I'll add pictures later, just waiting for something different & interesting!
June 2015, I won the first race, crashed in the second and took the rest of the season off. There are no leftover injuries except between the ears. Thursday before our first race weekend I took our "phase II" school put on by the clubs fastest pro rider. There are four other current or past pros that ride with six riders each. It wasn't to be faster, maybe more to be smarter and get serious track time and build some confidence. I felt pretty good.
I practiced all day Friday and was an absolute toad. I told Mike Rieck "it's the new me" I guess. Past years I never seemed to have an 8/10ths.... and sometimes that got me into trouble.
I told myself this season would be different, points be damned. But by the laptimes I was starting to wonder whether my wife was now controlling the throttle by telepathy.
Saturday's weather was perfect, and I won my P2 middleweight race. For the bump up P3 Lightweight start I was mired back on the 6th row (no points from 2015) and it took a while to work through and by then the leader had checked out. I worked my way into 2nd and rode well, felt good, off my old pace, but well faster than practice the previous day.
Sunday 3a.m. it started raining & I decided not to race. The morning was cancelled & by noon the track had dried so I suited up. We were 3rd race and of course the skies opened. I got to the front off the start and settled into an easy rythme and soon could hear some action behind. The rain continued but traction was adequate at the pace I was setting......until it wasn't. Some corners were fine, others gave me fits & I couldn't figure it out. I was looking for oil or a soft tire but it just appeared that the track was at a greasy point in spots. Four guys got past including Tim Voyer. Two were on Avon's like me, two on Heidenau's. I had a "large moment" on (i think) the last lap, had to ride off track and finished 3rd in class. I was sliding everywhere & it pissed me off because I didn't see anyone else with issues. The second race I watched from the stands.
. I decided it wasn't worth crashing. Ultimately I shoulda woulda coulda been out there as the track was nearly dry by the time the race ended, oh well. It's the new me remember!
My tires are like new (two races) wintered in a warm shop and I see no reason for them to "go off". Now I don't know whether to replace them or if it was just a track issue. On a dry track they'd be fine, I'll decide when I see the weather forecast before the next round.
My bike ran very strong. I struggled some with the GP shift pattern. Rev'd it to the moon a couple times, #$%* what a lousy feeling.
I'm happy for Tim as he is back in his winning ways. He ought to fill us in with his own exploits.
