BHF Race Report

[tshort]

Well, it was a hot one at BHF this last weekend - in the 90s on Sunday, and near that Saturday.  No complaints from me tho - not a cloud in the sky, nice breeze, and not very humid.  

But the temp wasn't the only heat out there - the racing was a blast.  Everyone seemed to be running fast, and in the amateur lightweight classes if you weren't in the teens, you weren't in the front *group* - yeah, everyone seemed to be hitting 19s and into the 18s out there (congrats to Paul B - 18.8.).  

This was my first weekend busting into the 18s.  But thanks to chasing Brendan around in the GT Lights race, we even saw some high 17s!! :o :o  Still can't believe that.

Big Don and me both coincidentally decided it was time to race like big boys this weekend, and made the switch to that bassackwards GP shift setup.  Gotta love those SV's - neither one of ours blew up despite our best attempts involving severe accidental downshifts at redline while moving along at warp nine.  No getoffs either, but lots of pucker moments, for sure.

The only real ontrack issue we had was at the holeshot of the LWGP race.  Someone decided to come up on the inside of me in T1 with his hair on fire and go for the stuff, realizing waaay too late that this was a slightly overcooked idea.  I heard tires squealing, and glimpsed a very wobbly front wheel heading for the curbing and me, so I stood it up, gave up four places, and began running the bastardo down.  He eventually ran wide off the track into the gravel between 5 and 6 and I never saw him again.  If you're reading this, it would have been nice if you'd have come over to my pit and had a chat - if I'd held my line on that T1 shot there's a good chance you would have gone down and taken me with you....

anyway, couldn't catch the TZ in that one, finished 2nd.  Had a couple 1sts and two other seconds to round out what was one of the better weekends for ThinkFast racing.

Thanks go to wife/pit crew, Flip, Tom Mason for the slick advice and tips, Team Stumpy for endless encouragement and cheering (not to mention 'lectric), Pierre and Co. for a great night out on Saturday (you really should have seen Gary eating that bride-to-be's cherry in the bar - lifesaver, that is  ;D), and the Transmitter Girls for collecting transmitters at the end of the weekend (shouldn't they have t-shirts??).  Oh, and to K3 for not completely killing me (Harley's still rule, dude!).

[Dawn]

Tom,

Paul and Don Cook were talking...

Brendan chases Ed
You chase Brendan
Paul chases you (Paul was really hoping for rain)  ;)
     and
Don chases Paul.

Oh, and to K3 for not completely killing me.

I must admit...  that was pretty entertaining!   ;) ;D

Dawn  

[dylanfan53]

...Don and me both coincidentally decided it was time to race like big boys this weekend, and made the switch to that bassackwards GP shift setup.  Gotta love those SV's - neither one of ours blew up despite our best attempts involving severe accidental downshifts at redline while moving along at warp nine.  No getoffs either, but lots of pucker moments, for sure.

;DThat was a gas! Fast races and fun peeps to ride with.  Good times all around!  I can imagine what was going over the corner worker's radios a couple times when I botched the GP shifting change! :o

[TZ_Boy]

The only real ontrack issue we had was at the holeshot of the LWGP race.  Someone decided to come up on the inside of me in T1 with his hair on fire and go for the stuff, realizing waaay too late that this was a slightly overcooked idea.  I heard tires squealing, and glimpsed a very wobbly front wheel heading for the curbing and me, so I stood it up, gave up four places, and began running the bastardo down.  He eventually ran wide off the track into the gravel between 5 and 6 and I never saw him again.  If you're reading this, it would have been nice if you'd have come over to my pit and had a chat - if I'd held my line on that T1 shot there's a good chance you would have gone down and taken me with you....

anyway, couldn't catch the TZ in that one, finished 2nd.  Had a couple 1sts and two other seconds to round out what was one of the better weekends for ThinkFast racing.
!).

  Mr. Davis was the bowling ball coming into T1 in that race.  I talked to him after the race and told him he F# up.  As far as catching me I thought you passed me twice.  It made for the best LWGP race I've had this year.  You shouldn't be to hard on Mr. Davis as you passed me on the last lap in the last corner in a similar fashion albeit not nearly as close.  I could see you trying to downshift as you were coming onto the front staight and I was doing the same, I think we both ended up in 1st gear on the front straight and turned a road race into a drag race for the win.  Thanks for the good racing.

[PJ]

Tom,

Congrats on a great weekend. You are really riding well. It was fun mixing it up with you in practice on Friday and seeing you right up there in Thunderbike on Saturay.

On to the ovals...

[tshort]

 Mr. Davis was the bowling ball coming into T1 in that race.  I talked to him after the race and told him he F# up.  As far as catching me I thought you passed me twice.  It made for the best LWGP race I've had this year.  You shouldn't be to hard on Mr. Davis as you passed me on the last lap in the last corner in a similar fashion albeit not nearly as close.  I could see you trying to downshift as you were coming onto the front staight and I was doing the same, I think we both ended up in 1st gear on the front straight and turned a road race into a drag race for the win.  Thanks for the good racing.

Hey TZboy - thanks for the input and the info on the bowling ball.  Glad you spoke with him about it - that was nasty.

That really was a fun race - I had a blast trying to stay on your tail and figure out how to get around you.  As for that T7 move on the last lap - sorry about that.  I GP shifted the wrong way (into a higher, not lower, gear), and ended up trying to figure out how many clicks the other way I needed to go, rather than a nice clean pass under you.  Decided to just close it down and hug the inside - hope it didn't freak you out.   Nice racing! (PS - who *is* TZBoy?  Have we met?).

Thanks, Mr. Buxton - it was a fun weekend dicing in the practices.  What a great way to end the Blackhawk rounds for the season.

[Eddie#200]

K3 ok after the get off in the F40 race?

[Dawn]

Chris was OK.....

....  but he was a bit upset on the circumstances that led up to the incident.

Dawn  

[lil_thorny]

Tom, that was ablast watching you and Brendan
going nose to tail. it was agreat weekend wasn't it.
too bad it was the last BHF. i think that CCS should
start the MW season at gateway or someplace warmer...then have the BlackHawks later ...now i'm
bummed until Daytona.
Benji.#30

[KBOlsen]

Start the season at Barber, perhaps? ;D

[TZ_Boy]

Hey TZboy - thanks for the input and the info on the bowling ball.  Glad you spoke with him about it - that was nasty.

That really was a fun race - I had a blast trying to stay on your tail and figure out how to get around you.  As for that T7 move on the last lap - sorry about that.  I GP shifted the wrong way (into a higher, not lower, gear), and ended up trying to figure out how many clicks the other way I needed to go, rather than a nice clean pass under you.  Decided to just close it down and hug the inside - hope it didn't freak you out.   Nice racing! (PS - who *is* TZBoy?  Have we met?).

  The pass didn't bother me, I actually enjoyed it because running by yourself in the lead sucks and it made for an interesting finish.  

Paul Bounds Am #901

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

i think that CCS should
start the MW season at gateway or someplace warmer...then have the BlackHawks later ...now i'm
bummed until Daytona.
Benji.#30

     Hey Benji, I just got done shoving my '02 750 motor in your GSXR 600 for ya for a little bit extra at Daytona!  ;)  ;D J/K!