shaggy
12-20-2004, 04:13 PM
Wow, what a difference from last month! it was a little cold when we woke up in the morning but by the time morning warmup came around the weather was great. First warmup session went ok, tire warmer make such a big difference, even though I think it's all in my head, and the second session was even better. The only problem I had in the morning was my boot melting on my new Migz high mount exhaust system from an 04' r6 with 04' headers...worth the power gain for sure! I duct taped some pieces of a soda can to my boot in order to act as a heat shield which seemed to work pretty well! five hours later we got to race...
I cann't remember the last time I was so nervous. Final call and boom, rip the tires warmers off and roll out into the hot pit. I waited until everyone else had gone out so I was the last bike on the track. The weather was up to about 65 and the track and tires were warm. I felt really good on the warmup lap and the butterflys started going away. Lined up on the grip in 11th out of 21 I was pretty damned happy with my starting position. Watching the starter was nerv racking but I got away with a decent start. went into turn 1 in 6th place and picked off Hunter and another rider going into turn 2. bracking for 3 was scary because I could see the shadows of all the other riers behind me and though for sure someone was gonna take me out. Up into the omega and I noticed the first place rider get really out of shape. highsided right at the top of the omega but I didn't once look at him and kept focused on the race. Tried to go around the outside of 4b but then the orange crush flag came out bringing the race to a stop.
The rider that went down in 4 ended up going into the wall and was banged up pretty badly...hope he is ok and out again next month.
I headed right back to the pits and through the tire warmers back on, it was about 15 minutes before the announced the restart would only be 4 laps Back out on warm up and regridded. I was hoping for a better start and got it! went into turn 1 in 4th, picked off another in 2 and stuffed it up the inside of turn 3 to make it into second place on the first lap. The rider in first was fast on the straights and my poor old baby just didn't have the guts to chase him down through 8-9 but under braking for 1 I reeled him back in and through 2 I was right back up on him. Braking for 3 I came up right next to him but he saw me coming and slammed it down hard on me. I knew I could get him next lap...across the line for lap 3 I got OWNED! I had an awseom drive outta 9 but this guy passed m like I was stopped! I need more power. I hung onto him braking into 1 and was right with both riders going into 2 they both went a little wide so I tried to come up the inside of them but my rear end didn't feel like doing what I wanted big slide ended up with my feet off the pegs heading for the outside of 2. All I could think was to not let those two get away so I stayed pinned on the gas and drove hard back out of 2. Another slide over turn 6 worried me but didn't slow me down. next lap was the white flag and I as hard as I tried I couldn't make a pass. My last ditch effort to go up the inside of 9 for 2nd backfired and I ended up crossing the line in third! Not bad for my first race!
All in all it was a great experience and was even more fun than I thought it would be! bringing home a trophy ain't so bad either!
Congrats also to Speed for chaseing me down to 4th place and Jiggaman who came back from last place and a horrible start to finish 16th! Hunter did well to finish his last novice race, cann't wait to see him again in the expert ranks!
Thanks to my lovely girlfriend Carolynn for sitting around all day watching us and Earl, Mark, javawhz, ...all the other who came out to support!
sorry, this is really long huh......
I cann't remember the last time I was so nervous. Final call and boom, rip the tires warmers off and roll out into the hot pit. I waited until everyone else had gone out so I was the last bike on the track. The weather was up to about 65 and the track and tires were warm. I felt really good on the warmup lap and the butterflys started going away. Lined up on the grip in 11th out of 21 I was pretty damned happy with my starting position. Watching the starter was nerv racking but I got away with a decent start. went into turn 1 in 6th place and picked off Hunter and another rider going into turn 2. bracking for 3 was scary because I could see the shadows of all the other riers behind me and though for sure someone was gonna take me out. Up into the omega and I noticed the first place rider get really out of shape. highsided right at the top of the omega but I didn't once look at him and kept focused on the race. Tried to go around the outside of 4b but then the orange crush flag came out bringing the race to a stop.
The rider that went down in 4 ended up going into the wall and was banged up pretty badly...hope he is ok and out again next month.
I headed right back to the pits and through the tire warmers back on, it was about 15 minutes before the announced the restart would only be 4 laps Back out on warm up and regridded. I was hoping for a better start and got it! went into turn 1 in 4th, picked off another in 2 and stuffed it up the inside of turn 3 to make it into second place on the first lap. The rider in first was fast on the straights and my poor old baby just didn't have the guts to chase him down through 8-9 but under braking for 1 I reeled him back in and through 2 I was right back up on him. Braking for 3 I came up right next to him but he saw me coming and slammed it down hard on me. I knew I could get him next lap...across the line for lap 3 I got OWNED! I had an awseom drive outta 9 but this guy passed m like I was stopped! I need more power. I hung onto him braking into 1 and was right with both riders going into 2 they both went a little wide so I tried to come up the inside of them but my rear end didn't feel like doing what I wanted big slide ended up with my feet off the pegs heading for the outside of 2. All I could think was to not let those two get away so I stayed pinned on the gas and drove hard back out of 2. Another slide over turn 6 worried me but didn't slow me down. next lap was the white flag and I as hard as I tried I couldn't make a pass. My last ditch effort to go up the inside of 9 for 2nd backfired and I ended up crossing the line in third! Not bad for my first race!
All in all it was a great experience and was even more fun than I thought it would be! bringing home a trophy ain't so bad either!
Congrats also to Speed for chaseing me down to 4th place and Jiggaman who came back from last place and a horrible start to finish 16th! Hunter did well to finish his last novice race, cann't wait to see him again in the expert ranks!
Thanks to my lovely girlfriend Carolynn for sitting around all day watching us and Earl, Mark, javawhz, ...all the other who came out to support!
sorry, this is really long huh......