Started out with our usual late packing start on Thursday, which this month results in one of the neighbor's coming over to threaten us with eviction for our "constant" inconsiderate behavior. I'll have to start watching out for what he does and complain to him too. Sheesh.
We leave Really Early in the morning to get to FasTrack, and meet up with Cecil. Poor Steve ends up spending 90 minutes wrestling with our new tarp, which hadn't come with directions, and required cutting conduit pipes. He had called the company for measurements and found out when we got to the track that THEIR directions were wrong... so he had to cut every pole shorter to fit...
Cecil and I get to ride a few sessions together, and I'm feeling ok, until Cecil's wife tells me our times. (oh man. I thought I was FASTER then that!) I'm really _REALLY_ depressed and decide to try not to think about it much.
The fourth session comes around and I tell Cecil I'm going to follow him around. I lose him in turn two on his TL1000, but begin to catch up in the slow stuff starting at turn 3. Just as I'm coming around turn 4b, I see them start to wave a yellow flag, and as I look down the turn into 5, I see a blue suited body sitting in the middle of the track and I see a TL1000 on its side spinning off the side of the track...
my heart stopped. It was Cecil! I had automatically aimed for the inside line and kept my speed up, hoping I wasn't chopping someone behind me -- I see someone else go wide and nearly clip the TL1000 on the outside edge of the track, and I immediately aim for the next turnworker's station to tell them to throw a red flag, my heart in my throat, hoping that no one hits him.
By the time I'd gotten that far, the red flag had gotten thrown and we filtered off the track. Poor Cecil! when he and his bike came back, fortunately there was minimal damage to both, tho I'll bet he's still sore.
Liz took this all in good spirits and she and Cecil loaded his bike up, and picked up some good shots of him in turn 4 and headed on home. Then came the second depression of the day -- I'd asked squidboy to take one of the sessions he and I were sharing and simply slow it down so I could follow him around. He slows it down, and I lose him in three turns. :( I'm trying so hard I can tell I'm slowing myself down. I finally give up and just ride like I know how and head in after the session is over. Steve apologizes for losing me -- he doesn't like to look behind him, and hadn't realized just how slow I was -- he promises in the morning that he'll slow it down for me.
*phew, I'm tired! its hot!* we pack up and head to the hotel where a cool shower and In and Out Burgers and half a milkshake later, I'm fast asleep.
My Doctor had given me a couple of pills for the asthma and allergic reactions I've been having. I think they made me really REALLY sleepy as there was NO WAY I could get out of bed at 6 am... we didn't make it to the track 'til about 9 am, missing the first two rounds of practice. *bleah!* Steve didn't care as he was going to do the endurance race. I just wanted to make sure I got in all the practice sessions I could. I was tired and still depressed and it was EVEN HOTTER today.
Steve takes me out for a few laps, and it sort of helps, I realize Im doing somethings wrong into turn 3, but still havent figured out what to do about it. I'm still getting more depressed at how slow my motions to go faster are. There are people in this class that come out and kick everyone's butt. I'm still the 'easy one' to beat.
Our new collapsible cooler was filled with bottles of water and ice and juice, and we drank and sweated and drank and rode and sweated and it just got hotter and hotter. Somewhere in the middle of this heated misery, I started to relax. and realized that I was starting to go into turn 8 in top gear. I still don't quite have a good line in turn 5, so I lose drive out of there... gotta work on that harder next month. I was definitely not as afraid of going faster -- maybe in the heat, my tires seem to stick better? or maybe its just that I'm less afraid when my brain is overheated? Its been a year of doing this after all -- I still wonder when and if I'll get any better. None of these track school seem to be helping, and I don't have 1800$ for Freddie Spencer, yet...
Jeniffer doesn't show up at noon like she promised, and I start to get worried. (we really HAVE to get cell phones.) She finally does show up -- the laundry and errand monster having caught her out -- much to my relief!
I'm definitely too tired/dehydrated after the 4 rounds of practice to do the 50 miler, so I get my carryover (which I've managed to misplace! its in the truck or the toolbox...) and go to watch Steve race the endurance event. As I'm sitting there, watching the race and jumping up and down, I notice someone wearing a "Cobra owner's club" shirt and he looks familiar. Its Unsmiling Dave! A friend of BrianK's and mine from JPL, used to work at Digital Domain or Disney or somewhere afterwards and now is part of a internet start-up... hey! Dave!!
After much tire changing and getting it all together, Dave, Jeniffer, Steve and I head off for a dinner of Italian food and much merriment. Steve, Jeniffer and I head to the hotel room where even the promise of Speedvision showing one of the two WSB races at Monza couldn't keep us awake. Two LaBikers are on their way to Italy now for some motorcycle riding -- I couldn't help but think I'd have preferred to add the WSB race as part of my itinerary if I were going, but different strokes!
I barely noticed the 500 GP race right after, falling fast asleep...
UP, bright and early, pack up the truck and head to the track.
I'm psyched, even though early in the morning its already HOT! today was to be the hottest day yet! we were drenching ourselves in cold water and drinking an equal amount but I couldn't stop feeling like I was slowly cooking.
Russ showed up on Li'l Red and Miz Victoria showed up with her M750... I was glad to see some more LaBiker faces to come cheer us on.
First race of the day was 550 Superbike, the one I'm least competitive in. I got my usual crappy start (I really must go dragracing soon...) but managed to keep squidboy in sight for a lap or two as he battled to get around Greg McQuide... soon, I lost everyone and simply tried to stay calm and smooth and not get lapped.
(Those Aprilias are fast.)
Second race was 500 Modified Production and at the green flag I get a slightly better shot and into turn 1, pass Ray Englehardt! I can hear his bike behind me and I concentrate on being smooth and consistent and as fast as I can go! I'm sure he's gonna come blowing by me any minute, but he's having trouble passing me (just like I do) since we don't have much practice... this was great! I was ahead of him! whoohoo!!! I keep my head down and come in second to last place! whoohoo!!!
Ray and I highfive each other, as we actually raced! Both of us were really happy and excited, and I can't wait 'til next month to do this again with him. This was _fun_! I came back into the pit cheering and screaming to Jeniffer, "I didn't come in last place!!!" Something started whirring in my head, and I couldn't wait for the last race of the day: 500 SuperStock...
Lots of red flags during the other races. The GPPRA race had two redflags, and three restarts which meant that almost 40 minutes goes by for that one race. They decide to cancel lunch and move the novice races between the Formula 1 and Formula 2 races...
We're sent back so they can clean up some more oil -- there was already a lot of greasesweep on the track and now there would be even more!
My second start in this race wasn't as good and Jay beat me into turn 1. I hunted him down and realized I was quicker in some spots then he was in others -- so I stayed behind him for a lap to figure out what he was doing.
I tried to pass him into turn 1 and ALMOST make it -- whoa! its high up here... and we're +looking+ at each other smiling as he beats me out of turn 1, so I begin to hunt him again into turn 3, but chicken out of diving under him and let him go by. I KNOW he's faster then I am into turn 5 but I cant figure out what he's doing (STUPID gurl stupid stupid!) and I catch up to him in turn 8 and now we're sailing in as fast as I've ever gone.
Then I make the really bad mistake of the weekend: I forget something really important... I forget that I'm not racing Jay Koblenz, I'm racing the TRACK, and suddenly get caught up in what he's doing -- I started sitting up and braking where he was sitting up and braking and that isn't _right_ -- I'm faster then he is into 1, but I let him slow me down to the point where I couldn't get by him the fourth and final lap.
I figure this out in turn 2, and chicken out again in turn 3 (i'm making chicken squaking noises as I'm hanging off for turn 4 a and b, showing him my tire...)-- I've figured out for next time what I need to do in turn 3, which is just dive under him, but I thought perhaps I could get him into turn 5 -- almost pass him, but his better drive carries him sailing into turn 6.
I'm giving chase -- this is the last lap! I have only TWO TURNS left to get by him and keep him behind me! Turn 8, I start catching up, and show him a wheel and as I downshift twice to get into turn 9 (the wind's picked up) I can SEE his tire tread, I'm so close. Whoa. A small part of my little pea brain is completely *screaming* at me -- what are you DOING? while the rest of me is exultant and ecstatic; I feel my toe touch down and feel the foot peg start to grind in the turn (I'm in an odd line, but I'm making up space....) Its not enough, and he JUST barely beats me at the finish line. I'm SCREAMING in my helmet -- I can not believe how much FUN that was. We're waving and cheering at the turnworkers who are waving and cheering back at us! I wonder if they enjoyed watching us dicing those last two laps. I know I did. :)
Those two races made everything I've ever done to get out to Willow worth it for me. I've still got a long way to go to a podium finish, but I think if I keep my head down and work hard at this, I might be ok at it... anywhoo, who cares! I still got to race against two really cool people, and the track still beat everyone, even those that came in first...
When I came back to the pits, I found out that our crew was thrilled by our race -- Squidboy spent the race dicing with Michael Martinez and beat him for third place. The whole group was just estatic and I'm so glad they all came out to cheer us on.
I was still flying for days after this... I want to thank my partner and best friend Steve "Squidboy" Moonitz, without whose help and encouragement, I'd never had made it. To Jeniffer "Pit Wrench" McMullen for everything she does to help us out. To Team Madsen (jane! get better soon!) for taping us, and letting me watch my own victories, to all the LaBikers who come out, and mostly, to the WSMC competitors that keep this class safe, sane and most of all, fun!
Thanks, y'all, see you next month!
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