I used to read everybody else's reports and get jealous that I couldn't do the same. Now I can join the ranks of race reporters!
Unfortunately I had to work on Friday so I had to wait until after 5:00pm to head out to the track. From my previous threads you might have heard that the weather was going to be crappy. Well it wasn't! The racing gods gave us sunshine and a few clouds until the last race on Sunday. The very minute the last race was over, it started raining. Cannot ask for a better May weekend here in Colorado. I show up to the track late Friday and set up the pit for the first time. I was pitting with a buddy who is also a rookie so our pit wasn't exactly polished. See the picture below. Compared to some of the 100k setups that were there, we looked funny.
Get to the track early Saturday morning and warm the bike up, go through tech, and get ready for 8:00 AM practice. It was pretty cold so I spent the morning getting loose and testing the electronics. Second practice was at 9:00 and I picked up the pace pulling a 2:01 lap time. Still not below that magic 2 minute mark but a solid pace none the less.
First race was Novice GTU which is all novices on 600cc with a few lightweight twins thrown in. Because our club is quite large, we have over 40 riders on the grid for the Novice classes. They separate out the start into two waves. The first wave of 21 riders launches, then when they reach turn 2 the second wave launches. Your position for the first race is determined by points last year and sign up date. Because I could not sign up until I completed the race school and I didn't have any points last year, I was in the 2nd wave on the 3rd row. I get a great start and lock in holeshot coming into turn one. I know I need to set a fantastic pace on the first lap to catch the 1st wave. I catch the back riders of the 1st wave around turn 6 and start picking them off one by one. Some are a little better than others so it would take me a few turns to find a weakness. There were 3 spots where I felt really strong and could get the upper hand on most people but my rear tire was spinning all over the place. I really had to be easy on it cause I felt it kick out more than a few times in corners. I am still learning to not cut throttle coming out of a turn if I am on the ass of somebody. I find if I show them my front wheel, they get frazzled and make a mistake. After starting in 27th position, I finished 6th. If I had one more lap I could have caught that 5th place but just ran out of time. I am anxious to see what I can if I don't have to give the first 21 riders a 10 second head start.
Next race was Novice GTO which is unlimited displacement novices. I figured this race I wouldn't finish as high due to the liter bikes getting such great speed on the back straight. I also put a different take off rear tire on for this race hoping for more grip. I started 2nd row in the 2nd wave and got the holeshot again past a few liter bikes. I catch the first wave quicker than the last race and set a really good starting lap. I cross the line after the first lap ahead of 5 riders in the first wave. I start picking them off again all the while battling the power of the 1000's. Thank the FSM that I put that different rear tire on because I was getting great drive onto the straight and not letting the liter monsters pull away. I end up finishing 5th and putting down a personal best lap time of 2:00:16. Just shy of my sub 2 minute goal. I also finished within tire contingency which was a great morale boost.
MW Endurance was next and I was extremely tired. I got to the line and my clutch had was cramping bad even though I had been pounding banana's all day. I was gridded 2nd wave again but that wouldn't really matter. So I am sitting there near redline ready for the launch when the lights come on the tree. The 2 guys ahead of me jump the start. This causes me to release the clutch halfway. Next the lights go off and my timing was so off, I released the clutch way to early and I loop the bike right at the start! FUCK. The tail doesn't even touch and I held the bike up in the air as it comes down and falls on the side.
I pick the bike up and just head straight back into the pits sulking in my own embarrassing failure. A ton of expert riders come over to me and say hey don't worry about it. It happens to ton's of people including our #1 plate holder. It shows what a great club the MRA really is.Fast forward to Sunday where the only 2 classes I am running are Amateur classes. This class is a mix of 1st year experts and novices so the competition is stiff. Of course I am in second row for both races but this time a little deeper back. I get horrible starts and had to chop throttle because riders in front of me suck at starting and there was no gaps to get by. So I enter in turn one chasing from mid second wave. In the first Amateur race however, I set a personal best lap time of 1:59!!! I was so excited to be under the 2 minute mark. Racing in these Amateur classes really pushes your abilities and lets you ride behind experienced and fast riders, thus increasing your own pace. I finished 17th in the 600cc Amateur class and 18th in the 1000cc Amateur class. Not terrible considering my start position and still enough to get me in the first wave for the next races.
All in all it was an amazing weekend and I could not be more happy with my results, bike, and my experience. Lining up on that grid is one of the greatest moments of my life and I will never forget it.
Thanks to my sponsors for helping me set up a great bike! 303 Cycle, Vortex, Amsoil, Braking, Race Tech, and GoPro! Check out 303cycle.com for unbelievable deals on all aftermarket goodies for your race bike.
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