Don Cook is a gentleman!

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

On the final lap of the F40 race at Blackhawk last weekend, Don Cook OVERCOOKED  ;) it on the brakes into Six and ran into me.  I went down, thus losing fifth place.

That first part is a statement of fact.  That's how I see it, that's how all the witnesses saw it, and that's what Don says happened.  Don made a mistake.  Just like I did the time I punted Blake Young at Road America.  Just like every one of us has probably done at some point.  Mistakes happen.
  Here's the important part...

1:  When Don booted me, he didn't fall.  Instead of continuing and taking the fifth place trophy, he stopped to see if I was OK.
2:  He sat there and humbly took the vilest butt-ripping that I've ever personally delivered. :-[
3:  Don apologized about sixty times over the next day and a half.
4:  Don offered to help me fix my bike, and even offered to let me use his bike the next day.
5:  He sat there shamefaced, still apologizing as I howled and hooted with glee over SliderJack's awesome motor drive pictures of the crash. (MUCH cooler than yet another fifth place plaque, if you ask me!)
6:  He even called my teammates during the week, hoping that they'd help explain to me that he was really sorry, that he just made a mistake, and that he would NEVER intentionally take another rider down like that.

So my impression is that Don must be one of the finest gentleman racers ever to have thrown a leg over a motorcycle.  They say that the strength of a man's character can be seen better in defeat than in victory.  Don, you can stop feeling bad about what happened.  You're better than an OK guy in my book!
K3

[EX#996]

Very well said Chris.

We agree 100%

The Buxton's   ;D

[EX#996]

Chris...

You never say noth'n nice about me!   >:(

In fact....  If I'm ever in one of your books, I'll probably be known as Pete Mc Pain.

Paul  

[SliderPhoto]

Don is a good guy, no doubt! One of the many cool people I've met at the track.

[dylanfan53]

Chris,
Thanks for the comments.  I've thought about posting but haven't known what else to say.  :-[ Frankly, I'm totally embarassed that I ran into you like that and I'm just glad you weren't hurt because of my mistake.  Thanks for accepting my apology.  I'm glad we're okay and that I can look forward to seeing you at the next event.  I think I still owe you at least a couple more beers.  Anyone know Chris's favorite brew?

P.S. I'll be sending you a PM shortly.

[EX#996]

Anyone know Chris's favorite brew?

Anything that has an alcohol content and is low carbs.....

 ;D

[RidgeRider]

2:  He sat there and humbly took the vilest butt-ripping that I've ever personally delivered.

I can attest to this - I was waiting to come in the main gate when all this took place.  My wife looked over at me and asked if somebody was going to yell at me like that if I did something stupid  :P - almost worse than crashing...

Glad you guys worked it all out!  :)

[PJ]

I saw it too. From where I stood I couldn't make out the players, but it looked like K3 was going Aaron Yates on Don!

There's a lot of raw emotion that bursts to the surface during moments like that.

Kudos to both of you for working it out. The LW class is full of gentlemen racers. That's why I like racing with you guys.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

but it looked like K3 was going Aaron Yates on Don!


Kudos to both of you for working it out. The LW class is full of gentlemen racers. That's why I like racing with you guys.

There was no touching involved in our post-incident discussion, but believe me when I say that I was the thickness of a feeler gauge away from a job interview with Yoshimura Suzuki when I stood up from that crash! ;)

As for the lightweight class, I miss it so bad!  I wish I'd never sold my FZR.  If Lightweight F40 had been announced a year earlier, I never would have left.  The people and attitude in that class are to me what racing should be all about.  If the stars align just right, I'll have an SV next year and be back with the awesome group of people I most want to race against.

[H-man]

I think I still owe you at least a couple more beers.  Anyone know Chris's favorite brew?

Uh... Don... Chris doesn't drink beer any more.  He said something about it doing funny things to him.  But he said you should just pass along those brewskis to ole H. ;D ;)

Any amber ale, brown ale or stout will do 8)

  H-man

[PJ]

 If the stars align just right, I'll have an SV next year and be back with the awesome group of people I most want to race against.

Do it! It'll be great to have another "big" guy in LW I can draft with...

That's the trouble with Ed Key and Brian Lacy, when they blast by, there's no draft to catch!

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

Do it! It'll be great to have another "big" guy in LW I can draft with...

That's the trouble with Ed Key and Brian Lacy, when they blast by, there's no draft to catch!

AH HA! :o So Paul, now I see why you were trying to get me to give those classes a try too! ;)