BHF Crashfest

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

      I noticed that the crash truck was extremely busy at BHF on Sunday from race 1 on. I don't know if it was poor conditions or just over anxious racers.

     I was in my 1st race of the weekend on Sunday (race #6) and got taken out by some yahoo that thought he could win the race on the 1st lap while currently running 10th. I don't know what the turn is technically called, but the right hand kink immediately after you go by the traffic cross over point after turn 6 is the turn I am speaking of (6A ?). I had been staying a few inches outside of the new 1 foot wide patch on the inside of that turn for all the laps I did at BHF this event. Who ever this was decided that the best passing opportunity was apparently at the apex of that turn on the inside (on the 1 foot wide patch)! They managed to come into the side of me and push me off the track where I rode off into the grass and hit an asteroid crater and got launched off the bike and watched the bike go cartwheeling over me as I tumbled.

     Now I realize that things happen in racing, but that was one of the stupidist moves I have ever had done to me in the last 8 years!  >:(  I have always considered the apex of that turn a non-passing zone, which I think most people would agree with. The last time I crashed was 6 years ago, and for an expert to have done this to me just pisses me off. Now I have a messed up bike and my wrist is all screwed up too. At least the guy could have come and found me after the race to see if I was alright, but apparently that person is beyond that.  >:( >:( >:(

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

HWSS am (race#12) was no picnic either. Big pileup in 3 on lap 1. 3-5 bikes involved.

Passed Kimmie on teh start and held her off for a few laps. She finally passed me in 1. Followed her around loooking for a good place to pass.

Going into 4 around lap 6, got tagged in the swingarm by another rider. Ended up hitting the curbing and launching the bike. Landed and dropped it. Simple racing accident. Side started hurting after the adreneline wore off. Well so far theres no apparet fractured ribs, but the doc says they could be very small.

As for the bike, well when I fired it up at the trailer before loading it, it started making very loud marbles in a bucket noises. Guess the motor might be done.


BTW thanks Mark for pushing my bike from turn 5 to my pit.  ;D ;D

[Steviebee]

I saw you over there in the weeds Mike, glad your OK.

[cornercamping]

Didn't you guys learn that racing is dangerous yet ???:P

Glad your all right ;D

and, this could've happened, so you guys are lucky !

(I know this guy. I've done tons of track days with him, and he borrowed my trailer to go pick up this R6 when he bought it)

Check this out

 :o

http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?s=20ccd7c3515173965ba4d441ac9d1207&threadid=50750

I would've been racing that race with them if I wasn't sceeeered of my old lady. God I'm a chicken. She "felt" I was gonna race, and called to remind me about our deal, so I backed out at the last minute
 :'( Waiting for her to get back from PA so I can get my nuts out of her purse :-[

[251am]

 Sorry to hear about that Mike, and Rob too. We ended up with food poisoning from the wedding reception in La Crosse. Between the food poisoning and having had the craap kicked outta me in the GTO, I backed out of Sunday's races-too sore and too sick. Have a good week.  

[Jeff]

Yes...  I too noticed there were people definitely "out for blood".  "win at all costs".  Now, I enjoy racing, and I do try to win.  I will pass people, but stuffing people and passing unsafely is not really what this should be about.

There were many instances which I witnessed some REALLY risky passing manuevers.  Some went off okay, most caused 2 bikes to either go off or come to a dead stop, and some ended up in one or more going down...

With all that said, the one thing I will pass onto everyone is that if someone sticks a wheel under you or goes around on the outside, DON'T FREAK OUT!  Hold your line and get through the corner...

[r6_philly]

Mike, sorry to hear that. That sounds exactly like what happened to me at summit point last weekend. Except I was in the 2nd lap of the second morning practice. And I got ran off the track by one of the oldest, fastest guy there that day. A bone head move by a veteran expert trying to win a practice session? Or a veteran misjudge my line/speed and made a mistake?

hope you feel better. My bike is back together and I am healing too, but I still have no confidence in my fellow racers. A guy who has raced 10+ years making a move like that, and then telling me it wasn't him afterwards?

[tzracer]

Bummer Mike. That turn is called 6 gate, 6A is the little kink just before 7. It seems that this being early in the season, being warm, people were doing some crazy stuff. One would hope that by the time a racer gets a white plate that they would figure out that endangering another racer is not worth it. I tend to err on the side of being too safe. It cost me, Tom Short got by (he may have anyways) after I was held up by some lappers (no big deal, it is part of club racing), I might have been able to go up the inside in 6A, but that can be a tough place to pass, so I backed off. It sin't the first time I have been passed from being too safe, but I would feel worse if I caused someone to crash. Everyone (well most of us at least) has to go to work on Monday.

[KBOlsen]

Yeah, lotsa carnage on Sunday for sure.  "Spring Fever" seemed to be epidemic.  Does anybody know how the guy on the yellow bike who was transported out of turn 5 faired?

[Jeff]

Yeah, lotsa carnage on Sunday for sure.  "Spring Fever" seemed to be epidemic.  Does anybody know how the guy on the yellow bike who was transported out of turn 5 faired?

Nick Pal...  Broken shoulder.  Wife was on her way up to collect him last night.  His stuff is loaded, but I'm sure it's still sitting at the track.

Don't race alone  :-/

[Steviebee]

some of us have no chioce but to race alone.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Right on Jeff, Brian and r6_phily. Too many racers forget this IS CLUB RACING. In group 5 practice I was following Mark around the track and seen ALOT of bone head passes in practice. The guy that I got tangled with said this is his first full weekend. Rookie mistake? Yep and he even said that he should had waited until turn 5 to pass. As I told him, it was a typical racing accident. No big deal since its part of the game. But over the last 2-3 yrs I've been witnessing some guys getting all bent out of shape because they got "taken out" by a normal racing incident.  Relax, have fun. THis is our hobby. As Brian said, Most of us work monday morning.