I will try to shorten this up, since I learned so much and so much happened it would bore all of you guys.
First of all thanks to Pierre for keeping an eye on my bike overnight and making sure it didn't blow away.
Now second practice session of Saturday, which was my first I missed the first one. Got clipped by a rider passing me on the outside of 3d or whatever that tight right hander is after the chicane. No big deal just a quick introduction as to how close racing gets. Neither of us went down and he later apologized after he realized who it was he clipped. :D
First race, did ok finished one spot above my starting position and all was well.
Then came sunday, the weather was horrible but I decided I was in it for the full monte. Went out first race which was pretty much dry. I was happy to find that I ran only 1 second off of Saturdays pace. This was good finished the same position I started in, I think. Not sure.
Second race Sunday full on rain race, I had DOT tires so it was half way ridable. Bike died on the grid. Leaving me at the start after everyone took off. Started pushing it over towards pit row, while trying to start it at the same time. As the track marshalls reached me to help it fired up, and I took off. Managed to catch the tail AM guy and two EX guys. Passed them but couldn't catch anyone else. Managed to finish 6th way behind Kim who got her first piece of wood. Way to go Kim!! She was riding awesome in the rain.
All was good and I turned the idle up for my last race of the day, to ensure it didn't die on the grid again. Bike started fine, started the race. Managed to pass I think one AM guy and one EX guy. I think, then it was open field. Just riding trying to stay upright in really high winds and rain. Then with two laps to go, I headed into turn 2 saw a blue flag. So I went through 3 no one passed, 3b no one passed, 3c no one passed, 3d no one passed. Then turn 4 an the lead EX guy passed me on the inside. I tried to widen my line to give him a little more room (mistake #1), lost focus for a second (mistake #2), then said to myself just follow your line, (good move), then the rear tire broke way loose, which it had been doing all this weekend with the weather, but this time slid way out, well then came mistake #3, chopped the throttle. Knew it the second I did it, and was saying to myself "you idiot" sure enough over the bars I went. Drucker who was in 2nd EX wound up crashing behind me. I managed to get up and wasn't hurt just sore. Looked over and saw drucker, I could see he wasn't happy.
I went over to talk to him after and told him my mistakes, he was still a little upset and I could understand since he was fighting for first, but I made a mistake, there was nothing I could do about it now. He said he appreciated me coming to talk to him. That was that.
All in all it was a good weekend, even though a mishap on my behalf and some horrible weather. Now I have a little work to do to the bike before the 31st.
My apologies to anyone I might have held up, I didn't have a Learning Curves shirt on to let anyone know it was my first race weekend. Thought about that afterwards, and that probably would've been a good idea. Sorry I didn't make it around to meet some people but Saturday I was nervous, and Sunday well it was just plain cold and wet. :D
Hey lbk - who are you??? What classes did you race in?
This is why I think blue flags suck! You should have not done anything different then you otherwise would.
sdiver, I actually like the blue flag personally and I think they just need to be consistent with it. Sometimes they show it to you only in one corner but if after that corner they are still there, then they need to show it in the next corner.
It was a combination of things, like I said I just was at the peak of my attention and didn't have enough left to handle the slide. My fault 100%.
tshort, I am Dave riding the 97' GSXR-750 white and blue. Blue and white leathers, raced Saturdays GTO, then Sunday ran Heavyweight Superbike, Heavyweight Supersport, and Unlimited Supersport.
That wasn't you with the SV pitted right next to us on Sunday was it? If so you lent me your hammer, and if so thanks! :D
Quotetshort, I am Dave riding the 97' GSXR-750 white and blue. Blue and white leathers, raced Saturdays GTO, then Sunday ran Heavyweight Superbike, Heavyweight Supersport, and Unlimited Supersport.
That wasn't you with the SV pitted right next to us on Sunday was it? If so you lent me your hammer, and if so thanks! :D
Yep - that was me (and my hammer :)) Sorry to hear about your getoff. I was hosing down my fairing lower right next to Matt while he was hosing off his bike. He seemed to have recovered ;).
Hope you get yourself put back together in time for the next race. See you there.
tshort, thanks did you have a get off too?
If so what happened?
Won't be too hard to get things back together for the next race. I have 3 weeks, and the damage wasn't bad at all. Expecially considering it was a highside. Broken right rearset, which I think jgf has one that I'll take off his hands, and that is really about it. Oh yeah need a new frame slider but the guy I got these from is already working on a new one for me. So should be good to go. :D
Dave,
You did really good for your first race weekend. keep up the good work. It only gets better from here on. Next time I'm sure we'll have good weather for both days.
QuoteDave,
You did really good for your first race weekend. keep up the good work. It only gets better from here on. Next time I'm sure we'll have good weather for both days.
Thanks Pierre, just wish I would've had the wisdom you had and probably would've went home with the bike in one piece. :D
Dont know if that was me being a chicken or if it was wisdom, but one way or another I feel I made the right choice. Let me know if you need an hand with your bike
Well Dave, you are officially a racer. ;D
Dont know what my problem was sunday. Normally I like rain. For some reason I wasnt into riding very much.
Rain $ucks... ;D
QuoteThis is why I think blue flags suck! You should have not done anything different then you otherwise would.
ya, my thoughts are exactly that had there been no blue flag, ......
....... just a simple pass or two, no falling, no bikes to repair, no loss points at all....
forty
bummer i missed last weekend !!
Well i should be at the next blackhawk weekend !!!
I got to find those bacon raped steaks for you guys !!
Bacon wrapped? LOL!
Maybe I'll call them bacon RAPED from now on. :o