Daytona update

[Super Dave]

Nate!  Brian!  Nice!

[weggieman]

Tough break for ED.........the string of championships comes to a close for Orgazmitron.

Glad to hear Ed is going to be OK but, could this be the beginning of the retirement he hinted of last year? The back problems and now a head injury..........I don't know, maybe it's time?

[VryBusy]

Way to go Nate, Parriot, and Mertens!!!!! Excellent!!

[spyderchick]

Tough break for ED.........the string of championships comes to a close for Orgazmitron.

Glad to hear Ed is going to be OK but, could this be the beginning of the retirement he hinted of last year? The back problems and now a head injury..........I don't know, maybe it's time?

You just want company in your "retirement". :wink: I'd hate for this to be the end for Ed, but when it's time, I'm sure he'll know.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

I personally didn't witness Ed's crash, but I did see him come across the stripe from the 3rd floor of the control tower right before it happened and he was in a dog fight at that moment. The people I listened to that saw the incident happen (from different places) were all saying the same thing, that Ed was forced off the track by the person he was battling with. Again I didn't see it, but even witnesses that don't know Ed all seemed to be saying the same thing. Hopefully this wasn't the case, but it sure seems like that may be what happened based on what quite a few witnesses saw?

[kvanengen]

Ed retire???? lets hope not. only he will know when it is the right time, but i hope its not now and not because of an injury.i speak for all the light weight riders when i say it wouldn't be the same with out him out there. best wishes to Ed and we look forward to you kicking our ass again next year!!!!

[weggieman]

Beleve me it's not something I wish to see either. I've known Ed since 1981 and would love to see him continue in the sport he loves so much but....injuries and health problems can make racing a rough road to travel.

[weggieman]

anyone know who Ed was dicing with when the crash happened?

[Stone]

anyone know who Ed was dicing with when the crash happened?

Nate Kerns and he was trying to go up the inside of Nate...there was nowhere to go. Nate discribed the incident as horrific when interviewed.

[N8Kern]

I will have the video soon.  The whole thing is on tape.  I want tosay first off, when I felt the rub from the right side of the bike and from behind my elbow, peripherally (spelling?) I could see no one.  If you have raced Daytona you know that passing on the OUTSIDE of T2b heading towards the the West Horseshoe there will be no room for error.  I drive off 2B full throttle and use all te track to optimize drive and contact patch, I minimize lean angle there as you cant accelerate as well on the smaller part of the tire. 
THE LAST PERSON I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED to try and tke about 8 inches of asphalt left on the outside of me would be Ed key.  I looked over my shoulder as I felt the bump/rub whatever any one wants to call what they saw, I was the one with no one on the side of me and in the lead. I could not have pushed anyone and NOR WOULD I.  If anyone feels that I have done somethign wrong and that I need to be spoken to about it I am here.  Im not going to fly off the handle as I am not guilty of anything.  If you cmmit yourslf to passing on the outside of 2b you make sure there is anough room for YOU and or you wait to outbrake them into T3.

I watched in disbeleif and even yelled in my helemt as Ed was still acceleratng through the grass next to me as I was sowing for T3 and keeping him in my sight as he came across my bow and crashed, hard.  Not a single fucking lap went by from there that i wasnot in disbeleif, of all riders i would nevre expect it to e him making that decision. Period. 

His resume and length of experience may dilute my version what happened in others minds, but Ed and I know exactly.  I stopped by his pits daily until his return, his crew member and I spoke briefly and he even said to stop by and he understands it was a racing incident and did not even get beligerent with me.  I did, I stopped by and saw Ed.  He was rude as shit to me and was now the 2nd time I am shocked that he would act the way he has!!! 

Regardless, I am  going to remember him for who he was prior to this weekend. An amazing rider and a cordial person.

Nate Kern

[eeky]

I very much look forward to the video. Please post it ASAP.

I was leading that race across the start finish line. I was leading that race into turn 1. I was leading that race coming out of turn 1. I was leading that race going into the right hand portion of the turn 2 chicane. I was leading that race when I commited to my line into the left hand portion of the turn 2 chicane. At the last possible instant Mr. Kern dive bombed me on inside of the turn. At no time before Mr. Kern stuffed inside of me did he enter into my peripheral vision. While we very well may have different lines in that section of the track it is always the responsibility of the overtaking rider to insure a safe pass.

Mr. Kern you were in fact the overtaking rider. I state again without any reservation that at no time from my exit of turn 1 until the apex of the exit of turn 2 did you ever show up in my peripheral vision. Not once, not ever, not one little bit.

If you had gotten far enough up on me to show up in my peripheral vision I of course would backed off. 2 wide in that turn would be insane. Attempting 2 wide in that turn would show a complete disregard for your competitor's safety. If you had in fact gotten far enough up the inside to show up in my peripheral vision I would have immediately backed of and given you the turn. I am not stupid. There is a very good reason that I have survived in this sport as long as I have. I do not ever try low percentage passes. I very rarely put myself in a vulnerable position on the track, and never while racing with someone of your reputation.

It was after all the start of the second lap of a GT race. I would have given you that turn on the last lap, or any lap had you in fact gotten far enough up. But the simple fact is you did not. You chose to try to force a pass where none should ever have been attempted.

Some people have stated that I was attempting an outside pass. It may very well have appeared that way if the individuals only saw the exit of the turn, not the entrance. Once you ran me off the track you immediately started slowing. I was attempting the same thing but slowing on grass vs. you slowing on pavement made it appear that I was attempting an out side pass and accelerating.  I was not.

The majority of the people we talked with all saw the same thing. That would be Mr. Kern stuffing up the inside and running me off the track.

Of all the people I race with Mr. Kern is the most likely to attempt an unsafe pass. It's not the first time he has run people off the track. I my brief investigation I found one of his ASRA TB competitors who has been run off the track twice by Mr. Kern. In my brief investigation of Mr. Kern I was not able to find one single peer who had anything positive to say about him. In my brief investigation of Mr. Kern 99% of his peers were willing to go on record as stating that Mr. Kern is a problem rider and has been for some time. The one ASRA peer who would not go on record actually had the most interesting things to say about him. As I do respect this particular individual I will not repeat his comments as he has asked me not to do so.

Yes Mr. Kern I do have a long resume, length of experience and reputation. So do you.

I much prefer mine to yours.

Yes Nate, I was rude to you, I chose not to converse with you. Rude as shit, hardly. Rude as shit would have been telling you with a very loud voice just exactly what I think of you and your riding tactics. You put me into the ICU and you really have the balls to complain I was rude to you. Remember Nate, this was by far not the first time you have tried to harm me on a racetrack. By my count this was about the 6th time.  I will post the complete narrative under a different thread and ask for other victims to post their experiences with you. It will help with the CCS investigation.

I have in fact filed a formal complaint against you with CCS. You of course knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this would happen.  I believe your past on track activities are going to finally catch up with you. I believe that's what is behind your preemptive spin and your "sincere" concern for my welfare.

You may very well have won plenty of races and championships. You may very well have a sweet sponsorship deal. You may very well even be getting paid to ride. By all measures you would seem to have it all. You have unquestioned talent and skill. What you are able to do with those BMW's is nothing short of amazing.

What you don't have now and you will never have is the respect of your peers. Certainly you will never have mine.

I truly feel sorry for you.

Ed Key

[HandleThis66]

I have your back, Ed...even if its fuzzy. 
Get back on that horse and show us how it's done, again, in 2007.
Rhiannon