Ok... Sorry this is late. I had to let it all sink in. Excuse the length.
Had practice Thursday (Boy was it hot) only did 3 sessions, 1 on the Hawk and 2 on the Duc. Still not really feeling the Duc, the brakes sucked and the reach to the bars was too long still, although better after switching the tanks out. But the acceleration!! Woo Who!
(Sorry all you Hawkers but the Duc is just faster, the Hawk is fast becoming my B bike)
People start arriving Thruday night and we realize we won't have enough power for everyone in 1a. (We had some squatters on our property) So I pack up and move it down to 1. Got to meet Mitchell for the first time too!
Then comes the rain. Thankfully everything was set up and we didn't get terribly wet. Had some fun times with Tabor (Ryan's friend?) as he was trying to super glue his footpeg and rear brake MC together to pass Penguin tech so his son coould take the class. There was lots of eye rolling on our part and a little language barrier, thankfully his son decided against riding with the bike like that.
Awake friday and decide I am gonna work on the Duc. I had went and got some new cast iron floating rotors and pads at BCM to fix my break "problem" (ouch $$). Decided to clean the calipers up while I was there. Gino hands me some brushes and simple Green and Mitchell comes over to help. We must have worked on those things for a good couple hours! (Thanks Mitchell!) Basically rebuilt em and got them working MUCH better than when we started. (I think I could have just done this and I would have been fine). On go the Cast Iron rotors, boy are they pretty, got some compliments on thise this weekend. While I am at it I decide to swap the handlebars as well. The reach was just too far. Off come the Woodcrafts and on go an old set of Helibars I had. That took longer than expected and was more difficult too as we had to drop the forks out of the triples because I didn't have the tool to take the top retainer off the top triple. UGGH! With that done and all buttoned up (after snapping a bolt in the lower triple clamp) I am done for the day.
Awake saturday kinda early. I have one race today LWSS but I want to get more practice on the Duc. I take the Hawk out for first practice and only get 2 laps on it. I lay down a 127 and feel good but I know I have more in me because I was getting held up.
I take the Duc out for 2nd practice and get 1 out lap before I am Red flagged back in. Well that sucked! At least I am not racing the Duc today.
Race 9 LWSS. I am gridded 2nd wave in 4a (I believe). I don't remember much of this race, although I know Mitchell and Brian were in the wave behind me LWPM along with Darrell and Dolla bill. I finished ahead of some people that were faster than me in the past, got passed by Brian who was gridded behind me around the 6th lap. I was the last bike in LWSS that he got by before the checkers. I really thought I would place a little better in this race but I didn't want to place too high, the bike isn't legal for the class. 7 of 20 starters and I am tied for 16th in the points.
Done with Saturday, on to Sunday!
Race 7 ULSB. I find out Puppet (Brian) Has decided to join the fun in ULSB! (Great, one more person who is gonna finish ahead of me, ) I had thought I was gonna run the Hawk but to heck with it I am running the Duc! Dan had crashed earlier in the day , ( but at least that was one less person I had to worry about ). Now If I could just stay ahead of the motards I would be ok.
Gridded in 1a! Sweet! Green Flag and I loft a wheelie getting off the start! (Did I forget to mention that the Duc is GP shift and the Hawk was regular?) I guess I got a good jump because I am told I had like 3 bike lengths going into 1 and about 7 going into 3. Holy crap ANOTHER hole shot! Head down now because I know people are coming, Brian passes me going into the bowl (I think), I stay on his ass and try to follow him, his lines are different than mine and are throing me off, gotta ride your own race... "am I still in second?" come onto the front straight and get a quick look over my shoulder, someone is back there! Oh shit! Try to out brake Brian into 3, over shoot a bit and he gets me up the inside going up the hill, "Ok, lets just try to stick with him then and put some distance on the field" I know Brian has ran faster times than I ever have and I figure if I can keep that Orange "Carrot" in my sights I should be good to go. Things are happening quickly, I am still learning the bike, trying to go faster than I ever have and staying in second place, we start to pick some traffic, it slows us both down in parts and I am not as aggresive as I could be, I am starting to feel tired, I think this is the 6th lap, I come out of the bowl and "feel" something, someone tries to get me on the inside going into 9, Fine I have done this before, I go wide in 9 and get back around him, now he drives up the left side going into 11. I have the ourside line and decide to let him go up the inside of 11, I'll have the inside for the "flop". All of a sudden there are THREE bikes on the inside of 11. I still have the "Line" going into the right hander before the flop for the straight, I gas it a little to get there before the group but they swing over and shut the door, it is either hit them or try to go over the curb/grass. I decide on the curb/grass, "Oh SHIT here we go" little bump, " Hey, I might make... where did the bike go?" Basically low sided right in the middle of the track. I go to get up, I am looking back up in the direction of 11 and there are THREE MORE bikes coming at me. I make like a peice of paper and get low, helmet pointed at them, flat as I can get, vroom, vroom, vroom... they go around me, I look up again, get up, go to the bike and try to pick it up, No brake lever! "Damn" I am done! I had second and through it away. The corner worker pics ups the bike and says, "Hey, it's the last lap, your bike is OK, you can take the checkers!" I figure what the heck it is only a couple hundred yards, I don't need brakes! I hope on and take off... wait a minute, that is a WHITE FLAG not the checkers? I don't have a BRAKE LEVER! Just a little stub, I finish the race in 3rd gear and don't even try to pass the guy in front of me, I finish 8th of 13. This sucks!! Only good thing was my lap time. 124.893! 3 seconds faster than my fastest time on the Hawk. This Duc can move!
Get back to the pits, people had heard on the scanner that I had crashed and went to check on me (thanks guys!) but I had finished the race... I am pretty upset, check the bike and my leathers, all seem ok, replace the lever and everything seems good to go. There is no way I am gonna place in LWSB, bigger bikes and faster riders, oh well, no nice trophy for me, lets work on lap times and feeling comfy on the Duc and NOT crashing! "Huh... my right side starts to hurt, must have bruised a rib."
Race 13 LWSB. Again gridded 1a (I love Pre Reg). I get on the bike to go to PreGrid and it won't start!? I yell for someone to give me a push and someone says the bike won't start that way, too high compression. The "Pit Crew" Goes to work as I am sitting on the bike, there were some many hands flying everywhere!, I get a jump start and they button the bike back up and I am off. I get to pregrid and the bike stalls just as we are leaving for the warm up lap, I try to push start it, nothing! I try again, just about sprinting next to the bike and jump on! IT STARTS!! I am huffing and puffing during the warm up lap and on the grid, Green flag drops and I am 3rd going into 1, still trying to catch my breath as 1st and 2nd gap me a little. "HOLY CRAP your in 3rd in LWSB!" "Ok calm down and just stay up here" I look back and there are some people back there. "Head down now, just stay in 3rd and you get a cool trophy!"
I notice that I am closing on the leaders on the brakes but losing ground on the drives. I start twisting the throttle a little more coming out of the turns and close the gap a little more, 6th lap I am literally on 2nd places butt going into 3 but they get a good drive and pull up the hill. 7th lap and I am only about a second off the 2nd place guy on the front straight, and we are getting into traffic, come out of 2 and see a motard in front of us (Is that Joel?), 1st place gets by him but 2nd checks up going into 3 and stays behind, I go inside and late brake and slide in front of the motard coming outta 3. 2nd place gets held up a little going up the hill (Thanks Joel!) I think we were 3 wide coming into 6. Me on the inside, 2nd place on the outside and Joel in the middle. I drive outta 6 clean and try to put some distance between me and 3rd place! I am in second solidly now! I am about a second off the leader on the front straight, LAST LAP! I close up a little into 1 and I am close going into 3... Might as well try it on him! I go up the inside and late brake, over shoot the corner and he zips up the inside, "fine... 2nd is good enough! Maybe I can get close enough to give him a drag race to the checkers", nope, I blow 12 but I have enough to keep 2nd place!!
I am celebrating more than the winner on the cool down lap! The Turn 1 Pit crew is cheering up on the trailer! I am trying to pop wheelies! My first placing!! SWEET!! I am on such a high now I hardly remember getting back to the pits. I know I went by LDR and did a little wheelie or 2. (I do remember swearing ALOT, sorry all, I will try to watch my mouth more in the future). Much clapping and back slapping! It was EPIC!
I go to check my lap times for the race and... 123.065!! with consistent 23-24's!! Sweet!!
I get my trophy (after having to wait around for the last race to get called!) and there are not as many people left to pick them up but I swear I got one of the loudest cheers of the day! Thanks all!! Made me feel great!
Much thanks to the Turn 1 Pit. As always you guys and the others in the Paddock absolutely make the weekend. Nothing I do on the track would really be possible without all the help I recieve in our pit. Thanks All.
I hope I didn't forget anything but this is long enough.
Now if someone could explain to me how to stop the front end from sliding around 9 that would be terrific. ;D
Had practice Thursday (Boy was it hot) only did 3 sessions, 1 on the Hawk and 2 on the Duc. Still not really feeling the Duc, the brakes sucked and the reach to the bars was too long still, although better after switching the tanks out. But the acceleration!! Woo Who!
(Sorry all you Hawkers but the Duc is just faster, the Hawk is fast becoming my B bike)
People start arriving Thruday night and we realize we won't have enough power for everyone in 1a. (We had some squatters on our property) So I pack up and move it down to 1. Got to meet Mitchell for the first time too!
Then comes the rain. Thankfully everything was set up and we didn't get terribly wet. Had some fun times with Tabor (Ryan's friend?) as he was trying to super glue his footpeg and rear brake MC together to pass Penguin tech so his son coould take the class. There was lots of eye rolling on our part and a little language barrier, thankfully his son decided against riding with the bike like that.
Awake friday and decide I am gonna work on the Duc. I had went and got some new cast iron floating rotors and pads at BCM to fix my break "problem" (ouch $$). Decided to clean the calipers up while I was there. Gino hands me some brushes and simple Green and Mitchell comes over to help. We must have worked on those things for a good couple hours! (Thanks Mitchell!) Basically rebuilt em and got them working MUCH better than when we started. (I think I could have just done this and I would have been fine). On go the Cast Iron rotors, boy are they pretty, got some compliments on thise this weekend. While I am at it I decide to swap the handlebars as well. The reach was just too far. Off come the Woodcrafts and on go an old set of Helibars I had. That took longer than expected and was more difficult too as we had to drop the forks out of the triples because I didn't have the tool to take the top retainer off the top triple. UGGH! With that done and all buttoned up (after snapping a bolt in the lower triple clamp) I am done for the day.
Awake saturday kinda early. I have one race today LWSS but I want to get more practice on the Duc. I take the Hawk out for first practice and only get 2 laps on it. I lay down a 127 and feel good but I know I have more in me because I was getting held up.
I take the Duc out for 2nd practice and get 1 out lap before I am Red flagged back in. Well that sucked! At least I am not racing the Duc today.
Race 9 LWSS. I am gridded 2nd wave in 4a (I believe). I don't remember much of this race, although I know Mitchell and Brian were in the wave behind me LWPM along with Darrell and Dolla bill. I finished ahead of some people that were faster than me in the past, got passed by Brian who was gridded behind me around the 6th lap. I was the last bike in LWSS that he got by before the checkers. I really thought I would place a little better in this race but I didn't want to place too high, the bike isn't legal for the class. 7 of 20 starters and I am tied for 16th in the points.
Done with Saturday, on to Sunday!
Race 7 ULSB. I find out Puppet (Brian) Has decided to join the fun in ULSB! (Great, one more person who is gonna finish ahead of me, ) I had thought I was gonna run the Hawk but to heck with it I am running the Duc! Dan had crashed earlier in the day , ( but at least that was one less person I had to worry about ). Now If I could just stay ahead of the motards I would be ok.
Gridded in 1a! Sweet! Green Flag and I loft a wheelie getting off the start! (Did I forget to mention that the Duc is GP shift and the Hawk was regular?) I guess I got a good jump because I am told I had like 3 bike lengths going into 1 and about 7 going into 3. Holy crap ANOTHER hole shot! Head down now because I know people are coming, Brian passes me going into the bowl (I think), I stay on his ass and try to follow him, his lines are different than mine and are throing me off, gotta ride your own race... "am I still in second?" come onto the front straight and get a quick look over my shoulder, someone is back there! Oh shit! Try to out brake Brian into 3, over shoot a bit and he gets me up the inside going up the hill, "Ok, lets just try to stick with him then and put some distance on the field" I know Brian has ran faster times than I ever have and I figure if I can keep that Orange "Carrot" in my sights I should be good to go. Things are happening quickly, I am still learning the bike, trying to go faster than I ever have and staying in second place, we start to pick some traffic, it slows us both down in parts and I am not as aggresive as I could be, I am starting to feel tired, I think this is the 6th lap, I come out of the bowl and "feel" something, someone tries to get me on the inside going into 9, Fine I have done this before, I go wide in 9 and get back around him, now he drives up the left side going into 11. I have the ourside line and decide to let him go up the inside of 11, I'll have the inside for the "flop". All of a sudden there are THREE bikes on the inside of 11. I still have the "Line" going into the right hander before the flop for the straight, I gas it a little to get there before the group but they swing over and shut the door, it is either hit them or try to go over the curb/grass. I decide on the curb/grass, "Oh SHIT here we go" little bump, " Hey, I might make... where did the bike go?" Basically low sided right in the middle of the track. I go to get up, I am looking back up in the direction of 11 and there are THREE MORE bikes coming at me. I make like a peice of paper and get low, helmet pointed at them, flat as I can get, vroom, vroom, vroom... they go around me, I look up again, get up, go to the bike and try to pick it up, No brake lever! "Damn" I am done! I had second and through it away. The corner worker pics ups the bike and says, "Hey, it's the last lap, your bike is OK, you can take the checkers!" I figure what the heck it is only a couple hundred yards, I don't need brakes! I hope on and take off... wait a minute, that is a WHITE FLAG not the checkers? I don't have a BRAKE LEVER! Just a little stub, I finish the race in 3rd gear and don't even try to pass the guy in front of me, I finish 8th of 13. This sucks!! Only good thing was my lap time. 124.893! 3 seconds faster than my fastest time on the Hawk. This Duc can move!
Get back to the pits, people had heard on the scanner that I had crashed and went to check on me (thanks guys!) but I had finished the race... I am pretty upset, check the bike and my leathers, all seem ok, replace the lever and everything seems good to go. There is no way I am gonna place in LWSB, bigger bikes and faster riders, oh well, no nice trophy for me, lets work on lap times and feeling comfy on the Duc and NOT crashing! "Huh... my right side starts to hurt, must have bruised a rib."
Race 13 LWSB. Again gridded 1a (I love Pre Reg). I get on the bike to go to PreGrid and it won't start!? I yell for someone to give me a push and someone says the bike won't start that way, too high compression. The "Pit Crew" Goes to work as I am sitting on the bike, there were some many hands flying everywhere!, I get a jump start and they button the bike back up and I am off. I get to pregrid and the bike stalls just as we are leaving for the warm up lap, I try to push start it, nothing! I try again, just about sprinting next to the bike and jump on! IT STARTS!! I am huffing and puffing during the warm up lap and on the grid, Green flag drops and I am 3rd going into 1, still trying to catch my breath as 1st and 2nd gap me a little. "HOLY CRAP your in 3rd in LWSB!" "Ok calm down and just stay up here" I look back and there are some people back there. "Head down now, just stay in 3rd and you get a cool trophy!"
I notice that I am closing on the leaders on the brakes but losing ground on the drives. I start twisting the throttle a little more coming out of the turns and close the gap a little more, 6th lap I am literally on 2nd places butt going into 3 but they get a good drive and pull up the hill. 7th lap and I am only about a second off the 2nd place guy on the front straight, and we are getting into traffic, come out of 2 and see a motard in front of us (Is that Joel?), 1st place gets by him but 2nd checks up going into 3 and stays behind, I go inside and late brake and slide in front of the motard coming outta 3. 2nd place gets held up a little going up the hill (Thanks Joel!) I think we were 3 wide coming into 6. Me on the inside, 2nd place on the outside and Joel in the middle. I drive outta 6 clean and try to put some distance between me and 3rd place! I am in second solidly now! I am about a second off the leader on the front straight, LAST LAP! I close up a little into 1 and I am close going into 3... Might as well try it on him! I go up the inside and late brake, over shoot the corner and he zips up the inside, "fine... 2nd is good enough! Maybe I can get close enough to give him a drag race to the checkers", nope, I blow 12 but I have enough to keep 2nd place!!
I am celebrating more than the winner on the cool down lap! The Turn 1 Pit crew is cheering up on the trailer! I am trying to pop wheelies! My first placing!! SWEET!! I am on such a high now I hardly remember getting back to the pits. I know I went by LDR and did a little wheelie or 2. (I do remember swearing ALOT, sorry all, I will try to watch my mouth more in the future). Much clapping and back slapping! It was EPIC!
I go to check my lap times for the race and... 123.065!! with consistent 23-24's!! Sweet!!
I get my trophy (after having to wait around for the last race to get called!) and there are not as many people left to pick them up but I swear I got one of the loudest cheers of the day! Thanks all!! Made me feel great!
Much thanks to the Turn 1 Pit. As always you guys and the others in the Paddock absolutely make the weekend. Nothing I do on the track would really be possible without all the help I recieve in our pit. Thanks All.
I hope I didn't forget anything but this is long enough.
Now if someone could explain to me how to stop the front end from sliding around 9 that would be terrific. ;D
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