Apology to Smiley

[Team Spalding]

Hey Smiley, rough couple weeks man. Hope your injury heals fast. Bumped your karma up a little.

[jigs]

You can get your race license turning 1.40's at BHF as long as you don't crash.That doesn't mean evryone that does rides like a freshman trying to pull off his first pair of pantys.This can be some dangerous shit.I am very glad I spent 4 years doing track days,as have alot of racers,before racing.NESBA taught me alot,perhaps consider a few dates with them,have a CR evaluate you.Obviously,something's going on that needs correction.Riding over our heads is no fun for us either,let alone someone we just took out of first place on the final lap.You have every right to pay your money and race,ya might want to have a think on it and see if it's real prudent,at least at thid point of your development.Speaking ONLY for myself,I did not want to race until I felt expierienced enough to not only run O.K.,but not to be a danger to the riders around me,first and foremostI am not the fastset rider out there by any stretch,but there is a good feeling when you are trusted to run with in tight quarters.Frankly,it sounds like in-expierience is the culprit here,check the Track Day schedules and get some good coaching,you'll feel better and so will we.

[ronhix]

did i read that correctly monica_ranis, it was your 2nd time on track ever????? and your racing?....

[mx558]

Back before there were track days thats what you did, school on Sat. race on Sun. whats the big deal. Shit happens !

[jigs]

Yeah,but that was so long ago,I think the Dead Sea was just gettin' sick!! Doh!! Love ya Eddie

[aflaim]

you tell him jigs....seven tenths ought to do it!

[xb9racer]

so what's the excuse the "experience racers"  use when they fuck up? At least he apologized. No one wants to be the cause or the recipient of a crash, but like they say, that's racing.  I've seen plenty of racers pull boneheaded moves, only to blame others, or just ignore it altogether.

[jigs]

Point taken,and props for maning up for sure,but unless I was mis-informed,this was like the 3rd off of the day.Also,by no means does "everyone "need 2-4 years of track day expierience to race.That was my path cuz' I'm old.

[Helmsman]

There are plenty of experienced riders who have taken others out....props for apologizing. 

[avdigigeek]

No I wouldn't expect a hug and a kiss, but knowing we would be racing each other sometime soon as racers and not enemies is my motive.  Last weekend was my first race experience, Dustin told me to race my own race.  I ignored advice and tried to win, and make up for bad starts and running off in a lap or two.  When I look at times I see more consistency than I, and being consistent is more important than putting in the fastest lap.  I would like to talk to you about this org you mentioned.  As I have only been on an actual track twice,  I need to get more comfortable with making passes, and being passed.  I honestly look forward to racing you again.  I imagine what that last two turns would've been like if I hadn't made that decision.  You, #139, and I might have had the finish the experts had.  Thank you for replying,  hope that I hear from you soon.

Mike,
Do yourself and family a favor and join Nesba and do a couple of track days.
You won't regret it.
You'll be safer faster and consistant.
It won't happen over night but that's what the instruction is there for to give you a place to start.
You maned up and apologized take the next step get some instruction/direction.
It will help you make better descisions on the track.

After I boned up my first race someone told me you've got to finish to win that should be first day stuff
So good luck, next time we meet I hope you've had some track time.
Smiley

[Helmsman]

NESBA ain't the only game in town either...plenty of people prefer other organizations.

[monica_ranis53]

The crash with smiley was the second the first was in the first race by myself about 20-25 seconds in front of second and I was still digging because I thought I heard brakes behind me.  Lost the rear on exit and as I was sliding through 6 I looked back towards 5 and nobody was there.  My wife plans on running a pit board for me.  Maybe I can avoid that situation by being prepared a little more.  I also am going to great lakes dragaway to work on starts, that will take some weight off having to put in faster laps at first.  Then BHF has a track day, I will be in attendance there too.



This thread was started to portray my remorse to Smiley, thats it.  I am not looking for any fanfare or smites.  I took him out, plain and simple. Its not that I dont know how to pass, ask anybody who I passed and they will tell you, not even close to stuffing them in any way-even in the races.  On the street people will say "you should go do track-days".  At track days they say" this isnt a race, if you want to race go to ccs or wera". Nesba tells me to slow down its not a race.  S.T.T. tells me to slow down its not a race.  I am not saying that I dont plan on getting to track days, any seat time is good time spent.  What I am saying is that everyone has to agree that track-days cant teach you everything.  Same turn, same situation I dont think 10 track days would have taught me the consequences of a bad pass.  This has, knowing he cant pick up his kid because of me, kills me.  I have two small kids of my own, and that keeps me up at night.  Smiley has acknowledged that he has heard my message and that is all I wanted to hear.  Smiley the next time we meet, hopefully soon, you can have the peace of mind that I will have more on track experience nesba more likely. Get well soon Smiley I pray for your health.  I know alot of you are going to hop on here and say that I shouldn't be on track, I will have to respectfully decline your request.

                                                I am here to race.