Basic Race Report...

It's been a very long winter. For me the taste has been bitter sweet...while the team turned in some respectable results last year, my double-crashing in Portland has left me wanting. Couple that with some extensive repairs, and finding the motor weak has left the pocket book stinging! But the checks have been written, the motor freshened, and the new parts installed - it was time to put the rubber on the road. We had hoped to get to the 4-hour in Portland, but a hectic work schedule for both myself and Andy has left the bike unfinished. This has made us even more eager to get rolling.

The paint was barely dry whe we loaded the SV into the van. Repairs over the winter include:

- replaced all valves and rings, milled the heads
- replaced both fork tubes
- replaced lower triple-tree/steering head
- replaced radiator
- replaced steering damper
- replaced instrument cluster
- replaced handlebars/levers
- replaced front fairing stay
- replaced windscreen
- replaced frame sliders
- installation of RaceTech cartridge emulators
- extensive repairs to the bodywork

The Portland crashes also took a toll on gear, requiring

- new leathers from Syed
- replacement of my RF-1000 helmet
- a fresh set of Carbon Comp Race gloves

Some pricy bits are included in this list - but following a test ride around the neighborhood, it's obvious the bike was tweaked last year. The final preparation was to put some break-in miles on the motor before we get to the track - in this case 28 miles worth.

A loading party on Friday gets everything ready to roll. John, Alan, Raber, and Scott are going to ride out to the track. The plan for them is to take to the track during lunch for a Taste of Racing - it will be their first exposure to Paciifc Raceway. Everything ready to go, there is nothing left to do except dream happy racetrack dreams and make it happen!

We get to the track right at 7:00 AM, and begin the process of hurry up and wait that is club racing. Once in the gate, we get one of the remaining paved pit areas and get unloaded. Having pre-entered, we expect to breeze through tech, but they've misplaced our forms. Waiting for 20 minutes in another line, they find the forms, and then it's back to the tech line. Sigh... Once teched, we finish setting up and button up and gas the SV for practice. Andy is first up to finish the break-in process of the motor.

The sky turns grey as Andy heads out. We left the DOT Dunlops used at the Portland race, and since the purpose of the first practice was to complete the break-in, the speeds shouldn't be a problem for the tires. His practice goes without incident, and we do a bike exchange as I'm up in the next practice. I go out, and immediately feel the better mid-range punch of the freshened motor. Drives are stronger, and the motor is running smooth. Unfortuneately, my body starts to complain early in the session. My left leg starts to fatigue after only 3 laps, making it tough to hang off properly in left handers - not good in a left-hand track like PR. I decide to come in a few minutes early, hoping the extra rest will pay dividends later in the day.

During the lapse in action, while waiting for the next practice, we take the spare wheels over and get a fresh set of slicks mounted up. The sky was clearing, the chances were good the remainder of the day was going to be dry. The next practice session up, Andy goes out. He has the green light now to go rip - the motor fully set. He goes out and tries to find his lines. He gets into some '48s, and hands the bike back over.

I take it out for my second session and try to find some time. After a couple '46s, I step it up a bit, and get into the '43s. My leg is still bothering me, but I try to move past it. I move through a group riders and try to find some open track. Going down the front straight, I start to smell something funny - there was the scent of hot oil in the air. I get through turn two and three, and going into four, I see the corner worker coming to the edge of the track with the debris flag - but no directions about where the oil is. I find out so enough... I back off a bit, and try to pick the oil out when I see a rider 20 feet ahead me go down. I try to bring my line inside, but already in the oil, my front goes away. As I slide out of the exit of four, a bike from behind me hits me in the back and gets ahead of me. Then after I come to rest, I get knocked around by the rider of that bike. Once things get slowed down and the red flag comes out - five bikes are down, and John Coulter requires an ambulance. Not lucky enough to low side his 125, he high-sided, landing solidly on his pelvis. Unable to move, I try to see if there is something I could help with. Once I know the problem, the corner workers are informed and I turn my attention to the bike. With only an hour or so before our race, I make sure my bike is on the first trip out on the crash truck. Back to the pits, our experienced crew starts triage. I find out later a Buell, although properly teched, still managed to break an oil line. Although its belly pan caught most of the oil, much of it sloshed out when it accelerated out of the turn...

The damage is relatively light. But in addition to fixing the bike, we still needed to change the break-in oil, and put on the spare wheels with the fresh slicks. Everyone gets started. The left handlbar needs to be turn back around, but it isn't bent, nor is the lever. The shift lever is bent around, our spare still needed a toe piece mounted. I drill out the old one, and we mount up the toe piece from the damaged lever. The rear inner fender requires some structural reenforcement. The major stuff is done before Taste of Racing is called, so we send out the team so they can have some fun. Raber stays behind and helps with the safety wiring and we finish it up. It gets re-teched, as do my now broken in leathers. It's only 15 minutes until the SuperTeam grid, we throw some stuff in the van, and I head down to the endurance pit area with the SV.

Just as Raber gets down to the endurance pit, they call us out for the warm lap. I head out on cold, fresh slicks with a front wheel/rotors that have never seen a race track. I head out and try to scuff them up as much as possible. Although there are three classes racing at the same time, they grid a 125 at pole, and me next to him. The start is a total cluster, and few riders see the 1 minute board go sideways. The light goes off, and some riders are left at the grid. I get a mediocre start, wanting just get some heat into my tires. As we head into turn three, I see waving yellow flags at all turns. Coming around turn nine, they have the re-grid sign out. Everyone lines up for the restart.

Everyone ready - this time, the start is much smoother, at least for me. Confident in my tires, I go for it. Nailing the light, I hold the holeshot until turn one where I get relegated to third by some horsepower. I get passed by one more coming out of turn two - but complete the first lap in forth overall. The events of the day have conspired to piss me off, so I ride with some emotion. I managed to get my times into the '42s with a couple low '41s. My leg is pretty much useless, so I use lean angle and the fresh mid-range to keep it going. 30 minutes in, I see my pit board, and manage to bring it home in one piece.

We decide to go without a fuel stop, and I simply give the bike over to Andy. Exhausted, I drain a Propel, and tear into a bagel. I check up on Andy's times, and he's hitting some 45s and 46s - personal best times for him. While waiting for the race to end, we get a visit from the pit steward. He was out inspecting the various pits for fire extinguishers and grease sweep. In the hurry to get our stuff down for the start, we forgot to bring down the grease sweep. Turns out noone had sweep - and everyone was fined $10 - oh well. The anchor riders for a couple of the other teams turn out to be pretty strong, and a couple eventually overhaul Andy late in his shift. Even though there is a bad crash on the front straight, the race is continued. Andy brings it home, and we anxiously wait for the results to be posted.

Quicktime movie of Tom getting through the tight bus stop chicane that opens up to the front straight... (8 meg)

Quicktime of Andy heading through turn 9 and the bus stop... (8.5 meg)

After the checker, we packed up the endurance pits and headed back to the regular pits. It was fun to recap the race with Andy, and get his thoughts on the race. He was a bit surprised about his times - first time out for the year, and a bit out of race shape and all. While the crew started the process of packing up, we headed over to registration to see if the results had been posted. We finished 3rd in class, 6th overall. Not bad at all considering the adversity of the day.

So the day ended better than it started. And once again, the team came through when we faced the adversity of my crash. It's too bad we couldn't have gotten started earlier - it would've been nice to be in better race shape. Now we're off until late July, and the next SuperTeams race at Spokane...

SuperTeams at Pacific Raceway...