phobe

... of the CMRA (That's CALGARY Motorcycle Roadracing Association ) Regional championship series.

My first dry race weekend, and first real competitive race after graduating from Novice to Amateur...

And damn was it a lot of fun!

This story starts back on Wednesday at a track night. I finally got to run a couple of hot laps in group 'A' and came away disappointed and frustrated. I was convinced that my newer, smaller, better handling 600 would allow me to lap faster than my big pig 1000 ever did. When I put the 1000 away last fall I was running consistent 1.30s with the occasional flukey lap just under that in the 29s. I was disappointed that my best efforts on my new 600 only put me in the 1.33-1.34 range on the Race City road course. I had registered for the "fast practice" for the race weekend (<1.28) and would have to "demote" myself on Saturday morning, lest I hold up the fast dudes.

I slept on it for a couple of nights and by Saturday morning I came to the conclusion that what I lacked was aggression. I could visualize a few places (basically everywhere) on the track where I knew I could open up the throttle sooner, wider, and for longer. I'd developed habits on the beast litre bike that translated poorly to a middleweight: braking way too much for turn 1 (more speed to deal with) and getting the bike fully upright before winding open the throttle coming out of turns.

Saturday is all practice, and I needed it. I hooked up with Harlan, a veteran racer and old friend of mine who was turning about the same times and was running in the same races as me. We played "leapfrog" throughout our practice sessions and showed each other a couple areas where we could improve. I was faster through turns 3 and 4 because I would grab a downshift to 2nd gear between 2 and 3 and drive hard between them, short-shifting to 3rd as I entered the fast sweeping turn 5. Harlan was taking the whole series in 3rd, bogging the engine slightly and losing a second or so. Conversely, I was holding him up through the 2 chicanes, but for the exact same reason. I was braking and grabbing a downshift, but he showed me how I could leave it in 3rd and carry enough speed through those sections to keep me in the sweet spot of 9-10000rpm for a solid drive out. So practice day was very productive, with my friend and I both getting our times down to 1.31.9.

Sunday's weather defied the forecast and started out a bit cold and drizzly. My races weren't until the afternoon, so I decided to wait for the beautiful sunny weather that was promised... I wasn't interested in repeating my round 1 routine of last minute tire changes. The weather did improve, and in the meantime I was able to enjoy the morning's races as a spectator. Some big money teams (who never showed up for the soggy round 1) had rolled into town and really shaken up the grids. Full-tits superbikes right at the 185 whp limit were wheeliing out of fast turns, shrieking, spinning and putting on a great show. Every time a group lined up at the grid I got butterflies anticipating my own race starts.

My first race was middleweight sportbike... a productio-based class with few modifications allowed and a horsepower limit of 125. The grid was enormous, with experts and amateurs thrown in together and upwards of 40 riders. I occupied the 31st grid position and made a poor start. I wheelied high, chopped the throttle, wheelied again and finally got away as a herd of bikes came past. By turn one I was able to pass a handful of them back, and a couple more by turn 4 before the groups started to spread out as riders found their own rhythm. I spent 1 or 2 laps by myself before coming up behind 2 riders that were having an epic battle, passing and re-passing each other multiple times through each lap. In most turns they were holding me up and my pace fell by a second or two but I absolutely could not pass them! They were so close together and their lines so wildly different that as soon as a hole opened up for a pass the other guy would be in it, and I just didn't feel like I could make a move without causing a wreck. This went on for the rest of the race, until the last lap, when a kid on a friggin SV650 came out of nowhere and outbraked me into the carousel hairpin, the second-last turn of the course! I tried to dragrace him to the finish line and nearly caught him, but he pipped me by about half a bike! I took some comfort in knowing that the kid was Cody Matechuk, prodigal stepson of a superbike champion and future racing star... damn though. While his SV may have been built up and blinged out, that's still probably a 20-30hp disadvantage, and the kid was running right there with me the whole time. I finished 12th out of about 18 amateurs. 9th would have been nice.

My second race was middleweight superbike, and this was the climax to my weekend. It's an open-class race, basically run anything as long as it's under 125whp, and the top 5 finishers report to the dyno immediately after the race. Experts and amateurs are mixed througout the grid, with a single waved start. My start from the 14th grid position was a little better, but not great. I fought a pretty good wheelie right through second gear and came into turn one with 6 riders behind me. In the second lap I was passed by a Buell 1125R. I tried to get him back but over the next 2 or 3 laps he just continuously pulled the gap on me until he was out of sight. I rode the next few laps by myself, and had way too much time to let my thoughts drift... I'm tired, I'm bored, I'm hot, my knees hurt... is it over soon? Is this the last lap? No? Another one? God! If this were a trackday I'd have exited the track by now. My lap times were in the 32s. With about 3 laps to go I hear an engine and a Suzuki sneaks around me on the outside of the carousel! And wouldn't you know, it's one of the 2 fuckers that was holding me up in the sportbike race! Well I should thank that guy because he woke a sleeping dragon. As soon as I realized who it was I think I might have shouted out loud in my helmet... "I don't think so BITCH!" And it was on. I had him back by turn 1 and all that bullshit that was running through my head was gone. I felt no pain and no discomfort, just pure aggression and adrenaline as I worked to keep him behind me. I cross the light again and glance at my laptimer... 1.28.7... My fastest ever and a full 3 seconds down on my next best. Another lap goes by, 1.28 again. I feel like a million bucks and I cross the finish line about 10 seconds ahead of gixxer guy. I finished 18th overall out of 23 mostly expert riders. What a rush!

What I learned:

I found 5 seconds over weekend, and it was in competition where most of them were found.

My 600rr has a lot more traction than I think it does. Wearing an SC2 (medium) Pirelli DOT rear, I progressively opened the throttle sooner, wider, and at greater lean angles all weekend and never once felt it slip. And I am now winding it open with a level of aggression that would have caused my 1000rr to spit me off rudely.

A race start is still the most thrilling rush I have ever experienced.

I've got a lot of work to do, and another 4 seconds to find if I want to run at the front of the amateur pack.

Racing kicks ass and I wish I tried it sooner.

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bwhip

I know that feeling!

I'm always quite a bit faster in the races than in practice.

Ain't that the truth!

Great report. Congrats, and thanks for sharing!

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ND4SPD

Did you picture like, slapping him, too?

Nice job Taylor.

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Hammer

Nice job

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TornadoB8

Thanks for sharing and nice write up. If I may be so bold I'd like to share a tip on the "wheelie starts". Instead of chopping the throttle to keep the front wheel down try feathering the clutch. This keeps the motor spinning and helps keep your forward momentum.

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macgyver

Good write up. Way to go Taylor.

RedRider

Nice racing...and writeup Phobe!

phobe

Thanks dude I'll give that a try

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Shenders1

Good stuff - enjoy the writeups.

Dropping 5 seconds in a weekend is no mean feat.

Purpdust

Just buy a full launch and Traction Control system , but be careful it has ruined amateur racing.

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CBRVFR

Nicely written - congratulations on your progress!

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davef

Yeah, even when you're racing my old van with your new truck

Awesome report Phobe, I've been looking forward to this second write up!

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bwhip

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phobe

BGPR Turns up the Heat

June 23rd, 2008

The Sun was shining on Western Canada’s Premiere Motorsports Facility for Round 2 of the CMRA regional motorcycle roadracing championship series and the roadracers of Team BGPR Schools shined brightly on the hot, dry, freshly repaired road course.

Brad “Big Show” Gavey, BGPR patriarch, mentor, and head cheeseburger party chef forgot to not drink a two-four of Coors Light on Saturday night and struggled in the start of the Heavyweight Sportbike Expert race, allowing approximately 67 competitors to leave him at the start/finish line. B-Rad was not defeated though, putting his Cro-Magnon head down, wiping the meat-sweat from his sloping brow and working his way back to an 8th-place finish on his heavy slow number 17 Honda CBR1000RR. After sweating out the beer and cheeseburgers Brad used the newly improved power to weight ratio to battle to a convincing 2nd place in the Senior Open race, defending his points lead in the Geezer Championship.

Mitch “Rat” Rathje AKA “Marlborough Man” was Pedrosa’d by some douche on a Gixxer in turn 4 during Saturday practice, damaging his number 15 Yamaha R1 superbike and bruising his pasty white thigh. Failing to properly repair the Rat Yamaha, Mitch entered the Heavyweight Expert race and in spite of running lap times that would have put him in strong contention for Mitchth Place, he and his motorcycle Did Not Finish. With 2 out of 3 requirements for a Gavey Hat Trick in the bag, Mitch stole Brad’s number 17 slow heavy Honda CBR1000RR and challenged the Open Superbike race. Determined to win and take the trifecta, Mitch’s strategy of “hoping that all the fast guys would crash out, especially Douche” failed to come to fruition, but the Marlborough Man still finished a solid 8th place in Calgary’s fastest race. There would be no Gavey Hat Trick.

Jennifer “Fish” Salmon opted not to race, still nursing a previous “upper body injury” though that didn’t stop her from proudly displaying her well-developed upper body to her BGPR and HardNox team mates. Now that’s Sportsmanship.

Mandy “Don’t f***ing call me Amanda” Mckay AKA Midge was able to keep her upper body clothed but showed everyone in the Novice races her ass, as she hosted a clinic on how to launch a racebike with her number 8 Honda CBR600RR. Leading both races through several turns, Midge fought hard and hung on for 5th place and 10th place respectively, defeating several challengers and racing with textbook consistency and smoothness. Still, had the BGPR crew not drilled a 3/8ths inch Barry Sheene cigarette hole in the chin bar of her Arai, she may not have been able to compete.

Taylor “Pretty Boy” King AKA “The Tan” was ecstatic about the sunny weather and accompanying UV rays. Skipping several of his practice sessions to fine-tune the golden hue of his freshly waxed chest, Taylor could not run the pace of the fast practice group he signed up for. After his novice win in round 1, the Tan’s handsome head was so incredibly swollen that he had to remove pads from his color-coordinated Shoei so that it would fit. However, after getting passed in the last turn of the last lap by an 8-year old on a SV650 in the Middlweight Sportbike Amateur race, the Pretty Boy’s ego shrunk from its previous “colossal” status to a more manageable “gargantuan”. The Tan finished 12th, and later finished (unofficially) 18th in the middleweight superbike race in his first weekend as an amateur racer. Taylor’s best lap times fell by 5 seconds over the 2 days, this in spite of having orange duct tape holding on his right knee puck which “totally clashed”.

The BGPR racers and crew had a lot of fun and would like to thank Pirelli, Coors Light, Trayr and the HardNox gang, Redline Motorsports and all the volunteers who made this weekend possible. See you at the track in round three!

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bwhip

Way to go, "Tan."

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CBR929RE

and of Jen.


good job on dropping 5 seconds. sounds like you're coming to terms with the new bike.

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ONEvcs

5 secs in one weekend? That is damned impressive. Good job, "Tan"!!!