Thanks to Troy and everyone at Silver Eagle HD/Buell on the smooth transactions while purchasing my new 1125R. We did the deal on Thursday, a day I had off of work due to snow. I guess if I have to make up a school day in June at least it was worth it!!

The new Buell 1125R has arrived!!

It's finally here!! The new 1125R arrived at my local dealer, Silver Eagle HD/Buell late last night, was unpacked and prepped this morning and here I am ready to ride this afternoon.

Unfortunately, it's 36 degrees with lots of ice and snow still on the roads so this is as close as I going to get to the streets for awhile. I'll miss my trustly XB12R street bike but I'm sure it will end up in a good home.

No racing on this one but I am looking forward to lots of street and trip miles and some laps at a track day or two this summer!

2007 season results

As 2008 is getting started, I’m busy plotting and planning for the upcoming race season but I wanted to let everyone know how I came out in the points during my 2007 rookie season.

Racing in the Great Plains region of the Championship Cup Series is challenging as we race from Oklahoma to northern Wisconsin. With eight races on the schedule, I was able to attend three which would have been four had the Iowa Speedway event in Newton, Iowa not been canceled. So my first year was somewhat abbreviated but still a riot and a tremendous learning experience!

At the end of it all here is how I finished...

5th / 16 Amateur Lightweight Formula 40
12th / 32 Amateur Lightweight Grand Prix
13th / 25 Amateur GT Lights

Race Report #4 / Mid America / October 13, 2007

The last round of Great Plains Region was the “Superbike Shootout” weekend at Mid America Motorplex. Janet, Troy Walbaum, his wife, Sheila, and I took off Friday night for Troy’s first race weekend and my rookie season wrap-up.

The weather had looked iffy all week and as we drove just outside of Des Moines the sky opened up with some serious rain that stayed with us all the way to Council Bluffs.

Saturday morning greeted us with rain, rain, rain but once we got to the track and set up the rain had stopped but the track was soaked. Since it was so overcast there was no chance of it drying out anytime soon. The tire vendors immediately sold out all their rain tires so I just sat around waiting for a break in the weather.

Troy was itching to ride and decided to go out on one of the late morning practice sessions and after 4 or 5 laps came in and confirmed my concerns about how greasy the track was on race tires. But about noon the clouds parted, the sun came out and along with the breeze, quickly dried the track surface but everyplace other than that was still soaked.

After lunch there was one more practice session before the races stated so I finally got out on the track. The session went well and I felt like I was ready to go. As I came around for my last lap, Troy was just going out for his first dry laps. I’d been back in the pits for a few minutes when Troy rode in with the left side of his bike and leathers covered in mud and grass.

As he was riding into the last chicane the front tire had slid out and although he tried to save it, it was off into the rain soaked sod. He was fine but the bike had a crushed shifter lever and a broken foot peg. Sheila and Janet jumped in to help clean up the bike as Troy and I went to work on accessing and repairing the damage. We had everything required except for the foot peg. Unfortunately we were the only Buell racers present so finding an exact replacement was not happening. After some scounding, one of our neighbors discovered the the foot peg off is pit bike would work but unfortunately first call for our first race, Lightweight Formula 40 had been called so I went out without my teammate.

Race #1 - Lightweight Formula 40
I’m sure that the weather had scared several racers into staying home because there were only 7 riders in this class and with Troy out 6 amateurs took the grid with 3 experts. The flag dropped and I got blocked in a pack before I even got to Turn 1. It was my own fault as I didn’t get out well at all so I had to follow behind a couple of guys for the first 2 laps that I should have beaten into the first turn. I out braked one of the guys going into turn one but by then everyone else had checked out. I put my head down and managed to close the gap on the pack but some time at the end of lap 6 my concentration started to fade. I wasn’t as aggressive as I should have been the the guy behind me took advantage, passing me at the beginning of lap 7. I worked hard to get back in the game but he beat me to the finish. Dang, dang, dang!!!

So I placed 5th but I can’t be too disappointed as I kept it upright and never had any “pucker moments”. The lap times weren’t posted but I’m real sure I was much quicker this weekend than I was back in May. My heavily scraped knee pucks are proof off that!!

That was the only race I’d signed up for on Saturday and with a chance Troy would be race ready for Saturday we all headed out for a great meal and some rest.

Sunday morning was a repeat of Saturday but with thunder. After getting to the track, everything had been backed up by an hour and the rain was coming down pretty steady. Troy and I discussed riding but after visiting with the Pirelli rep it was obvious that it would be foolish to go out with any tire other than than full rains so we hooked up the truck and headed home. This was a tough call but as we drove home on a wet highway we both felt a lot better about it!!

So, that’s it for this year.

With that said I want to thank everyone who has helped and supported my racing efforts this year!! It’s been a blast and now with Troy and Mike Boomer set to race next year, the Waterloo Buell Boys could be a force to be reckoned with next year!!

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE!!!!!

Race Report #2 / Mid America / May 27, 2007

Greetings All,

Several of the F.A.S.T. crew made an assault on Mid America Motorplex last weekend for the Saturday track day and racing on Sunday.

Rain greeted us on Saturday morning but Mike Boomer and Dave Abbas soldiered on in race licensing and track orientation schools.

Now Mike is an officially licensed racer! His day went off without a hitch, he was very busy, the only time we saw him was when he came by to add fuel or from the grandstands.

Dave’s school went well with his class finishing up just before lunch. He got to go out and play the rest of the day.

By early afternoon the sun had come out and the track dried out so Troy Walbaum fired up his XB12R and headed out for some laps.

I also went out with the race bike hoping to get some shake down laps in to help set up the suspension for the races on Sunday and to get familiarized with the bike again. Everything started out fine but 3/4 way through the first lap the bike just quit running. As I was waiting for the session to end, I tried it again and it fired right up. After several minutes of thrashing to find a short or loose connection I decided to try the bike on the track again. After 6 laps it died again and on the way back to the pits, on the back of the rescue truck, it started right up. Needless to say I was at my wits end! The day was over, I locked the bike in the trailer and took the repair manual with me to the hotel for some light reading.

Unfortunately, Dave’s day ended with a low side and Troy did some agricultural riding but kept it up in separate incidences. Both guys are fine, Dave’s bike incurred only slight damage mostly thanks to recently installed frame sliders. Troy’s bike got packed with mud but sustained no damage.

Sunday morning arrived with no idea of what the problem was when Katie Boomer suggested that we disconnect the battery with the thought it might cause the ECU to reset. I was for anything that could insure the bike make it around the track for more than a few laps. So with no morning practice laps, I was off to compete in my first race of the day.

Race #1 - GT Lights is a timed race, 25 minutes long, so the idea is to get as many laps in as possible within that time frame. I got a good start and tried to get in the mix. The fast guys were gone in a hurry and I found myself circling around the course pretty much alone but it all worked out as I placed 4th out of the 8 amateurs. My fastest lap time was over 4 seconds faster than my best time on Saturday so I was very pleased.

Race #2 - Lightweight Formula 40 is the class I’m hoping to be competitive in but all the old dudes that race that class have the same idea! I had a great scrap with a guy on an older Yamaha over several laps which helped me a great deal. I noticed he had an expert plate so I figured he knew the fast way around the track but I did managed to get by him at the end, finishing 4th out of 6 amateurs.

Race #3 - Lightweight Grand Prix is a 12 lap affair but due to lots of red flagged races in the morning this race was reduced to 11 laps. I had a poor start and honestly, I was pooped, but I hoped I’d learn more by being out there, so there I was touring around by myself. Eventually, three experts blew by and I got motivated! I perked up and went in pursuit. I didn’t catch them but I did pick up my pace considerably and finished with my best lap times of the day, finishing 5th out of 6 amateurs. Good news, though, I found out later that this class pays cash to fifth place so I got PAID!! The checks were sent out Tuesday and I was so excited to hear that I won money, I forgot to ask how much!! I going to make an enlarged color copy of it when I get it, that’s for sure!!

All in all it was a great weekend even though we never figured out where the electrical gremlins went, so the bike will be going out to Silver Eagle for Reese’s critical eye as Troy and I are headed to the Buell sponsored track day at Road America in a week and a half.

Craig Davis took lots of outstanding photos, so I’ll bring them to our next meeting.

Ralph Longus

Race Report #1 / Blackhawk Farms / Oct 24,2006

Greetings All,

This is the first of I hope many race reports!
Janet, Brent Merrick and I left Waterloo about 4:00 am Sunday morning headed to Blackhawk Farms Raceway, driving through drizzle and rain, it didn’t look too promising for my first race day.

We arrived at the track about 7:45, got registered for three races, all 8 lap sprints, then I took the bike to Tech along with my riding gear. Everything went smooth there, so now I was officially cleared to race!!

I went out onto a very wet track for my first practice session dodging big puddles and trying to keep the bike upright, race tires are lousy in the wet! I came around for my second lap and noticed the meatball flag waving and pointing at ME! I completed that lap and came into the hot pits but took a wrong turn, the starter instructed me where to go and told me, “The Competition Director wants to talk to you!” Folks, that’s bad! I rode up the hot pit lane only to see a guy who looked seven feet tall watching me intently as I headed his direction.

I had made three newbee errors, all of which I knew better but in my haste and excitement to get on the track, I’d forgotten all three. I took my scolding and creeped back to where we had pitted. Not a good way to start the day!

During the second warm-up the track was still very wet but I stayed out for four laps, then came in. I started to seriously reevaluate this whole deal when suddenly and I mean suddenly the sky started clearing, the sun came out and it warmed up. I figured it was a sign!!

During the third warm-up session the track only had a few damp spots left on it so I was finally getting up to speed and could put a few laps together as I started to figure out the track layout. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I’d never ridden at Blackhawk before today! Anyway, Paul James, great guy and expert class #1 Buell racer flies by me, slows up and points to the back of his bike which means “Follow me”. So off we went, I know he was in coast mode but I was working my tail off to watch how he negotiated the many turns of the track in the quickest fashion. After a couple of laps, I lead and he followed to critique my lines. Back in the pits he gave me a few pointers and said I looked pretty good and it was apparent I’d put several laps in at Blackhawk before. When I told him it was my first time riding the track he said, “Heck, you’ll be fine out there, then!” Folks, I could have packed up and gone home happy, that great confidence boost set the stage for the rest of the day!!

RACE #1 - Lightweight GranPrix. Nervous? You bet, fortunately because of my late entry I was gridded in the back row. Flag drops, great start, I’m RACING!! Turn one, no problem, I’m on my way! That is until one of the back curves, still on lap one, where I made a small miscalculation and found myself off the track, in the grass but a quick look over my shoulder and I was back on course, more embarrassed than anything else and angry because a whole pack of guys I was ahead of whizzed by. The rest of the race flew by and I did manage to beat two other guys.

Two goals were now in the books. I’d completed my first race unscathed and I wasn’t last!

RACE #2 - SuperTwins, which was the largest field of bikes I raced in all day, I was gridded in the 11th row. Again, I got a great launch at the drop of the flag, I was motoring, then suddenly, there’s a motorcycle on the ground in front of me!! Luck, skill, I don’t know but somehow I missed it and the other guys around me! The race was immediately red flagged, Janet and brent told me afterward the guy launched on the green and stood the bike straight up in the air, I saw the aftermath. Fortunately, the rider was O.K. but his bike was severely busted.

After a break for oil clean up we were off again, not as good a start as the first one but still in the mix. During this race I really felt like I should be out there, passed and got passed in pretty close proximity but what a blast! I managed to string five pretty good laps together and beat a guy right at the finish line, beating four guys in the race, I was PUMPED!!

RACE #3 - Lightweight SuperSport turned out to be a pretty small field, not good for me. But again I had a great start and got my nose right in there. I was mixing it up with another Buell racer, then I out braked him in turn one and got around. I had my sights set on another victim but cooked into the last turn before the main straight too hot and into the grass again! No catastrophe other than my pride so I got back out there and beat two guys in that race as well.

Mistakes? Several. Fun? Unexplainable!! Will I do it again? Absolutely!!!! I wasn’t the fastest guy out there but I held my own and dropped my lap times through the day over six seconds and that’s BIG!! Brent really helped me a TON, keeping me focused, getting my lap times for me, reminding me about the between races checks and general moral support. Thanks, Brent, I’m REALLY glad you were there! Janet had a good time too, she’s a competitor so she got into it and of course is a great supporter of this effort.

Sorry for the length but it is the first report on a very memorable day!! I’ll post photos as soon as I get some.
Thanks everyone for your support!!

“Racer” Ralph