ThinkFast Racing ROC report (longwinded)

[tshort]

You go Tom.  The whole Midwest is behind you.  If a fat old man like me could get a fifth there, then I believe you can win!
But even if you do win I'm still gonna kick yer @$$, Harley Boy!!!! ;D

Phew - guess I'm safe then - best I did was 3rd ;D :P

Had two practices Thursday, and then Friday was GTLights and LWSS.  Which was good, because that meant my tires would be fresh for LWSS. Going in I figured that race was going to be my best shot at placing, given the more built bikes that would be in the other classes.  I was ecstatic with the LWSS result - got a 5th in that one, and that meant WOOD, baby!  With that mission accomplished on Friday (GTLights we took a 7th), I relaxed going into Saturday, figuring I at least had something besides a t-shirt that said Daytona on it.

First race on Saturday was Thunderbikes, and even tho I started Friday with new rubber both ends, I made a last minute decision to put on a new rear, figuring that T-bikes was the only other race I would have a chance of doing any good in (and that track chews up the rear pretty fast).  That was the right move, gave me the confidence to tip it in more in the infield and hammer it on exits.  Got a good holeshot, and found myself going into the horseshoe in front.  That was weird - I was up there thinking, "Where in the he11 are the rest of them?"  By the time I got up onto the highbanks, I was pretty sure there must've been a huge pileup right behind me, because noone had come by.  Well of course that changed, and on NASCAR 4 I found myself riding with some company and ended up in a three bike draft train (one of the guys in that one, Bill Davenport, was garaged right next to me - great guy from out East, on an SV).  So the three of us swapped all three spots for the five laps, and we ended up in 3rd :D 8)  Yeee haaa.

Then LWGP, and Bill was running near the front again.  I lagged on the first lap and never got hooked into the lead train - at this track if you don't hook into the train right away, you can't catch it.  Amazing.  So that was an 8th.

Last race of the day was LWSB - and by then we had heard about Brian (RIP, 944).  Once again the train left the station with Bill D up near the front, but again I had trouble keeping up with it, and ran alone to 5th - but more wood, and this one unexpected (Brendan ran off into the grass in a fit of right-handed overexuberance, didn't crash, but couldn't catch up before the checker - good thing it was a five lapper;).

So five races, three bits of wood for my trouble - and man, a whole lot of memories.  This place is unique with the high banks, and the speeds (140+ on my stock SV), and, of course, the mystique.  As I said to my parents (who spend the winter down here and were on hand for the events), to me, racing here is a life event for me, getting wood - well, if there were a way to add letters after my name like they do with degrees, I'd do it - it's right up there as far as I'm concerned (and for everything else there's Mastercard - which is good).

All in all it has been an awesome experience.  Lots of people helped me out - hear at ROC, and through the year to get here.  So....THANKS  to wife, Philippa, for budgetary approval; to Mike Williams and Mike Jordan for hauling the bike and gear; to Ed for invaluable wisdom and advice (not just here, but all season); to my bro and friend John for flying down and pitting; to parents for not worrying; to Team Stumpy for the pre-race camp experience (and lots of good company through the season); to Tom Mason for tire advice; to Pirelli for tires; to LHP for Privateer support; and Vortex and EBC; and to everyone else who showed support through this season.

[stumpy]

Good job TShort!  We're so proud of you!  I knew you had it in ya!  

StUmPy

[Super_KC124]

Great post! Way to go Tom. :)

[KBOlsen]

Way to go, Tom!   Congratulations!!!!!!! :D

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

You'll notice that my post read "But even if you do win..." ;D

Nice jobe T-shirt.  Live to ride, ride rice!!!

[MELK-MAN]

congrats man, enjoyed the post. i as well was very happy to get out without incident, as was my friend/sponsor as i was riding his bike ;D

[EX#996]

Congratulations Tom!   ;D

[Mark Bernard]

Tom... Rock on my friend. See you on the grid next season! Congratz!

[Steviebee]

Congrats Tom !!

[Pierre - Team PMR]

Tom, you da man!!!  Great job!

[HTP]

Congrats from the conductor at the front of the train. Way to go shorty! ;D

[PJ]

Tom,

Great job. A strong finale to an outstanding season.

Looking forward to racing you head-to-head next year!