CCS Homestead

[Super Dave]

PS: yes. I too am happy i won the #1 plate, it will look nice alongside my five #2 plates :)

   

[roadracer162]

Gino and Greg- After speaking with Tom we have concluded just how good Tom's bike is and it is a good gauge of where the lightweight rider class compares to a #1 plate rider. I think we can all agree the top level riders can extract more of the performance from a bike than mere mortals. It certainly give me a gauge of where I am and it is something that I like about the fast guys riding in the lightweight class.

For me this past weekend was a struggle, losing two of the three championships I was in contention to win. My confidence was just not there from the start and I seem to believe first the track days that I had just attended screwed with my head. My brake markers were all of, at least from the perceptional side of things. On the track day because of closing speeds and unpredictable lines of the track day riders I found myself very tentative entering many corners.

My confidence was further hurt when circulating very slowly I would tuck the front in T8, where Jane had just crashed. Then in T6 on the same circulation of lap I would tuck the front on the other side and just barely get it back to an upright position. It seemed to let go just the same as it did at JGP only there I had full confidence and was back up to speed. Here at Homestead it was different and confidence was low.

One benefit I have had is that Nancy captures images of many of the riders. I then compare my position on track and on the bike which gives me good information that is beneficial. One thing I have observed of you Gino is that your position is very good and much like Greg's. It leads me to believe that you are charging the corners where I am tip toeing.

In the end during the Thunderbike race I could have kept pace with greg but lack of confidence kept me back. After viewing the times there is no reason why I didn't do better with my personal best times and race times being very close to what was being turned on that Sunday. I like seeing some of those fast guys ride lightweight. It only makes me faster because I know it can be done.


One more thing. I am never the fastest in a race but I have always focus on consistency. I seem to pass well and that gives me some advantage come race time.
gino I suspect that you tend to follow more than use your own race lines. I follow a concept that Geoff May spoke of which was to put focus in the available traction and not someone's rear wheel. it was this technique that I regained by the end of the day on Sunday and was able to close on Vito in T1 and T10.

[Knedragon]

 Mark - It just comes down to more gas less brake,but you being a GENIUS should already know this 

[roadracer162]

Steve the Genius is knowing when to use that approach.

[MELK-MAN]

Mark and Gino, I will point out it is MUCH easier to come from the 600 and go (what appears to be) fast on the light weight bike. I am entering corners on that duc1k wondering why some riders are getting on the brakes. It is a PERCEPTION of speed entering corners that is engrained from the faster 600 (faster in straight line).
The key to that twin, for me, was also using the engine braking to help it turn. In some ways it was cutting an arc and finding the apex better than my R6.. when i stayed off the gas long enough. if i opened the gas early, it didn't work so well.
And on charging the corners.. Santiago made a comment to me that helped about T6 on the r6. He said i charged TOO hard there. It would affect the entry and ultimately the exit of the corner.

I too think there was something on the track Saturday in T8 where Jane fell. It was better Sunday, but it affected me as well as that was far from my best corner over the weekend.

gearing.. it really changed on the Duc from practice to race day. I was in 3rd gear during practice in T3-4, t6,t8,final turn, but that was when i could use MY lines, and really carry the pace. I ran faster laps Friday than i did in the actual races behind Charlie "The Blocker" Mavros (good on him though, he knew what he had to do). In the races, i was down to 2nd gear for t3-4, T6, T6, and the final corner. Had i know i would use 2nd, i might have stuck with the smaller rear sprocket we tried saturday rather than be on the limiter all the way down the hill in T1. Normally you run a bit SLOWER in practice, and find out you are undergeared in the races. . it was the opposite this weekend. I knew i would be on the limiter in T1, but when i tried 3rd with a smaller sprocket in those aformentioned turns, it was too low rpm with no motor braking. I should have just used 2nd in practice. It likely woudn't have mattered though as Charlies sb paul smart was wicked fast.

bottom line?? Practice is the time to TRY SHIT. :) too many riders focus on just riding around with the same set up they had from the previous round, on the same brand of tires, with the same gearing.. instead of trying stuff. Now that said, i spend a few years chasing ALL kinds of set up changes. We pulled forks off and revalved, swapped shocks, etc. F-that. I just would rather focus on having fun and make minor changes here and there once a pretty good set up is found :)

PS: i had a blast riding with those that i normally don't race with this weekend. BUmmed to hear you didn't close those 2 championships Tenn. And Mark, not sure how long you are trying to use front tires, but that Michelin VB DOT front is the best tire i have ever ran. HANDS DOWN. that includes any slick michelin has had to date. But, i put a NEW one on from time to time :)

[dantheman]

Awesome job Greg.  Sorry I got in the way on the last lap of the GPL race rolling onto the front straight.  Charlie just got around me then I saw you run a bit wide to the left.  I went down to give you a big sorry bro after the race but you were already back out.  How many races did you do?  Al said something like 11?  Wow, you are da man...

Had a great time even though like most others have said, a bit too much drama for this boy..

Looking forward to 2013!!

[MELK-MAN]

Awesome job Greg.  Sorry I got in the way on the last lap of the GPL race rolling onto the front straight.  Charlie just got around me then I saw you run a bit wide to the left.  I went down to give you a big sorry bro after the race but you were already back out.  How many races did you do?  Al said something like 11?  Wow, you are da man...

Had a great time even though like most others have said, a bit too much drama for this boy..

Looking forward to 2013!!

it couldn't have been any real problem with you, I don't remember it :) And yes, there was more drama involved than i care to think about, not only on this weekend but in race weekends prior to this one. Shenanigans i tell you. I won't go into details.

Charlie and I both entered 11 races.. it was a long damn day, I don't like doing it that way.. but thank goodness i have been kicking butt in offroad harescramble dirt bike racing the past couple years. I was in shape enough I felt decent at the end of the day. Thanks!

[roadracer162]

Greg- It was my fault with the tires and not the fault of the tires. This year I really tried some different things with the tires for the first time using the Michelin slick, albeit probably old tech slicks. The feeling was quite different with the slicks and the profile was definitely different. All this was in an attempt to cut cost. in previous years on the Bridgestone I could run a complete season on $700 out of pocket. The first year with Michelin was $1500 out of pocket. The past two years without contingency has seen a considerable rise at around $3500 and that is with budgeting. I typically race for the first 20-30 laps, and then practice for up to 100 laps on the set of tires. The rubber may be worn but there is usually good traction within 1 second of my personal best. I many times get my fastest lap of the tires at the end of the set. I believe that my bikes are set mostly for worn tires and not new/fresh tires.

On race day with the 6 lap slicks I had an unsurmountable chatter that just wasn't there the round before. And with no practice at this track with that tire it was all new. I felt as though if I pushed harder I would completely lose the front as I did trying to pick up the pace when you went by. I just had it all wrong. And yeah, you are right when you say trying stuff is better done in practice.

Another thing, up to this point I have been learning about the changes of my riding and how it effects lap times. I am currently monitoring sector times and the changing approach from a rider's standpoint. I make small changes to the bike mainly tire pressures and some suspension adjustments. I rarely change gearing settling on an area of the track that I think gives me the best result.

One thing that has hampered me is the gearing difference between the 800(little bike) and the 748. I must do more shifting with the 800 especially through T7 at Homestead. The 748 is more like a 600 middleweight bike and it is where it would compete in the past. I will probably move to the Expert practice with the 748 and find pac there. It's capable of running with most 600s in that class.

[MELK-MAN]

i found gearing differences in the duc1000 and duc800 too. I thought it was just the difference in power, but it really seemed there were internal trans differences, but i could be wrong.
I am finding the slick is best at jennings, but at all the other tracks i prefer the VB dot michelin front. I went back to back at daytona, as well as homestead, and the feel is just better on my bikes than the slick front.. That front tire on the ds1000 was amazing. It did chatter at Jennings when we rode there the weekend before this homestead round, but we made some minor changes that seemed to help. one "find" i made for both bikes, was the rebound adjusters on the shock were way way soft.. Jane's bike was almost bouncy in the rear. She was much happier with it after we firmed it.

[roadracer162]

I have found many times when riding another person's bike and going faster, then that person would pick up the pace on their own bike. Sometimes we just need reassurance from another rider that our bike is good.

I also believe the internal ratios are different and with the 748 there is a lot more gear there. I many times find myself shifting too early with the 748. I wasn't ready for Sunday and just not up to speed. I intend to stick with the Power cup for the 800 next year. All this year I had been on the older power one on the 800 and the Power Cup on the 748. The Power Cup are just that good.

[MELK-MAN]

I have found many times when riding another person's bike and going faster, then that person would pick up the pace on their own bike. Sometimes we just need reassurance from another rider that our bike is good.

I also believe the internal ratios are different and with the 748 there is a lot more gear there. I many times find myself shifting too early with the 748. I wasn't ready for Sunday and just not up to speed. I intend to stick with the Power cup for the 800 next year. All this year I had been on the older power one on the 800 and the Power Cup on the 748. The Power Cup are just that good.

Tom picked it up at Jennings, he was leaning like a madman.. and ran close to his race pace in practice at Homestead. As Gino said too, seeing the ds1000 go somewhat fast gives some confidence. If you were riding a power1 "V" front.. SHAME on you ..LOL.. the power1 rears were not that bad. i used one at Jennings on his bike (as we had no new cups) and it was pretty solid, but had the VB front on. I will NEVER go out on a power1 V front having been on the new cup fronts.

[roadracer162]

I have been running the Power one V all year on the 800 and tried the slick a couple of time. I did well at JGP and PBIR on the slick. I need my confidence back to go quick and next year will be all Power Cup.