The weekend of May 24-25th saw the AFM show return to my favorite track Sears Pt.
The weekend started rough as it rained on Saturday. Rain at the end of May - WTF? I only got two practice sessions in, and the track was slippery, and I didn't feel very confident. Then the rain came and that was the end of the day.
Sunday had much better weather, and I put fresh tires on before the morning practice. The track was still very green, and the tires where new so I didn't find out anything new just sort of warmed myself up.
My first race was Race 1 Formula FIV. We have a riders meeting at the end of practice, and the first race starts very shortly after that. So if you're in Race 1 you need to have all your shit together because there just isn't much time. I know that, and my bike was totally prepped and ready. When I got to my grid position I wasn't very focused. Normally at the start of the race I take a second to look around, and formulate a plan on where I want to go on the track. I don't know why but I didn't do that, and as the race started it showed. I got a bad start and went backwards from there. I got passed several times, and only on the last lap did I make one of those back. I was not focused and not confident. I finished something like 21st. The first time I finished behind where I started. What I learned from that race was that I need to take time to narrow my focus, and gather myself up before heading out for the warm up lap.
My second race was Race 9 650 Twins. By the start of race 8 I was in my leathers and sitting in my chair next to my bike just doing laps around the track in my head. Totally focused. We go out on the warm up lap and I feel much more aggressive. I leave early and get to my grid spot on the third row with only a handful of people gridded. This gives me some time to once again narrow my focus. I take note of where I am on the track, and where I want to go. The Formula II race is the first wave and it gives me a chance to watch the starter from my peripheral vision.
When the green flag flies for my race I get a great start and head up the hill with only a few people in front of me. I can't believe how far up front I am and I tell myself to hold a tight line through T2. Well I was so focused on my line I forgot to down shift and I had no drive exiting T2 and I lost a few positions. By the end of lap 1 I was in 10th place with a good chance of a Top 10 finish. On lap three the red flag comes out. Bummer. I go back to my pit, put the tire warmers back on, and sit back down next to my bike, drink some water, and try to maintain my focus. People keep trying to talk to me about the race but I know it's going to restart any minute so I just ignore them and keep focused.
I am totally focussed, and now energized at the possibility of a Top 10 finish. I'm the first one out for the warm up lap, and I'm riding aggressive. I'm the first person to the grid, and I take my spot, and I stay totally focused. This time I'm going to remember to down shift for T2.
The green flag flies, and I get an even better start, and as we head up the hill I'm in 7th. I down shift and stay on the gas. I give up a spot going into T3, and another going into T4, each by guys I know are capable of winning the race so I feel like I'm in rare company. By the end of lap 1 I'm in 9th place ready for a fight to defend my position. By the time we get to T7 the red flag is out race stopped again (more on that later) OK back to the pits and once again try to remain composed and focused. This is the biggest exercise in patience and focus I've ever had. I'm trying to keep my energy level up, but I'm feeling a little dejected like I've missed an opportunity. We go out for our 3rd warm up lap and I'm not riding as aggressively and I notice it. Focus I tell myself. I get to my grid spot, and I try once again to find that composure that I had in the previous race.
Green flag flies, and I don't get the rocket ship start from before but a solid start still. As we head up the hill one of the Twin Works bikes pinches me off the inside and we nearly collide. I have to stand it up to keep from hitting him as two of the leaders run off track having made contact going up the hill. I see them coming across the dirt heading for the track and I wonder if they are going to get stopped in time, and as a result I roll off the gas and a couple of people get by me. DAMN IT I think. OK as we go through 3 and 4 I stay with them and I think I can salvage a Top 10 finish if I can get in front of one or two of them. As we exit T6 onto the back straight I am hard on the gas setting them up for a late braking maneuver, and the face shield on my helmet comes loose. It sucks to be going 100mph with nothing covering your eyes. I try to push it back in place before I need to get on the brakes, and in doing so a few people get by me. I go through turns 7,8, and 8a, and as I head down the hill to T9 I try again to snap the shield back in place as a couple more people get by me. At this point I decide I'm a danger to not only myself but the people around me, and I put my hand up, and pull behind the tires in T9. I wait for the field to go by and I cruise into the pits. DNF
So it was a disappointing weekend. There where some high points. Jim Hoogerhyde won the Formula Singles race. Some of Jim's friends from the Cretin MC came up from LA to race their vintage bikes, and they where super cool guys to hang out with.
At the start of the year I was helping a guy I had met while doing track days get started racing. Last night he sent me a text message saying he was the reason for the red flag after the 2nd start. Reason for red flag Thanks Steve.
Oh well that's racing. We'll get 'em next time at Thunderhill.
As always Thanks to the people that help me go faster.
Jennifer at Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction
Dunlop, and Terry at Sport Tire Services
Paul Fine of Fine Design
Julio from Tommy's
Monday, May 26, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
AFM Round 2 at Sears Point
Round 2 of the AFM season took place at one of my favorite tracks Infineon Raceway, forever known to me as Sears Point April 26-27th.
I went up to the track Friday night to get the pit area all set up, and Werkstatt friends Marie, and Cliff had ridden on Friday and saved me some space.
Saturday morning my first order of business was to get a new rear tire! We only get 4 practice sessions on Saturday so it's important to get up to speed quickly. I had been racing and riding a lot so I'm now comfortable on my bike, and it's time to start to really push to find time. My previous best time on my EX500 was a 1:54.7 which was an epic lap time for that wet noodled race bike. My goal for the weekend was to get into the 52's. I was struggling with my brakes fading after a few laps. It hadn't been bad at Willow because you don't use the brakes much but at Sears you use the brakes alot! After about 4 laps the brakes would fade, and I would need to pull the lever harder and harder to get any bite, and when they would bite, they would come on sudden. I kept trying to adjust the suspension to deal with this sudden and sharp brake hit, but that was the wrong solution. I had run off track in my last lap of several sessions not having enough braking power to get slowed down into T9, and that is not a good feeling. I spoke with many racing veterans about what could be causing this problem, but it was the guys at Galfer that really helped. It turns out that my EBC so called "kit" racing pads had warped after only 2 race weekends, and where having a small but constant drag which would cause the brake fluid to over heat, and thus fade. So even with my brake problems I was running consistant 54's, and best time of '53.7. Not too bad considering the brake problems.
Sunday morning practice was great. The new brake pads from Galfer, and my bead blasted rotors had done the trick. I rode the whole 20 minute session with no brake fade. I felt confident about my possibilities. I was starting 24th in both races based on my finishes in Buttonwillow, and I felt a top 20 was possible.
My first race of the day was race 6 650 Twins. I got a great launch, passed at least a row of bikes and drove up the hill into T2, but like my usual self I gave back more places than I took entering T2. I need to figure out why I suck so badly entering that turn at the start of the race. I settled in and started making passes as soon as we got to T4. I rode hard and clean and passed every bike I could see. The next bike being too far away to catch. I finished 16th with a best time of 1:53.3.
My 2nd race was number 11 Formula IV. It's hard to stay motivated that late in the day, and when the race started I did not have the same determination I did earlier. Once again I got a great launch, and gave it all back in T2. This time I had given up a slight gap to the group in front of me, and I lacked that motivation to go after them. I went around a lap or so with the gap staying the same. Then Alex Florea #49 had a moment going down the hill from 3A to T4, apparently suffering from a cramp. All the bikes behind him checked up, and now all of a sudden they where within reach and I had found my motivation. The next few laps would be some of my smartest racing yet. The wind was blowing hard, and as you approached T7 and I figured I could brake a little later since I wouldn't be going as fast, and the wind would help slow me down. That allowed me to get past a couple of people on each lap. Since there was a head wind going into 7 there was a tail wind going into 9, and I figured I needed to brake earlier. This also allowed me to make some passes, because I think the wind and extra speed spooked the other riders. These are examples of why have good reference points work. I was able to make adjustments mid race to braking points, and take advantage of people. I finished 19th with a best lap of 1:52.2.
That was a great weekend of racing with good results. I I finished top 20 in both my races, and hit my lap time goal of 52's. I look forward to going back to Sears May 24th, and improve even more. I think top 10's could be possible by the end of the season, and maybe even a sub 1:50!.
Thanks to the people that help me go faster.
Jennifer at Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction
Dunlop, and Terry at Sport Tire Services
Paul Fine of Fine Design
Julio from Tommy's
I went up to the track Friday night to get the pit area all set up, and Werkstatt friends Marie, and Cliff had ridden on Friday and saved me some space.
Saturday morning my first order of business was to get a new rear tire! We only get 4 practice sessions on Saturday so it's important to get up to speed quickly. I had been racing and riding a lot so I'm now comfortable on my bike, and it's time to start to really push to find time. My previous best time on my EX500 was a 1:54.7 which was an epic lap time for that wet noodled race bike. My goal for the weekend was to get into the 52's. I was struggling with my brakes fading after a few laps. It hadn't been bad at Willow because you don't use the brakes much but at Sears you use the brakes alot! After about 4 laps the brakes would fade, and I would need to pull the lever harder and harder to get any bite, and when they would bite, they would come on sudden. I kept trying to adjust the suspension to deal with this sudden and sharp brake hit, but that was the wrong solution. I had run off track in my last lap of several sessions not having enough braking power to get slowed down into T9, and that is not a good feeling. I spoke with many racing veterans about what could be causing this problem, but it was the guys at Galfer that really helped. It turns out that my EBC so called "kit" racing pads had warped after only 2 race weekends, and where having a small but constant drag which would cause the brake fluid to over heat, and thus fade. So even with my brake problems I was running consistant 54's, and best time of '53.7. Not too bad considering the brake problems.
Sunday morning practice was great. The new brake pads from Galfer, and my bead blasted rotors had done the trick. I rode the whole 20 minute session with no brake fade. I felt confident about my possibilities. I was starting 24th in both races based on my finishes in Buttonwillow, and I felt a top 20 was possible.
My first race of the day was race 6 650 Twins. I got a great launch, passed at least a row of bikes and drove up the hill into T2, but like my usual self I gave back more places than I took entering T2. I need to figure out why I suck so badly entering that turn at the start of the race. I settled in and started making passes as soon as we got to T4. I rode hard and clean and passed every bike I could see. The next bike being too far away to catch. I finished 16th with a best time of 1:53.3.
My 2nd race was number 11 Formula IV. It's hard to stay motivated that late in the day, and when the race started I did not have the same determination I did earlier. Once again I got a great launch, and gave it all back in T2. This time I had given up a slight gap to the group in front of me, and I lacked that motivation to go after them. I went around a lap or so with the gap staying the same. Then Alex Florea #49 had a moment going down the hill from 3A to T4, apparently suffering from a cramp. All the bikes behind him checked up, and now all of a sudden they where within reach and I had found my motivation. The next few laps would be some of my smartest racing yet. The wind was blowing hard, and as you approached T7 and I figured I could brake a little later since I wouldn't be going as fast, and the wind would help slow me down. That allowed me to get past a couple of people on each lap. Since there was a head wind going into 7 there was a tail wind going into 9, and I figured I needed to brake earlier. This also allowed me to make some passes, because I think the wind and extra speed spooked the other riders. These are examples of why have good reference points work. I was able to make adjustments mid race to braking points, and take advantage of people. I finished 19th with a best lap of 1:52.2.
That was a great weekend of racing with good results. I I finished top 20 in both my races, and hit my lap time goal of 52's. I look forward to going back to Sears May 24th, and improve even more. I think top 10's could be possible by the end of the season, and maybe even a sub 1:50!.
Thanks to the people that help me go faster.
Jennifer at Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction
Dunlop, and Terry at Sport Tire Services
Paul Fine of Fine Design
Julio from Tommy's
AHRMA at Willow Springs
AHRMA stands for American Historical Motorcycle Roadracing Asscociation. AHRMA is a nation series for vintage motorcycle racing. They only have one west coast round, and it is held at Willow Springs in April on the 3rd, and 4th. Having raced at willow as recently as February I was excited to get back there, and pick up where I left off.
To attempt to save money I loaded my bikes, and most of my pit equipment onto the trailer, and I had my friend, and teammate Jim Hoogerhyde tow my trailer down. Getting to the hotel Thursday night turned out to be quite a chore. After we picked up Jim's current girlfriend, we made Jim's required stop at Farley's coffee shop and hit the road around 8pm. We finally made it to the hotel in Rosamond around 3am where Jim had a room shared with friends Jim Reagan and owner of Werkstatt Jennifer Bromme. You can read about her weekend here. Jen's blog. I slept on the floor, and it was a damn fine floor if I do say so. About 3 hours later we where up and ready to hit the track.
Friday after getting my registration all sorted out is a practice day. AHRMA is a series classic, vintage, or just old racing motorcycles, and if ever there was a place to see rolling history an AHRMA race is where to go. These bikes where not built to sit in a museum, and it's great to see something there is only a few of in the world out doing what they where meant to do: race. Since most vintage race bikes are single cylinder, or twin cylinder machines AHRMA has classes for modern bikes in a separate classes called Sound of Singles, and Battle of the Twins, or SOS, and BOTT respectively. Friday is a practice day, and Saturday and Sunday are race days so with only one day of practice I went out and tried to quickly get up to pace. I was riding on my older rear tire that was on the later half of it's life span. Tire management would turn out to be my Achilles heel. As I've stated before in previous posts willow is hard on tires, and my worn out practice tire didn't even last all day Friday. By midday the tire was completely shagged. On a side note I've used that term "shagged" to describe worn out tires before but I didn't really know where the term came from. Friday I knew. By midday the right side of the tire looked like a piece of 70's shag carpet. I switched to my 2nd rear wheel that had a tire with only 2 races on it, and I really wished I hadn't. Hind site is 20/20, and I would have been better off calling it an early day on Friday and saving that tire for the races. Friday was a lot of fun. I got play on the track with Jim, and there was gratuitous but pinching by all.
Saturday is a race day, but there where a couple of practice sessions in the morning, and again I would probably would have been better off skipping these. My first race was the middle weight class, or BOTT F2. I was racing up a class against larger displacement bikes. The grids for the modern bikes aren't very big compared to AFM standards, but what is? This would be my 4th race weekend of the year so I was comfortable with my bike now so when the green flag dropped I got a great launch and took the holeshot into T1. Holy shit I'm leading the race in F2!. As I tipped it into T2 I told myself to keep my head down, be smooth, ride my lines, and hit my marks. Don't worry about what's behind you if the faster bikes can catch you they will. I think I lead 3 laps before this bright orange Ducati blasts past me on the straight. I pulled right up on the back of him as we entered T2. I thought if I could get in front of him in the tight stuff I might be able to hold the lead on the final lap. As we approached T8 he definitely gapped me. As we approached the exit of T9 there where slower bikes in front of us. He easily passed a guy on a supermoto just before the apex of the turn, and I set up to go around the guy just past the apex, and that's where things went horribly wrong. The guy on the motard suddenly stood his bike up and ran wide right as I was about to make the pass. That left me with the choice of trying to get on the brakes to keep from running into the back of him, and standing it up and running off track. Neither of these choices is a great option at 100+mph. So I ran off track and I remember looking right at the wall on the outside of T9 thinking "how am I going to get stopped in time" Thinking that I was not going to make it I chose to try to enter the hot pit, and I easily made that happen. I looked up at the pit marshal, and he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking "now what do I do?" and he motioned for me to come on through. I dropped a gear and powered through the hot pit coming back on track in 4th place. I quickly disposed of one of the Buell's, and set out to catch the other one who had inherited 2nd place from me. As we entered T2 he ran wide, and I crept up the inside to take 2nd place. Either he didn't see me, or thought he could take the position back, at the exit of turn 2 my opponent came back onto the racing line at full speed and we came together at 100 mph. It made a loud crunching sound as fiberglass and metal became interlocked. For a brief moment we where locked together and looking at each other. Then he was gone. When the bikes became disengaged I was left in a terrible tank slapper, and off into the dirt I went again. I got back on track, and by the time I made it through T3 a red flag was out. My opponent had gone down and stayed down. That was the end of the race. I was credited with 3rd place.
My 2nd race was the BOTT F3 or lightweight, and I thought since I had finished so well in F2 I would easily win F3. Complacency is a killer. I got the holeshot easily and led much of the race, each lap getting slower and allowing the 2nd place guy to catch up. He made a clean pass on the last lap and I couldn't really do anything to get back by him. By this time the right side of my tire was shagged, and every time I tried to make time up on him I would slide the rear, and I thought it just wasn't worth throwing it away. My previous off track excursions took some of the wind out of my sails. I finished 2nd.
Sunday had me worried since the right side of my tire was so worn and we had 2 more races to do. I flipped the tire on the rim putting the worn side of the tire on the left side of the rim. When it was race time I definitely had better grip on the right side but now I nothing on the left, and even though there are only a few left turns they are all slower, but you need to drive hard on the exit, and each time I tried getting on the gas at the exit of those turns the tire would slide. I finished 3rd in BOTT F2 after inheriting a position when the orange Ducati crashed out of the lead. I had to race on BOTT F1 after a technical issue, and I only did a few laps in that race. I wasn't going to finish on the podium, and my tire was sliding at the exit of every corner, and I brought it in early figuring it just wasn't worth staying out there and being a danger to myself and everyone else.
It was a great racing weekend. We had several SFMC members, Harley, Miles, Jim, myself, and friends of the SFMC, Jennifer, and Johnny all racing. It was fun having soo many friends to hang out with.
A special thanks to Deb for making coffee, and breakfast, and being a great all around pit wench, and to my dad for hanging out and letting me use his truck.
A little note about that orange Ducati. I knew it was a pretty bike, but after the races where over someone explained to me that it was a NCR Ducati . A hand built custom rumored to cost $50,000.
To attempt to save money I loaded my bikes, and most of my pit equipment onto the trailer, and I had my friend, and teammate Jim Hoogerhyde tow my trailer down. Getting to the hotel Thursday night turned out to be quite a chore. After we picked up Jim's current girlfriend, we made Jim's required stop at Farley's coffee shop and hit the road around 8pm. We finally made it to the hotel in Rosamond around 3am where Jim had a room shared with friends Jim Reagan and owner of Werkstatt Jennifer Bromme. You can read about her weekend here. Jen's blog. I slept on the floor, and it was a damn fine floor if I do say so. About 3 hours later we where up and ready to hit the track.
Friday after getting my registration all sorted out is a practice day. AHRMA is a series classic, vintage, or just old racing motorcycles, and if ever there was a place to see rolling history an AHRMA race is where to go. These bikes where not built to sit in a museum, and it's great to see something there is only a few of in the world out doing what they where meant to do: race. Since most vintage race bikes are single cylinder, or twin cylinder machines AHRMA has classes for modern bikes in a separate classes called Sound of Singles, and Battle of the Twins, or SOS, and BOTT respectively. Friday is a practice day, and Saturday and Sunday are race days so with only one day of practice I went out and tried to quickly get up to pace. I was riding on my older rear tire that was on the later half of it's life span. Tire management would turn out to be my Achilles heel. As I've stated before in previous posts willow is hard on tires, and my worn out practice tire didn't even last all day Friday. By midday the tire was completely shagged. On a side note I've used that term "shagged" to describe worn out tires before but I didn't really know where the term came from. Friday I knew. By midday the right side of the tire looked like a piece of 70's shag carpet. I switched to my 2nd rear wheel that had a tire with only 2 races on it, and I really wished I hadn't. Hind site is 20/20, and I would have been better off calling it an early day on Friday and saving that tire for the races. Friday was a lot of fun. I got play on the track with Jim, and there was gratuitous but pinching by all.
Saturday is a race day, but there where a couple of practice sessions in the morning, and again I would probably would have been better off skipping these. My first race was the middle weight class, or BOTT F2. I was racing up a class against larger displacement bikes. The grids for the modern bikes aren't very big compared to AFM standards, but what is? This would be my 4th race weekend of the year so I was comfortable with my bike now so when the green flag dropped I got a great launch and took the holeshot into T1. Holy shit I'm leading the race in F2!. As I tipped it into T2 I told myself to keep my head down, be smooth, ride my lines, and hit my marks. Don't worry about what's behind you if the faster bikes can catch you they will. I think I lead 3 laps before this bright orange Ducati blasts past me on the straight. I pulled right up on the back of him as we entered T2. I thought if I could get in front of him in the tight stuff I might be able to hold the lead on the final lap. As we approached T8 he definitely gapped me. As we approached the exit of T9 there where slower bikes in front of us. He easily passed a guy on a supermoto just before the apex of the turn, and I set up to go around the guy just past the apex, and that's where things went horribly wrong. The guy on the motard suddenly stood his bike up and ran wide right as I was about to make the pass. That left me with the choice of trying to get on the brakes to keep from running into the back of him, and standing it up and running off track. Neither of these choices is a great option at 100+mph. So I ran off track and I remember looking right at the wall on the outside of T9 thinking "how am I going to get stopped in time" Thinking that I was not going to make it I chose to try to enter the hot pit, and I easily made that happen. I looked up at the pit marshal, and he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking "now what do I do?" and he motioned for me to come on through. I dropped a gear and powered through the hot pit coming back on track in 4th place. I quickly disposed of one of the Buell's, and set out to catch the other one who had inherited 2nd place from me. As we entered T2 he ran wide, and I crept up the inside to take 2nd place. Either he didn't see me, or thought he could take the position back, at the exit of turn 2 my opponent came back onto the racing line at full speed and we came together at 100 mph. It made a loud crunching sound as fiberglass and metal became interlocked. For a brief moment we where locked together and looking at each other. Then he was gone. When the bikes became disengaged I was left in a terrible tank slapper, and off into the dirt I went again. I got back on track, and by the time I made it through T3 a red flag was out. My opponent had gone down and stayed down. That was the end of the race. I was credited with 3rd place.
My 2nd race was the BOTT F3 or lightweight, and I thought since I had finished so well in F2 I would easily win F3. Complacency is a killer. I got the holeshot easily and led much of the race, each lap getting slower and allowing the 2nd place guy to catch up. He made a clean pass on the last lap and I couldn't really do anything to get back by him. By this time the right side of my tire was shagged, and every time I tried to make time up on him I would slide the rear, and I thought it just wasn't worth throwing it away. My previous off track excursions took some of the wind out of my sails. I finished 2nd.
Sunday had me worried since the right side of my tire was so worn and we had 2 more races to do. I flipped the tire on the rim putting the worn side of the tire on the left side of the rim. When it was race time I definitely had better grip on the right side but now I nothing on the left, and even though there are only a few left turns they are all slower, but you need to drive hard on the exit, and each time I tried getting on the gas at the exit of those turns the tire would slide. I finished 3rd in BOTT F2 after inheriting a position when the orange Ducati crashed out of the lead. I had to race on BOTT F1 after a technical issue, and I only did a few laps in that race. I wasn't going to finish on the podium, and my tire was sliding at the exit of every corner, and I brought it in early figuring it just wasn't worth staying out there and being a danger to myself and everyone else.
It was a great racing weekend. We had several SFMC members, Harley, Miles, Jim, myself, and friends of the SFMC, Jennifer, and Johnny all racing. It was fun having soo many friends to hang out with.
A special thanks to Deb for making coffee, and breakfast, and being a great all around pit wench, and to my dad for hanging out and letting me use his truck.
A little note about that orange Ducati. I knew it was a pretty bike, but after the races where over someone explained to me that it was a NCR Ducati . A hand built custom rumored to cost $50,000.
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