Moto_Joe
05-09-2011, 01:36 PM
This weekend 5/7 and 5/8 marked the 4th round of WERA Southeast Pirelli Sportsman racing
Rewind back to the last race, and some may remember I was having some grip issues on the rear end.
This weekend I hoped to cure that with a new to me Ohlins shock setup by Brian Livengood at Livengood Motorsports.
we arrived Friday night, and got the bike set up Saturday mid day as I was not actually racing on Saturday. I used the day to relax, get the bike setup, signup and tech so Sunday morning would be less stressful. I was also able to watch some practice and the medium weight solo 16, and eyeball my competition for Sunday some.
Sunday morning. Race day
Practice group 1 session 1 (750 and up novice). I went out with the plan of feeling out the shock and new suspension setup, as well as warming up me and the bike after nearly a month off since Nashville. It went well with me immediately getting back into the 1:37s. Not bad, but I knew I could go :37s. I want more. The rear was skipping all over the place on the brakes into Charlotte's web though, and we definitely needed to figure that out.
A phone call to Brian early on a Sunday morning (thanks for answering Brian) gave me some ideas on what to change to sort that out.
Practice group 4 session 1 (600 novices). Traffic was terrible this session. I could not get a good lap clear of traffic. I was however able to get a few good runs into Charlotte's web with some careful planning, to be able to check my shock changes. Unfortunately in the rush to fix the shock, I forgot to fill the bike up and had to end the session early or risk running out of fuel. I dont think I ever went faster than :38s. No what I wanted.
Group 1 session 2. I get out and get some relatively clear track and start to put my head down to see if I can figure this thing out before race time. About lap 3 I think, driving up out of T3-T4, the bike loses all power and sounds like it is misfiring bad.... I knew almost immediately what it was. I got off the race line and looked down, but did not see any oil or smoke from belly pan. Well that is good. Give it gas, nothing. Check kill switch (I have hit it before) nothing. Bike is surely broken. Pull off the track and watch the rest of that session with a popped motor.
Good news was I did have a spare motor, and I was not racing until race 11 of the day.
The US129photos.com team, and the KWS Motorsports racing team as well as a few other friends did a hell of a job helping me out to get my motor swapped in time for my first race. Much thanks to them. That is the amazing thing about racing. Some of my biggest competition was there when I needed to make sure I could get in the race.
On to the good stuff.
First race. Race 11 C superbike Novice.
I started on Pole since i am leading in points. I cant recall who, but I think it was Jammie Lee Murray who got a good start and we went in to T1 side by side. By T2 though I had taken the lead and put my head down to a fairly un-eventful win. The bike worked well, and I was able to keep a sizeable gap back to 2nd place finisher and my closest competitor I felt in this race based on what I saw on saturday, John Risconsin. The suspension changes worked well, and the spare motor ran like a top. It took a little getting used to as it does put down power slightly different from my old motor, but I got it dialed in quickly.
Second race. Race 16, B superbike Novice.
Started on pole again. At the green I got a GREAT jump and went into T1 in first, and held that lead through lap one. End of lap one I was surprised to see Ian Coleman come up the inside in T14, and pass me. I held on to him, and driving out of Charlotte's web we got a red flag for a rider down in T1.
Take it back to the pits and put it back on warmers, and topped off the fuel.
Start two was not quite as good as the first start, and I went in to T1 side by side with David Allison. By T2 I had the line and the lead again though, and tried to put my head down and get away now with the knowledge that I had at least TWO guys who will be there eventually trying to contest for the win. By mid lap 2 I think it was, Ian caught me, and the race was on. He was on a Caylormade GSXR 750, and the power difference in his bike and John and I was apparent. He pulled away hard off corners. We passed and re-passed more times than I care to count, and at lap three John Risconsin surprised us both up the inside in T14 to make this a three bike race now. I immediately passed John back on the front straight and set my sites back on Ian. We went into Charlottes three wide, me on the inside, backing it in the entire way. I took the lead again, and John pushed Ian wide. This allowed me to get away for a good solid lap, but they eventually caught me back up, and the racing resumed. I took the white flag in the lead, and hoped I could check out and gap them to make it hard for Ian to motor me on the front straight and take the win. I was successful in getting that gap, but then lost it due to a mistake going over the bridge at T13, which allowed him to close up, and draft by to take the win by .07 seconds over me, with John blowing his motor on the last lap and limping home to 3rd place.
All in all that was the most fun I have ever had on a motorcycle, and although I am sad about not taking the win, I am happy about the race and setting a few personal best lap times in the low 1:35s
Much thanks goes out first again to those who helped me fix my ride
Bosphorus racing and Tracktactics.org for helping me get here
Arlen Ness. As always the gear kept me safe and comfortable on the bike
Lucas Oil for making the bike slippery on the outside and the inside
Motomummy.com, if you need parts for your race bike or street bike, Motomummy is the place to go.
Livengood Motorsports for all the suspension help, tuning, and support. If you need suspension work or a motor build, he is your man (or maybe even a rebuild now I guess)
VHS photography as always for believing me me from day one of my track career (even though she wont admit it.)
Photos to be posted later as they photogs get them
Rewind back to the last race, and some may remember I was having some grip issues on the rear end.
This weekend I hoped to cure that with a new to me Ohlins shock setup by Brian Livengood at Livengood Motorsports.
we arrived Friday night, and got the bike set up Saturday mid day as I was not actually racing on Saturday. I used the day to relax, get the bike setup, signup and tech so Sunday morning would be less stressful. I was also able to watch some practice and the medium weight solo 16, and eyeball my competition for Sunday some.
Sunday morning. Race day
Practice group 1 session 1 (750 and up novice). I went out with the plan of feeling out the shock and new suspension setup, as well as warming up me and the bike after nearly a month off since Nashville. It went well with me immediately getting back into the 1:37s. Not bad, but I knew I could go :37s. I want more. The rear was skipping all over the place on the brakes into Charlotte's web though, and we definitely needed to figure that out.
A phone call to Brian early on a Sunday morning (thanks for answering Brian) gave me some ideas on what to change to sort that out.
Practice group 4 session 1 (600 novices). Traffic was terrible this session. I could not get a good lap clear of traffic. I was however able to get a few good runs into Charlotte's web with some careful planning, to be able to check my shock changes. Unfortunately in the rush to fix the shock, I forgot to fill the bike up and had to end the session early or risk running out of fuel. I dont think I ever went faster than :38s. No what I wanted.
Group 1 session 2. I get out and get some relatively clear track and start to put my head down to see if I can figure this thing out before race time. About lap 3 I think, driving up out of T3-T4, the bike loses all power and sounds like it is misfiring bad.... I knew almost immediately what it was. I got off the race line and looked down, but did not see any oil or smoke from belly pan. Well that is good. Give it gas, nothing. Check kill switch (I have hit it before) nothing. Bike is surely broken. Pull off the track and watch the rest of that session with a popped motor.
Good news was I did have a spare motor, and I was not racing until race 11 of the day.
The US129photos.com team, and the KWS Motorsports racing team as well as a few other friends did a hell of a job helping me out to get my motor swapped in time for my first race. Much thanks to them. That is the amazing thing about racing. Some of my biggest competition was there when I needed to make sure I could get in the race.
On to the good stuff.
First race. Race 11 C superbike Novice.
I started on Pole since i am leading in points. I cant recall who, but I think it was Jammie Lee Murray who got a good start and we went in to T1 side by side. By T2 though I had taken the lead and put my head down to a fairly un-eventful win. The bike worked well, and I was able to keep a sizeable gap back to 2nd place finisher and my closest competitor I felt in this race based on what I saw on saturday, John Risconsin. The suspension changes worked well, and the spare motor ran like a top. It took a little getting used to as it does put down power slightly different from my old motor, but I got it dialed in quickly.
Second race. Race 16, B superbike Novice.
Started on pole again. At the green I got a GREAT jump and went into T1 in first, and held that lead through lap one. End of lap one I was surprised to see Ian Coleman come up the inside in T14, and pass me. I held on to him, and driving out of Charlotte's web we got a red flag for a rider down in T1.
Take it back to the pits and put it back on warmers, and topped off the fuel.
Start two was not quite as good as the first start, and I went in to T1 side by side with David Allison. By T2 I had the line and the lead again though, and tried to put my head down and get away now with the knowledge that I had at least TWO guys who will be there eventually trying to contest for the win. By mid lap 2 I think it was, Ian caught me, and the race was on. He was on a Caylormade GSXR 750, and the power difference in his bike and John and I was apparent. He pulled away hard off corners. We passed and re-passed more times than I care to count, and at lap three John Risconsin surprised us both up the inside in T14 to make this a three bike race now. I immediately passed John back on the front straight and set my sites back on Ian. We went into Charlottes three wide, me on the inside, backing it in the entire way. I took the lead again, and John pushed Ian wide. This allowed me to get away for a good solid lap, but they eventually caught me back up, and the racing resumed. I took the white flag in the lead, and hoped I could check out and gap them to make it hard for Ian to motor me on the front straight and take the win. I was successful in getting that gap, but then lost it due to a mistake going over the bridge at T13, which allowed him to close up, and draft by to take the win by .07 seconds over me, with John blowing his motor on the last lap and limping home to 3rd place.
All in all that was the most fun I have ever had on a motorcycle, and although I am sad about not taking the win, I am happy about the race and setting a few personal best lap times in the low 1:35s
Much thanks goes out first again to those who helped me fix my ride
Bosphorus racing and Tracktactics.org for helping me get here
Arlen Ness. As always the gear kept me safe and comfortable on the bike
Lucas Oil for making the bike slippery on the outside and the inside
Motomummy.com, if you need parts for your race bike or street bike, Motomummy is the place to go.
Livengood Motorsports for all the suspension help, tuning, and support. If you need suspension work or a motor build, he is your man (or maybe even a rebuild now I guess)
VHS photography as always for believing me me from day one of my track career (even though she wont admit it.)
Photos to be posted later as they photogs get them