There was a trackday on Friday hosted by Lance Keigwin and I had signed up for that back in January. Good I needed the extra day.
I was still having issues with my brakes overheating, fading, and giving me no confidence in pushing the front end. Friday went well, and I was feeling smooth and aggressive.
Saturday practice is short now because of the races held in the afternoon so you have to make the most out of the 4 you get. I tried some different brake fluid recommended by Zoran and that helped. I had a much better feel, and could drive much deeper on the brakes, but they would still over heat after about 6 laps, but that was better than before.
Sunday I was in races 1, and 5. The first race of the day, and the first race after lunch. I was again feeling confident and aggressive, and those are huge elements to going fast in a race.
I'm good at starting, and when the green flag flew I had a plan on where I wanted to be on the track, and I followed through with it driving deep into the rows in front and charging up the hill. Nobody passed me going into T2 which has been a weakness for me before. I had been practicing passing people going into T4 and that paid off in this race as I was easily able to gain a spot going down the hill into 4. The race would be a dog fight the whole way. There where about 6 bikes in front of me as we lined up going down the back straight for the first time, and I was determined to get around all of them. I passed all of them. Sometimes I would get passed back, and start all over. It was fun fighting for every inch. I finished 15th, and was happy with that.
The 2nd race was more of the same. I got a good start, and then started picking people off, while at the same time fighting to hold my position. Good times. As the race was winding down on the last lap I could feel myself getting tired. I knew I was running out of energy, and starting to make mistakes so I took a long glance over my should to see how close 616 was to me. Drats he was only a couple of bike lengths behind me. So I started riding really defensively. I would get on the brakes super late, and take a tight inside line. This is not the fastest way around the track, but It keeps the other person from being able to get up inside. I did this going into T's 7, 9, and 11. I stayed in front by just a couple of tenths of a second. He came and found me in the pits, and I told him I was sorry that I had to ride so defensively, he told me I was an asshole, but that's racing, and next time he'd better get in front of me before the last lap. I told him "yup" and as he walked away I smiled and thought "good luck with that" game on.
Despite riding so defensively that last lap of my second race FIV, was the fastest lap of the weekend, keeping my record of the last lap of FIV being the fastest time.
I turned a 1:51.9. Finally I broke into the 51's. A personal goal of mine. Yesterday I bought a new Brembo racing master cylinder. Hopefully this will cure my fading brake woes, and allow me to use the brakes the way I like to. On the ragged edge!
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
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