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View Full Version : WSMC Streets Series May 4th

Dominus
Fri 5/9/08, 5:22AM
Well, just as quickly as I was back in the saddle, I was quickly thrown out of it. But that's ok. Here's a quick summary of my lap times.

Practice #1: 1:37.6
Practice #2: 1:31.2
Formula Twins Lightweight (race #3): 1:28.8 (I beat Trey)
BOTT Middleweight (race #7): 1:28.7 (I was gonna beat Trey but I crashed instead)

The weather that day was excellent, not much wind and not much heat. If only Rosamond was like that year round and much less ghetto, it might almost be a nice place to live. But that's neither here nor there. First off I wanted to thank Trey for helping me get my tires (or tyres if you're William) changed out in a timely manner so I could get out and do the practice sessions. And thanks to the Michelin dudes for waking up and changing them as well. Kudos!

So with newly used tires I set out to do some practice laps. Mind you, I've never been timed on this track before so I had no idea what to expect. As you can see however, I'm slow on it. But that's ok. I haven't been on my bike since December. No sense in killing myself. Anyhow, practice went well, I took some pointers from Cody and tried in vain to follow him. I have to admit, after riding on the big track for so long I feel like riding on Streets is like riding on a track that's no wider than a sidewalk. How on earth do you pass people on this damm thing?!! I guess I'm just too chickenshit to do it. So, that's one of my major obstacles, learning to pass on Streets without killing anyone (got that Trey?). The other thing is that I was all over the map with my shift points, but as the day progressed I feel like I was starting to get some sort of consistency so that's good. This goes for my braking points as well.

Oh yeah...and I crashed. Last lap of BOTT middleweight. Trey and I were having a heck of a race. It was actually really fun even though we weren't up front. But unfortunately the little chicane before the bowl got the best of me and threw my bike into a wicked tank slapper and sent me into the dirt face first. And thanks to all the rocks in the infield, my gas tank got a hole punched into it...dammit! And my bodywork is all thrashed...and my clutch lever and left footpeg are pretty messed up. Luckily my friend here in town helped me weld my tank back up so it's functional again. I just need to repair my body work and I should be back to 100% operational status. Perhaps in the mean time I'll work on the cosmetics of the tank. As far as myself goes I just got a few bruises here and there but that's about it.

All in all I felt pretty comfortable at the 1:28 pace and I feel like I've identified my major weak points for which I could shave a few seconds off here and there. So I think I'll do better next time and with a little more practice. I'll be chasing down Joey before he knows it. He rode very well this weekend so mucho props to Joey. And Cody...well I never even saw him until after I pulled into the pits. :worthy:

I apologize if my post seems to be a bit jumpy...but I'm on nightshift and it's 5:15 AM and I'm really tired so just deal with it. I'll try to get the pics of the bike posted up for all to enjoy.

-cheers


oh...and Shandra I didn't see you at the races...I must have intimidated you into not showing...
Kurt'sSV
Fri 5/9/08, 8:24AM
Does your bike have a steering damper? If not, get one before you try to race it again. That would have saved your crash.

Nice talking to you again this past weekend. Feel like doing a trackday at Buttonwillow August 2?
morbidelli17
Fri 5/9/08, 9:23AM
There's a couple of bumps right in that there right-left transition that threw my bike into some nasty tankslappers, too, and I've got a GPR stabilizer. After Big Willow, that little track is bumpy as shit.

Glad you're OK and had fun.
Monsterdood
Fri 5/9/08, 2:41PM
Sorry to hear you crashed. If you haven't, definitely do a track walk and inspect the esses and the pavement transitions. You need to set up early so that you are not putting in large steering forces over that bump but are simply on the gas and loose on the bars. I haven't ridden after the repave, but it used to be knarlier the closer to the left side of the track you were.
Good job on beating Trey, but I am sure both of you will be dropping another couple of seconds next time you're out there. Good luck on repairing the bike.
sr9004u
Fri 5/9/08, 5:03PM
I saw Trey Brian but notyou just your bike on Saturday, Me and Kurt were Big Willowin on Saturday. Sorry for your Sunday crash, That tracks tight and I also wondered where to pass safely. Glad your ok and keep in mind yor living the dream:flag:
Monsterdood
Fri 5/9/08, 6:38PM
Pass on the outside of turn 1, or in the transition between 1 and 2 / on the brakes into 2. On the brakes into 3 or 4. Going into the bowl on the brakes or coming out of it with a better drive. Maybe on the back straight before the kink, and definitely at the 90 degree left at the end of the back straight and esses. A great place is out of turn 12 to get the line into the skidpad, and the skidpad itself has a couple of good passing areas.

Frankly I think there are gobs of places to pass at Streets and it is a really fun track. At big willow you pass on the brakes in turn 1 and 2 (a little turn 5 too) and through the corners everywhere else. At Streets you pass braking into corners or with a good drive out of corners (in general).

The faster you get, the more places you will find to pass slower folks :)
hchou
Fri 5/9/08, 6:44PM
Shoot...reading your race report got me all fired up. Need to get on the track. Got my rebate check from the government. Maybe I can stimulate the economy buying some french tires and then hit the track.
Dominus
Fri 5/9/08, 10:16PM
Does your bike have a steering damper?

No...but I suppose it's next on my list.

Feel like doing a trackday at Buttonwillow August 2?

I do like Buttonwillow...and I am off that weekend. Who's running the trackday?
Dominus
Fri 5/9/08, 10:17PM
I saw Trey Brian but not you just your bike on Saturday, Me and Kurt were Big Willowin on Saturday. Sorry for your Sunday crash, That tracks tight and I also wondered where to pass safely. Glad your ok and keep in mind yor living the dream:flag:

Thanks a bunch. And I didn't do the practice session on Saturday so I just dropped my bike off on Saturday evening. And fear not...the red bike will be all pretty again soon.
Dominus
Fri 5/9/08, 11:47PM
I may have been slow but at least I look good (my sister took this pic by the way).
Monsterdood
Sat 5/10/08, 11:20AM
There's your problem. You're sponsored by In-N-Out.... Racers don't get faster by eating In-N-Out, but mmm is it good........
since413
Sat 5/10/08, 11:39AM
There's your problem. You're sponsored by In-N-Out.... Racers don't get faster by eating In-N-Out, but mmm is it good........


I beg to differ.
morbidelli17
Sat 5/10/08, 12:21PM
ZenSandy and I have a tradition of stopping at In-n-Out on the way back from the track. It's loads of fun trying to eat, drive and defend the food from the dogs all at the same time.
J.Moto
Sat 5/10/08, 3:11PM
How to pass at SoW? You have to start crossing up your lines often with the riders in front of you. It's inherently harder to do, and with somewhat more risk involved as you spend more time really close to the riders you are around. Adding to the difficulty of having to ride non-standard lines very often, there is the challenge the SoW surface allows for. I believe that even if you are a super-fast rider, it is necessary to learn the track well, and learn where you should NEVER ride before cranking down on those laptimes.

This is a lesson I especially learned yesterday, as I hit the bump that's about 1-foot wide, about one-third of a track-width from the left pavement edge at the end of the new pavement. Normally I would hit this and manage a relatively mild headshake. As I started riding faster, I found my bars shaking violently on one lap. My hands were knocked off the bars, and I managed to get them back on as I went straight (not left) into the dirt, bumped over that drainage ditch (still with bars shaking), and went right across the back straight. It was nice that no one was coming down the straight then.

I think I will go get some In'n'Out now.
Dominus
Sat 5/10/08, 7:11PM
This is a lesson I especially learned yesterday, as I hit the bump that's about 1-foot wide, about one-third of a track-width from the left pavement edge at the end of the new pavement. Normally I would hit this and manage a relatively mild headshake. As I started riding faster, I found my bars shaking violently on one lap. My hands were knocked off the bars, and I managed to get them back on as I went straight (not left) into the dirt, bumped over that drainage ditch (still with bars shaking), and went right across the back straight. It was nice that no one was coming down the straight then.


I believe that's the same thing that happened to me...in that same location. However I wasn't able to save it and ride through to the back straight.
trey_loco
Sat 5/10/08, 7:31PM
That was a hell of a first race Bryan. I love how you call out the explicit fact that you beat me in race #1. But, you did hand me my ass fair and square. I was hoping to bring the score 1 to 1 in race #3, and duke it out in the final race, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. What was meant to be, in spite of my slowness and your crash, it was a damn fun weekend and it was great to get back out on the track and see Cody, Kurt, you, Carlos, and many others.

I had some epiphanies during the last few laps of my race and I plan on dropping a few seconds in a few weeks when I'm back out there.

Get that bike fixed up Bryan and let's continue our battles!!!!
Dominus
Sat 5/10/08, 7:56PM
Get that bike fixed up Bryan and let's continue our battles!!!!

I've said it before and I'll say it again...It's on like Donkey Kong!
J.Moto
Sat 5/10/08, 8:25PM
I believe that's the same thing that happened to me...in that same location. However I wasn't able to save it and ride through to the back straight.

I have to thank myself for being on a supermoto. Sportbike suspension and geometry would have had my ass down, over the bars, on the ground, like a freakin' clown, as soon as they shook my hands off and hit that ditch...
codzilla70
Tue 5/13/08, 12:57PM
Pass on the outside of turn 1, or in the transition between 1 and 2 / on the brakes into 2. On the brakes into 3 or 4. Going into the bowl on the brakes or coming out of it with a better drive. Maybe on the back straight before the kink, and definitely at the 90 degree left at the end of the back straight and esses. A great place is out of turn 12 to get the line into the skidpad, and the skidpad itself has a couple of good passing areas.

Frankly I think there are gobs of places to pass at Streets and it is a really fun track. At big willow you pass on the brakes in turn 1 and 2 (a little turn 5 too) and through the corners everywhere else. At Streets you pass braking into corners or with a good drive out of corners (in general).

The faster you get, the more places you will find to pass slower folks :)


Duley Noted! Now I now where to defend when you're behind me! Be careful helping these guys Chris, theye're gaining on me.

Bryan, I had more fun practicing with you and Trey than I've had in quite a while at the track. Not since my battles with Kurt and Sp8s. I sure hope you guys make it out to the streets in Oct. (if there is a round in Oct.)
I'm going to be entering as many races as I can that round to try and keep it going so I should be easy pickins for you guys by the end of the day.

I can't wait for the Bryan and Trey show again.
Dominus
Fri 5/16/08, 1:34PM
I can't wait for the Bryan and Trey show again.

Since you're so far ahead of us, you'll be done with the race so you could just watch us battle it out for the rest of it from the bleachers...sipping mojitos under an umbrella.