I showed up Thursday so I was able to register early and get decent grid spots for the races I was entering. I ended up not practicing on Friday and Saturday was half wet practice and by the time it dried I was unprepared to go out for the 1 practice round. So I went in to Sundays Races with just the 1 warm up / practice for that day. I don't think I am going to be doing that anymore. Because I was only able to get start out slow about 7 seconds off my pace. After that, I decided to sneak out with the 750cc and up practice. Dropped 3 seconds there, still not happy. But what should I expect after not being at the track for two and a half months and then not running practice. Lets start racing...
Race #2 C Super Stock Novice
Not really feeling nervous about this race until the warm-up lap was over and I gridded up. First time I was gridded in the 1st wave of a 2 wave race. So the jitters start to set in when the 1 minute board turns to the 30 second and the green flag goes up. I nail the start. Best to date since I have started this racing thing. Passing people left and right, I realize I am really tight coming into turn 1 and still gaining speed. I let off the gas and put on full breaks, lock up the rear and almost the front. Trying to let go and make the turn doesn't work, instead I slide through the entire lead pack. Narrowly missing 4 bikes on my way off the track. A little discouraged at my turn 1 mistake I take off through the dirt and full throttle pitching a large roost behind my rear tire. I come back on to the track and no one is in sight. Oh well bear down and finish this race. I come around for one more lap....I make turn 1 this time. By turn 3, I see a red flag and a 2 bike incident. That means restart, and another chance for me. This time my start isn't as awesome and I do make it through turn 1. I manage to shave of 6 second by lap 3 and run a 1:28. Still 2 seconds off my personal best. But I was able to start in 12th and stay in 13th.Race #3 Formula 1 Novice
Just wanting to finish this race has become a goal of mine hoping that the 3rd time would be a charm. Came into the pits from my last race splashed water on my face and went back out for race number 3. The start was good, I held most of my positions and was able to keep up with a good pack. But coming out of turn 3 I reached for another shift and the shifter wasn't there. Yes this is the second time my shifter bolt has fallen out in this race in particular. So dejected and a little bit pissed I pull back into the pits and collect my 3rd DNF for the Formula 1 Novice Race. Good new is I wasn't a back marker for Jeremy Toye who won the race one second off the lap record at 1:17 lap times.
Race #12 C Super Bike Novice
I was well rested and calmed down with a new shifter bolt in my bike and ready to go out there and try to drop some time. I lined up and got a decent start with a little bit of wheelie action, but it looked cool. Started out with a nice little pack that I was battling it out with. But that pack thinned out around the halfway marker. Towards the end of the race I was feeling good, but also feeling the pressure from behind me. White flag out, last lap. I come into turn one and feel a bike on each side of me. We go through the corner three wide and pretty tight. Down the short shoot to turn two and run it 3 wide once more. I am able to hold on of them off but the other one cuts the inside on me and takes off. The other rider behind me is putting on the pressure so I run as defensive as I can coming into turn three, to the edge of the track wide, then tight into the kink. I guess I wasn't wide enough when he takes the foot and a half or so of rumble strip to my left and goes full gas while I start to let off and break. He passes just with out contact but has to slow down and drive block me from sweeping him back on the inside. I fight for the rest of the lap as hard as I can but end up starting 13th and finishing 13th.
Thanks and Shout Outs:
A big thanks to my buddy Dave and his wife for letting me crash their pad on short notice. You guys rock. Also a big thanks to Abby, Tim and little Emory for coming out and showing great support for me . I appreciate it a whole lot and glad you guys had a good time watching. Thanks goes out to Loren from GPR Stabilizers for the brand new v4 Stabilizer for my bike, nothing but awesome support from this company. Lee's Cycle racing for getting 6 more horses out of my little mean machine, you guys are the real deal and awesome when it comes to racer support. Thanks also to my continued support companies and sponsors: Ti2TT, SoCal Track days, Cycle Gear, Motonation.com, Mopowersports.com, ACT Leathers (New Suit designed), and Pit Bull.
