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Stiffy Pooh
pillaka is offline
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Middletown, NJ
Posts: 410
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Thanks a lot guys, it was an awesome weekend. To start off being september now and looking back this has been a challenging season for me, first learning a new bike and getting it set up, getting comfortable on the bike, one major and expensive crash, then mechanical problems. End of july my trans went out at njmp lightning, wound up getting a salvage r1 and swapping all my parts onto it. Big thanks to my friend Jimmy Reese for his help in letting me use his garage and tools to get the thing ready, spent the whole weekend prior and every night after work prepping it.
Despite not being on the track for a month I felt pretty confident going into the weekend, beaverun is a pretty physical track and I really was pushing myself swimming/mountain biking throughout august so I wouldn't get fatigued at all out there, especially during the solo race. The main goal going into the weekend was to get comfortable on the bike again, run consistent, and really focus on the sunday sprint races so I could get myself up in points and have a better shot at finishing top 5 this season to run expert next year.
Sat morning was a little mild and foggy outside and the track was damp. The time my 1st practice session it was clearing up and the track was getting dry. I felt really uncomfortable out there but stayed focues and positive - kept stepping it up lap by lap, when the session was over I felt pretty good and checked tire pressures and whatnot. Think I managed to break a 1:03 that session, still not fast enough for me and not consistent enough to my liking. Near the end of session though the bike felt awesome, power was nice and smooth, took a click outta rear compression to see how it would work next session, front forks were amazing. Jimmyhad a sport rider article in his garage that had recommended suspension setting for oem '06 yamaha forks, figured I'd try em. If I didn't like it I would set the forks back to how I've been riding them all season. Think I won't though! Turning in was effortless, it didn't chatter over the kinks or feel like it was tucking going into turn 1 and turn 10. I couldn't brake as hard I was in July at beaver, prob cause compession was open more. By 2nd practice session I was really feeling good going into this one, I got up to pace and was riding very comfortable and butter smooth, it felt easy - I was riding right. Came in and checked the times, consistent 1:01's with one lap a high 1:00. I topped the time charts and was running about a second faster a lap than everyone else, I was ready.
Lots of people were in the saturday solo race, I was starting front row in the 2nd wave. I got a wicked start and hammered down the straight and braked late into turn 1, actually caught the tail end of the 1st wave. I wanted to get in a position to contend for the lead as soon as possible since all the fast guys started front row in the 1st wave. By lap 4 I was in 2nd place, I could see the leader Greg Miller #176 in front of me. Lap by lap I could tell I was slowly reeling him in, as long as I maintained my pace I had a shot of catching him end of the race. Maybe he saw me slowly catching, or maybe just something else, next thing I know Greg goes off turn 1 lap 8, doesn't go down, but pretty much hands me the lead. From that point on I put it on cruise mode to finish in one piece. Near the end though I thought someone was right on my ass so I kicked up the pace, turns out no one was there, finished 1st wiht 18 seconds ahead of 2nd and 25sec ahead of 3rd! I was pretty happy to win my first solo, and also pretty happy that 3/4 of the time I could maintain I low 1:01 pace out there (except through traffic) the duration of the race. All my training paid off. My final 6 laps I was the most consistent (1:01.302, 1:01.215, 1:01.200, 1:01.173, 1:01.140, 1:01.191). I was ready to go on sunday. Payout for winning was $260 which pretty much covered all the entry fees for the weekend. Only problem we noticed when I pitted after the race was my bike was runnin a little hot and my reservoir tank was completely filled up, some if it was seeping through a screw going into the tank that holds my rear brake fluid container in place. Which of course was splashin on my right rearset, swingarm, and prob right side of my tire too.
3 sprint races were on sunday, formula 1, a superbike, then a superstock. Each race I was gridded last row on the 1st wave. No problem though, my starts were strong. After saturday I was planning to sweep all 3. Also being only 8 laps I could really pull the pin and ride 100% out there.
First race was formula1, got another great start and picked off most of the field on the brakes into turn 1. Think by the 1st or 2nd lap I was in 2nd behind the leader (also on an r1), lap 2 I drafted him down the straight, pulled alongside nearing the braking zone for 1 and did clean pass on the brakes. Now in the lead I was comfortable and got up to pace, started to catch the tail end of the expert field. Any kind of opening an expert gave, I rapidly took. Had some close passes but I figured the more experts I passed, the more between 2nd place and I. Plan worked, red flag came out lap 5, had a little lead and finished 1st in the novice class and 9th overall.
2nd race was A superbike, same good start, by lap 3 I had the lead again and caught up to 2 experts, one a ducati and another r1 racing against each other, felt like they were holding me up, but the only place I could pass was coming down the back straight but there was a waving yellow there so I had to sit behind them. Final lap the ducati guy tried a pass on the r1 but killed his drive coming out of 4 so I stuffed him on the brakes going into 5. Rode a strong race, couple laps I ran in the 1:00 range with a best of 1:00.26. Finished 1st in the novice class, 5th overall.
3rd and final race of the day was A superstock. Got an okay start and had to work to catch the leader. I sat in 2nd place the first few laps, then was passed and was in 3rd, but we were all close the entire time. Mid race I noticed the red light was flashing on my dash and the temp was a little over 200, shit bike was overheating again. 3/4 through the race I feel like something wet is on my right footpeg, I figure the overflow tank is filled again and leaking on my bike. Going into turn 2 final lap the rear had a big slide, okay I came to the realization that something is probably messed with the overflow up to I come off pace and cruised around final lap. Luckily I had such a lead I finished in 3rd. Turns out a bolt came outta a cover on the RH side of the engine, with another about too, allowing oil to lightly mist over my frame, right rearset, swingarm, wheel, and on the edge of my tire! I was wrong and thought my problem was something completely different. That was close and coulda been bad. Almost was "that guy". WERA officials were a little upset that I didn't pull right off or pit in, understandably so when leaking oil. I was fined $75, which goes to the airfence fund so thats not bad.
All in all, great weekend and I got some much need points. Now sit 5th in formula 1 in the mid atlantic region. I'm looking foward to race in WERA at summit this month to take some more wins and secure everything for the season. Still lots left to do though, still didn't break a minute but I know there are areas were I still gain more speed. I am planning to do the TPM date at beaver so hopefully I can then. Also still far from fast, you come outta TPM top of the food chain and fall right back to the bottom at WERA. I like it cause this is challenging again. If I want a shot at winning a regional expert race I gotta bang out times high 57's and low 58's. I can get there, I have the consistency now just have to take little steps here and there to find more speed. Also I think I am nearing the point where better equipment can help too, next season I am planning on finally doing something to my front forks and run a 25mm ohlins cartride kit, and ohlins in the rear and getting the stuff built and set up RIGHT by someone with experience and results. Riding Omar's bike really showed me how a well setup bike is supposed to ride.
Thanks Jimmy for your help, and thanks to Bart for driving for driving us out there, good times. Thanks everyone for the support!
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