WERA National – Miller Motorsports Park
What a weekend!!! It was all made possible by my friend Jeff Havlik who allowed me to car pool with him to Miller. Sure, my old truck would likely have made it…. But I sure would’ve been beat to crap – and broke! Thanks again Havlik!!!
Friday practice went off well… although it’d been 2 years since I had last seen Miller. I had *just* put the quick turn throttle on my R1, and needless to say, riding it for the first time made me a little nervous… not so much for throttle finesse… more like worried about throttle stickiness!
The first session was spent re-acclimating to the track, and making sure my throttle cables were adjusted properly… despite a billizon twists of the grip in the garage to verify a safe, springy return.
My transponder wasn’t charging right, so it was sitting at registration for most of Friday – just as well, because I was S-L-O-W!!!!
Near the end of the day, my transponder was good, and my pace picked up. In 2007, my previous best lap times were 2:13s. I was running consistent 2:15/2:14s in the last few sessions. Trying to hang with my fast buddy Mark, I was able to drop to a 2:12!
And I’ve completely fallen in *love* with my quick turn throttle!!!!
Friday, I get a text from my girl Kristi Martel… “hey! I missed Friday practice! Let’s do the 6 hr endurance race!” At first I was a little apprehensive due to lack of pit crew, but our friends jumped on board and were so enthusiastic and supportive!
Friday evening, after practice, we all pedaled around the track – showing Kristi around, as she’d never been there, and Havlik gave me some super sweet, top secret, go fast advice!
Endurance Race
I can’t thank the SoCal Supersport guys enough! Chad Henderson, Mark Crowley, and up and coming racer Drew Price. They hauled all their tools over and, essentially, were our pit crew for the endurance race! They supported us like one of their own for 6 hours, and were great supporters all weekend as well.
We got some more fantastic support from Tim Sharp, Roger Martin, Jeff Havlik, and we can’t thank Waffles enough for allowing us to borrow a set of rims so we could do a tire change!!!
Kristi had Drew start the race for us, and he did a fantastic job! Threw down some stellar lap times – 2:02-2:04s! – and ran for a full tank of fuel – about an hour. Lucky for him, he essentially rides the same bike.
Kristi was up next, and she was clicking off laps until she couldn’t shift any more… she came in, and they found a bolt that had backed out, resulting in poor movement from the shift lever. Her fuel was topped off, and she went back out to burn up a full tank of fuel! She did a stellar job! She dropped 4-5 seconds through the course of her stint, and made tons of progress getting comfortable with the track.
My stint started out with a very scary moment… they wanted me on the bike with the rear stand still on it – which means I can’t touch the ground. They then drop it off the rear stand and push it. I wish I had known someone had a handle on the bike the whole time, because when they dropped off the stand, I thought I was gonna drop it on the ground! lol! I squealed so loud, they all laughed at me about it later!
I was rolling along, clicking off horribly slow lap times, but once the GP shift pattern came back to second nature, I begin to drop more time. Couple that with the sweet moves Havlik taught me, and I really started dropping time! I was able to get down to consistent 2:10/2:11s for the whole back half of my stint.
They pulled me in once to change the rear tire.
We started the race on old Dunlops, SoCal Supersport gave us some used Michelins to run when the Dunlops went. The guys pulled me in because they were concerned about the rear tire. They swapped it out for the Michelin, and the resulting profile differentials caused the bike to do a little jig when flip flopping it from one side to the other! It was fun, and made me giggle a bit =)
None of us were riding at full out, so we weren’t concerned about handling issues on the two different brand tires while pushing the ragged edge. In reviewing the results on mylaps.com, I estimated that I did over 30 laps in that stint! When I got off the bike, my knees absolutely would *not* extend!!! I almost fell down!!! I stumbled to pit wall, got some assistance over it, and was stuck in the chair for a while!
We did one more round of stints, but this time Drew’s was shortened up when he pulled in to have the front changed. The front tire was at the wear bars on the edge when we *started* the race!!! 3 hours later, it finally started sliding!
When Drew came in, Kristi had him jump off, so she could get more seat time. The whole reason we did the endurance race was because Kristi missed practice on Friday, and desperately needed to learn the track before Sunday.
When she pulled in, it was my turn again, and I ended up finishing the race for Glamazon Racing! I had a pretty good rear slide coming onto the front straight near the end, but the bike held up so great, and I was again able to get down to 2:10/2:11s.
We entered Heavyweight Superstock so we could use my bike as a back up – just in case some unthinkable thing happened. But it turned out to be perfect, because as the back up bike, it was allowed to participate in the 30 minute endurance practice! Drew rode it around, and towed Kristi so she could learn the track. I was shocked at how my stomach was in knots watching someone else on my bike! Nobody has ridden it on the track except me! I was so nervous at first!!! Drew’s a great rider, and has a exemplary crash record, so, rationally, I knew he wouldn’t crash… but still… that’s my big boy!! lol
In the end, Glamazon Racing took 3rd in class! There were only 3 bikes in our class… but, hey, we finished!! There were several bikes that didn’t.
The weather and track conditions couldn’t have been more perfect for an endurance race! There were less than 20 teams out there, temperatures in the 70s, mildly overcast, slightly breezy… it doesn’t get much better! Glamazon Racing completed 151 laps in 6 hours!! I estimated my total laps to have been about 50-ish.
What a stellar day, and I can’t thank our pit crew enough!! They were so supportive, on the ball, and doesn’t get any better than having the fastest dudes in the paddock as your pit crew! Roger, Tim, and Mark are all top running Novices, while Drew and Jeff are front running Experts!
Sunday Races
It started sprinkling while we turned into the track… then it opened up and was dumping! People were scrambling for rain tires, and as practice got under way, some went out with DOT race tires, to realize they would simply be lucky to finish the race! I opted to leave my bike in the garage, on stands, with the warmers on low in the event the sun came out.
I left the rain tires to the guys who needed them to fight for their points standings. I’ve ridden DOT Pirelli race tires in the rain, and they SUCK! I had everything to lose, and nothing to gain from going out there. I gained a TON of confidence during the endurance race – running on old tires, braking, picking up the throttle – I wasn’t about to ruin it by going out in the rain – on a liter bike, on DOT race tires, with a quick turn throttle…
So I spent the morning napping and helping my friends. Kristi and I went up to watch the first race of the day – which I would’ve been in (A Superstock) and we saw Havlik keep it upright in the wet on his rains, while Mark took a 17 second lead over the 2nd place novice only to crash on lap 3. Thankfully he was ok, and the bike was re-teched on hot pit lane, and Mark was allowed to finish the race.
As I was napping, with the tire warmers keeping my feet warm as they were propped up on my rear tire… I hear Havlik discussing with someone that the track is drying and there’s a dry line. The sun had started shining not 30 minutes before hand. They were about to make first call for what would be my 2nd race! I threw my gear on, and couldn’t believe I went from napping to about ready to race! I’m so glad I kept my warmers on! I knew the track would be green, and the paddock was still damp, so I kicked my warmers up to high as I put my gear on. I decided I’d do the warm up lap, and make a decision based on the track conditions if I was going to race.
Formula I
The warm up lap showed the track was bone dry, with some damp puddles way off line in Witchcraft (the sweeper before the Attitudes)… *sweetness*
Now…. I had spent over 50 laps on Kristi’s 636 – with it’s GP shift pattern. During the warm up lap, I found myself having to relearn my standard shift pattern on my R1. Thankfully, I had lots of practice at this flip flopping as my 600 race bike was GP shift, and my R1 (as a street bike) was standard. I absolutely want GP on my R1, but the shiftrod-through-the-frame makes that difficult.
As we sat on the grid (2 flags) I take note that only 3 other people have DOTs on. Every single front runner in this class still had their rain tires on! Those of you not familiar with rains, they will literally just melt from the heat generated by riding on a dry track.
When our flag went, this was to be my first start with a quick turn throttle, and oh baby, does it help my starts!!! I felt my front end come up just a touch, but overall the launch went off well, and I found myself mid pack. As we went through T1, and into 2, I was having to focus on my shifting way too much, so I opted to just back it off a touch and get used to my bike again.
In the opening lap of this 6 lap race – Miller is 3 miles long, with a 3/4 mile long front straight – I was able to pick off my new friend Neil, as his rains went off immediately causing him to almost run off track as he slid all over the place.
When I saw these rains on everyone, I made a mental note not to pass *any* of them on the outside! LOL!
I was rolling with my friend Dave Thompson who rocks a 750, and we were both behind this guy JP who has a wicked fast ZX-10. I over took Dave at one point as we approached T1 – which on the R1, the approach is somewhere between 160-170mph!!! Damn is it FUN!
Dave was able to pass me back under the brakes as we came into the hairpin, and he stayed in front the rest of the time.
We came up on the next victim of rain tires, Bob, who rolls on a newer Honda 1000, which is ridiculously powerful! My R1 is stock from the mufflers to the EX-UP exhaust valve to the ECU, and being at 5000 ft elevation, I was significantly lacking in HP… thankfully I have a 50 lb advantage on these dudes, and a quick turn throttle =D
I was chasing Bob down, and set him up for a drive on the exit of the last corner onto the super long straight. I got just a smidge of a drive on him, but I wasn’t able to over take him until literally *right* before the brake markers for Turn 1!!! OMG!!! This was the ballsiest thing I’ve done all weekend! Bob’s good on the brakes, so I knew I was going to have to just bury it in Turn 1 to keep him from out braking me.
Thankfully the endurance race saw me practicing Turn 1 entries… but this time I was going a shit ton faster! I was inside of Bob, and the ass end of my bike wagged in response to my braking – which didn’t start till the 3 marker!!! I trailed braked to the apex cone, and the momentum of the corner just sucked me down into the bike – this was by far the fastest and hardest I’ve EVER taken T1…
As I’m at the apex, pushing my personal limits… here’s Bob, leaning on me, trying to go around the outside!!!!! I picked up the throttle, and he could not get a wheel passed my footpegs, and I shut the door on him as I flipped it back to the right for T2.
As we’re exiting T1, I see my pal Mark – riding much slower since he fried his rain tires going out hot in the opening laps of the race. I giggled and yelled at Bob in my helmet “Fuck you Bob… I’m gonna throw Crowley at your ass, and get you off mine!”
I trailed Mark through the next series of corners, hoping to get close enough to out brake him into the hairpin. His tires were so fried, I knew I could out brake him, but I also had to out brake Bob!
The approach to the hairpin was gnarly! I positioned myself just inside of Mark for this left handed hairpin corner, and with Bob hot on my tail, I had to balance out not hitting Mark – who was having to brake early due to his lack of traction – and keeping Bob from out braking me!
Thankfully, my line choice was so tight, it forced Bob to be on my outside – exactly where I wanted someone with rain tires to be… so if they lost traction, they won’t take my ass out too!
The hairpin is a double apex, where you apex early on the turn in, then drift out. I came in just inside of Mark, and when he drifted out, I drove it though the hole he left underneath him! I loved the double take look of surprise as he looked right at me as I went by!
Bob trying to get by both of us was forced to the outside of Mark! Bob and I split Mark, but I was able to use Mark to push Bob wider, thus killing his drive, and giving me some breathing room!
I accelerated hard and drove deep into the next right hander hairpin corner, knowing that Bob would easily get me on the brakes into this entry if I didn’t go hard! I picked up the throttle quick on the exit, and felt the rear end squirming under the opening of the butterflies as I drove it through Wichcraft, the high speed curve that leads to the chicane called the Attitudes.
The rest of the track – as this was the last lap! – I made my bike wag under the brakes, and squirm under the throttle as I did everything I could to keep Bob behind me!
I took the checkered in front of him, and turned around after I safely passed the finish line to find him about 8-10 bike lengths behind me!!
I took a 4th in that race… because I’ll be damned if I’m gonna get beat by dudes on rain tires on a dry track! LOL!
Bob gave me congrats, mad props, and expressed how much fun he had with me in that race while we sat at post tech. It was such a blast!!!!
A Superbike
Mark and I are always giving each other crap about who’s gonna beat who. Mark is routinely much faster than I am… but being at Miller put us more on a level playing field, in that this is his first time here, and I’ve had extensive laps between 2007 and the endurance race… that put our best lap times within just a few seconds of one another.
He set his bike back up for the dry, and I expressed how I was looking forward to racing him now that we’re fair and square – no handicap of rain tires.
I lined up on the grid, and got a killer start! I was running in 4th until I went for 2nd gear… the tranny just stuck there in neutral, and the gears just ground against each other while I tried to force it into 2nd. That pushed me all the way back to last… damnit! Oh well, I thought… let’s see what I can do…
I trailed behind another ZX-10 for most of the race, but just didn’t quite have enough to get by him. In the opening lap I was rolling closely with the field, but as we entered lap 2 of this 4 lap race, I found being stuck behind this guy was causing me to fall behind.
As we began lap 3, we came through T1, and I see Mark just up ahead! I thought… if I don’t pass one fucking person in this race, I just want to pass HIM! Hahahaha
I trailed Mark though the bulk of the track, and as we entered the Wind Up (2nd to last corner) the sweet, sweet new trick Havlik taught me allowed me to stuff Mark. He went out mid track, and I shot up right underneath him as he started turning in. I rolled around the inside of the turn, and I saw him out of the corner of my eye pick his bike up in surprise that I just rolled right in there! It was clean!
I flipped it over for the last turn (Release) and barreled down the front straight! I buried into T1, just as I had with Bob… I just *knew* I had lit a fire under Mark’s ass, and he was gonna be HOT on my tail!! I rode more aggressively than any other time the whole weekend because I thought Crowley was knocking at my back door! His bike is faster too, and I just buried it under the brakes, and wagged it’s ass end under the throttle hoping he wasn’t going to get back by!
As I took the last turn, I felt the rear end sliding as I picked up the throttle as quickly and as early as I possibly could knowing his bike could over take me under power!!! I put my chin on the fuel tank and buried it at the throttle stop!
I took the checkered in front of Mark, and once I was safely across start finish, I slowed up, and took a look behind me… way… way… waaaaayyy back there was Mark. In the end, I put 5 seconds between us on that last lap, and ran my fast lap of the day of a 2:10.1. What a stellar race!!!! Finishing 2nd to last never felt so good! Hahahaha Mark routinely destroys me in races, so this really was entertaining!
On the cool down lap Mark caught up to me, and gave me props for the race. Always a good sport, the man who’s been on podiums the whole season, just finished last, and was congratulating me on my ride. That’s what I love about this sport, WERA, and my fellow racers.
Over the last 2 weekends I’ve met just about everyone in my class, and it is SO much more fun out there knowing each of these guys!!! I find myself giggling half the time!
That’s what makes WERA so great… the great people in it =)
In the end, Sunday started off as a disaster, and ended on a stellar note!
Accomplishments & Accolades
After riding the endurance race on old tires, I had so much confidence in racing on my old tires. I never bothered to change the rear like I had planned. I figured with 2 races, they’d be fine – and they were, but on the last lap of the last race, they sure were squirming a lot!!!
I rode those Med/Med Pirelli DOT race tires for the 20 lapper and 3 x 8 lap sprints at Buttonwillow, plus Friday practice at Miller! Those tires had about 400 race miles on them after this weekend! I put on about 170 miles at Buttonwillow, and 200 miles at Miller!
I absolutely can’t thank my friend Jeff Havlik enough for taking the time with me while we pedaled the track to teach me some fantastic concepts! I feel as if this lap time rut that I’m in just had a big break through! I am so excited to apply what I’ve learned at the other tracks now too!
Chad, Mark and Drew from SoCal Supersport are way up high on my gratitude list for their support, camaraderie and all around great time over the weekend! You guys really made my weekend stellar! Mark, you’re such a good sport!
My racer girl Kristi.. omg… I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to you for inviting me to join you for the endurance race! That endurance session was HUGE! Thank you so much!!!!
I am so proud of you for braving the rain on your DOTs on Sunday morning!!! I’m glad you were able to get in some racing in the dry too!!! You rode stellar, and you helped make my weekend a fantastic one!!!
Tim Sharp and Roger Martin… you guys were a blast! I can’t thank you enough for the help during the endurance race!!!
Craig & the Washington Boys… you guys are awesome!!! Thank you SO very much for inviting us to share a garage! It proved invaluable in all the rain!!! Bring Jamie next time!!!!
Craig – thank you for the words of encouragement and the helping hand pulling warmers. It was great to meet you officially in person =)
And finally, a big thank you to my sponsors who always help make every weekend possible… without them I wouldn’t have help or parts – or Pony Magic =)
Central Coast Mechanics
M Racing
Ponyrific.com
Catalyst Reaction Suspension – Dave Moss
RaceTech
Bike911.com – Alex Assanti
Cambria Bicycle Outfitters
Pirelli – CT Racing
Gotmotoparts.com – Marcel Graeber
And thank you to all my friends who sent me texts and fb postings wishing me luck!!! You guys are great!!!
