8/30/2009 WMRRA Race Report round 7 (my first expert race)

MadManx · **Posted:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:18 pm

Earlier in the week... - Like a dumb@$$, I changed something that was working just fine and never had an issue with. I removed the automatic cam chain tensioner and replaced it with a manual one from APE. Installation instructions were pretty straight forward. After installation I fired up the bike. I end up with high rpm deceleration "pops". So I tighten the chain up. Seems the popping went away. I load the bike and gear into the trailer.

Saturday - I do not have to wake up!

Sunday - Wake up at 5:15 a.m, make my coffee and gather up the rest of my stuff and head out for the 40 mile drive to Pacific Raceways. At this point my brain starts going bezerk. I was thinking about everything from insurance to gecko's and was starting to feel nauseous. My head was spinning.
I get to the track and set up in the pits next to my Canadian friend Keith who always lets me plug into his generator because mine is SO LOUD. I get the bike thru tech inspection and put the belly pan back on. Around 8.00 a.m or so, I finally figured out that I forgot my AMB transponder. &*$^(*&^(. I a half panic I go to call Heidi, I can't find my p.o.s IPhone. My head really starts spinning. This was to be my "debut" in the expert class as a graduated novice racing in the 600 & 750 Superbikes. Practice was coming up quickly, so I rent an AMB transponder for the day at the cost of $65.00.

9:20 - I go out in Group 3 slow practice. All seems in order, nothing to note except the track was cold and my visor was fogging up. The weather forecast for the day was going to be warm at about 78 deg F.

10:30 - Heidi shows up to help out as usual

I fuel up the bike with different race gas than normal. VP MR9 (oxygenated fuel)

11:20 - feeling very ill..

1:00 - I suit up, and wait. Mike (Mic) finds his way to my pit and will help Heidi out.

1:15 - The horn blows, Heidi and Mike remove the tire warmers and I'm off. I wait at the gate with Keith for approx 3 minutes. We are released, get to the entry and wait again. The rest of the racers show and we are released for our recon/warm-up lap. We make our one lap recon/warm-up and grid. I'm gridded at row 5-1. Row 5 turns out to be the last row today, normally, 600 Superbike is twice that. Lucky me. Newbie's are always gridded in the rear. Gridding is done by points and obviously I don't have any.
Board sideways, vertical, light out. Off we go. I got a pretty good start but immediately fell back. Keith was gone. What the.. Anyways, we head into turn 1, me trailing. I just go, riding the hardest I have ever ridden and try to keep up with the pack without success. Around lap 6 I finally get lapped by the big shots, so I attempt to push harder. I go into turn 4 front end sliding out but I'm able to recover and I continue up the back straight into turn 5>6. Going into turn 9 too hot, into turn 10 and over shoot the bus stop but continue on my way into lap 7. Get passed on the exit of turn 2, the other bike nearly took my front tire with him. Cool. Close quarters. Down thru the chicanes and up the back straight thru 5>6. Turn six, the front end completely washes out. I can actually hear the front tire screeching as the bike appears to be on its way to meet the embankment. All the while another bike passes me. Somehow, my right toe catches the ground and the bike rights itself enough for me to complete the turn 6. Sweet baby Jesus. I cant believe that that just happened and didn't find my self face planting it into the pavement. I trudge on thru turn 7. The back tire slides out to what I feel was a "near high side". Turn 7 is good for high siding. At this point I decided that I should tone it down a few notches. The next one I may not be so lucky. I finish the race with 9 laps. Wow, I finished my first race with the experts in our premier class. Regardless of my final position, I finished! I have heard it time and time again of graduated novices crashing out in their first expert race. I didn't. I finished.
It was really cool that Jeff Weiand (race director) stopped by the pits to congratulate me for finishing.
In the end, all I can say is that these guys are FAST, and they should be with thousands of laps around the circuit. For me, I just need more seat time, don't mess with things that are not broken, don't use different fuel (which sucked by the way). Stay focused. I lost my focus and not very happy with my performance. Completely out of control.
Next round will be better.
Cheers,

Big thanks to:
Team Kaka Racing
Heidi
Mike MClane (Mic)
Race Director Jeff Weiand and Referee Phil Cook for words of encouragement
WMRRA & Staff for putting on a great show.

Mic · **Joined:** Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:23 pm **Posts:** 6

Good Job Tony!

My Advice from the paddock and stands...

Stop over thinking it, relax, go out and enjoy yourself.

My advice from yesterday...

If it ain't broke, leave it the hell alone :p

VtxHeidi · **Posted:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:56 pm

That's really good. You're a star!

Savannah · **Posted:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:24 pm

good job daddio

MadManx · **Posted:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:57 pm

Motophotog wrote:

Hey tony congrats on your successful weekend! I was nervous as well, just gotta get on track more, and stay postive. Whatif's dont ever help you.

Jump right back on the saddle. Thats the best thing you can do! And don't waste your money on race gas. chevron 92

Unfortunately, my engine requires race gas. Been running the Sunoco GT100, Should have stuck with it.

airtimebill · **Posted:** Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:50 pm

Dude what are you on about????? Sounds like you had a blast, at least you are riding sunbeam. Like Mic said, dont over think things. Remember when you came to the Isle of Man, look who i was racing with, beleive me me (and you know) i was punching well above my weight. But i was out there doing it and loving every minute of it. You should too. If you are not enjoying it should you be out there?????? My guess is you do love it, so remember that, forget positions as long as you are getting around the track quicker each time then you are improving and the positions will come.

What do you think of the neww look forum. Id love to take credit for it and say look what i have created. But id be lieing. The guys i host this with upgraded there software and with it my forum. Only thing is they also lost all my appearence settings. This does look factory, but doesnt look like part of the site anymore and more seperate. Although the layout was different, in the other the colours were the same and the site. Oh well, this is a little easier to update and easier to navigate, and is similar.

Take it easy matey, and remember no pressure, you will find the more you relax the faster you will go. Beleive me its SO true.

airtimebill · **Posted:** Sun Sep 06, 2009 7:16 am

Must be honest with ya, i have just re read you report, it does sound like you were going to die every corner you took!!!!!! LOL Maybe you shouldnt do the TT or MGP............LMAO

MadManx · **Posted:** Sun Sep 06, 2009 7:31 am

MadManx · **Posted:** Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:43 pm

After doing a track day on 9/23/2009 in similar weather conditions, the bike was acting exactly as it did during the race indicated above. Even at riding 75% of what I rode on race day. I took the bike to Barry at GP Suspension and turns out that the rear Ohlins is at the end of its adjustments and the front forks are worn and need to be re-valved.
Barry was able to make a tiny adjustment on the forks. He noted that the adjuster valves on the lower fork legs were not at the same settings. 1.5 turn off. Three scenarios for that.
*Barry mis-ajusted last time.
*One adjuster spun on its own
*Somebody messed with my stuff.
After the tweak, I go back out. It seemed a little better, but still out of control. I decide to pack up the bike before I wad it up.
Suspension will be rebuilt over the winter.

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8/30/2009 WMRRA Race Report round 7 (my first expert race)

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