Team Daemon races with NASB!
Find all of the weekends race results at the LRRS website here.
After being back for less than 4 days from Pocono, it was time to go racing again! I packed up and was ready to go early Friday afternoon, but Friday afternoon traffic, combined with Labor Day traffic, meant that my normal 90 minute trip turned into a two and a half hour ordeal. Ug.
Originally, I had planned on just entering one race, and taking it easy this weekend, after the Pocono FUSA event, but when I got to the track, I couldn't control myself, and ended up signing up for 2 LRRS races, as well as the NASB 106hp race. So much for taking it easy!
I met up with Kit in the registration line, and found out it was just her and myself there so far. After registering, I went over to the garage, and unloaded all my stuff. While unloading, Tony I. swung by on his street bike, and let me know that he was done for the weekend, having seized his crank in practice. Bummer.
Luckily, I was able to get the bike unloaded, and through tech before they closed. Once I was all set up, Kit and I headed into town to get some dinner and do some shopping for the weekend.
Saturday:
Woke up nice and early, and made sure the bike was ready to go. Bruce showed up around 7:30am and started to unload. I decided to cornerwork this weekend, so I took off for my corner for the first few practice sessions.
I went out for my two morning practices and felt good. It was a very nice feeling to be back on my home track. After practice and lunch, I went back out to work turn 12 for a few races, before I went back to the pit to get ready for the 3 lap 106 EBC Sport Bike qualifying race. We got 3 laps to figure out our grid positions for the big race on Sunday.
106 EBC Sport Bike qualifying race:
-----------------------------------
Since I hadn't registered until Friday night, I was starting on
the 8th row. That means there were a whole lot of bikes in front
of me! The green flag dropped and I dropped the hammer. 40+
bikes jockeyed for position into turn 1, no one wanting to back off, with
me near the back of the pack. As expected, when you have a whole lot of
bikes fighting for the same 2 feet of track, and no one backing off, plastic
is bound to get scrapped. I saw one bike go down, and promptly get
T-boned by a second. I managed to pick my way through the carnage, and
put my head down.
I fully expected the red flag to come out, but as I headed down the back straight into turn 3, there were no flags. I dove into the inside, passed a group of 3 or 4 bikes, and got hard onto the gas. The rear of the bike stepped out a bike, but I kept it under control. I got passed another bike or 2 going into turn 6, and more yet between turns 8 and 9. But coming into 10, the red flag finally came out.
We returned to the hot pit, where Bruce met me with some water. Since we were going to be there for a few minutes, I took off my helmet, and unzipped the leathers.
Within about 5 minutes, we were ready to go again. On the restart, I got an OK start, but was still near the back of the pack going into 1. Once again, I was able to get by a few bikes going into turn 3, 6, and between turns 8 and 9. With only 3 laps, it was difficult to get into a rhythm. I was concentrating on holding my position, maybe picking off a few bikes where I could, but I knew the last thing I wanted to do was loose a position due to an error, or worse, crash in a qualifying race!
The checkered flag came out, and I finished in 26th position, improving my starting position for the big race by a row!
After taking a few minutes to recover from the race, and asses how I did, I went back out to turn 12 to continue cornerworking. During Bruce's GT race, I took a few picture of him through 12. Just as I had put down my camera, during one of the early laps, I watched as Bruce come through he turn, and performed the slowest low-side I had ever seen. I ran over, helped him get the bike up, checked it out, and send him back on his way. It turns out that his ignition switch had turned of as he exited the corner! Even with the crash, he managed to come back and get a 11th place finish!
Race 14A, MW Supersport:
------------------------
The day dragged on and on, and I never thaught my race would get
there. As I was waiting in the pits, race 14 was red flagged for a big
incident in turn 12! Glad I wasn't working then!
We finally got gridded at about 6:30pm (?), all I know is that it was late, and the sun was going down. I got off to a good start, but got caught in traffic in turn 1. I made a few passes into 1a and 2, and a few more into turn 3.
As the field started to sort itself out, I started chasing down #255, Walt Taylor on another F4. He was just staying out of my reach lap after lap. One of the supertwins bikes, Fred Stucky I think, got around me, and them on the front straight, going into turn 1, went for an outside pass of Walt. I don't know if there was contact or not, but I saw smoke from Walts tires and saw him slid off into the NASCAR bowl. Not the way I wanted to get the position, but I'll take it.
A few more yellow flags came out, on for #868 in turn 12, and another for #106 in turn 7. Once I got by Walter, I was on my own for the rest of the race, finishing in 14th position, with a best lap of 1:21. Way of my pace, for some reason.
With the races done for the night, we cleaned up and got ready for dinner. Kevin showed up on the VFR, coming up to work and help in the pits, but opting not to race. We BBQ'd under the stars, then went out for ice cream. After a long, hot day, I was in bed by 9:30pm, and passed out right away.
Sunday:
-------
Woke up to another gorgeous day. I debated pulling the wheels
on the F4 and getting new rubber mounted, but I decided to run practice
and see how they were after that.
Once again, I went out to work corners between my practices, working turn 1A this day. Both practices went well, with the tires holding strong. I decided to gamble, and see if I could get them to last the weekend.
Race #4, NASB 106 hp EBC Sport Bike Final:
------------------------------------------
I was the first up for the day. I was determined to finish
well. I got an ok start, but still got caught in traffic in turn 1.
Once again, I was able to get by a few bikes in 1-1a, 3, and 6, but after
only a few laps, the field sorted itself out. I watch watching my
pit board, and noticed I had a bike on my tail, I kept seeing "+1" lap
after lap. Then, for a few laps, it changed to "+0.5"! I kept
my head down, determined not to let the bike by, and eventually started
pulling away from him. After that, I basically ran by myself for
the rest of the race.
When the checkered flag came down, I was in 20th position.
I had just enough time to head back to the pits, top up the gas, drink some water before it was time for me to go out for my last race of the day, race #6.
Race #6, MWGP:
--------------
This is traditionally my best race. I was in the second wave in
a pretty good grid position. I got a good start and went into turn
1 mid-pack. I started moving my way through the field. As I
was exiting turn 6, I could hear a 2-strock right on my tail. I kept
my head down, and would pull away from him everywhere else, but he kept
catching up to me in t he bowl.
After about 6 laps, I no longer heard him behind me (turned out he threw a chain), and changed gears into catching the bike in front of me. I would make up some time on him, but never got close enough for the pass. I finished 8th! My second top 10 finish in as many weekends!
After the race, I started packing up. Once I was all packed up, I finished out the day working turn 1.
Overall, another great weekend. Now it's time to start getting ready for the AMA Grand Championship at the end of this month!
Once again, I would like to thank all our sponsors,
without whom we couldn't do what we do!
I think I was still recovering from the Pocono weekend and wasn't feeling particularly psyched this weekend. We had a low turnout for the team as only Paul, Kit, and myself showed up to race. Kevin showed up later to help out and cornerwork. The weather was good and though I didn't bring my rain tires to ward off bad weather, I did bring Paul's.
Practice went fairly well. My bike was popping a lot on deceleration
but otherwise running OK. I believe this points toward a lean condition.
During the second practice two bikes came together in T8 right in front
of me. I had to get on the brakes hard to avoid the rider who went
sliding across the track in front of me.
LW Sportsman - Saturday Race 4: 7th place
------------------------------------------
I get a so-so start and I'm running mid-pack when the race is red
flagged. After the restart I'm again running mid-pack. On the
fourth lap I pass an EX500 around the outside of the bowl. About
three quarters of the way down the front straight he gets me back.
As luck would have it the race is red flagged again. This ends the
race and results revert back to the last complete lap. I hold on
to my mid-pack 7th (out of 15) place position.
GTL - Saturday Race 8: 11th place
----------------------------------
I get a decent start and feel like I'm running well. Regular
readers will remember that I've been having problems with my ignition deciding
to turn itself off. Around the 2nd or 3rd lap I'm coming out of T12
and my bike shuts off. Knowing that Paul was probably bored and looking
for something to do I promptly lowsided. I really don't know why
I crashed. This was about the 6th or 7th time the ignition shut off and,
after the first time, I simply turned the key back on and continued on
my merry way. It was almost like I was frozen in disbelief that this
was happening again. Hanging off slightly, waiting for acceleration
that would never come... crunch. I get up and see a pack of
bikes coming through T11. Dang, I had a pretty good cushion.
I try to pick up my bike but my left foot is in a small puddle of gas and
keeps slipping. Paul helps me get the bike up and over to the entrance
to the hot pit. It looks pretty good except for a bent shifter rod.
Paul straightens it as best he can with his hand and I blast down pit road
to reenter, about a lap down. I get back up to speed and then, coming
around T10, I almost crash again as my left foot goes flying off the foot
peg as I'm hanging off to the right. Dang that PowerMist is slippery.
It drys off after a couple more laps and I finish without further incident.
GP Singles - Sunday Race 5: 5th place
--------------------------------------
Another so-so start. I eventually catch up to Mark and get
by. Now I'm behind Jim. I follow for about a lap and then make
my move up the inside of the bowl. I cut it a little close and though
I have a wheel in front before T7, Jim still has to stand it up a bit to
avoid contact. (I find Jim after the race to apologize and he says it wasn't
a problem.) I hope that Mark gets caught behind Jim but know that
he's probably right behind me. In order for me to get full throttle
out of my bike I either have to really crank my wrist around or grab an
extra handful of throttle. On the second to last lap I've grabbed
an extra handful coming down the front straight. I roll off for T1
but because of the extra handful I don't roll off the throttle completely.
By the time I recover I've taken T1 very wide and Mark gets by. I
chase him down but can't get by before the checkered.
I'm now eligible to move up to expert.
Did not race this weekend.
Coming Soon!
Did not race this weekend.
Did not race this weekend.