Man o' man, this past weekends WERA/AMA Natl. races were straight up crazy! lol
I cannot even begin to tell you the great feeling of getting back on pace/form from last October, finding a great set up that I think will be a great baseline setting for many of the tracks I go to, and just taking OUR BMW to a new arena (series) furthering our conquest!
Some pessimism entered my mind coming into this weekend. Alot of things have to fall into place for a clear head and focus. Finidng out about this race weekend last minute was the first thing. Second, there was no techs/mechanics available due to illness/deaths in their families, which I felt bad for. It was a very humbling experience to go to the track on my own which has not happened for awhile. Unloading bikes, equipment, rolling each bike to tech inspection, then going back with helmets/leathers, yadda yadda... Now time for balancing act getting bikes on rear stands, front stands, tire warmers, after getting the many feet of cord from the power box...
Missed the whole mornings practice sessions, and now lunch break has faded and it is time to start back up practice. SO, finally some seat time. Chasing set up issues at Daytona and trying to shrug off some new life issues off the track was my biggest competition starting my 2007 season. Soon I would find that 2007 has finally arrived! I was really happy to figure out the issues with regarding my A and B bikes differences. The forst batch of R1200S BMW's that came late in 2006 with Ohlins (sport Supension package) had a rear shock that had a body length of 16cm. The BMW R1200S I received as a laterproduction date, with Ohlins rear, has a 16.5cm rear shock body length! TADA! Just that 10mm in difference was pretty drastic.
(I will finish this posting in a bit, I have no more Jack Frost Latte left and the place is filling up here at the Cocoa Bean cafe)....
Ok back online, so Friday had one practice at 20 minutes, then upon closer insepction of the schedule I noticed there was qualifying! The WERA/AMA Natl. 600 Superstock, 600 Superbike, and Heavyweight Twins Superstock classes are super competitive with the latest and greatest 600's that are at least 60 lbs. lighter and 4 inch shorter wheelbase. When asked in tech inspection which classes we are going to run, I said the 600 class, that was met with a couple laughs... Again, new arena and alot of folks may have read or heard about what we have accomplished on the BMW motorcycles we have raced, but they are going to see first hand what the hype is all about.
Due to changing wheels, I was only able o roll out on the track with 4 minutes left in qualifying. That gave me an out lap and one flying lap to get in the fastest time I could, with one lap. Wound up 17th out of 38. lol Friday's time was a 1:17.8 as I recall. My goal and thought's were set at breaking into the 16's, period. The way the bike was handling, not knowing if I was going to have to keep running the same tires for a bit, I just did not know. So 16's were just reaistic to me with the set up/geometry issues I was chasing. Saturday was a chilly 40 degrees for pactice witha serious headwind down the front straight. I was on a shagged rear tire from the day before, as the new asphalt at the track was hard on tires. With that same set of tires, I ended practice in less than favorable conditions 6th fastest (600 practice) with a 1:16.7! WOOHOO! I knew it could only get better with warmer weather. It was awesome.
That was great, Saturday was just practice. Sunday were the races and I elected to sit out the 600 Superstock to concentrate on Heavyweight Twins Superstock, with a great racer by the name of Trey Batey. He is a great racer and has gone undefeated inthe HWTSS race for 3 seasons or so. Sunday practice just got better! Ripped off a 1:15.6 in practice and by now I was really excited too being back to the ol' N8! from 2006. With great anticipation growing now from the previously laughing nay sayers, the HWTSS race had the front straight lined with people. I was ecstatic hearing that people thought I was the one to give Mr. Batey a run for his money on the factory backed Vesrah Suzuki. As we line dup in our grid positions, Trey was starting on the front row and I was on the 3rd row. I knew I needed that consistant, great launch I get and go deep on the brakes past the handful of bikes in front of me to tuck in behind the leader, Trey. BAM, green flag waves and I was shot out of cannon. At that same moment the guy in front of me on row 2 wheelied so out of conrol and very amateurly sat it down to the left where I was. I had to get on the binders so hard and check up from rear ending him that my race was finished for the lead. I put my head down and charged hard turning a string of 15's which had me way out in second place by lap 3, but not enought o catch the leader. Settled for a boring 2nd place finish.
Then cam the 600 Natl. Superbike race, this was to be just a really fun race and prove in a BIG way that "YOU CANNOT JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER!" I head out for the warm up lap and at really good pace I came out of T4 into the fast left hand T5, this is where I encountered an oddest situation I have seen in awhile. As I decide to take the long way around another rider, the outside pass, top of 3rd gear (about 90mph.) This Yamaha R6 mounted rider who was initially leaned left as he should be, driftts even wider, than anyone needs to in that corner, then realizes that I am there, panics hard enough that he tucks the front (crashes hard from excessive front brake use), and now his crashing, sliding bike is ready to hit me. I stood my bike up hard and gassed it off the track away from the carnage and now I have my own carnage I am trying to stop! I will admit, my butt was eating the seat I was pretty scared! lol Through GOD and the ability HE gave me, I stayed with it, did not give up, mild rear brake, and clutch in I was able to save it. From there I looked back to see the other rider laying there. First thought was DAMN, I saved it, I looked up and thanked HIM, then I just felt bad for this guys move he made. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured rider in this incident.
The BMW just grunted through the deep sand run off area and made it back onto the track. Once up to speed I rodunded T9 just as they through the flag to start the race! LOL I just put my head down and was at least 5 seconds off of 37th place in last!!! Now this was funn with two "n's"!!!!!!! I had a blast catching the field and blatsing our underrated BMW R1200S to a 12th place finish in the 10 lap race!
Now the weekend is winding down, I am pretty happy with the results considering,a nd For Sunday I had 3 great helpers in Ron Riggins, Damon Gooch (Col. US Army), and Bob Hancock! All loyal BMW motorcycle owners! Then we found out that the injured rider form the warm up lap melee stated to an official "I rear ended him" and forced him to crash! LOLOLOL You have to be kidding me. 1) I was on the wrong end of his bike to be rear ending him (his handlebar end and front brake lever has left some serious bruises on my left shoulder, as he stood the bike up into me), 2) 90% of the time you get rear ended or in the other riders words "ass packed", both bike crash, 3) there is not a nick on my bike not even a scratch. CSI Savannah eh'?!
Regardless, I hope he is recovering well and fast. There is a long season ahead of both of us.
Next I am practicing in Las Vegas at Las Vegas Motorspeedway for an upcoming WERA WEST race in June. BMW Motorcycle's of Las Vegas is one of the leading BMW dealers in out conquest to prove to the motorcycling community that WE have the machines be class leading on and off the track!
Cheers,
N8!
I cannot even begin to tell you the great feeling of getting back on pace/form from last October, finding a great set up that I think will be a great baseline setting for many of the tracks I go to, and just taking OUR BMW to a new arena (series) furthering our conquest!
Some pessimism entered my mind coming into this weekend. Alot of things have to fall into place for a clear head and focus. Finidng out about this race weekend last minute was the first thing. Second, there was no techs/mechanics available due to illness/deaths in their families, which I felt bad for. It was a very humbling experience to go to the track on my own which has not happened for awhile. Unloading bikes, equipment, rolling each bike to tech inspection, then going back with helmets/leathers, yadda yadda... Now time for balancing act getting bikes on rear stands, front stands, tire warmers, after getting the many feet of cord from the power box...
Missed the whole mornings practice sessions, and now lunch break has faded and it is time to start back up practice. SO, finally some seat time. Chasing set up issues at Daytona and trying to shrug off some new life issues off the track was my biggest competition starting my 2007 season. Soon I would find that 2007 has finally arrived! I was really happy to figure out the issues with regarding my A and B bikes differences. The forst batch of R1200S BMW's that came late in 2006 with Ohlins (sport Supension package) had a rear shock that had a body length of 16cm. The BMW R1200S I received as a laterproduction date, with Ohlins rear, has a 16.5cm rear shock body length! TADA! Just that 10mm in difference was pretty drastic.
(I will finish this posting in a bit, I have no more Jack Frost Latte left and the place is filling up here at the Cocoa Bean cafe)....
Ok back online, so Friday had one practice at 20 minutes, then upon closer insepction of the schedule I noticed there was qualifying! The WERA/AMA Natl. 600 Superstock, 600 Superbike, and Heavyweight Twins Superstock classes are super competitive with the latest and greatest 600's that are at least 60 lbs. lighter and 4 inch shorter wheelbase. When asked in tech inspection which classes we are going to run, I said the 600 class, that was met with a couple laughs... Again, new arena and alot of folks may have read or heard about what we have accomplished on the BMW motorcycles we have raced, but they are going to see first hand what the hype is all about.
Due to changing wheels, I was only able o roll out on the track with 4 minutes left in qualifying. That gave me an out lap and one flying lap to get in the fastest time I could, with one lap. Wound up 17th out of 38. lol Friday's time was a 1:17.8 as I recall. My goal and thought's were set at breaking into the 16's, period. The way the bike was handling, not knowing if I was going to have to keep running the same tires for a bit, I just did not know. So 16's were just reaistic to me with the set up/geometry issues I was chasing. Saturday was a chilly 40 degrees for pactice witha serious headwind down the front straight. I was on a shagged rear tire from the day before, as the new asphalt at the track was hard on tires. With that same set of tires, I ended practice in less than favorable conditions 6th fastest (600 practice) with a 1:16.7! WOOHOO! I knew it could only get better with warmer weather. It was awesome.
That was great, Saturday was just practice. Sunday were the races and I elected to sit out the 600 Superstock to concentrate on Heavyweight Twins Superstock, with a great racer by the name of Trey Batey. He is a great racer and has gone undefeated inthe HWTSS race for 3 seasons or so. Sunday practice just got better! Ripped off a 1:15.6 in practice and by now I was really excited too being back to the ol' N8! from 2006. With great anticipation growing now from the previously laughing nay sayers, the HWTSS race had the front straight lined with people. I was ecstatic hearing that people thought I was the one to give Mr. Batey a run for his money on the factory backed Vesrah Suzuki. As we line dup in our grid positions, Trey was starting on the front row and I was on the 3rd row. I knew I needed that consistant, great launch I get and go deep on the brakes past the handful of bikes in front of me to tuck in behind the leader, Trey. BAM, green flag waves and I was shot out of cannon. At that same moment the guy in front of me on row 2 wheelied so out of conrol and very amateurly sat it down to the left where I was. I had to get on the binders so hard and check up from rear ending him that my race was finished for the lead. I put my head down and charged hard turning a string of 15's which had me way out in second place by lap 3, but not enought o catch the leader. Settled for a boring 2nd place finish.
Then cam the 600 Natl. Superbike race, this was to be just a really fun race and prove in a BIG way that "YOU CANNOT JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER!" I head out for the warm up lap and at really good pace I came out of T4 into the fast left hand T5, this is where I encountered an oddest situation I have seen in awhile. As I decide to take the long way around another rider, the outside pass, top of 3rd gear (about 90mph.) This Yamaha R6 mounted rider who was initially leaned left as he should be, driftts even wider, than anyone needs to in that corner, then realizes that I am there, panics hard enough that he tucks the front (crashes hard from excessive front brake use), and now his crashing, sliding bike is ready to hit me. I stood my bike up hard and gassed it off the track away from the carnage and now I have my own carnage I am trying to stop! I will admit, my butt was eating the seat I was pretty scared! lol Through GOD and the ability HE gave me, I stayed with it, did not give up, mild rear brake, and clutch in I was able to save it. From there I looked back to see the other rider laying there. First thought was DAMN, I saved it, I looked up and thanked HIM, then I just felt bad for this guys move he made. I wish a speedy recovery to the injured rider in this incident.
The BMW just grunted through the deep sand run off area and made it back onto the track. Once up to speed I rodunded T9 just as they through the flag to start the race! LOL I just put my head down and was at least 5 seconds off of 37th place in last!!! Now this was funn with two "n's"!!!!!!! I had a blast catching the field and blatsing our underrated BMW R1200S to a 12th place finish in the 10 lap race!
Now the weekend is winding down, I am pretty happy with the results considering,a nd For Sunday I had 3 great helpers in Ron Riggins, Damon Gooch (Col. US Army), and Bob Hancock! All loyal BMW motorcycle owners! Then we found out that the injured rider form the warm up lap melee stated to an official "I rear ended him" and forced him to crash! LOLOLOL You have to be kidding me. 1) I was on the wrong end of his bike to be rear ending him (his handlebar end and front brake lever has left some serious bruises on my left shoulder, as he stood the bike up into me), 2) 90% of the time you get rear ended or in the other riders words "ass packed", both bike crash, 3) there is not a nick on my bike not even a scratch. CSI Savannah eh'?!
Regardless, I hope he is recovering well and fast. There is a long season ahead of both of us.
Next I am practicing in Las Vegas at Las Vegas Motorspeedway for an upcoming WERA WEST race in June. BMW Motorcycle's of Las Vegas is one of the leading BMW dealers in out conquest to prove to the motorcycling community that WE have the machines be class leading on and off the track!
Cheers,
N8!
posted by nate_kern at 7:19 AM
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