Hello Again!
I know that the 2009 season will have many challenges both on and off the track, but I am ready. I am ready because past obstacles and hurdles mage me strong, and I know that 2009 will be conquered just as past seasons were. Through perseverance, passion and belief in BMW Motorcycles, along with the freight train with no brakes that of BMW riders and others that support me…WE WILL WIN.
The 2009 season started this past weekend. Yes, I am racing BMW Motorcycles. The opportunities that have been knocking went unanswered due to my belief in the “conquest” to prove the true performance of BMW Motorcycles.
I entered and raced four races at Daytona International Speedway. With a first, second, third and fifth place finish, my equipment let me know that they were tired from never being freshened up. That, though, is the true measure of my BMW Motorcycles race bikes. They keep running; they keep going regardless of the relentless pressure of staying up front versus sky-high revving Japanese and Italian competition.
Robbing parts from the trusty R1200S to get the HP2Sport right was the answer in the epic race of the weekend – the 600 Grand Prix race. Starting 17th for the 6-lap race, I knew we had our work cut out for us. With a great launch and a rather nutty pass here and there, we were in fifth starting the second lap. At that moment going into Turn One, we were 4.1 seconds off of fourth place, and in a four-way battle for the lead. Briefly it crossed my mind to settle for how tough it was to get to fifth, knowing they (top four spots) will draft themselves away from me. I put my head down and did what I knew I could do better – crush the infield section and show that we were not just going to roll over and settle for fifth without trying.
With my single HP2Sport and no back-up HP2Sport (nor parts), I decided to hand that bike its own ass. I rode it as hard as I could. Making up ground over the next 2 laps, I drew closer and closer until I caught a whiff of the draft on the exit of the chicane. We then passed for fourth and now the leaders were right in sight. That was enough to send me into overdrive. With this 600 Grand Prix race of seriously modified 600’s that rocket around the high banks, our seemingly big air/oil cooled Boxer was hauling the mail! The only places I knew I could get by was truly “The Long Way Around” on the outside of Turn One, on the brakes. That is a nutty pass; it is using the small part of the tire due to heavy lean angle, coming from top of 6th gear down to 2nd (2nd due to the ultra tall 2.54 final drive ratio) gear.
I committed to going up to the wall and not shutting off until the one marker I made the pass on the outside and at that moment we were 4 wide into one. First, second, third and I headed hard into the left handler and being on the outside was truly the WAY long way around (Ewan has nothing on this). With the final slip of the clutch, backing my way into second gear. The driveline hooked up into a nice slide while re-engaging on the small part of the tire, all the while with my knee planted and sliding across the asphalt, I was on a fine line with the front brake well on and the rotors wanting to pull me down into the ground. For every hop of the front wheel, the front end tucked then caught, tucked then caught, due asking too much of the front contact patch (asking it to turn, hold weight of bike up, and slow down). I rode the final line trailing that deep into Turn One. This was the only way to let them know I was coming.
After easing off the lever and lowering my center of gravity to the point I was resting my elbow on my inner-knee, the bike kept turning and heading into Turn Two and I was now in third!
From there the infield was the best point of taking the lead. We were all over them because that easy part is riding, the banking was the tough part coming up, lol. Without a safe pass and knowing I should not be leading at Daytona on the last lap, I sat back. I sat back a hair too long going into 6. The rear tire was already going off and not giving me the optimal drive any tire should give you after only 6 laps. Well, our rear shock has three hard seasons on it and no budget to rebuild it. I tucked for all it was worth and turned it to the stop. The HP2Sport’s flawless shift assist was beautiful and at the line we were 0.5 seconds from the win. Settling for third was a better feeling than the and second place (by 0.001 seconds in the National ASRA Pro Thunderbike) later that race weekend.
N8!
I know that the 2009 season will have many challenges both on and off the track, but I am ready. I am ready because past obstacles and hurdles mage me strong, and I know that 2009 will be conquered just as past seasons were. Through perseverance, passion and belief in BMW Motorcycles, along with the freight train with no brakes that of BMW riders and others that support me…WE WILL WIN.
The 2009 season started this past weekend. Yes, I am racing BMW Motorcycles. The opportunities that have been knocking went unanswered due to my belief in the “conquest” to prove the true performance of BMW Motorcycles.
I entered and raced four races at Daytona International Speedway. With a first, second, third and fifth place finish, my equipment let me know that they were tired from never being freshened up. That, though, is the true measure of my BMW Motorcycles race bikes. They keep running; they keep going regardless of the relentless pressure of staying up front versus sky-high revving Japanese and Italian competition.
Robbing parts from the trusty R1200S to get the HP2Sport right was the answer in the epic race of the weekend – the 600 Grand Prix race. Starting 17th for the 6-lap race, I knew we had our work cut out for us. With a great launch and a rather nutty pass here and there, we were in fifth starting the second lap. At that moment going into Turn One, we were 4.1 seconds off of fourth place, and in a four-way battle for the lead. Briefly it crossed my mind to settle for how tough it was to get to fifth, knowing they (top four spots) will draft themselves away from me. I put my head down and did what I knew I could do better – crush the infield section and show that we were not just going to roll over and settle for fifth without trying.
With my single HP2Sport and no back-up HP2Sport (nor parts), I decided to hand that bike its own ass. I rode it as hard as I could. Making up ground over the next 2 laps, I drew closer and closer until I caught a whiff of the draft on the exit of the chicane. We then passed for fourth and now the leaders were right in sight. That was enough to send me into overdrive. With this 600 Grand Prix race of seriously modified 600’s that rocket around the high banks, our seemingly big air/oil cooled Boxer was hauling the mail! The only places I knew I could get by was truly “The Long Way Around” on the outside of Turn One, on the brakes. That is a nutty pass; it is using the small part of the tire due to heavy lean angle, coming from top of 6th gear down to 2nd (2nd due to the ultra tall 2.54 final drive ratio) gear.
I committed to going up to the wall and not shutting off until the one marker I made the pass on the outside and at that moment we were 4 wide into one. First, second, third and I headed hard into the left handler and being on the outside was truly the WAY long way around (Ewan has nothing on this). With the final slip of the clutch, backing my way into second gear. The driveline hooked up into a nice slide while re-engaging on the small part of the tire, all the while with my knee planted and sliding across the asphalt, I was on a fine line with the front brake well on and the rotors wanting to pull me down into the ground. For every hop of the front wheel, the front end tucked then caught, tucked then caught, due asking too much of the front contact patch (asking it to turn, hold weight of bike up, and slow down). I rode the final line trailing that deep into Turn One. This was the only way to let them know I was coming.
After easing off the lever and lowering my center of gravity to the point I was resting my elbow on my inner-knee, the bike kept turning and heading into Turn Two and I was now in third!
From there the infield was the best point of taking the lead. We were all over them because that easy part is riding, the banking was the tough part coming up, lol. Without a safe pass and knowing I should not be leading at Daytona on the last lap, I sat back. I sat back a hair too long going into 6. The rear tire was already going off and not giving me the optimal drive any tire should give you after only 6 laps. Well, our rear shock has three hard seasons on it and no budget to rebuild it. I tucked for all it was worth and turned it to the stop. The HP2Sport’s flawless shift assist was beautiful and at the line we were 0.5 seconds from the win. Settling for third was a better feeling than the and second place (by 0.001 seconds in the National ASRA Pro Thunderbike) later that race weekend.
N8!
posted by nate_kern at 8:59 AM
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