Another race weekend come and gone. I spent a lot of time working on the bike the couple of days prior to packing up for the weekend. Last month I had issues with over heating, or at least the radiator pushing water into the overflow bottle. So I took the bike up to KC @ BRG Racing. KC did the subframe, and rearsets as well as tune the fuel injection last year. I wanted him to test if we had blown a head gasket which could pressurize the cooling system hence cause the overflow issues. It was determined that everything was OK, but the valves were out of adjustment. So after adjusting the valves the bike was run on the dynomometer to see if it was running lean, or having too much air and not enough fuel, which could also cause the bike to run hot. The results where everything looked OK, except we are now making less torque in the middle of the rev range than we did a year ago. What does that mean? The engine is tired. On it's 5th racing season the motor is due for a vacation. Once I got the bike home I installed my new Motion Pro Revolver throttle,, which allows adjustable throttle openings. The main goal is to be able to open the throttle to full with less rotational movement. This addresses one of the issues I've been having which is not opening the throttle fully, and not opening the throttle soon enough all with the intention of exiting corners faster. It took some finessing but the installation went well. I got the truck all packed up, groceries bought, and Kate came over around 6pm, and off we went.
When we got to the track around 9:30pm it was still in the 80's. ouch! It was going to be a burner this weekend. We quickly got everything set up, had a beer, and went to sleep. It had been a restful week with no major work projects, and I wanted to get at least 5 hours of sleep before the weekend really got going.
Attempting to address another issue from the previous month first thing in the morning was a trip to Dave Moss. The main suspension issue has been adding gas while exiting corners that have bumps. The problem being that as I travel over the bumps the rear shock is reaching the end of it's travel, and when I add gas there's nothing left to absorb the new energy, and the rear tire starts to chatter, and eventually slide. We sat in the morning sun poking at it, pushing on it, and came to the conclusion that the shock was not in fact reaching the end of it's travel, but instead was not using all the travel. That means there is too much tension on the rear spring. So more poking, bouncing, measuring, and we backed off 2 full turns of preload.
Saturday practice went well. I needed to get my head into race mode right away. With only 4 practice sessions on Saturday I couldn't waste any time. The first session saw me into the 2:05's. Good. Last time here my best time on Saturday was a 2:05. Back to Dave for some little adjustments. Next session we're into the 4's. Good a couple more little tweaks, and we go out and do more 4's but there's more traffic, and getting a clean lap is hard. A couple more little adjustments and in the last session we break into the 3's. Good my best lap from the races last month was in the 3's so the pace is good, I'm getting the throttle open sooner, and getting it all the way to full. The big change in the rear pre-load is allowing me to get on the gas sooner, and it's showing in the lap times. I have to admit that as much as the physical adjustments we're making to the bike help the mental adjustments might be a bigger help. Getting good sleep in the week prior, as well as getting a decent amount of sleep the night before, and a little nap at lunch allowed me to have much more mental presence. It's hard to push past your limits when your tired. I also was very focused on hydration. The ambient air temperature was over 100. The track temp was 144. In order to stay hydrated, and be able to focus I had to drink about a liter of fluid every hour. I use a mixture of mostly water, Gatorade, and a dash of Redbull which makes for a nasty, but a functional cocktail.
Saturday night we had a nice BBQ and spent lot's of time cruising around the pits, and hanging out with our extended AFM family. Dave Sapsis always brings delicious home brewed beer, and this time there was chocolate cake! There's always the Twinworks crew to visit, as well as the Feel Like a Pro group. There are many friends to try to catch up with, and see how their day was going. Who was feeling fast, who was feeling slow, who had fallen, and would they make Sunday's races. I limited my beer intake as again I didn't want to dehydrate myself. I slept solidly that night, and was well refreshed for Sunday.
Sunday morning had the warm up practice session, and I was into the 4's which is good for a traffic filled morning session.
Race 1 was 650 Twins. I was gridded on the inside of the 3rd row all the way to the left which is a terrible grid spot. I had done a few practice starts to get used to the new throttle, and when the green flag flew I blew the start badly. I was so focused on the new throttle I didn't let the clutch out enough and pulled a wheelie, and had to chop the throttle to get the front wheel down. Damn. Composure regained I got on the gas and as I started to accelerate away I had to make a quick maneuver to not run into pole sitter Dan Sewell. I could see his shifter dangling off his bike, bummer for him he was having a rough weekend. So I went into T1 in something like 20th place. Not the start I was looking for, but I was determined to fight to the last lap. On the gas had out of 1 I charged around the outside of T2 as everyone bunched up fighting to get to the inside. Accelerating hard out of 2 I crossed the track to take an outside line around T3 again while everyone bunched up fighting for the inside line, exiting T3 I again crossed the track for yet another outside entry into T4 and up the little hill into T5. I decided to stop pushing my luck and didn't take the inside pass into T5. A mistake there with everyone bunched up usually means a pile of bikes. The pack settles in after 5 and starts to single file through 6, and 7. My pit buddy Robin is just in front of me, and my arch nemesis John Forman in front of him. I'm thinking I'll get a run on them into 8, and make a pass up the hill on the brakes into 9, but John slows a little more for 8 than expected, and Robin goes for an outside pass, and I wasn't going to be left behind so I go for the inside pass. I don't think John was too happy to get sandwiched passed on the fastest part of the track! I know I'm not going to get any passes done in between 10-13. That is my weakest part of the track so I give Robin a little room so I can get a good run out of 13 and down the back straight where one of my strongest places is on the brakes into 14. I'm gaining on him as we go under the bridge and I say to myself I'm not even touching the brakes until I'm past him. Hard on the brakes rear end wagging around like a happy dog I'm I'm starting to question my strategy, and then I realize there's a rider a few bike lengths in front of Robin, 61 Spencer Smith. Shit. So I did the only thing I could. I Let go of the brakes, and dive for the apex. With the front tire chattering badly under the load of the bad line I manage to squeak through, and get on the gas for the entry to 15 and up the front straight. Half a lap later I get passed Brad Woods by taking a wide entry into6 and gassing past him into 7 (yeah new throttle). That leaves only 1 bike in front of me within visible range. I pushed hard, and after a couple of laps reeled him in. I used my new found drive out of T2, over the bumps on the gas which gave me good momentum on him into T3. One of my favorite places to pass is around the outside of 3. It's bumpy and the bike bounces and flails around, but if you can come up parallel to the rider then you own the inside of 4 and that's what I did cleanly taking away the spot. Once passed 71 I could see a powder blue bike up ahead. Oh shit that's #69 Scott Liesnewki. I never see him on the track. Oh come to me blue carrot. I'm thinking Scott's riding by himself. He's lost the lead group and isn't motivated. Maybe I can sneak up on him, and take him on the brakes into 14 on the last lap.
Ah delusions of grandeur. At this point we're on lap 5 of the 3 mile Thunderhill course in 90 degree heat, and in my pursuit of Scott I start making mistakes. After blowing T9 I give up my pursuit, and focus on finishing cleanly. I over brake for 14, and get a bad drive onto the front straight, and sure enough into T1 comes #71. OK I'll get it back in T3 just like before, but all for not as there is a waving yellow flag in T3, and no passing under any flag. OK my last chance will be in 14. But I blow T9 again, and entering T10 #555 Scott Reavy goes around my outside. OK I'll get Scott into 14, but I got too close to Scott as we went through the 11, 12, combo meaning I couldn't get a run on him out of 13. I'm a little bummed that I let that happen, but later I find out I finished 9th with a best of 2:01.8 by far my best time ever, and I made up a huge amount of ground, and never gave up.
My next race later in the day was Formula IV. I typically don't do as well in FIV as there are other fast guys on different kinds of bikes in this race. This time I was gridded on the outside of row 3, a much better place even if further back, to my left is Robin, and to his left Forman. The green flag flies, and I manage not to flub the start. Not a rocket start, but no wheelies. I take the outside line in T2 again, but as we enter T3 we're already single file. My first thought is that is strange, and as we round T4 I realize I'm with the lead pack. Much like at Sears Pt a couple of months ago I realize I'm in rare company. I know it won't last but it sure looks cool for now. As we round the mid section which is the fastest part the front 3-4 guys check out. Sv650's making just under 100hp don't wait around for Kawasaki's making just over 70hp. I find myself in a battle with 898, a very fast guy. I'm so excited to be here. I follow for a couple of laps looking for an opportunity, seeing where I'm better. As we go down the front straight I pull up right behind him, and stay in his draft, and right as we cross the start line I move to his inside tickle the front brake, and take the inside line.
I make yet another mistake into 9, and he comes by me into 10. No surprise there. As we cross start finish the white flag comes out, and I've got one lap to go. I take a look in 1, no. I try the outside of 3. Maybe up into 5, no. OK I've got one more chance. T14. As we go down the hill into 10 I give him a little room, this is a big risk because if anyone was behind me I could lose a place just like I did in the first race, so I can get a run on him through 11, 12, 13. As we come out of 13 he's got like 5 bike lengths on me, and I don't think I can get it done. Fuck it I'm going for it. The worst thing that will happen is that I'll run off track, there's no one else I'm going to hit. So as we cross under the bridge I brake stupidly late shooting past him. My first thought is there's no way I'm making it, but I started my turn in, gently letting off the front brake taking it all the way to the apex. Now that's trail braking! I've got no drive, and at this point I make a strategical choice, rather than accelerate out of the corner thus opening up the underneath for a pass back in T15 I cruise the exit of 14, drop down a gear then accelerate hard INTO 15 thus giving my opponent no chance to out drive me down the front straight. I take the checkers by a bike length or 2. I finished 8th with a best time of 2:01.085. So close to breaking into the 0's.
It was an exciting and successful weekend of racing. My experiences have taught me this year that if I want to run up front I have to be well rested, and have a plan. KC said it best when he asked me if I "was a participant or a competitor". That will give you perspective.
I have to give a special thanks to Marie at Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair, for working with MotionPro to get me that revolver throttle. It really made a difference. Also to Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction, for taking that extra time in the morning to work with me. I know he was under the gun, and not feeling the best, but still has time for a mid pack 650 guy. Also to my girlfriend Kate, who's help has been tremendous.
Sadly I have to miss the next race at Sears Pt because I have to travel for work, but I'll be back for the last round in October. Can anyone say 2:00 flat?
Thanks to my other sponsors
Dunlop, and Terry at Sport Tire Services
Paul Fine of Fine Design
Julio from Tommy's
Pictures to come when Joe from 4 the riders puts them up.
