Talladega traffic.
Friday, April 29, 2005
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
April 16-17, Barber Motorsports Park, First full novice weekend
154 Jimmy McDowell 14 27:41.781 38.643 1:55.965 12 77.610 (my best lap all weekend)
Friday was promoter practice and the 600cc novices and experts went out at the same time. I was slightly nervous to practice with the experts. Pitted near me was 15 year old Yamaha phenom, Josh Herrin, a seemingly nice kid with a smile on his face and the whole world of roadracing ahead of him. A few moments later we would meet up on track.
Practice was going well and I was running consistent lap times in the 1:57's. Certainly not fast but light years ahead of just a few months ago when I was in the 2:05's at Barber. My 50th birthday was coming up in just a few days and I was having the time of my life. Traffic was heavy but certainly not dangerous. I remember clipping the apex to the right hander leading up the hill to pit in when all of a sudden a rider stuffed me on the inside and blew by, it was Josh Herrin.
As I was preparing to mercilessly curse at this pimple faced moron he glanced over his shoulder and threw up a hand in apology for the close pass. At first I didn't know if he was really apologizing or just his way of saying, "no charge for the lesson, grandpa". It was another moment on track that I will never ever forget. Someday I'll read about him in the AMA championship or even higher and I can smile and say, "once upon a time he and I shared the same race track". Life is good. I wish I hadn't waited so long to start living.
Saturday was my most fun race, heavyweight solo16. I was gridded near the back and at the start got passed by 2-3 riders. Quickly I was able to catch up with them and I latched onto one who was going at a pretty good pace and I followed him for about 10 laps. I was quicker than he was in the Museum turn and in the uphill turn headed to pit in. On about lap 10 I got by him and I thought I was checking out but with 3 to go the same guy passed me. Well, I was tired of being passed so I put my head down and cought back up to him. On the last lap I slid under him at the next to last turn and outran him to the line.
We had battled it out for 24th and 25th position but it may as well have been the podium for me. I had run a lap in the 1:55's and that had been a goal for the weekend. I had actually raced another rider for positon and got the better of him.
Sunday's 2 races went very well. I got good starts and ran consistent lap times.
All in all a very good weekend all around.
Friday was promoter practice and the 600cc novices and experts went out at the same time. I was slightly nervous to practice with the experts. Pitted near me was 15 year old Yamaha phenom, Josh Herrin, a seemingly nice kid with a smile on his face and the whole world of roadracing ahead of him. A few moments later we would meet up on track.
Practice was going well and I was running consistent lap times in the 1:57's. Certainly not fast but light years ahead of just a few months ago when I was in the 2:05's at Barber. My 50th birthday was coming up in just a few days and I was having the time of my life. Traffic was heavy but certainly not dangerous. I remember clipping the apex to the right hander leading up the hill to pit in when all of a sudden a rider stuffed me on the inside and blew by, it was Josh Herrin.
As I was preparing to mercilessly curse at this pimple faced moron he glanced over his shoulder and threw up a hand in apology for the close pass. At first I didn't know if he was really apologizing or just his way of saying, "no charge for the lesson, grandpa". It was another moment on track that I will never ever forget. Someday I'll read about him in the AMA championship or even higher and I can smile and say, "once upon a time he and I shared the same race track". Life is good. I wish I hadn't waited so long to start living.
Saturday was my most fun race, heavyweight solo16. I was gridded near the back and at the start got passed by 2-3 riders. Quickly I was able to catch up with them and I latched onto one who was going at a pretty good pace and I followed him for about 10 laps. I was quicker than he was in the Museum turn and in the uphill turn headed to pit in. On about lap 10 I got by him and I thought I was checking out but with 3 to go the same guy passed me. Well, I was tired of being passed so I put my head down and cought back up to him. On the last lap I slid under him at the next to last turn and outran him to the line.
We had battled it out for 24th and 25th position but it may as well have been the podium for me. I had run a lap in the 1:55's and that had been a goal for the weekend. I had actually raced another rider for positon and got the better of him.
Sunday's 2 races went very well. I got good starts and ran consistent lap times.
All in all a very good weekend all around.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Finally, the shirt is gone and I'm a full novice!!!!!!
Lord willing I will be 50 years old on April 25th. One year ago I set a goal that I would race at Barber Motorsports Park for my 50th birthday as a full WERA novice. In a few days from now I will realize that goal for as of this past Sunday I am a full WERA novice. The "shirt" is finally off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I competed (I use that term loosely) in the Heavyweight solo 20 on Saturday and Senior Superbike on Sunday.
When the grids were posted for Saturday I almost fainted. I was to start the HW solo outside of the first row next to Cory Burleson. The thought of going into one with that pack of riders on my tail sent chills up my spine. I decided, after asking some fellow racers, that the thing to do was grid at the back. I got a good start and was able to run several clean laps before the leaders came around to lap me. Really, my times were worse than they had been in February, I guess I was concentrating too much on Barber and not the race. Anyway, the race was uneventful and I finished with no problems whatsoever. On to Sunday.
Sunday was better morning weather (no fog) and I suited up for practice. Crap, practice was a nightmare. The 600cc novices are a bunch of lunatics!!!!!!!!!!
I got brushed by a guy going by on my right. We literally touched shoulders. A few laps later 2 guys go by side by side on my right headed into the 90's. About 5 feet in front of me they collided. Miraculously the rider on the left made the turn the one on the right ran straight off but kept it up. I decided to pull in while I was still alive.
My only Sunday race was Senior Superbike. I was gridded near the back. At the start one guy got by but I was able to catch him a few corners later. I was thinking, "hey this guy is my speed I'll have someone to race with" but he quickly slowed in the corners and I got by. That was the last traffic I saw. Man I sure was happy to see that checkerd flag. My goal for the weekend had been to run safely and get rid of that shirt before Barber. I have achieved those goals and I'm very happy/proud.
Barber should be fun. I am very familiar with that track and Thermosman is upgrading my suspension on Friday. More to come...........
I competed (I use that term loosely) in the Heavyweight solo 20 on Saturday and Senior Superbike on Sunday.
When the grids were posted for Saturday I almost fainted. I was to start the HW solo outside of the first row next to Cory Burleson. The thought of going into one with that pack of riders on my tail sent chills up my spine. I decided, after asking some fellow racers, that the thing to do was grid at the back. I got a good start and was able to run several clean laps before the leaders came around to lap me. Really, my times were worse than they had been in February, I guess I was concentrating too much on Barber and not the race. Anyway, the race was uneventful and I finished with no problems whatsoever. On to Sunday.
Sunday was better morning weather (no fog) and I suited up for practice. Crap, practice was a nightmare. The 600cc novices are a bunch of lunatics!!!!!!!!!!
I got brushed by a guy going by on my right. We literally touched shoulders. A few laps later 2 guys go by side by side on my right headed into the 90's. About 5 feet in front of me they collided. Miraculously the rider on the left made the turn the one on the right ran straight off but kept it up. I decided to pull in while I was still alive.
My only Sunday race was Senior Superbike. I was gridded near the back. At the start one guy got by but I was able to catch him a few corners later. I was thinking, "hey this guy is my speed I'll have someone to race with" but he quickly slowed in the corners and I got by. That was the last traffic I saw. Man I sure was happy to see that checkerd flag. My goal for the weekend had been to run safely and get rid of that shirt before Barber. I have achieved those goals and I'm very happy/proud.
Barber should be fun. I am very familiar with that track and Thermosman is upgrading my suspension on Friday. More to come...........
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
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