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My Penske upgraded forks arrived today for the race bike.
Thanks to Meghan & Scotty Ryan at Trackside Suspension & Engineering for all their expertise with the Ohlins rear shock and my new forks!
Now it's time to get it back together and ready for the 2013 CCS Mid-West Region Roadracing Championships!!
The first step of the season is receiving my 2013 CCS race license.
I'm making a lot of changes to the bike and cannot wait to get it on the track.
Stay tuned!!
What do racers do when not racing? Go watch others race, of course!
Since I having some down time until I can get back on the track, I jumped at the chance to accompany three good friends out to Bonneville Speed Week, August 11 - 17.
It was sensory overload, with hundreds of participants, all trying to go as fast as possible! The place is so expansive and flat and so alien, it's hard to believe you're on Earth. We had a great time and who knows, there could be a Racing with Ralph salt flats effort in the near future!
I hate to report that the July CCS round at Blackhawk Farms didn't play out as planned.
I attended the Friday practice day to get some track time and some coaching from AMA touring pro, Paul James. Paul is one of my mentors and used to race a Buell XB very similair to what I race now.
The day had been going well although I was a little slow getting up to the speed I was hoping for.
Late in the day, after coming through turn one, I noticed the bike was slowing down. As I tried to move off the fast line, all of a sudden the rear tire started coming up and I realized the front brake was locked up and I was on my way over the bars.
Needless to say the bike tumbled and caused enough damage to end my day and Saturday and Sunday's races. After some medical attention, the only things that were apparent were that I'd skinned up my knee again and my right hand was swollen although not hurting.
I really appreciated all the help that Janet, Ben Schmidt (Paul's crew chief) and Paul James for all their help. We later figured out that the front master cylinder had seized up, causing the brake fluid to heat up due to friction and lock the front brake. Mechanical problems like this are so rare but I'm thankful it happened where it did!
Back home on Saturday, I made a trip to the 24 hour clinic and after an x-ray found out that I had broken at least one bone in my hand.
After visiting with a specialist on Monday, I learned that I had three fractures and the pleasure of wearing a cast for six weeks. Fortunately, no surgery will be necessary and I will miss the August round for sure.
It's been a tough season on me and my equipment but I'm hoping to make the September round at Blackhawk Farms, wish me luck!!
Since my first race of the year, at Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI., turned out to be a washout I decided I had to get back there and get a chance to race yet this season.
That opportunity presented itself by participating at the AHMRA, American Historic Motorcycle Racing Association, event at Road America June 8 & 9, 2012.
Because I’d had so little time on the bike I signed up for the Friday practice day. I noticed the bike was faster than I’d remembered but I also realized that I’d be off the bike for some time as I made several little errors getting comfortable around the track, especially in turn 5. After a few tire pressure adjustments, the bike started behaving better and my comfort level went way up. That is until I was leaned over a little too far in the chacane, the rear stepped out almost causing a high side! From then on I had to get off the seat more to keep the fat part of the tire in contact with the track. Lesson learned!
Saturday, June 9, 2012, Race Day
I decided to go out on the first practice, mainly to make sure the bike was ready to go, loosen me up and try a different line into turn 5. Everything went well so I was ready to race! AHMRA only has one class that my Buell is legal for so I had plenty of time to get hydrated and rested up for only one race. With temperature hovering at 90 degrees, shade and water were my main concerns until first call.
Battle of the Twins - Formula 2 Race
My class had a large field with 14 bikes and four other classes lined up behind us. I got a good start, immediately getting by several guys. Lap 2, I was moving up in the field but blew turn 5, ending up in the gravel but managed to keep it up but lost everything I’d gained. Through laps 3 - 5 I played catch up through the slower classes and managed to run down a few of the guys in my class. Last lap I was running well until a missed shift in Canada Corner caused me to run off track, tuck the front and end up in a low side crash into the gravel trap. Rats!!!
Fortunately the bike came through it with only a few scuffs and a bent handlebar. I got some road rash on my knee and shoulder from sliding inside my leathers, it didn’t look bad and after a brief trip to medical where they patched me up and I was
good to go.
It’s not the way I wanted to end my AHMRA experience but I did get some good track time in but now I’ve got to get healed up!
I ran the Go-Pro camera during the race, if you'd like to view it, check out this link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOZYgobPfNI&feature=youtu.be
Janet and I trekked up to Elkhart Lake, WI. for the our first races of 2012 Sunday May 6th. This event had races on both Saturday and Sunday but due to work committments we couldn't leave until Saturday.
Upon arriving, I got registered, found a pit stall, then it was off to tech. Even though it was the first time through tech inspection for 2012, I got through it without a hitch. That was it for Saturday so everything went back in the trailer and it was time to watch some races.
My teammate Craig Davis had a great weekend on his Buell 1125R, winning two races and taking second in another. Needless to say I was stoked for Sunday!!
Sunday morning brought very cool 48 degree temperatures with a threat of rain. With only one round of practice available I had to get with the program right away. Not only did I have to get up to race speed but also get comfortable again on the bike since I hadn't ridden it since last August!
The bike felt great and the Continental tires were sticking very well even with the cool temperatures. The only place on the track that was a little sketchy was turn five which was a little greasy. I heard later that the dew was coming up through that area so I wasn't the only one one who struggled through there.
After five laps I came in feeling good and hoping the rain would hold off so I could get at least one of my three races in but it wouldn't happen. Just as I got situated back in the pits the rain, lightning and thunder came in. It rained hard all morning and into the afternoon. I considered swapping to my intermedate tires but was adviced from a couple of pro riders that the conditions were not safe for them and unless I had full rain tire not to go out. I decided to listen to their advice and call it a day. I watched from under the canopy and saw a lot of riders coming in on the crash truck so I think I made the right call.
My next race will be the ARMHA vintage race at Road America, June 9 - 10. I've never raced with this organization or at this event but I'm looking forward to it!
Stay tuned!!
WOW, my newest race sponsor is a ROCK BAND!!
Thank you John Waltz and Foos Gold for coming on board for the 2012 race season!!
What started out as a band for one show has become so much more than that. In 2010 John Waltz (guitar, vocals, local legend) had been bitten by the Foo Fighters bug. He looked to his workplace to find his band. Nate Dalziel, a guitar teacher and hard rock aficionado was first in line for the second man on guitar. Waltz didn't have to look much further to find the bass player; metal god Scott Carey fit the bill quite nicely, thank you very much. Filling the other half of the rhythm section is Seth Luloff, drummer extraordinaire also beating skins for the local teen sensation Good Cop Rad Cop. Add in a super fan/manager and a name and these guys were set. For just one gig, right?
Not only has this band played in the raddest clubs in town since that first night, FOO'S GOLD books private parties and main stage appearances at local festivals. Catch them soon on a stage near you. They'll be the ones rocking your favorite Foo Fighters tunes.
