SheepOfBlue

I did not crash, 100% of goals achieved

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A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way

SheepOfBlue

I did not take last, bonus points

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A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way

SheepOfBlue

Full story overtime but the short is I had a OK day. Lots of little aggravations that would be normal for a first race and no one showing you the ropes (thanks for the advice and help I got from members though ). Though I turned a bit slower than Fridays' best I was consistantly below my previous best at Barber. Due to the aggravations I had a hard time getting in a groove so my times were a great things as was not being last as expected.

I am whipped from a wild 3 days though and will just post the teaser to start.

Getting there a bit late I could not find a slot and parked on the third tier. I drop the gate unload the bike, setup the canopy standard stuff. Then I drop my tailgate to grab my bicycle and proceed to drop it right on the trailer crank...with my thumb in between . Well I start bleeding so I use napkins to gob up the blood then duct tape my thumb. I had to change my duct tape bandage 3 times during the day before I got things sealed up. On the way home I pulled the tape and my up until then numb thumb started to swell and have a bit more feeling. Not to bad but I am betting it will be a pretty purple in the morning.

One of the days annoyances was not having much feeling in my right thumb for the day.

Attached Thumbnails

   

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A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way

Baketech

Damn...bummer about the thumb, but glad you had a fun outing...

I really am getting the itch to get back down to Barber...

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"Ten times more charming than that Arnold on Green Acres..."

SheepOfBlue

Complete story on the way but:
HW twins superbike Novice: 6th of 13 from 11th on the grid
Senior HW superbike Novice: 10th of 11 from 11th on the grid

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A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way

RedRider

Nice dicing, Sheep!

SheepOfBlue

So back to the original:
So the bleeding has stopped and I am taped up so on to tech.... Nope Barber security comes and wants us to move our trucks (fellow from Decatur parked next to me). Well we are in process of doing what they ask, which would have resulted in zero change to space used, when security group two comes and proceeds to complain. First they want me to back the trailer against a hedge which would have blocked the gate so after me telling them no twice they agree to sideways with the truck next to it. My buddy was in the center. Again zero change in space used. Well as we get done they come back a THIRD time and want one more thing The fellow was nice about it though so we did it, third time of zero gain.

Well now I head to tech, kind of running late. They complain about my number plates , and want the flap removed next time (with the rear light that was properly taped). Now I could get ticked as by the rule book the rear is 100% compliant but I will say they were helpful and very thorough which also helps protect MY fleece so it will be gone next time without complaint

Well by now I am wound up and got about 4 minutes until first practice. I think better of it and sit down to ease into the day instead of rushing (one of my best decisions of the day).

Well all this time the fellow I am sharing my canopy with is reteching... he finally passes and we both relax waiting for the rotation to come around again (we had the same practice group). Practice two comes around and I am back into it. All day I was easing around trying to figure the system and this was no exception. I get down and go out toward the back of the group. Lap one, lap two, lap three, into turn one and someone crashes loosing the front about 50 feet out front of me (might be onto something there Seamus ). Easy avoidance but he is in a very dangerous place so they wisely toss the red fast. So 3 laps with one to warm things up then a 1:52 followed by a 1:50. Not bad but not in the groove by any measure.

So I figure out the starting pattern that confused my with help from a WERA official and get back wait wait (I am race 11 and 14). Finally the Heavy weight twins

I get down do a warmup and grid up. My clutch was releasing a bit strange all weekend (I am going to pull the cover and check it) and decides to act up a bit. I get things settled and we are ready to go.... Now my primary goal was to NOT CRASH and figure things out. At that time I think I was at 99% of my goals. So I got a slow start since I was being very cautious (not wanting a meatball on the first race). We are off down through one and into five. I am still very tentative and start consider working my up by the back straight. Things are going well and I actually get by a couple of people. Well I am going and there is a gap to the guy ahead of but I think I might gain it. Now I am into the chicane and wam through comes a white plate. Kind of surprising as I didn't expect to get lapped THAT early . Over the hill and whoosh #2 Into turn 14 (yes the REAL 14 not the bizarre WERA turn numbers) and between there and 15 here comes the pack I run way wide onto the front as I get pushed way out (not their fault all passes were clean and they were all game on mode). Well I get sorted and back on rhythm and the gap to the front of me just went way up Well I get back on pace and ran pretty consistent from there out at 1:49ish. Down 17 seconds so even without the bobble I doubt I would have been near 5th. Oh and when I got in it sunk in that was not my group lapping me it was the 2nd wave V7 group experts Just a lesson as next time I will be ready for the on slaught (and hopefully they will catch me anywhere else than there).

Overall not a bad first run and I was figuring 8-9th so I was pleased that it far exceeded my goals. Winding up 6th was even better

Now onto the Superbike old fart class. I am at the back of the first pack in second wave. Line up the clutch is being nice now and I am ready. Again being very conservative I get of last in my group. We head down the hill into 1 and around 2-3. Up the hill I pass A guy out of four and settle into the pack into 5 three wide (hoping to get around a couple through 5). Well out front of the 3 of us someone tucks the front (note Seamus). Inside guy fixates a bit and drives second guy out which puts me further out. I am slowing and trying to bend it back in but there is a bike in the way (not his fault). Well I get out on the grass and it becomes obvious I need to cut the radius of visit the nicely raked pea gravel. I decide that a direction change greater than what I am doing is not a smart thing so stand it up a hair to enter the pea gravel. On entering I get back on the gas slightly and start paddling so I don't get caught up in it. I just ease out the other side and look back to see traffic then up ahead. Well zero traffic and one guy also on the grass about 20yds up on the edge of the track. I figure inside guy was able to correct and get back inside (if he had stayed in it was a non-issue for him) and #2 was down track. Well I eased down the grass and back on track. My beach trip made lap #1 a 2:05 despite the fact I was really feeling much more in the groove than race #1. Next lap down to a 1:51 then 1:48-9 again for the rest. Well I came in 4 seconds behind 9th after spotting 11 seconds on the beach lap No way I was catching anyone further up though. I did repass about half of the middle weights though.

Overall it was a good but aggravating day. Pretty much 100% of the aggravation was planning and not understanding the system though. Further it was to be expected and should not reoccur. Also I found it interesting that I could have run with Superbike A Novice and also beat a couple, similar in Superbike B Novice. So I suck but can beat someone

Also for KSSS students Lee Acree and Opie Caylor battled for 1&2 in A Supersport leaving the pack in the dust.

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A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way

Jetbdude

Congrats on a good week-end Sheep!

You should get a Tundra. Standard assisted tail gate, drops down like a feather

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The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best everything that they have.

DEPO

Glad to hear you got out there and let all hang out.....!

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Welcome to the Dance!

ONEvcs

That's very cool. Sorry about your thumb. Did you think about going "Ozie" on it? Just kidding...
Glad you had fun and made it back with most of your extremities intact.

CBR929RE

sounds like you had a good time. now go hit up the drag strip to practice your starts.

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if you can't fix it with duct tape, you haven't used enough.

SheepOfBlue

Or I could just pay attention for a small amount of time on my paid for GMC

The only disappointment (if there was one) is that I ran a 1:45 and 1:47 in the mock race Friday which could have put me in 4th in HW Twin. I was very concerned about being "that sheep" and crashing my first race though. Where Friday I was just riding, I think in the morning sessions I may have even been a spot faster (though no beacon so I am unsure). So a low of 1:48 while below my previous best was not what I had hoped for (excluding lap one I ran an average of 1:49 with my previous best being 1:50)

Today I am still tired and worn out so maybe I was more worn Sunday and that was the difference

One other thought:
They were packed on level one, half of level two (all that is usually open), all of level three and a couple of us were on level four. I cannot even imagine how you get that many people onto TGP's property let alone in the pits

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A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way

bwhip

Good job, Sheep! Congrats on a fun and successful weekend.

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Seamus is awesome. Seriously.

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Hammer

Damn, there were people slower than you out there.





J/K


Congrats on the finishes, and no crashes.

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SheepOfBlue

Scary ain't it

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A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way