Although it was in cool moist air when the bike turned a PB in testing a few weeks back at Commerce, I said to Billy, I wonder if this new motor will start waking up like the 836 did after a few events.
True to form, the bike ran a stout 12.332 @ 114.48 mph in the Friday evening testing at Bradenton and backed it up the following morning with a 12.337 @114.70 mph.
I blew a fuse at the end of that run and by the time I got back, I missed the second qualifier that we weren't expecting as only one qualifying run was on the schedule.
The first round was called and I went with Billy to the lanes but after a few minutes, one of the team came rushing up and said come get your leathers on, the bike is running.
I rushed back, suited up and was in the lanes just in time for my first elimination round.
I didn't get chance to warm the bike fully and it was nearly 2 hours since it ran so I guessed it might not go as quick so I dialed a 12.35.....BIG MISTAKE....I got held up on the line as it was spitting with rain and the temperature of the oil went to 142...a flyer out of the hole saw me break out with a 12.244 pass @ 113.35.
As I suspected, the big motor was coming to life.
We were allowed to buy back in after the first round so new team member Larry went in search of where to pay with our $20.
It was all rush and the motor was still warm so I dialed down to 12.21 in the hope that I'd be somewhere near it. I came up against a Busa on a 9.03 dial and these things come past you like a steam train on the line so I wasn't planning on looking back as it's almost impossible to judge the closing speed of a bike traveling 50 to 60 mph faster.
BIG MISTAKE AGAIN...I did look back and I did sit up as he was nowhere in sight. I killed him on the lights with a .022 to his .363 and the big Samauto decided to put in another PB despite the sit up before the line.
The bikes new record now stands at 12.183 seconds, equaling a time that Billy had seen in a race a month earlier.
The first qualifier on Sunday was nothing special, the first run never is so I wasn't worried, 12.304 @ 114.21 mph.
Just over an hour later I was in the lanes chatting to my friend Manny on his 9 second V Rod, I met Manny at the Finals last year, quite an accomplished local racer, we were in his back yard.
I dialed down from my qualifier to 12.23, I knew I only needed a good light to beat him.
HERE IT IS PEOPLE...001....unfortunately it had one of these in front of it, - It was one thousandths of a second to soon
Just to piss us right off, Mr RED LIGHT BENTON did exactly the same, we both had -001 lights,
time to get the buy back money out.
I leave the 12.23 dial and go back to the lanes when called, I draw some guy on a 9.07 Gixxer 1000.
We both go into pre stage, I go to full stage and notice his full stage light come on then go off again.
Manny had warned me about a guy who tries to mess with your head on the lights and I thought I he had found me.
My first yellow glows bright and on the other side of the tree there is a equally great big bright RED.
game over, I make a steady pass and collect my win ticket on the way back.
We watch some of the races and I start to load things into the trailer that we don't need as it is starting to get dark, less to load later I'm thinking and then I hear the commentator talking about Manny who is on the line.
Panic stations, I get ready and rush to the line but it's to late, I've missed the call.
On the whole, it was a great event, we both enjoyed it as did Wilbur, Mike, Jerry, Kenny, Todd, Keith and our newest member Larry from a Benly forum that I frequent, thanks for all your help and support guys, we would have been lost without you.
Sam, retired.
