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Firebolteric_ma
| | Posted on Monday, April 26, 2010 - 12:06 pm: | 
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That's right b!tches..I am keeping tabs on my races now. Figured I wouldnt clutter up the main board w/ my reports, and if you want to know you can read it...if not GTFO.
Friday Penguin School
I got up to the track nice and early Friday morning and got unloaded and settled in the garage for
The Penguin School. The weather was great and I was anxious to get started to say the least. I have
been buying gear and everything else that revolves around racing/trackdays for 2 years now to get to this point.
This sport is Expensive, and I love every minute of it so it was worth it.
Penguin started with the riders meeting with Mr. Woods telling us some stories and so on. Then we went for some
classroom time and then follow the leader sessions. As soon as I got out there I knew the day was going be a shit show.
Some guys just can not follow directions even with FTL.
So after an afternoon of classroom time and some on track time the afternoon schedule started to get us on the track.
4 sessions later I managed to get in 2 solid laps. The others were a waist as the red flag just kept popping it's head out.
Twice I managed to get to turn 3 and once to turn 6, then 2 solid laps till the red flag again. (Frustrating to say the least).
The instructors were great and they did what they could EMPHASIZING PLEASE do 3 laps before hitting it out there, just some
of the students couldn't get it through there thick heads
I actually gave up my last session of the day to let MotFreak get some laps in as he had bike issue's and I was to flustered to be out there.
I was not in the right mind and did not want to do anything silly. Go figure, he gets a solid run out there with like 7 laps...Good for him! WOOT!
Took my written test and got my certificate. (WooHoo I got a 100 on the test...yea, it was just common sense) But I was glad it
was over and I was on my way to get licensed.
Saturday Rookie Race
So I get to the track a bit late in the morning, and was under the gun from that point on. I decided to sleep in some to catch up from MANY late nights leading up to this point. I was wiped and it showed. I needed the sleep and don't regret it.
Got to the track, unload and head to the Rookie Meeting, (yea I should have got to the track MUCH earlier). They are going through what is going to happen and all of a sudden...BAM...Butterflies in the worst way. My stomach is doing flip flops, I am getting hot and have clammy hands, I literally feel like I am going puke. I must have been as white as a ghost sitting there. Holly cow I think to myself, WTF is this shit! I never get nervous like this.
So once I get through the meeting I sign up for Rookie Race & Race 3 and go on the search for numbers and get to tech. I am under the gun bad by this point but I work better that way, Or so I think anyway's. I literally have 5 minutes to get to tech by this point. Get my numbers on with the help of Chippy, (Thanks) and get through tech with no problems (Thanks Moto Addiction for tech'n my bike the night before!)
I hear the call for the Rookie Race, Get my bike and get out there a bit early this time (I am learning). They leyt us out for warm up lap, get gridded and then the butterflies return. I am thinking I am going to screw this all up. I managed to get my laps done with no issues, hit the cool down lap, toss the workers the thumbs up and I am feeling really good now. I am not nervous and this almost feels like a track day for me now.. Thank God!
The "new to me" bike is doing what I ask, but I need to get back into my groove with Body positioning and my brake/shift points as everything is different on my bike now. i am just trying to get my smooth & fast(er) back for the most part. I am feeling good which was the most important thing for me at that moment.
Race 3
Remember what I said about feeling good and not being nervous? Yea, that went right out the window. I was good right up to when I grid and see the numbers. I am thinking in my helmet stay cool, relax, this is a piece of cake. Do what the instructors said. Bike in gear, on the brake, clutch in. No problem right?
I am gridded in 5c, the numbers are going down, 3-2-1 the noise of reving bikes, the flag drops and bam..I am doing a wheelie off the line, off the throttle, back in and again...wheelie, off the throttle and again...wheelie..WTF...I dont know how to wheelie!!! The roar of bikes are all going by me....
I manage to get it together enter turn one and I beat one bike..WOOT! i am not last anyway's. I am running on adrenalin and nothing else matters. I need to make up some ground, get to three and shoot down the right side and pass a few bike, get past 6 into 7-8 and pass, hit the straight and I am making up time for the most part. I just lock onto the guy in front of me and say to myself "SELF...Get your ass in front of that guy" twist the throttle, I need to get past him.. I love this shit!! I am having a ••••••• ball doing this. WooHoo!!!
I dont really remember the how's or when's out there, but I managed to get back up the line and finish 14th out of 30 riders. 3 did not finish and I believe we only got 6 out of the 8 laps before the red flag ended the race. I had an "Official" personal best of 1:26.666 for my first race and was feeling pretty good considering my horrible start.
I hope to do better next weekend, with more races. I had a couple issues with my bike that needed to be fixed so I did not stay till Sunday. Mentally I was wiped and made the decision to head home and square away my bike. My Quick shifter stopped working during race 3, I figured out you DO NOT want rubber lines on your bike going into turn one, my clip on brackets were on backwards and a couple little gremlins I needed to chase down.
All in all this was one of the funnest weekends I have had in a long time and I want to thank EVERYONE that helped me along the way. I really couldn't have done it without ya's!!!!
Chippy...Stu...Moto Addiction...Freak, & any others I don't know your names..... Thank You so much! |
Firebolteric_ma
| | Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 10:32 am: |
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Sunday was looking great to start the day off. Sun was beaming down blue skies and windy. Decided to set up in the turn 12 area for a day of racing. Tent up, bike off the rig, and gear ready. Lets get it on!
I signed up for races 1- GTU, 3- MW Super Bike & 13- MW Super Sport.
First race was GTU and I was feeling pretty good. Get up to grid and was a little less nervous this time around. This is only my second “Official” race for LRRS. I did a rookie race and MW Grand Prix race during round one.
The flag goes down and I get the official horrible start, a bunch of bikes leave me at the grid, luckily I was gridded at the back so I did not hold anyone up. Once on my way I start working up the pack, pass a couple riders thru 1, then a couple more thru 3-4, things are looking good so far, then during the first lap out and the red flag gets flown. I am just taking the turn at 10 and see a rider down. We all know the story behind this and it was deeply sobering to me as to the consequences we take out there, so I wont write anything here…. (R.I.P. Morgan Rose #624)
The restart was a little better for me, my launch was half way decent compared to my last few. I may actually start to get the hang of this. I was doing pretty well during this race, passing when I could find my balls and the throttle at the same time. By mid race I think I got passed by a HW bike, I will say he was a decent rider and pushed me to keep up with him. I wasn’t letting him get away. I managed to clip off some of my best times riding his tail, I don’t know who he was but THANK YOU! I managed to rip a PB of 1:24.43 during that race. I couldn’t believe it. Over 2 seconds faster than my previous PB and I felt I was much smoother during that race. I did not expect that at all. Placed 7th in this race.
Second race was MW-Super bike. I had enough time to pit, get the warmers back on, fill up with gas & get a drink. I was exhausted from the first race still. My legs were on fire and I was saying to myself…Self WTF are you thinking doing these races so close to each other. I am Sooooo out of shape!
Get myself to grid, get a decent launch and it is back to picking racers off & trying to get up the pack, I was able to get from 10th place to 8th place by 3rd or 4th lap but I was drained out there, I was getting sloppy and my legs were shaking under me. Every turn was A LOT of work, Obviously I was still feeling the effects of the first race. I decided to try and back off a bit and save some energy and that is when I get passed, in 3. I tried to get the position back but it was not happening. I ended up placing 9th in this race.
3rd race MW Super sport
Nothing exciting here, got a crappy start, Couldn’t find my groove at all and pretty much ran in the back of the pack the entire race. I think I was 2nd to last the entire race. I think all the events of the day were taking there toll on me. I placed 11th on this race. Disappointing to say the least. I know I can do better than that.
I was happy with my results for the weekend and I will be ready for round 3 in hopes to crush some more time off my laps. |
Firebolteric_ma
| | Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 - 10:52 am: |
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Man what a fun Sunday this was.
Got up the track nice and early so I was not rushing around. The weather was perfect for racing. My goal for Round 3 was to try and get into the 23’s and find some smooth in a few corners I seem to be parking it in.
First Round Practice - I get out there and right away figure out my rear tire is done. I had a feeling it was when I was at the BOMO TD Tues. & Wed… My last session out I felt the rear spin up in 4 going up the hill a few times but shrugged it off as me being tired and sloppy with my body position. I just took it easy them last sessions and concentrated on my lines & form as best I could.
Get back to my pit area and make the decision to (gulp) switch brands. I been on Pirelli’s forever. Street and track. Not an easy decision for me but I like the BOMO guys & want to show the love, and I definitely like payouts. Hell….They even offered to take them back if I did not like them, Seriously…..How can ya beat that? So what the hell sign me up!
Second practice was scrub in new tires and get some heat in them. After 2 laps I start to push them a little more each time, trying to get confidence in them. They feel a lot like the Pirelli’s, Just different. I did spin them going up 4 but once in the pits realize they had to much pressure in the tires. They seem to be very sensitive to pressures and I will be watching them more closely. I think my Pirelli’s were a little more forgiving in this area but once I learn the tires better I think they will be fine.
Race 1 - GTU
I get grid in 3B, And true to form I launch and leave the line dead last. I soooo need to practice this and get this figured out. It makes for a lot of work getting up the field like this.
Red flag 1st lap, get the restart, and true to form get into turn one dead last. Haha. I Start working my way up the field and find Stuart, I get passed him and caught up in some traffic. We play cat and mouse for a few laps, then he was getting a good gap on me and I decide to go into 3 deep before hitting the binders, I pass him and blow the corner big, I made the mistake of trying to trail brake and turn in…Didn’t go as planned & he took a gap on me again. I was definitely a little tired at this point I manage to work my way in front of him and was looking for a spot to pass one of them other front runners in 3, went for a pass in 11-12 on the second guy with only one lap to go, Shoot to the right side and stuart is doing the same move on us, that got interesting 3 wide in the 11-12 shoot…WOOT!! Stu got the drive down the straight away with me right on his tail and I remembered he brakes early for 1 so I feel I have him on the braking… Yea, that went out the window fast as I was deep into the 2 board before I hit the binders and he took turn 1 on a new line and carried a shit-ton more speed on me. He pulled a good lead on me and I just couldn’t get that position back. He had his mojo working for him on that one. Came in 5th with a PB of 1:23.9
Race 8 - HWSS
Decided to play with the big bikes for this one, Nothing exciting here at all. Typical bad launch and just couldn’t catch up to them. Every lap the one guy I could see was just pulling on me. I was hoping to run on the coat tails of the big bikes and maybe get a batter line or one of them to pull me along at a smoother/faster pace. Didn’t happen. Came in last on that one.
Race 13 - MWSS
Head into turn on last, Seems to be my position for starts. At least I avoid that cluster into turn 1 jockeying for position. I manage to get into 4th with Stu in 3rd, got a great drive out of 3 up the hill and took him heading over the hill, I was looking to push myself and the new rubber this last race. The rubber was there and so was my drive. I put my head down and and just tried to stay smooth. I looked back at the ½ way point and I was all alone. The 2 front runners were out of my sight and stu was a ways back. I swear he was closer as I kept thinking I herd him trying to set me up in the 11-12 or 1 turns. Thanks for getting in my head there Stu!!!
It pushed me to a 3rd place finish with a new PB of 1:23.8. |
Scott_in_nh
| | Posted on Thursday, August 05, 2010 - 08:37 am: |
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Nice reports Eric,
when you are healthy enough you should bring the Honda to NED.
It'll help you a lot with your starts and I know you like drag racing anyway. |
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