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John Gateley CRA #969, Race report for 5/21-23/04 MAM

Friday and Saturday were almost a complete total disaster (how's that
for starting out on a positive note). I completed approximately 4
complete laps both days. My new bike was plagued by mechanical issues
and operator error issues, and I'm not smart enough to fix it
with tractor parts.

At one point, I didn't get a wire back on and it fell off halfway down
the straight. My arm got really tired sticking up in the air as I
limped around the course on one cylinder until the exit. Then Patty
had to kindly point out "There's a wire dangling there". Me: "It's
supposed to be there" (look at wire) "Ooops, it's not supposed to be
dangling".

There was a gas leak (I'd munched the o-ring on the quick disconnect)
and I finally used my spare race carbs to fix this. But when I put the
new carbs in, I routed the gas line too close to the tranny case, and
it would cause vapor lock after 1 lap. It took a long time to
figure this one out, and cost me my first race.

One session, I'd forgotten to plug the quick disconnect back in, and
ran out of gas on the way to the track.

The only positive side from the two days was the pointers I
got from Karl. I don't mean when he said "It's really hard
going slow so you can follow", I mean his pointers about my
lines.

Sunday started better, the vapor lock fix worked and I made it out for
both practice sessions. Then the first race: Sportsman and SuperTwins,
with lots of bikes on the track. I got an okay start, but so did
everyone else, and I got buried in the turn 1 traffic jam. By the time
I made it through, I was behind everyone else. I passed a slower GSer
on the first lap, and then trailed Sheldon and Pat (Motard) by about
100 yards for the rest of the race to come in fourth, Sheldon took
third, Pat got second, and Anthony Gallager was a distant first.

The second race was Ultralight Superbike. I got a nice start, and
was really suprised to be passed by Anthony Gallager later in
the first lap: "Hey, I was in first til that happened!", I was passed
later by Sheldon and Pat. I kept on Sheldon's tail for a little while,
and tried to pass him in 5/6. Turns 5 and 6 make a hairpin, but 5
is very sharp, and 6 is a gentler conclusion. I got a good drive out
of 5 into 6, and was passing Sheldon on the outside thinking "it's
a gentle curve, he'll never drift all the way to the outside
of the track". Unfortunately, he did and I had to let up. I couldn't
quite catch up after that, and trailed Sheldon and Pat by a few yards
until the last lap. Sheldon passed Pat, and Pat was struggling to
regain and then he lowsided in turn 11. I'm quite happy I didn't target
fixate and follow him into the damp sand at the corner exit, and I
finished the race for 3rd.

My last race (GP) was smaller: Sheldon had left for the day, and Pat's
bike wasn't rideable. But there were still enough bikes in the other
classes to leave me stuffed in the corner and trailing the rest with a
solid command of last place. But #515 was only a ways ahead of me, and
over 3 laps, I gradually managed to catch up. Then I tried a pass in
5/6 again. I figured that since Sheldon went wide, this time I'd try
on the inside. Sure enough, #515 stuck tight on the inside all the way
through and I had to let up. But then he made a classic mistake on
7/8. Turns 7 and 8 are two right-hand 90 degree turns stuck together
that almost make a single hairpin turn. But there's a tiny straight
between the two. Some riders try to make the turn as a single apex:
drive deep, throw it in, and power all the way out. But treating it as
two separate corners gives a faster line: hit the apex on the first
corner and then the second and drive out. #515 entered very wide
(doing the single apex) and I made a nice clean pass hitting the two
apexes. Then I felt pressure. I'd had a hard enough time catching up I
knew he was about as fast as me. I also knew my corner speed was
faster than his, and guessed he was faster in the straights. So, I
used the next two series of turns (9/10/11 and 12/13/14) to try to
widen the lead, and blazed through them faster than I had before. It
worked well until turn 14. A little old lady didn't see me and made a
left turn in front of me. I had to lay 'er down. Errr, I mean: I
threw the bike in, then "Hey, I'm sliding across the track... Hey, my
bike is tumbling in the grass.... Hey, I'm tumbling in the grass". 14
is one of the slowest turns on the track, and I'd been doing it well
all day, but I went in too hot and lowsided. I slid on my back across
the track, and then the grass/mud at the edge launched me into a
perfect triple barrel roll with side landing. When I hit, I mashed my
arm into my ribs, leaving them sore, but that was the only damage to
me. My bike's tail section is torn up pretty bad, and the front number
plate is ripped off, and one of the clipons is bent, but that seems to
be it. My lap timer is DOA too, but I haven't checked this very
carefully. The bike had a lot of attachments to prevent damage, and
they worked well. Gear: it's not just for you anymore.

Watching Karl race was fantastic. He's found competition, Jesse, #555.
They are running very similar paces, and Karl pulled some nice
moves to beat him most of the time. It was really cool seeing
the difference between the two lines in 7/8. Jesse was doing the
classic line, and Karl was doing the double apex. When Jesse was
trailing Karl, Jesse would start to catch up just as Karl was exiting,
but then Karl's drive out of the corner would increase his lead.

Pat, Kyle, and Dags were down there to work corners. Pat has
an unusual way of waving to the racers at the end of the race.
I won't say what it is, but I no longer want to see the butt
dance video. Thanks y'all for being there.

In spite of all my troubles, I can't wait for Brainerd
next month. My lap times here dropped from 2:11 (a month ago)
to 1:57 (and possibly faster, I don't have times from my last
race). Patty had a great time too, she loved wearing her t-shirt
and driving around the track to pick up my bike. She'll be up
at Brainerd next month too.