shaggy
04-19-2005, 01:00 PM
WOW, what a weekend this has been...Had some previous engagements saturday night that meant I had to leave early sunday morning to head to the track. After 3 hours of sleep I was pretty tired but the fact I was finally in the big dogg meat grinder class had my adrenaline pumping at 3 in the moring! Got to the track with Jigga-man and my dad, got the pit set-up and headed to tech. Trackpimp Dustin teched my bike and welcomed me to the big boy class, said he was gonna have to watch out for me (ain't that the truth Dustin!). Went out in morning practice and still had some crazy stability problems from T6 all the way into T8. Came in after 3 laps and raised the front 8mm to slow down the steering but help out the stability. Second practice went better but not great. Raised the front another 5mm before the riders meeting hoping that would solve my problems.
First race of the day was 600 modified production. Gridded 27th it was a long way to the front, much different than last month...James was griided next to me one row back and I knew we both had good starts so we should be able to make it forward pretty fast(hopefully). The warmup lap was crazy. I went out right behind "The kid" Michael Beck and Sam Carnibuchi! those guys are crazy fast!!! got to my grid spot and hoped for a good spot. My grid spot was right in the middle of the track so I knew I would have some options off the start. Green flagged waved and I got an awesome start (best ever!) threaded the needle all the way to the inside, onto the pit exit, inside the whole field before pitching it into T1 in 8th place!!!!!! coming out of T1 I saw I was right behind Trackpimp himself, he went left to set up for T2 and I just drove right up inside him (woohoo! I was ahead of Dustin...for a turn...) He had some crazy speed and came back around me at the exit of T2, soooo close. I could have kicked him in the head so easy but decided that wouldn't be very nice (that was awesome Dustin, thanks for welcoming me so nicely!). I got such a good start that going into T3 I could still see Beck leading not that far ahead. From then on though I lost spots to some of the fast guys that I had past on the start, Carnibuchi came by and I was like...he's fast, let him go... just held a good pace and wanted to finish the race. James pulled another banzai pass into T1 and I stayed behind him till the red flag on lap 5. Finished 12th, much better than I had hoped for but I was exhausted. I was happy to see the red flag cause I was beat!
Race #7 was 600 superbike. I knew I didn't have a chance here because my bike is so underpowered out there and this was the fast 600 race. Got a decent start from grid #26 but got boxed in and head to back off before T1. I saw a gap inside and starting moving over when James(607) came out of nowhere absolutely flying through a gap that was barely big enough for him! he probably passed like eight people in half a second! unfortunaltely that really spooked the guy right inside of me and when he checked up I had to run super wide all the way outside on T1 and lost a lot of positions. I came out of turn 1 3rd to last. I was pissed, the string of bike ahead of me was huge, at least 30 bikes strung out through T2 and I couldn't even see the leaders. I put my head down adn knew that I had eight laps to make something happen. Picked off three riders going into T3, a couple more going into T9 then next thing I know the crossed flags are up at halfway. Pass a couple more guys then I see James just ahead. He had a second or so on my and I just couldn't close the gap. Not being able to hold it open through 8 was killing me but managed to finish behind james again. I came in kinda dissappointed on the start until my bro told me I had finished 12th!!! I went from like 32nd or somehting in the first turn to 12th! I was stoked I ha made up so much ground. This was taking a toll though, I was talking to James and we were both beat, physically exhausted and we only had 20 minutes till out next race. Raising the front end had helped stability but made by bike handle like a tank, lots of effort need to turn it in...
Race #9 was the race I had waited for. With 8 lap races I knew that tire wear might play a factor so I was glad I had played it kinda safe in the earlier races but now it was time to let it really hang out. I had two races behind and this race (600 super stock) was the best chance I had for a good finsh as some of the fast guys don't run superstock. I was gridded 26th agiain but this time got an awesome start. I went into T1 in 9th or 10 place and passed another rider in T2. I wasn't gonna let anyone get away form me in this race and was determined to not let anyone back past either. I got held up with a couple riders that I just couldn't get past and then got into a heated battle with a guy on a 600rr. He'd outbrake me everytime into T1 but I had him everywhere else. Going into the last lap I took him going into T3 and new I had him down the front straight. He was right there but couldn't get me at the line. It was my best race by far of the day and I had no idea where I ahd finished. As I rolled in to the pits my arms were jello. I could barely hold the bars but everyone in my pits was cheering and clapping. I rolled in and they said I had finished 8th place!!! a top ten in my first expert weekend was awesome! I was too tired to really realize how cool that was! My day was over and I was beat but 2 12th place finishes and a top ten was far more than I had even hoped for this weekend! Cann't wait till next month...
Watching Jared, Jerry and Mike in there novice race was awesome also, it was a crash fest but fun race to watch and they all did very well. Congrats guys !
Went to buttonwillow monday and had the biggest smile on my face when I found the reason to my instability problems. Went out on the first session with the same setup as I raced on, had headshake all over the track. Came in and put a spare US made 208gp on the rear (the one I race on was a UK tire) and the head shake was gone, lowered the front back to were it was sopposed to be and the bike was on rails. Faster than I had ever gone at button. With the headshake gone I cann't wait to get back to willow and see what I can do. Lession learned:UK 208's suck! even Dave moss from Cataylist suspension said that!
Big thanks to everyone who came out to support me: Carol, love you so much, Dad, glad you came up and had a good time, Bryant, techman, stroble, jenn, mike, jared, jerry, speed, ...all you guys make it so much more fun to be up there. Dustin thanks for leaving me an inch in T2 and welcoming me to expert class, should be fun this year!
Big thanks to my sponsors: Buymoto, Bryant and Jae you guys have helped me so much, catalyst racing composities: Mike for hooking up the bodywork, Ado from Goodridge-sorry I hadn't put the sticker on yet...! Andy from ACT racing, he should have my new suit ready for next month and all you hyperCYCYlers for being cheering me on! thanks everyone!
First race of the day was 600 modified production. Gridded 27th it was a long way to the front, much different than last month...James was griided next to me one row back and I knew we both had good starts so we should be able to make it forward pretty fast(hopefully). The warmup lap was crazy. I went out right behind "The kid" Michael Beck and Sam Carnibuchi! those guys are crazy fast!!! got to my grid spot and hoped for a good spot. My grid spot was right in the middle of the track so I knew I would have some options off the start. Green flagged waved and I got an awesome start (best ever!) threaded the needle all the way to the inside, onto the pit exit, inside the whole field before pitching it into T1 in 8th place!!!!!! coming out of T1 I saw I was right behind Trackpimp himself, he went left to set up for T2 and I just drove right up inside him (woohoo! I was ahead of Dustin...for a turn...) He had some crazy speed and came back around me at the exit of T2, soooo close. I could have kicked him in the head so easy but decided that wouldn't be very nice (that was awesome Dustin, thanks for welcoming me so nicely!). I got such a good start that going into T3 I could still see Beck leading not that far ahead. From then on though I lost spots to some of the fast guys that I had past on the start, Carnibuchi came by and I was like...he's fast, let him go... just held a good pace and wanted to finish the race. James pulled another banzai pass into T1 and I stayed behind him till the red flag on lap 5. Finished 12th, much better than I had hoped for but I was exhausted. I was happy to see the red flag cause I was beat!
Race #7 was 600 superbike. I knew I didn't have a chance here because my bike is so underpowered out there and this was the fast 600 race. Got a decent start from grid #26 but got boxed in and head to back off before T1. I saw a gap inside and starting moving over when James(607) came out of nowhere absolutely flying through a gap that was barely big enough for him! he probably passed like eight people in half a second! unfortunaltely that really spooked the guy right inside of me and when he checked up I had to run super wide all the way outside on T1 and lost a lot of positions. I came out of turn 1 3rd to last. I was pissed, the string of bike ahead of me was huge, at least 30 bikes strung out through T2 and I couldn't even see the leaders. I put my head down adn knew that I had eight laps to make something happen. Picked off three riders going into T3, a couple more going into T9 then next thing I know the crossed flags are up at halfway. Pass a couple more guys then I see James just ahead. He had a second or so on my and I just couldn't close the gap. Not being able to hold it open through 8 was killing me but managed to finish behind james again. I came in kinda dissappointed on the start until my bro told me I had finished 12th!!! I went from like 32nd or somehting in the first turn to 12th! I was stoked I ha made up so much ground. This was taking a toll though, I was talking to James and we were both beat, physically exhausted and we only had 20 minutes till out next race. Raising the front end had helped stability but made by bike handle like a tank, lots of effort need to turn it in...
Race #9 was the race I had waited for. With 8 lap races I knew that tire wear might play a factor so I was glad I had played it kinda safe in the earlier races but now it was time to let it really hang out. I had two races behind and this race (600 super stock) was the best chance I had for a good finsh as some of the fast guys don't run superstock. I was gridded 26th agiain but this time got an awesome start. I went into T1 in 9th or 10 place and passed another rider in T2. I wasn't gonna let anyone get away form me in this race and was determined to not let anyone back past either. I got held up with a couple riders that I just couldn't get past and then got into a heated battle with a guy on a 600rr. He'd outbrake me everytime into T1 but I had him everywhere else. Going into the last lap I took him going into T3 and new I had him down the front straight. He was right there but couldn't get me at the line. It was my best race by far of the day and I had no idea where I ahd finished. As I rolled in to the pits my arms were jello. I could barely hold the bars but everyone in my pits was cheering and clapping. I rolled in and they said I had finished 8th place!!! a top ten in my first expert weekend was awesome! I was too tired to really realize how cool that was! My day was over and I was beat but 2 12th place finishes and a top ten was far more than I had even hoped for this weekend! Cann't wait till next month...
Watching Jared, Jerry and Mike in there novice race was awesome also, it was a crash fest but fun race to watch and they all did very well. Congrats guys !
Went to buttonwillow monday and had the biggest smile on my face when I found the reason to my instability problems. Went out on the first session with the same setup as I raced on, had headshake all over the track. Came in and put a spare US made 208gp on the rear (the one I race on was a UK tire) and the head shake was gone, lowered the front back to were it was sopposed to be and the bike was on rails. Faster than I had ever gone at button. With the headshake gone I cann't wait to get back to willow and see what I can do. Lession learned:UK 208's suck! even Dave moss from Cataylist suspension said that!
Big thanks to everyone who came out to support me: Carol, love you so much, Dad, glad you came up and had a good time, Bryant, techman, stroble, jenn, mike, jared, jerry, speed, ...all you guys make it so much more fun to be up there. Dustin thanks for leaving me an inch in T2 and welcoming me to expert class, should be fun this year!
Big thanks to my sponsors: Buymoto, Bryant and Jae you guys have helped me so much, catalyst racing composities: Mike for hooking up the bodywork, Ado from Goodridge-sorry I hadn't put the sticker on yet...! Andy from ACT racing, he should have my new suit ready for next month and all you hyperCYCYlers for being cheering me on! thanks everyone!