WERA Sportsman Series, Talladega Grand Prix Raceway, Sunday, June 19. Race direction: counter-clockwise.
"Third and final call". When I heard those words I was sitting on pit road waiting to go out for my race. I eased up next to Ronnie Erwin, an expert racer, and asked him if he still gets nervous cause I was plenty nervous. Ronnie said, "just go out there and relax and have some fun." That sounded like a good plan to me.
I was gridded in novice wave 2 one row back of my buddy Gill Cutchen. Gill can run 1:07's at Tally so I knew my only hope of keeping up with him for even 1/2 lap was to get a good start. The Expert wave was away and the revs came up and off we go. I cought a little wheelie at the start but got a good jump, not far behind Gill. Some guy on a big ass thumper came by me into one so I settled in behind him and a shirt for lap one.
Headed into the bowl the shirt went down and came up holding his leg. I learned later it was broken. Red flag and a restart was in order. My second start wasn't as good as the first. The thumper and another guy got by so I settled in and ran as hard as I could.
I was pleased that I kept up with 2 guys till we got to the 90's so I'm improving a little but I was still way off this weekend. Maybe my head was screwed up from Saturday's near miss. In any case it was a lonely race for me. The only excitement I had was when the experts came by to lap me. They go by so freaking fast that it can startle you. Their corner speed must be so much higher than mine to give them that kind of a run down the straight.
I was hoping not to get lapped by the Novice leaders this time but damn if that $&#*@(# JB Layman didn't go flying by. You can't miss him with that yellow helmet. We love to hate JB even though we don't even know him. He's just so damn fast. It will be fun to see how he does in expert next year.
After the race I learned that Gill had finished 3rd in Novice, his first podium. Congratulations to him and to all who ran at Talladega this weekend.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Monday, June 20, 2005
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Really close call at Talladega today
Damn, I'm lucky to be able to write this tonight because I had an unbelievably close call at Talladega Grand Prix Raceway today.
It was lap 4 of the Heavyweight Solo 20 race. The novices and experts had been combined into one race, I don't like that WERA please don't do it again, and I was running fine.
At the end of the front stretch I was passed by a group of fast novices/experts. Everyone got by fine except the last rider in the line who t-boned me on the right side. We hit so hard that it broke off my front brake lever, something I would discover later that lap at the end of the fastest straight!!!!!!!!
I still don't really know how we both made it through turn 2. The impact threw my weight to one side and the bike tried to stand up. I pushed hard as I could on the handlebars just to keep the bike turning and somehow made it through the turn.
Back in the pits we surveyed the damage and found a big crack in the upper fairing as well as the broken brake lever. I'll take a picture and post it tomorrow. Sure hope I have better luck in the Senior Superbike race.
It was lap 4 of the Heavyweight Solo 20 race. The novices and experts had been combined into one race, I don't like that WERA please don't do it again, and I was running fine.
At the end of the front stretch I was passed by a group of fast novices/experts. Everyone got by fine except the last rider in the line who t-boned me on the right side. We hit so hard that it broke off my front brake lever, something I would discover later that lap at the end of the fastest straight!!!!!!!!
I still don't really know how we both made it through turn 2. The impact threw my weight to one side and the bike tried to stand up. I pushed hard as I could on the handlebars just to keep the bike turning and somehow made it through the turn.
Back in the pits we surveyed the damage and found a big crack in the upper fairing as well as the broken brake lever. I'll take a picture and post it tomorrow. Sure hope I have better luck in the Senior Superbike race.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Friday, June 10, 2005
New Bike/Barber NESBA update
June 4/5 weekend I was riding with NESBA at Barber on the new bike. Barber is a track I am extremely familiar with and I'm happy to say the new bike felt great. My lap times weren't much better but it was easier to ride at that speed than before.
Cornering seems to be something I'm getting pretty good at. I was pitted next to a new control rider and he told me that my corner speed was extremely good and that I should get evaluated for the bump to Intermediate.
Unfortunately, I got way too hot on Saturday and spent most of the day in a near heat stroke condition. I was in no shape go go out and try to get bumped so I decided to stay in front of the fans as much as I could and grid up at the last minute and try to cool off.
By Sunday I was feeling much better and riding better. My goal for the weekend was to be smooth, smooth, smooth and I believe I was successful.
I've ordered some pics and will post when they come.
This weekend I'm preparing the bike and my gear for the WERA races at Tally next weekend. More later..........
Cornering seems to be something I'm getting pretty good at. I was pitted next to a new control rider and he told me that my corner speed was extremely good and that I should get evaluated for the bump to Intermediate.
Unfortunately, I got way too hot on Saturday and spent most of the day in a near heat stroke condition. I was in no shape go go out and try to get bumped so I decided to stay in front of the fans as much as I could and grid up at the last minute and try to cool off.
By Sunday I was feeling much better and riding better. My goal for the weekend was to be smooth, smooth, smooth and I believe I was successful.
I've ordered some pics and will post when they come.
This weekend I'm preparing the bike and my gear for the WERA races at Tally next weekend. More later..........
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