morbidelli17
Tue 4/17/07, 8:18PM
We got to Willow on Saturday afternoon, hopeful that we'd be running the Solo race for practice and then be set to go for Sunday's sprint races. Unfortunately ...
We've been chasing a nagging problem with the motor; obviously, nothing major, 'cause the lap times don't suck, but there's a rideability issue. Andy, Chris and Pete at West Coast GP Cycles keep chugging away at it, but we're not quite there yet (I've thrown them quite a challenge, my bike is literally the only one like it in the world. I have every confidence in their ability in the world). So we took Saturday afternoon off to try to chase the issue a bit ourselves, but to no avail. I really wanted to run the Solo race, but I've learned patience. Rushing into things gets you in trouble. I couldn't be happier for Amy and Shandra, however, putting in 50 solid miles and bringing home wood (ahem) ...
Sunday morning dawned breezy, and it just got breezier as the morning progressed. The lap times weren't there this weekend for me, but everyone was struggling. I started at the back of the 500 ModProd grid 'cause I screwed up on my entry form, but got a decent start and was quickly mixing it up with some guys on the former class-dominating FZR400s. I pulled up on JC Gibbs going into Turn Three and pulled the classic rookie maneuver of going in too deep, too fast, and coming to a nearly-complete stop to avoid going off the track; JC slid back by on the inside, but I was still chuckling under my helmet 'cause I'd had the audacity to even try that stunt. I followed him for another lap, passed him around the outside of Two, and held the spot to the end; I finished fourth.
Club officials had a chat with me about the legality of the SV500 in 500 ModProd. I answered all their questions honestly and tried to give them all the info they needed. They really handled things professionally; I swear, I knew that changing the rules in that class was gonna cause problems, but people just don't listen. Now that the rules have changed, as one club official says, "We wanted to increase entries in the class, but now the guys who used to win are getting beaten." I see; they wanted people they could beat to join the class! I swear ...
I had a front-row start for BOTT Light. I got off the line OK, neck-and-neck with the other folks on the front row, but then the motor hesitated and everyone flooded past - as ZenSandy said, even the catering truck went by again.
But this time, I wanted to try to keep in touch with Pete Ellis on his SV500. So I got aggressive with passing. I went around people on the outside of Two. I went under someone on the inside of Three. I even passed Denny Fryer on his big vintage bike on the outside of Four (THAT was hairball!) I passed Tony Moniz (nice to see him back) going into Eight, and passed Ducati-boy on the front straight. I was like seventh in class going into Turn One, and second at the end of the first lap.
That really was fun.
But Pete was gone.
That's OK, the wind was nasty, as you've read. The front end danced all over in Eight and Nine. I gave up on trying to arc through Nine, and just hugged the inside third of the track; as I said to Speights, "I want to have as much asphalt between me and the dirt as possible today." ZenSandy can relax as much as possible watching me race because she knows that I know what the consequences out here can be.
I spent the last four laps chasing a friend on a Vintage Heavyweight bike. I had nothing for him or Pete today. But we passed a bunch of people, lapped some people, and on a really ugly day at Willow, I managed to find some joy in racing.
I was gutted to find out that Slaughter had crashed again. Andy crashed, Chris crashed, and as you've read, I'm sure, we lost another racer in Turn Eight. Our little community is grieving right now, trying to make sense of what has happened. We've been told for so long that Big Willow is scary but safe, and it's like finding out a lover's been lying to you. I hope we can make some safety improvements; I'm honestly glad I don't race 165-mph liter bikes.
Godspeed, Chris McCauley.
I'm starting to become very wary of my high-speed mistress.
But I'll see her again in May.
We've been chasing a nagging problem with the motor; obviously, nothing major, 'cause the lap times don't suck, but there's a rideability issue. Andy, Chris and Pete at West Coast GP Cycles keep chugging away at it, but we're not quite there yet (I've thrown them quite a challenge, my bike is literally the only one like it in the world. I have every confidence in their ability in the world). So we took Saturday afternoon off to try to chase the issue a bit ourselves, but to no avail. I really wanted to run the Solo race, but I've learned patience. Rushing into things gets you in trouble. I couldn't be happier for Amy and Shandra, however, putting in 50 solid miles and bringing home wood (ahem) ...
Sunday morning dawned breezy, and it just got breezier as the morning progressed. The lap times weren't there this weekend for me, but everyone was struggling. I started at the back of the 500 ModProd grid 'cause I screwed up on my entry form, but got a decent start and was quickly mixing it up with some guys on the former class-dominating FZR400s. I pulled up on JC Gibbs going into Turn Three and pulled the classic rookie maneuver of going in too deep, too fast, and coming to a nearly-complete stop to avoid going off the track; JC slid back by on the inside, but I was still chuckling under my helmet 'cause I'd had the audacity to even try that stunt. I followed him for another lap, passed him around the outside of Two, and held the spot to the end; I finished fourth.
Club officials had a chat with me about the legality of the SV500 in 500 ModProd. I answered all their questions honestly and tried to give them all the info they needed. They really handled things professionally; I swear, I knew that changing the rules in that class was gonna cause problems, but people just don't listen. Now that the rules have changed, as one club official says, "We wanted to increase entries in the class, but now the guys who used to win are getting beaten." I see; they wanted people they could beat to join the class! I swear ...
I had a front-row start for BOTT Light. I got off the line OK, neck-and-neck with the other folks on the front row, but then the motor hesitated and everyone flooded past - as ZenSandy said, even the catering truck went by again.
But this time, I wanted to try to keep in touch with Pete Ellis on his SV500. So I got aggressive with passing. I went around people on the outside of Two. I went under someone on the inside of Three. I even passed Denny Fryer on his big vintage bike on the outside of Four (THAT was hairball!) I passed Tony Moniz (nice to see him back) going into Eight, and passed Ducati-boy on the front straight. I was like seventh in class going into Turn One, and second at the end of the first lap.
That really was fun.
But Pete was gone.
That's OK, the wind was nasty, as you've read. The front end danced all over in Eight and Nine. I gave up on trying to arc through Nine, and just hugged the inside third of the track; as I said to Speights, "I want to have as much asphalt between me and the dirt as possible today." ZenSandy can relax as much as possible watching me race because she knows that I know what the consequences out here can be.
I spent the last four laps chasing a friend on a Vintage Heavyweight bike. I had nothing for him or Pete today. But we passed a bunch of people, lapped some people, and on a really ugly day at Willow, I managed to find some joy in racing.
I was gutted to find out that Slaughter had crashed again. Andy crashed, Chris crashed, and as you've read, I'm sure, we lost another racer in Turn Eight. Our little community is grieving right now, trying to make sense of what has happened. We've been told for so long that Big Willow is scary but safe, and it's like finding out a lover's been lying to you. I hope we can make some safety improvements; I'm honestly glad I don't race 165-mph liter bikes.
Godspeed, Chris McCauley.
I'm starting to become very wary of my high-speed mistress.
But I'll see her again in May.