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Cool shot from Thunderhill
by Gary Rather"
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Cool shot from Thunderhill
by Gary Rather"
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All other photos by Kathy Storin
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2001 Race Season
RKA Racing Team Page
Sears Point Raceway 06-03-01
Click on any photo for a bigger image
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I picked up "5" ... YES ... "5" seconds on my lap times this weekend!!!!!! 2:12.500 from a 2:17.300!! It was Sooooooo smooth .... into 2 and down into 4!! I still feel I am
going to slow in 7 and 11.
During practice Saturday my back went out. :-( I have had a bad back for 35 years but I have never had it go out on a motorcycle before. The last time it went I was getting up from the dining room table.
So Kathy helped me into my leathers and then decided to stay in the back of the practice group and see how I felt. During that practice I got a whole new attitude about carrying speed and passing. I was actually going faster by deciding the proper place to pass and not lose momentum. Well I thought the idea was great but in doing so Mike Norman from "G Force Motors" came over and lightly complained about my passing. I felt REALLY bad for a while and since my back was also killing me I was almost depressed that someone complained about my riding. :-(
I recapped what I had done spoke with my pits, Dave, Terry, Matt, Kelly etc. They assured me I had not done anything bad in their presence. So I decided not to be so depressed about Mike's comments and adjust my riding style if I felt it was needed. This is my account of that particular practice session.
First off Mike's times are apparently running in the 2:13 range so we are real close in times. I JUST got down to this time so just maybe I was riding more on the edge than I thought ;-) Hey it's racing ok ;-) I have been totally pinched off down the back straight to turn 7 on the warm-up lap by one of the top 5 riders and have never said a word, and I am SURE he did it just to let me know he was "da man". Not a problem. I have had a women slice by ass off on the outside going into turn 2 and you know what? It was her line and I had better back off or pay the consequences.
Mike passed me into 7 by out braking me on the inside, but I just motored around him on the outside (I was not going to give him the whole damn track) He said he had a wheel on me and I should have backed off. (Bull pucky ;-)) He got by me in 9 and I almost ran over him exiting 10. I out broke him (and 4 or 5 others) on the inside for a pass on 11 missing a down shift (Very Sorry about that move) :-(. He showed me a wheel on the inside into the chicane and I gave way (coulda dropped in on him without a problem ;-) )Then into 3A we caught Dave, Mike held his line behind Dave over
The rise and I tightened up and passed on the inside passing both Dave and Mike into 4. Then there was a red flag. and that was that.
Now Mike when you read this I want you to understand I understand, and I thank you for commenting on my riding and will take that into account. I just need another negative second opinion I guess. ;-)
Note: Mike Norman is the motorman!! If you want a motor call G Force! Not cheap though, but you get what you pay for. ;-)
250P
I have had a cooling problem with my bike since day one and I was VERY lucky this weekend (It will be fixed before I race again).
I got what I thought was a really good start, "Racer Girl" was to my front left right where I could see her ;-, Jack was to my right. I passed jack on the start YES!! Got right on Jer's back wheel and then let everyone behind me pass going into 2. :-(.
Once we settled in I took out after Jer, and at one point I actually passed her in 11,
(Check out the video links under the photo at left. I actually passed Jer in eleven, but ..... well look at the videos ;-) )coming out of the chicane she put the hammer down and I could just tell by her body language that she was NOT going to let the old fat man by again ;-). I finished 22nd to her 21st My BEST EVER FINISH!! I was still a little disappointed about not getting by Racer Girl, AGAIN until I saw my times.
I was ROCKING!!! 2:13.5, 2:12.5, 2:12.6, 2:13.3, 2:14.7 then the bike started overheating and I shut it down to a 2:17.7 and a closing lap of 2:17.2 (which was FAST last month ;-) )Luckily no one else got by me.
Terry finished 18th and turned a 2:10! WOW! BUT only three bikes between me and him ;-)
I beat Jack 27th YES!!! Have I put him away for good? See below.
I beat Dave 28th YES!!! Just a dream?
I beat Mike 25th (G Force)
Our newbies are doing GREAT!!
Raghu Belhur 39th with a 2:18 WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Mike Barentson 54th with a 2:23 ALL RIGHT!!!
Matt was 43rd JUST out of the teens with a 2:20.3 Damn!! Good ride Matt!! Next time you'll be into the teens for sure!
When I came in the bike was spewing water out the catch tank ;-( We pulled the bodywork off drained all the water and reloaded.
250SB
The start was another aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh affair and going into 3 someone crashed hard! Everyone put their hands up and we luckly rolled by, THEN I forgot .. We are STILL racing daaaaaaaaa back on the gas and away we go ;-)
About lap 5 Jack passed me exiting 11 and I said NO NO NO NOT JACK!!!! ;-) So I gave chase.
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| Jack's gunning me down! |
Jack's gunned me down!
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We passed 611 a novice 2 stroker and went on about our business with me RIGHT on Jack's ass trying to learn a thing or two about cornering ;-) The 2 stroke kept getting us on the straights then parking it in the corners .... Jack wouldn't have any of this and would go by, then I would get him on whatever side Jack didn't since he was WIDE in and cutting across to the inside like a rookie ;-)
Wellllllllllll going into 2 on the second to last lap my temp was in the red (Hello, in there anybody home? ... trying to tell you something Richard) I slid and blew the turn, thinking I was just OVER zealous (I believe I was spewing water on my tire at this point) I went on and into 4 blew the whole banana and went into the dirt......SOMEHOW I got back on at the entrance to 5 and then at the bottom of the carousel the leader of the 250SB race was just lapping me and has he passed me took the time to give me a thumbs up for the save!!!!
I turned real good times again for me. 2:14.3, 2:12.9, 2:14.4, 2:12.9, 2:19.9 exiting turn 4 and reentering the track at turn 5 ;-) and a 2:17.0 on the last lap.
 Terry 31st 2:10.3 knocking on the 9's boy!!!!!
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Jer 33rd 2:11.9 knocking on YOUR door Terry ;-)
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Jack 35th 2:12.0 Jack you let the 2 stroke by ;-)
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 Dave 36th 2:13.0 DAMN Dave's getting back on track ;-)
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 Richard 37th 2:12.8 Looking for 10's, Dave, Jack and Jer! |
 Matt 49th 2:21.6 Come on Matt
get the teens next time for sure ;-)
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 Kelly "The Man" turn 10 WFO. |
 Knut from "MAXMOTO" turning a 1:57
on his Aprila 250, WooooW!! AND a 10th place finish in 250SB!!!! |
Understand this is a 250 SuperBike race and the FIRST 250P bike was 23rd.
Both races the bike overheated during the last two laps and I slowed to
2:17's (Which used to be fast for me ;-))
Bottom line here (Finally ;-) ) I felt Sooooooooooo within myself ALL
weekend picking up 5 seconds!!
I will miss the next race. We will be in Redmond Oregon for the BMW National Rally. Sooooo hope to see ya all at Sears in August
Richard
894
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