Race report Round 2 AFM Infineon (long)

[Oneup]

This was an interesting weekend.  Infineon has yet to be good to me.  Everytime I have shown up to this track it rains.  The one day when it looked like it wasn't going to rain another rider highsided next to me and screwed up my foot when his bike hit me (it still rained).  The weather forecast for the weekend was mid 70s to low 80s and sunny.  I went in not knowing what to expect.

Friday:
Keigwins had a trackday on Friday.  Prior to this trackday he sent everyone an email explaining that this day was going to be extremely fast.  He stated that if you couldn't run a consistent 1:52s you should switch to one of the B+ groups (no B-).  He has been known to pull people out of the A group that couldn't keep up.  Since I had no laptimes at this track I spoke with him and based on my lap times at other tracks I should be ok.  This day is insanely fast.  There were several AMA riders there including Jake Holden. 

During my second session I was going into turn 7.  I was already on the brakes when a rider came around me on the outside so fast it startled me.  I look up and see a stock GSXR 1000 with the license plate bracket still on and the brake lights taped up.  Considering the speed he was going (I'd never seen anyone going that fast into 7) and the fact that he was on a stock bike I figured that there was going to be a really bad crash.  The rider entered a little wide but threw the bike into the corner and made it!  It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen.  I found out later that the rider was former moto gp racer John Hopkins.  His talent level is amazing even compared to the top AFM and AMA riders.

The third session I went out with another novice racer that I am close to in lap times.  Around the third lap I was going into turn 2 I see him come up the inside.  I was surprised at him making such an aggressive pass but didn't think too much of it.  I waited a second to give him room and started turning in and realized he wasn't turning.  I kept trying to turn in but he just wasn't turning.  Next thing I knew I was in the grass headed right for the wall.  Because of the short run off I decided to ditch the bike and grabbed the front and rear brakes.  I hit the ground and tumbled into the wall.  Before I could get up Micah (the rider) was asking me if I was ok and apologizing.  I was ok and the bike was still rideable.  It turns out that his gloves got hung up and he couldn't get to the brakes.  He felt bad and offered to pay for any damages that were caused by the crash.  We got back to the pits and assessed that the only damage was a bent clipon, cosmetics, and I was pretty sore. 

We got the bike rideable again and I managed to finish out the last two sessions.  I was pretty happy because I was able to set a new best time of 1:51.  I knew I had to go faster to do well in the race but I was happy with the times considering I had crashed and it was my first real day there.

Saturday:
I woke up Saturday sore but too excited to pay any attention to things like that.  Practice went well.  I was stuck in a bunch of traffic all day but I was able to get myself down to 1:52s.

Clubman Middleweight:
I was gridded sixth and really excited when I went around on my warm up lap.  We lined up and I could see a clear space with no one directly in front of me.  It is a huge difference to be staring at open track instead of the back of 30+ riders.  The green flag drops and I got too excited and dumped the clutch.  The bike did a huge wheelie and tried flip.  I managed to get it under control but made it through turn one in about 12 place.  I took a wide line around turn 2 and managed to beat almost everyone into turn 3.  By the time came out of turn 4 I was in third place right behind the leaders!  I was following them for the first two laps looking for a place to pass.  The leader looked like he was going to crash in every corner and the second place guy was all over the place.  On the second lap he went into 9 too hot and I tried to pass him on the inside.  He came back onto the track really hard and nearly took me out.  I got right back on his tail and tried too pass him in 9 on the next lap.  I ended up going in too hot which threw me wide on the exit and Micah slipped past me putting me into 4th.  I found out he had been behind me the whole time and couldn't get around me until I made a mistake.  I chased them for the next two laps until we caught lap traffic.  I ended up getting stuck behind them into turn 1 and lost almost 2 seconds on the pack.  I was unable to catch back up to them and ended up in 4th with a best time of 1:49.00.

Clubman Heavyweight:
Again I was gridded sixth.  I decided I wasn't going to loop my bike this time and let the clutch out slower.  As soon as I had fully released the clutch I opened the throttle and the front wheel came up.  It wasn't as bad as the first race but it still wasn't good.  I came out of turn 2 in sixth and managed to get Brian on the brakes into 4.  I picked up another spot in turn 5 and proceeded to chase 3rd for the rest of the race.  I was running the same pace as him and couldn't seem to make up any ground.  I figured I was going to get another 4th until the last lap someone slipped by me on brakes into 9.  It turns out he started from the back of the grid and was running 2 seconds faster than anyone else.  I ended up 5th.

Sunday:
Sunday practice went well.  There was a lot of traffic but I managed to follow a faster sv guy around and work on my lines.

750 Superbike:
I went into the warm up lap excited for the race.  I came into turn 6 at the same time as another rider and decided that since it was just the warm up lap I would let him be the first into the corner.  I watched him go around me and realized that I had target fixated on him instead of paying attention to the corner.  I went off the track without getting any chance to slow down.  I tried to turn down the hill but lost the front.  My race was over before it started.

Luckily the crash was mostly cosmetic and I was able to get the bike back together.  I ended up missing the 600 Superbike race but was able to make the 600 Production race.

600 Production:
I was gridded 22nd.  Both my body and ego were sore and I had a few simple goals:
Make it to the starting grid, don't completely screw up the start, ride consistently, and finish the race.  I made it to my grid position, green flag dropped and I didn't wheelie.  I went into turn one in about the same place that I started.  I managed to pass a couple riders in the first few turns but was also passed by some other riders.  I ended up getting stuck behind a rider that I could not seem to get around.  I knew I could go faster but I needed to get in front of him first.  I tried a lot of places but wasn't really willing to pull the trigger and complete a really aggressive pass.  On the last lap going into turn 2 another rider tried to pass me on the inside.  I managed to hold him off but realized that if I didn't get some space he would probably get my by the end of the race.  I decided that I wasn't willing to give up any more spots so I made my move on the rider in front of me in turn 4.  I passed on the inside on the brakes and made a break for it.  I ended up finishing 25th with lap times in the 1:50s.  I was pretty happy to be almost back up to pace after my rough morning and feeling the way I did.  I can't wait for round 3.

I need to thank Lisa, Myron, and my Dad.  Without them I would not have been able to get my bike back together twice and do nearly as well as I did.  They made the weekend happen for me.

[XIII]

Great read and good job man! . Sounds like you are having a lot of fun sans the mishaps. One thing is bugging me though..no mention of at least trying to get Hopper's sig or share a few moments of biker bantering? :sadface. Well, he has been on the downside of his career but he is still an exGP racer...

I hope to do what you are doing at some point though. Man...that will be the best thing ever 

[Oneup]

I didn't find out it was Hopper until it was too late.  Wish I would have known sooner.  It's hard to believe but it's a lot more fun than trackdays.

[XIII]

I didn't find out it was Hopper until it was too late.  Wish I would have known sooner.  It's hard to believe but it's a lot more fun than trackdays.

...I don't find it hard to believe at all. Racing sounds like a ton more fun :lol. Of course, the type of fun is different.

[Justin]

This weekend sound likes the 'Little Engine that Could'

[Adiggity]

Good job Greg. Way to stay with it through all the mishaps. Isn't learning so much fun?! I can relate for sure. 

[Oneup]

I learned a lot more in round 3 when I highsided trying to pass for first.  I didn't get around to writing a race report but I'll write one up after round 5.