AFM @ Sears Point May 1, 2005 Friday ------ I almost didn't make it to this one! I took off from work early but, the truck wouldn't start. 120,000 trouble free miles and it farts on me now. Arghhhh! Robert from purchasing used to be a mechanic and he helps me out for an hour but, it still won't run. Before hitting the phones to find another a truck I try google-ing it and the first hit sounds pretty good. Ten minutes latter I've got the IAC valve cleaned, re-installed and I'm on my way. Yippie! Traffic was pretty light and I make it to Sears Point in only 7 hours. The security guard even lets me in when I get there (after a little begging). Saturday -------- Wow, the bike is just a beast. I thought I had made alot of progress dialing the suspension in last time out but, the thing is a wild bucking bronco. From the amount of people that stopped by my pit to say, "Duuuuuudddeee!" I assume it looked even more exciting than it felt. About mid-day I experimentally try pitching it into a corner before it settles down and ruin my forty-something crash free race weekend streak. Boy, what a neat experience! The crash reminded me of one of Jeff Frost's; I was going through the corner when somebody just sucked the paint off of me on the outside. The bike looked strangely familiar and when I tried to tighten my line I looked down and saw that I had already crashed and was being passed by my own bike as it slid backwards and ahead of me. Doh. I leapt to me feet and started after the bike when I noticed the swarm of motorcycles scattering all about me so, I froze in place. Thinking that a stationary object would be easier to avoid the one scrambling in any direction. At least, that's what I'd want me to do in a similar situation. When the swarm passed, I grabbed the bike and got off the track and as far from the impact zone as I could. I looked over my shoulder and it appeared that the corner workers were still on the other side of the track so, rather than risk them running across a hot track I rode straight to tech. Creech was waiting for me and re-inspected the bike and sent me back out on my merry way! Less than two minutes had elapsed before I was back on the track laying down my best lap of the day. Sweeeeeeeet! When I came around the corner I had crashed in the corner workers were giving me the stink eye and sure enough, as I rounded onto the front straight, there was a meatball flag with my number on it. I thought the corner workers were giving me the evil eye but that was nothing compared to the start/finish crew! Ouch. I pulled into the hot pit but, Greg had apparently gotten word to them by then that I was cleared to be on the track and they were waving me through. I stopped anyway to make sure we were all on the same page and tore back out for the rest of my session. Crashed, teched, meat balled, and talked about it in two minutes. Greg, you are the coolest of the cool! Fun aside, my laptimes were putting me in danger of getting knocked off the podium and the tires were completely gone. In my last session of the day I was coming out of the carousel and noticed that familiar chassis roll when you start to light up the rear tire. ...Waitaminute! This is a freakin' Ninja 250! You can't light up a tire on a Ninja 250. But, that's what I did - first time I ever wore a tire bald halfway through the second race weekend. Back in the pits I force the locks off the checkbook and pony up for a new rear tire. When I finished putting the new rubber on I reached forward to the brake pedal to give it a couple of pumps only it doesn't come back up! Golly, that explains ALOT. I'd been using the rear brake all day long. If it hadn't been releasing promptly then that would explain while I was bouncing out of control into every hard braking corner and why all my exhaustive suspension adjustments weren't helping. I couldn't wait for Sunday morning practice! Sunday ------ 4 seconds lopped of Saturday's best without blinking an eye! I didn't manage to break the two minute barrier but, I didn't have any problems hanging out just north of there. I've got my eye on you now Mr. Crone! The Race -------- I get another great launch. The suspension's still got a long way to go but, that stiff shock really seems to be helping me get off the line quickest. Then Dave came flying by like I was going backwards (again), then Jay and Bob. Damn, knocked off the box before turn 1. And, Jay beat me into one! Jay can't beat anyone into turn one. This sucks! Coming into four, I let out the clutch, pitch it over while hammering the throttle but, nothing happens. The motor just makes a few strangled attempts to build a few RPMs while I start screaming in my head. "Arrrrggggghhhh, I blew the stupid freakin' motor on the second freakin' race!!! This flippin' sucks! I'm gonna have to race the stupid katana in the stupid 600 class next stupid month. Arrrrggggghhhh!" As I was coasting into turn 5 in raging denial the bike suddenly built some revs and began accelerating. "Crap, I fried the clutch." The reduced horsepower/hopefully reliable motor plan may still have some merit but I've had to push really really hard to keep up this year and I can't afford to throw away a second or two of accelerating time while the clutch slips if I wanna play with 39 horsepower VTR's! Heck, I can't even keep up with Bob! This sucks. Through careful drafting and railing through the corners with wild tire sliding abandon, I manage to keep Bob within striking distance but it's taking longer and longer for the clutch to stop slipping. I've gotta make my move! Bob's been taking awesome tight defensive lines but, I'm faster out of 6 and draft him into 7 on the inside 3 feet of track he's left me. I've got him, I've got him. No!!!! He pitches it in in front of me. I grab a handful of brake and have to downshift again. No!!!!!!! He pulls three bike lengths ahead while I wait on the clutch and coast through the turn. Wheeling off the rise into 9 I attempt some testicle shrinking braking to get Bob back within my grasp but an inconveniently placed lapper lets him stretch out an even bigger lead. "Hey, this is turning out to be hella fun!!!" There's some light traffic now and somehow they've gotten confused about what they're supposed to be doing. Namely, being in front of Bob through the corners and in front of me in the straights so I can draft off of 'em. They got it all backwards! All I can do is keep my head down and hope some of the lappers remember their job. when it occurs to me, "If I'm chasing Bob then Lescher and Anner can't be too far behind me. Eeep!" So, with renewed vigor,if not speedier lap times, I chased Bob to the finish. That was wicked cool and wait until I get another play! I'll get you yet Simmons! Yehaw! -Rick