turn one and passes me on the inside and just amazes me. Unfortunately his single cylinder doesn't poke through the breeze as well as me EX so I get by him. I'm chasing down Michael thinking I can catch him and just trying to go as fast I can. I'm getting through turn 9 way better and on the third or fourth lap, I'm zipping through 9 in 5th gear at 9000 rpm or so and right at the apex, Kenny K. comes flying by me on the outside with about 15 mph more speed (maybe more!) and seems to be at the start finish line before I even reach the pit entrance. I was laughing my ass off the whole front straight thinking about how awesome that just was to get passed by Kenny right when my mind is telling my cojones that this is as fast as turn 9 can be taken.... I hope I didn't impede him and I hope I was riding a good consistent line, but that was the 2nd best moment of the race.
The best moment was getting by Michael and holding off him and Dan in order to take my first ever 1st place. Me and Michael had some good racing back and forth and it was a blast, but unfortunately his bike had some issues on the last lap and he dropped 5 seconds or so to third. Even so, it was tough to pass some lappers and to get passed by the big twins and catch him at the same time so it was a very gratifying victory for me. I even posed on the podium with my trophy. And a huge thanks to Hope (Larry's mother in law) for sponsoring the class this weekend as that was a pleasant surprise when I picked up the trophy and thanks to Larry for having a birthday so that Hope would sponsor the class. Happy birthday Larry! Great weekend!