OMRRA Race report for 6/25
After a long break from the track, OMRRA took to the pavement at PIR for racing in sweltering 100 degree heat. Many personal bests were achieved despite the heat.
Here is one account:
I began my practice laps on Thursday during our Cascade Tracktime trackday feeling pretty good despite a 6 week gap since I've been on the seat.
Entering the first turn, I noticed the bike felt light, flickable and fun.
It didn't take long before I was keeping up with my teammates. Something I hadn't been able to do since the beginning of the year. Each lap felt better and better, and I decided to reel it in a bit to keep from tossing the bike.
Saturday saw the shock getting rebuilt, as I found the rebound was completely gone, and the bike was pogoing off of bumps on the back straight. With fresh tires and a refreshed shock. I put the bike aside to concentrate on supporting my team during the first of three endurance races in the North West series. The team went home with a 5th place in class with 3 laps deciding 3rd, 4th and 5th place. It was a close race.
Sunday morning warm-ups found me visiting Dave at GP Suspension to get final hydraulic tweaking done to dial in the shock. Happy with how it felt, I entered my qualifiers and broke the barrier I had all season. During my quallies and mains, I managed to dip into the low 16's with a 1:16:02 as a personal best.
Starting in the rear of the premier grids, I both enjoy and find frustrating the fact that we have to drill into the middle of a 50 bike pack, jockeying for position to beat out our class competitors of whom its difficult to distinguish with all the bikes bunched together. I made up positions in all my races, only to lose 2 positions to David Gill and Jon Walker, both on identical bikes to mine.
There were scoring mistakes during the day and I went home with 2nd place plaques, only to find out I'll be trading them for 3rd place the next time I see David.
Both are running very well this year, and I find I'm still losing to David, but I can run with Jon now, as I prove in the 750cc race Sunday Afternoon.
Prior to taking my sighting lap for the 10 lap mains, I learned to dump a bottle of water in my leathers. This soaks my shirt and instantly snaps me alert and sustains focus and energy for the entire 10 laps in 100 degree heat.
I attacked the 750 grid in the same fashion. Drive hard off the start trying to keep the wheel down and gain as many positions before the checker.
I enjoyed trading positions with Carlos, the club VP on his ducati, before he gaped me by a few seconds only to find just how gentle the throttle hand needs to be on a hot - greasy track. His highside gave me the lead in 750 Senior.
All I had to do was hold off Jon. I later learned that he had a foot control issue that wasn't serious enough to cause him to retire, but enough to be distracting.
The results of the weekend:
600 Senior Super Sport: 3rd place and 4th overall.
600 Senior Super Bike: 3rd place and 4th overall.
750 Senior Super Sport: 1st place and 1st place overall. A milestone achievement.
I couldn't have improved and raced this well without the support of Dave and the team of R&D Machine Racing. Darryl, Jason and the team of Columbia Moto-Sports have been backing me this year, and I'm trying my best not to let them down. They really set themselves apart from the other dealers with the team Barbequeue. The very nice folk that volunteer to come in and help feed a bunch of hungry racers definitely deserve recognition. Michelin tires felt especially grippy all weekend including the slickest part of the day.
Rick at SB Motorsports helps me with tire selection and suspension adjustment choices. I appreciate his help.
Dave and Barry at GP Suspension were invaluable this weekend, helping me with my shock woes. Huge thanks to you guys! Thanks to the volunteer crew that keep OMRRA running. Safety workers, scorers, and officials are all there because they love the sport. Tnank you for being there for us!
July is only a few weeks away. I'm motivated to stay fast, stay up, and stay consistent and defend my 1st place spot. We're half way through the season and nothing is decided yet. If you can make it to the track, do come down.
We have incorporated stunting, pocketbikes and open pits for visiting and viewing.
You can learn more at www.omrra.com.
Here is one account:
I began my practice laps on Thursday during our Cascade Tracktime trackday feeling pretty good despite a 6 week gap since I've been on the seat.
Entering the first turn, I noticed the bike felt light, flickable and fun.
It didn't take long before I was keeping up with my teammates. Something I hadn't been able to do since the beginning of the year. Each lap felt better and better, and I decided to reel it in a bit to keep from tossing the bike.
Saturday saw the shock getting rebuilt, as I found the rebound was completely gone, and the bike was pogoing off of bumps on the back straight. With fresh tires and a refreshed shock. I put the bike aside to concentrate on supporting my team during the first of three endurance races in the North West series. The team went home with a 5th place in class with 3 laps deciding 3rd, 4th and 5th place. It was a close race.
Sunday morning warm-ups found me visiting Dave at GP Suspension to get final hydraulic tweaking done to dial in the shock. Happy with how it felt, I entered my qualifiers and broke the barrier I had all season. During my quallies and mains, I managed to dip into the low 16's with a 1:16:02 as a personal best.
Starting in the rear of the premier grids, I both enjoy and find frustrating the fact that we have to drill into the middle of a 50 bike pack, jockeying for position to beat out our class competitors of whom its difficult to distinguish with all the bikes bunched together. I made up positions in all my races, only to lose 2 positions to David Gill and Jon Walker, both on identical bikes to mine.
There were scoring mistakes during the day and I went home with 2nd place plaques, only to find out I'll be trading them for 3rd place the next time I see David.
Both are running very well this year, and I find I'm still losing to David, but I can run with Jon now, as I prove in the 750cc race Sunday Afternoon.
Prior to taking my sighting lap for the 10 lap mains, I learned to dump a bottle of water in my leathers. This soaks my shirt and instantly snaps me alert and sustains focus and energy for the entire 10 laps in 100 degree heat.
I attacked the 750 grid in the same fashion. Drive hard off the start trying to keep the wheel down and gain as many positions before the checker.
I enjoyed trading positions with Carlos, the club VP on his ducati, before he gaped me by a few seconds only to find just how gentle the throttle hand needs to be on a hot - greasy track. His highside gave me the lead in 750 Senior.
All I had to do was hold off Jon. I later learned that he had a foot control issue that wasn't serious enough to cause him to retire, but enough to be distracting.
The results of the weekend:
600 Senior Super Sport: 3rd place and 4th overall.
600 Senior Super Bike: 3rd place and 4th overall.
750 Senior Super Sport: 1st place and 1st place overall. A milestone achievement.
I couldn't have improved and raced this well without the support of Dave and the team of R&D Machine Racing. Darryl, Jason and the team of Columbia Moto-Sports have been backing me this year, and I'm trying my best not to let them down. They really set themselves apart from the other dealers with the team Barbequeue. The very nice folk that volunteer to come in and help feed a bunch of hungry racers definitely deserve recognition. Michelin tires felt especially grippy all weekend including the slickest part of the day.
Rick at SB Motorsports helps me with tire selection and suspension adjustment choices. I appreciate his help.
Dave and Barry at GP Suspension were invaluable this weekend, helping me with my shock woes. Huge thanks to you guys! Thanks to the volunteer crew that keep OMRRA running. Safety workers, scorers, and officials are all there because they love the sport. Tnank you for being there for us!
July is only a few weeks away. I'm motivated to stay fast, stay up, and stay consistent and defend my 1st place spot. We're half way through the season and nothing is decided yet. If you can make it to the track, do come down.
We have incorporated stunting, pocketbikes and open pits for visiting and viewing.
You can learn more at www.omrra.com.
