bwhip

Finally!

After a winter that seemed to last forever, racing season has returned, and I couldn’t be happier. Because I live in Boise, where we have no nearby track and some pretty cold winters, if I want to ride through the winter months it means driving 10-12 hours for trackdays. Doable, but expensive and just not the same as racing. I managed to make it to Pahrump in November and March, and to Thunderhill in February, to try to improve (or at least maintain!) whatever riding skills I may have developed.

Winter also tends to be expensive for me, as it seems that with all of that free time cooped up in the cold weather, I have lots of time to think about upgrading to better, faster bikes, and/or adding new, expensive parts to the bikes I have. Much to the detriment of future retirement plans, I did a fair bit of both this past winter, including buying an absolutely loaded ’06 Ducati 749R (I call it the 849, as the motor is really an 848) to replace my Honda CBR600RR, and adding some very trick parts to my 1098S, including a new Ohlins TTX shock, aluminum subframe, EVR slipper clutch, and having the forks revalved by Dan Kyle.

As the race season approached, I reviewed the results from last season on mylaps.com. I had a very fun and satisfying first year of racing, and want to make this one even better. Comparing my times with most of the faster riders, I found that I tended to do better on the West track at Miller than the East. I have set specific goals for consistent lap times on each track. There are certain racers here that are just clearly faster than everyone else – I mean way faster. I don’t expect to get to those times, but my goal is to be in that next tier of riders, which will mean cutting two to four seconds from my best times on each track, and doing it consistently (while staying safe).

Thunderhill and Pahrump are both great, fun tracks – but it sure was nice to be back at Miller! What a spectacular facility, and an amazing track. A rider can really get spoiled here.

Our first race weekend this year was on the East track, which is the tighter and more technical of the two sides. I made the 6 hour drive to Utah a day early, to have some final tuning done on the 1098, and take advantage of an extra trackday on Friday to get some practice in. It was cold! Temps in the high 30’s when I got to the track mid-morning. My first session out was around 10:30 AM, and of course I was using liners in my gloves, wearing a neck warmer, and wishing my leathers weren’t quite so perforated.

It felt great to be back out on the track, and the 1098 felt awesome. The new suspension upgrades made a HUGE difference, and the slipper clutch was fantastic. I was amazed to find that during that cold first session, I did a lap time that was better than my very best from the prior year! I hoped that was a good sign for the upcoming season.

SATURDAY

Practice day. Great to see all of my racing pals again, catching up on what we’ve all been doing through the winter. Quite a few people are on new bikes this year, with several fast guys having made the switch to Ducati 848’s. I knew the competition in my twins classes was going to be even tougher than last year. I’m now racing as an expert, having finished 3rd, 5th and 8th overall in my classes in the prior year. If you finish fifth or higher, you're automatically bumped up.

For this first race weekend, I’d signed up for four classes – SuperTwins (any twins up to 1098R’s, which are really 1198’s), Amateur GTU (a middleweight class made up of experts and novices – the class I finished 8th in last year), Twins GTO (twins up to 848’s), and Formula 40 (mature racers).

The weather started out very cold, but by about 2 PM started to warm up, with a forecast for race day in the high 60’s, which would be perfect.

I alternated between the two bikes during the practice sessions. They both felt great, with the only differences initially being that the 1098 felt more powerful, but the 849 seemed to be easier to turn. I made some minor adjustments to my fork settings on the 1098, reducing the compression by a couple of clicks, and speeding up the rebound by a click. That seemed to get the job done.

For the most part I was doing laps about a second quicker on the 1098 than the 849, and the lap times were very good and consistent compared to the ones last year. I found myself actually in the top 20% of the “fast” practice group, with quite a few guys asking how I got so fast all of a sudden, which made me feel great.

Saturday night I slept great – that is, I slept great until I woke up at 3:30 AM (thermostat issues in the RV meant that suddenly it was getting very hot). Once that happened, I couldn’t get back to sleep – too many thoughts racing around in my mind about the upcoming races – the starts, turn one, my “rivals.” Tried and tried to sleep, but no chance. Wasn’t happening. Oh well.

SUNDAY

Race day. The day I’ve been waiting for all winter. To say I was excited would be a ridiculous understatement.

Early in the morning the grids were posted. Interesting stuff. On the East track at Miller, the first turn is a really tight left, so an inside grid position really isn’t ideal, as it’s easy to get pinched off by riders cutting in from the outside. So what are my grid positions? 1A, 1A, 2A, and 3C. That means I’m on pole in two of the races, right behind pole in another, and then in the third row in the third race. I figured I’d better really get good starts so I could enter turn one first and not get cut off.

First race was SuperTwins, on the 1098. I like my chances to podium, especially since one of the top guys from last year has decided not to race twins this year. Some new guys are there, however, not to mention a guy in the second row who is legendary in Utah for being one of the fastest guys EVER – Shane Turpin, on a brand new 1098R. I knew he’d smoke all of us for sure, but I was determined to do well anyway.

I’d started on the front row before, but never from pole. That was kind of cool. I also hadn’t had a chance to practice standing starts with either the new 849 or since adding the slipper clutch in the 1098, so I just hoped for the best.

On the starts this year I found myself more excited and relaxed than nervous. I learned last year that one of the keys to getting good starts, aside from the technical aspects of clutch/throttle control, is that you have to want it. Not just want it, but expect it. Take it. I’m going to get the holeshot, period. Not a timid approach like “I just want to get off well and try not to crash.”

The green flag flies, and we take off. My plan is to get out quick and immediately drift right ahead of the other guys, so I can take the best line into one and not have it dictated to me by my competitors. The bike takes off well, but bounces into a nice wheelie. A couple of times last year my bike wheelied on the start and I shut off the throttle, slamming it back down violently, and screwing up my start. Not this time. I decide that I’ve got it under control and just ride it out. I’m getting good drive on my intended line, with a nice controlled wheelie. I’m thinking “Hey, this must look pretty cool!” It sure felt kind of cool. So far, so good as we approach turn one with me leading the pack.

All of a sudden, as if on cue, Turpin comes screaming across my line from the right and dives into turn one just in front of me, and proceeds to check out. The guy is just awesome. Very impressive stuff. I try to hang with him for a bit, but that’s not happening. Still, I’m in the lead of the rest of the pack of snarling big twins, determined to hang on to second place. I hear no one behind me, see no wheels coming up alongside, and ride a very long and lonely race to a second place result at the checkered flag. It was pretty strange, really. Lots of open track in front of me, just riding, trying to do consistent quality laps, hit my apexes, avoid mistakes, and stay out ahead. It worked. Good lap times and a very satisfactory result – although I was really hoping for some intense battles! I’m sure those will come.

Second race was the Amateur GTU. I’m on pole again, with a couple of really fast guys next to me on the front row, and a few more up-and-comers just behind. The kid to my right had beaten me several times last year, and on Saturday afternoon we had joked about how we were going to be putting on a show at the front together.

This is my first start on the 849, and it’s another really good one! Not as much of a wheelie this time, just a good, fast jump and drift to the right like I’d planned. I could see some guys in my peripheral vision to my right, but I was determined to get the holeshot. This caused me to take more speed into the very tight turn one than I was comfortable with, however, and I was definitely feeling like it might be TOO much. I was really careful with my trailbraking and line selection, however, and managed to get the holeshot and survive, flying out of turn one ahead of 20 or so riders.

Here we go again. Lonely. Open track ahead, wondering what’s behind. I sure wish we could use mirrors! I never see a wheel alongside, never hear anyone behind for the whole race! It was crazy. I assumed they were right there, but really couldn’t (or didn’t dare) turn around to look back. So, I just had to manufacture opponents in my mind, and try to keep a quick pace and hold them off, but not take unnecessary risks. I thought about how much it would suck to have a HUGE lead and crash stupidly. I thought about how cool it would be to actually finally win a race. I thought about all kinds of stuff. I even remembered to swallow once in a while, which is a luxury I’m usually not able to remember during the intensity of a sprint race.

Finally, after six lonely laps, the white flag appears – just a lap to go for my first victory. Is anyone back there? Should I push harder? Take defensive lines just in case? Or play it safe? I still hear or see no one. I wish I’d set up someone with a pit board for me.

With just two turns remaining in the last lap, without any warning, my young friend, the fast kid next to me on the grid, sneaks past me on the inside line. Huh? Where the hell did he come from???!! Now I have almost no chance to reel him back in. I try like crazy, spinning up the rear a bit as I chase him onto the straight out of the final turn, drawing closer and closer as I come up alongside him as the finish line approaches – it’s a photo finish!

And he nips me by nine-one-hundredths of a second for his first victory ever, denying me mine. ARRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! We shake hands on the cool-down lap, me knowing that I came that close, hoping I’d get a win sometime in the future so I don’t regret this one forever. I don’t want my future grandchildren rolling their eyes, saying “Oh God, he’s not going to tell that story about almost winning a race again, is he?”

Still, two races, two second place victories isn’t bad. Turns out the kid didn’t get a great start, and was running a pace about a second a lap quicker than me over the second half of the race, reeling me back in and just catching me at the end. I tip my hat to the kid. (Can you tip a helmet?) I’ll get him next time.

Race three was Twins GTO. This time I’m in the second row, again on my 849, behind a VERY fast guy on the pole, aboard his highly modified SV650 (rumored to be pushing 900cc or something). Some other very tough competitors on their new 848’s as well. Should be fun. I figure I’ll just follow the guy in front of me very tightly into the first turn, inserting myself ahead of all the other guys and forcing them to wait for us.

The flag flies, and he gets a good start, but mine is even better. I pull alongside him on the left (inside), with the torque of my bike putting me in a great spot. I sense that I can take turn one if I want it, but it would really put us both at risk, because now he’s about to cut my nose off. I decide it’s a long race and not worth it at this point. I figure maybe I’ll do like the kid did to me in the previous race – just hang back and go by him when it’s too late for him to do anything about it later in the race.

So, now I’m in second place, right on his tail, and he’s running just about the pace I’d become comfortable with. His corner speed and exits are excellent, in some places better than mine, but I’m able to brake much later than he is, so whenever he pulls away at all, I just catch right back up to him under braking.

I’m being patient, content to wait for a later opportunity, when suddenly my plan for patience is foiled by the sight of the front wheel of an 848 sneaking up alongside of me in the second-to-last turn of the first lap. Oh well, screw patience. As we head out of the final turn into the straight, I get a good drive and rip right past the SV and take the lead into turn one. Once again it’s nothing but racetrack in front of me, and who-knows-what going on behind me.

I manage to hold off my fast pal on the 848 for a bit, then he finally gets by me, and he’s flying. I try to hang, but find I’m just not comfortable at his pace just yet. Turns out he was doing 1:40’s, and I was doing 1:41’s, so, although they were my fastest laps ever on that track, he was doing just a bit better. Still, I manage to hold on for yet another second place victory – my third of the day!

I decided to bag the Formula 40 race, as I was pretty beat after my 3:30 AM wakeup, plus the fact that it’s one of the last races of the day, and I still had to load up, drive six hours, and have an early meeting the next morning.

Although I’m still bummed about letting the one victory get away, I’m thrilled with three second-place finishes in three classes, doing much faster lap times, not crashing, and I must say that picking up almost $900.00 in contingency and prize money didn’t suck, either!

I know that in the coming rounds, things will get even more challenging, as the other racers improve, get more comfortable with their new bikes, and I lose the advantage I’ve had of riding some through the winter - whereas many of them have not. Still, I’m determined to keep getting better, too. Starting the season, my goal was to get to consistent 1:40’s on the East track, and in the first weekend I’m already at 1:41’s. Based on the competition, it looks like I’ll have to change to goal to consistent 1:39’s!

Most of all, I’m grateful for the fun I’m having with all of the great friends I’ve made in the paddock. I’m also really enjoying helping a bunch of the novices, and watching them improve (until they start beating me!).

I can’t wait for the next round!

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ND4SPD

Great job buddy.

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Bacchus

Great write-up Whip, and congratulations!!!

Hammer

Great write up bro. Sounds like you are trying for Sandbagger 2008

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SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES. NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS

CBRVFR

Great report, and very well written!

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RedRider

Very nice...and very impressed!

luvtolean

Being out front of a race for the first time was one of the weirdest experiences I've ever had. Re-lived it a bit with the reading.

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NorthernRR

I was affraid to open ths... and I was right nice write up whip and congrats on the excellent finishes. Is that $900 going towards the next school?

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See you at Indy

Hammer

i would bet that $900 will go to KWHIP so BWHIP can go make more $900 checks.

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SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES. NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS

seamus

Congrats on the race wins, brother.

I bought a shirt in your honor..

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Richard Herald, The Gentle Giant

The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.
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bwhip

There's a man who understands.

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bwhip

They spelled it wrong - it should be:

bsecond

But hopefully next round!

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phobe

Shit and I was planning on being faster than you at Miller.

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Jetbdude

Nice write up Bwhip! Congrats on a awesome week-end!

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slickwill

Sounds like a blast. I hope my schedule works out to get see some of your races this summer. It's looking good so far.

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If it has wheels, I've crashed it, and some things that don't skis, snowmobile, card board box, giant tube, sentra, dirtbike, lawn tractor, grandmas bread tray, kayak, canoe, raft, bicycle, waterskis, tobaggan, horse, ATV, Now my CBR (women)

ONEvcs

Wow, very impressive. Congratulations.
Impeccably written also.
Thanks for sharing.

TornadoB8

Damn good job!

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evl_twn

Awesome

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tm_dearborn

Outstanding results and a great read! Keep the race reports coming.

ccwilli3

damn great writing and even more fantastic riding! WOW! Great work and you have definitely worked hard achieving your speed! I'm so very impressed and so happy to 'feel' like I know the superstar of motorcycleaddicts.org!

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ND4SPD

Is the motor home a recent acquisition?

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bwhip

You mean the kwhip Dog Show Express? That she hopefully will occasionally let me take for race weekends? Yep. She's selling her (very valuable) horse to pay for it (so she tells me).

It would be a nice rig for a trip to Grattan. I wish diesel wasn't $4.25 a gallon, though!

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bwhip

A few dedicated Canadians made the 15 hour trek down from Calgary for the races yesterday. Where were you?

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bwhip