morbidelli17
Mon 7/16/07, 11:50PM
I did not "bring my A-game." I did not "give it 110 percent." I did not "bring it to the next level."
Mama said there'd be days like this.
I have no excuse other than the fact that I've been extraordinarily busy, and haven't really had the chance to focus on racing. I didn't even pick up my bike until Friday evening. But the reality was that when the weekend started, I was tired and distracted.
Still, it didn't look too bad on Saturday. Andy came by me on the track, gave me some pointers about lines, and I immediately ran a string of :35s. Nice start to the weekend. I popped on my set of ubercool Zoran rear wheel captive spacers, slid on a new rear tire, and tried to chill until Sunday morning.
But Sunday came and I was still tired, and the heat took what was left out of me. I wasn't able to mentally focus well enough to do what Andy had shown me. I knew what I was supposed to do; but I could not get my brain to get my body to obey. I coasted through Nine and unconsciously fell back into old lines and patterns of behavior. I rode like I had training wheels on the bike. Watching Pete Ellis disappear into the distance in 500 ModProd did little to improve my confidence; I'd had a decent start, then I blew a shift and that was that. It is NOT a good sign when you're going down the back straight singing Ray Stevens songs to yourself.
My one racy moment of the weekend came when, in BOTT Lightweight, Ducati-boy came past on the start. His bike puts out a bit more than mine in the way of torque, and my plan to slide by on the outside of Two was thwarted when he slid way wide. After the rulesbook wrangling for the class, there was no way I was going to let Ducati-boy beat me, even if I had to pull into the pits and then shoot him as he went past.
I remembered a conversation we'd had in line for tech; "I can't believe people spend $4000 on engine work, then run the same set of tires all year long," I'd said. "Guilty," he said. So when the same thing happened on the next lap, I came up with a plan. Going into Two on the third lap, I was on his rear wheel. I hesitated a second on the throttle and, when he drifted wide, I dove inside, nailed the gas and never saw him again. I took second. I cannot tell you how happy I was to see the checkered flag.
I pulled into the garage, just beat. Amy said, "Don't feel bad; Pete set a new lap record out there." Great. So much for my "Everyone is going slow today" excuse.
I'm thrilled with the second-place placque. Finishing on the podium, anywhere, anytime, is an accomplishment. But I was off my game by more than two seconds a lap, and it was frustrating to ride as hard as I could and not be able to dent that gap. I need to focus, to leave the distractions at home, to just come and race. I need to get in better shape for the summer heat. I did a long run tonight, and I put in some extra time tonight eliminating some work that's been hanging over my head.
It's funny. I really, really want to score a win this year. But I'd give up that Big Trophy if it meant a personal best lap time for me. This is becoming less about the result, and more about my performance on the track. It is becoming a competition with - me.
Thanks to the usual gang of suspects: West Coast GP Cycles, Twin Works, Dunlop, Racinteach, and ZenSandy.
p.s. BIG props to the new members of the 1:29 club. That is AWESOME, boyz!
Mama said there'd be days like this.
I have no excuse other than the fact that I've been extraordinarily busy, and haven't really had the chance to focus on racing. I didn't even pick up my bike until Friday evening. But the reality was that when the weekend started, I was tired and distracted.
Still, it didn't look too bad on Saturday. Andy came by me on the track, gave me some pointers about lines, and I immediately ran a string of :35s. Nice start to the weekend. I popped on my set of ubercool Zoran rear wheel captive spacers, slid on a new rear tire, and tried to chill until Sunday morning.
But Sunday came and I was still tired, and the heat took what was left out of me. I wasn't able to mentally focus well enough to do what Andy had shown me. I knew what I was supposed to do; but I could not get my brain to get my body to obey. I coasted through Nine and unconsciously fell back into old lines and patterns of behavior. I rode like I had training wheels on the bike. Watching Pete Ellis disappear into the distance in 500 ModProd did little to improve my confidence; I'd had a decent start, then I blew a shift and that was that. It is NOT a good sign when you're going down the back straight singing Ray Stevens songs to yourself.
My one racy moment of the weekend came when, in BOTT Lightweight, Ducati-boy came past on the start. His bike puts out a bit more than mine in the way of torque, and my plan to slide by on the outside of Two was thwarted when he slid way wide. After the rulesbook wrangling for the class, there was no way I was going to let Ducati-boy beat me, even if I had to pull into the pits and then shoot him as he went past.
I remembered a conversation we'd had in line for tech; "I can't believe people spend $4000 on engine work, then run the same set of tires all year long," I'd said. "Guilty," he said. So when the same thing happened on the next lap, I came up with a plan. Going into Two on the third lap, I was on his rear wheel. I hesitated a second on the throttle and, when he drifted wide, I dove inside, nailed the gas and never saw him again. I took second. I cannot tell you how happy I was to see the checkered flag.
I pulled into the garage, just beat. Amy said, "Don't feel bad; Pete set a new lap record out there." Great. So much for my "Everyone is going slow today" excuse.
I'm thrilled with the second-place placque. Finishing on the podium, anywhere, anytime, is an accomplishment. But I was off my game by more than two seconds a lap, and it was frustrating to ride as hard as I could and not be able to dent that gap. I need to focus, to leave the distractions at home, to just come and race. I need to get in better shape for the summer heat. I did a long run tonight, and I put in some extra time tonight eliminating some work that's been hanging over my head.
It's funny. I really, really want to score a win this year. But I'd give up that Big Trophy if it meant a personal best lap time for me. This is becoming less about the result, and more about my performance on the track. It is becoming a competition with - me.
Thanks to the usual gang of suspects: West Coast GP Cycles, Twin Works, Dunlop, Racinteach, and ZenSandy.
p.s. BIG props to the new members of the 1:29 club. That is AWESOME, boyz!