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Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville, TN
September 18, 2005
I wasn’t looking forward to going to a new track, especially one as different as Nashville. Given the high gas prices
and lack of camping in the paddock I decided to leave the motorhome behind. I had been contemplating an enclosed trailer for
a while and used this as the excuse to make the move. I traveled on Friday and arrived in time to watch some of the practice
session. The transitions on and off the NASCAR oval looked pretty intimidating. I dropped the trailer at the track and got
a motel for the evening. Saturdays practice sessions were a learning experience as the track lacked good reference points.
I decided to skip the Saturday races and go downtown to see the sites.
Nashville seemed like an artificial New Orleans. One thing that wasn’t artificial were the bums. A walk through the
park by the river was a little intimidating. As I was sitting in BB Kings Blues Club I realized I didn’t know how the
starts were run as they started on pit road and we never went into turn one that way in practice. I rushed back to the track
in time to catch the start of the last race.
Sunday morning the fog was so bad that practice was a waste. My visor fogged over each lap so that visibility was impossible.
I just wanted to survive the weekend. I still had an outside shot at a DSB championship but when grids were posted I saw that
I just had to finish the DSS race to be the champion. I skipped the DSB race to avoid a mechanical or a crash. I went out
for DSS and rode around for the fifth place finish and the championship, or so I thought.
Carolina Motorsports Park
Kershaw, SC
August 27-28 2005
A return to the home track is always welcome. Turn out was low which was good for the point’s picture. I was still
feeling the effect of my crash on the last visit here so decent finishes were the goal. Saturday's V6 race was fun with a
third place finish and a surprise. The podium finish lifted me to second in points for the season in the southeast. Sunday’s
races were uneventful with a third in DSS and a first in DSB as I was the only expert on the grid.
The results left me needing a seventh or better at Nashville to secure the SE championship in DSS.
Roebling Road Raceway
Savannah, Ga.
July 29-30, 2005
This race was not planned nor was it advisable given the rib I broke one week before. After CMP the points situation revealed
that I might have a chance at a regional championship. With four race weekends left on the schedule I was in second. The leader
typically only runs one of these last four weekends as he is in a different region. If I could just get some points at RRR
I had a shot. The only class that concerned me was D Superstock. I traveled down for just the one night sans motorhome for
a race, get points, and go home event. I participated in first practice to see A) if I could ride, and b) was I fast enough
to not be a hazard. The answer to both was yes as I was not last on the timesheets. My race was the last of the day so I decided
to skip the second round of practice and relax until then. Violent weather passed trough flipping my awning and soaking everything.
So much for relaxing. The weather made many abandon their race plans and leave early. It was raining for the race so I rode
cautiously and still finished second, giving me the points lead.
Carolina Motorsports Park
Kershaw, SC
July 23-24, 2005
First of two visits to my home track this year. This is only 1-½ hours from home so it makes for a leisurely weekend. Saturday
was uneventful as I was 3rd in V6LW and was consistently running laps better than my previous best. We had one
long practice session on Sunday and the temperature and humidity were unbearable. We like to refer to Kershaw as the hot section
of hell. I was getting fatigued towards the end of practice and considered pulling in but felt I could get one more good lap.
That was a mistake. I was having a good lap and had stayed flat through the kink. When I got to the bus stop turn eleven I
had a brain fade and ran off. The slick tires and damp grass made for a bad combination. I was trying to slow down, looking
at the gravel trap and tire wall ahead, thinking I was doing well. The next thing I know I am airborne, flipping, wondering
what happened. I landed on my shoulder and rolled. After a quick check to make sure I was in one piece, I got up and tried
to pick up the bike. I was able to do it but had considerable pain in my side. The bike looked to be rideable so I started
it and listened for bad sounds. All seemed ok so I road it in slowly. The damage was very minor, a bent fairing brace, clip-on
and clutch perch moved and some assorted cracks and scrapes to the bodywork. When I went to re-tech the bike they told me
I did not have enough steering movement. I explained that I had built up the steering stops and had passed tech that way for
three years. They did not care so I had to go back, remove the steering stop I had meant to be permanent and re-adjust the
damper so it did not stop travel. After this I was able to pass re-tech and was ready to race. By now the racing had started
and I only had about an hour to clean up and get ready to race. Once I sat down I started to notice the pain in my side. After
some Ibuprophin I was ready to race. I placed 3rd in DSB and 3rd in DSB setting a personal best lap
time 3 seconds better than my last visit. Mondays visit to the Doctor revealed a broken rib.
Road Atlanta
Brasleton, GA
July 2-3, 2005
The first lap of practice brought excitement as someone hit me from behind in turn seven. I was able to stay upright but
the blow knocked the airbox off the bike so I had no torque the rest of the session. The bike felt like it was sliding more
than normal. I was able to run comparable times to my last visit and everyone was complaining about grip so I didn’t
think much of it. I was 8th in V6LW on Saturday. During prep for Sunday practice I discovered my tire gauge was
reading 5lbs light so I was running 35 lbs. instead of 30. Once the pressures were adjusted the bike felt much better. Results
were D Superbike - 6, D Superstock - 10.
Roebling Road Raceway
Savannah, Ga.
June 4-5, 2005
I started with the front suspension with an additional ½ turn of compression after my improvements at VIR. This proved
to be too much and I reversed to my VIR settings. The weather was changeable all weekend bring tough decisions on tires. Saturday's
V6 race was a fun battle for second with a 750 Ducati that I was able to pass on the last corner as his bike would not rev
to the limit in the run to the line. The rain moved in and out on Sunday. I started the DSB race on rain tires and built a
big lead in the early part of the race. The rain had stopped as we gridded and the sun came out. By the halfway point in the
race the track had dried to the point where staying upright became difficult on the rain tires and I faded to third. The DSS
race was three races later so a quick tire change, wearing leathers in 100-degree heat was called for. Drained of energy and
still leery of traction from the rain tires I rode a comfortable pace to third.
Virginia International Raceway
Alton, Virginia
May 19-22, 2005
The annual WERA Cycle Jam always brings a big turnout and this was no exception. I tried different gearing for this track
this time out. The gearing choice is always tough here because of the long straightaway and the difficult flowing uphill sections.
The change was better overall but left me with a difficult choice coming out of turn three for the short chute to four. I
may need to go up one tooth in back on the next visit. I was able to do the Thursday practice session so that helped with
track familiarity as we only visit hear once a year. I felt the front end was a little soft on Thursday so I increase compression
by ¾ turn and it was a great improvement for the race weekend. Friday brought rain so I skipped the practice sessions and
mounted new tires. My time dropped over two seconds since last year so it was a good weekend. There was no Vintage racing
at Cycle Jam. Results were D Superbike – 11, D Superstock –7.
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Last race with yellow plates.
Check out those white plates
Barber Motorsports Park
Birmingham, Al.
April 16-17, 2005
With the high price of gas it was deciced to leave the motorhome at home this weekend. the Honda Element proved to be
a good tow vehicle as well as a good camper. Due to work concerns I was not able to make the Friday practice.
Saturday offered only one round of practice. I had visited Barber once two years ago but a mechanical issue limited track
time to 2 short practice sessions. The only Saturday session was spent finding which way the track turned. The limited track
time had me entering the afternoon race with great trepidation. While still learning the track I was still able to finish
ninth out of twelve entries and start to feel comfortable with the track. My race was over by 12:30 and having the Honda at
the track allowed me to explore the area. The Barber Museum was breath taking and it would take days to do it justice.
I drove through Birminghanm and attended the dog races at that night. Seeing the dogs made me miss my hounds.
Sunday was a great day. Having some time on the track allowed me to appreciate what a fun place it is. I had some good
battles near the back of the expert group in both races and finished 6th in DSB and 12th in DSS. I was in the middle of large
packs going into turn one in both races and that was a wild experience.. I was able to make a three bike pass going into turn
4 in DSS but ran wide and ended up giving back two of the spots on exit. Instead of being ready to head home, I was wanting
more at the end of the day.
Roebling Road Raceway
Savannah, Ga.
March 19-20, 2005
RRR is one of my favorite places. It has a good atmosphere, fast sweeping turns and a super fast long run from turn 7 all
the way through 8&9 to turn 1. Being a big guy on a small bike that long run tends to hurt me but it sure is fun. My goal
this weekend was to get under a 1minute, 30 second lap time. This is next real fast for RRR but given the above mentioned
straight away and my hp/weight ratio I had not yet done it. My best as a novice was a 1:31.5 so it would be a 2-second improvement.
On Saturday we were only given one round of practice, as the vintage bikes and race school were also there that day. I
used that round to find my lines around the track and really did not try to put in any hot laps. After that one practice,
I had a race that afternoon in V6LW. The race started well as I was hanging on the back of the lead group for the first few
laps. I was pushing to keep the pace when I lost the front and then the back over one of the infamous patches in turn 7. I
decided to cool it a while and let the seat retreat from my derriere and be happy with 5th place. I took it a little
too slow as on the last lap I heard someone behind me and we ended up side by side at the line where I finished 6 one thousands
of a second ahead. My best lap in the race was 1:30.587; about 1 second better than my previous personal best. The fast guys
on comparable bikes were running 1:28s and 1:29’s with one or two faster laps mixed in so my goal of 1:28’s would
at least put me in the hunt.
On Sunday we got two rounds of practice. I was in the mid 1:30’s in both sessions so I thought that the race pace
would get me to my goal. The first race was DSB. I had a great race with another FZR400, unfortunately we were at the back
of the expert group. There were 4 of us running similar times. Unfortunately a new novice SV rider in a different class blasted
through riding over his head actually hitting my front wheel. This strung out our group in DSB. I was able to catch back up
to the next rider with 1-½ laps to go. I attempted a pass in four and he shut the door on me. I was getting a better run from
7-9 so I knew had to make a run there and hope to hang on till the line. I made my run and made the pass in nine but alas
the lighter man on a similar bike got me before the line. We finished 2 tenths apart at the line with me actually having a
better best lap of 1:29.938. I had met my goal.
The last race of the weekend was DSS; most of the same group but the highly modified bikes are not eligible. The race started
much the same as DSB but knowing the novice would be crashing through I was a little more cautious. After he made his out
of control rush I concentrated on catching the same rider as in DSB. On the next lap, our crazy novice friend ran off taking
at least on other bike with him. I smiled as I passed the scene. I was planning a run through nine as before but one lap earlier
so that I could try to re-pass on the brakes in 1, then get enough of a gap to make it back to the line ahead of him. Another
of the novice SVs was between us and I planned to draft him on the straight to stay in touch. As they entered turn nine ahead
of me the SV plowed into the side of my competitor and they both went off. We ended under a red flag. It appeared every one
was ok although the bikes took damage. My best lap was 1:29.807, another improvement. A little more HP on the straights and
I will be in the hunt. Any one have a spare motor for sale??
Talladega, AL 2/4-2/6/05
It was great to be back at the track. The weekend got off to a rough start as I threw a chain on the way out of the pits
on the first session. Fortunately I had a spare. Thanks to Dick Gruhn for his offer of assistance. I missed two sessions making
repairs. When I finally got on track it took a little while to figure the place out. I was able to make the rest of the sessions
on Friday with a slight overheating problem on track exits. Friday night I was able to determine that the fan was unplugged
and rectified the situation.
I woke up Saturday to the smell of gas and a belly pan full of fuel. I had put a light in the pan on Friday night to add
a little heat to avoid freezing. Luckily it was a water proof light or it could have been a nasty situation. Evidently the
tank cover bots had vibrated against the tank and holed it. A little fluid proof epoxy and the problem was solved for the
weekend. Saturdays V6 LW race was my first as an expert an I finished last. It was great to see 7 FZR’s in the field.
On Sunday The results were a little better but not great. I found myself racing with the other new experts at the back of
the expert field but at least we beat all of the novices in our class. Seems like it will be a while before we new experts
are up front again.
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