My first race weekend!!
I think I must have had "new racer syndrome" where I was scrambling at the last minute to get things ready to go, get the bike ready and generally just not getting any sleep. Up past 1 AM the night before, and finally managing to roll out to the track Saturday morning. I can deal with it, but I HATE last minute scrambles like that for stuff that I should have had together WAY before that....prefer to save my scrambles for the unforeseen!
Either way, made it to the track Saturday and with a HUGE amount of assistance from my AFM mentor, Rory Kamper, got registered, made it through tech, went to the rider's meeting and managed to get the bike ready. Eventually made it out for the second practice round for my group. That round felt good, made sure I was still solid on what I had worked on when I was out there on Wednesday for the 3J's trackday, and felt ready to put the final touches on my braking the next practice. Went out for the next practice and felt really good - doing MUCH better on the brakes, and was putting down solid times for my group. Obviously still a LONG ways to go before I'm remotely fast, but I felt good with what I was doing. Came in from that session feeling like I would peak the next time out, so decided to hold off till my race. Another racer friend, Carl Wassersleben, assisted most of the day as well, helping me out and answering other newb questions as they came up.
Eventually the races started, and I headed out for my AFemme Novice race! My first time out on a grid - I was trying to ignore the nerves/excitement, but that didn't work too well. The first wave went, then we were next! 2 board, 1 board, sideways, green flag!! I was slow on the start, so ended up last in the group. That first lap my head was firmly planted up where the sun doesn't shine, and I realized I needed to quite being so excited and just focus on riding. Pulled it out and had my head in the game by lap 2. Was dicing it up with another girl, trying to find a good place to pass in our third lap, wasn't finding one. Figured I could take her on the brakes into 7, but that ended up not working so well - she was taking a totally different line, and I did not quite set it up to account for that. She ended up swooping across me, I climbed on the binders but her rear tire still swiped the front of mine - but we both recovered just fine, no on lost a place, and no one crashed, so on with the race with a lesson learned on trying to pass on that particular corner!
Eventually managed a pass elsewhere, and was moving on to my 4th lap with at least a podium in mind - but as I was out of turn 6 headed into 7, had the bike mostly stood up, hit a ripple in the pavement and ended up with a full on tank slapper. I managed to ride it out, went for my brakes, nothing - oh, shit, that's right, when head shake that bad happens it will open the calipers - pumped them a few times quickly, and got my brakes back in time for the turn. Leaned the bike in and it just felt WEIRD....since there's a huge place to pull off there without getting in other racers lines, decided to make the prudent call, threw up an arm and pulled off. Didn't see anything immediately obvious, so took the back way to the pits.
Once in the pits found that my front tire had rubbed up against the belly pan pretty bad - bad enough I'll be repairing the belly pan. Also found another issue with my triple clamps, which was probably what made everything feel so off. Either way, was very glad that I pulled out and listened to my gut on that one...bike and I both will live to race another day!
Unfortunately in those few laps and practice didn't quite manage to make a qualifying time for the 600 production, so figured my weekend was done. Needed to shave 1 whole second off, guessing if I hadn't had a mechanical that would have happened. Oh well, next time. Went back, packed up with the help of friends, then went to dinner with a few friends to relax and enjoy the evening. On Sunday, while driving up to drop off my bike and the truck, remembered that I could have bumped up a class - my times qualified me for the 750 classes!!! ARGH!!! I could have raced on Sunday! I kicked myself all the way back to the shop lol! Eh, guess I know for next time lol!
Overall, it was a good weekend, I had fun, met some cool people, learned a lot, and feel much more prepared for this next race. Racing is definitely a different world than trackdays, and I can hardly wait for my next taste of it! Now to get the bike set up and solid for next month's Round 3 at Thunderhill Raceway!
Thanks to my sponsors for making this happen! Carl Wassersleben; Dunlop Tires; Knyte Ryderz; Curve Unit; CT Racing.
And a huge thanks to the many people who have helped me out in the pits, getting ready, making it there, and being there to support! I couldn't have done it without all of you!
I think I must have had "new racer syndrome" where I was scrambling at the last minute to get things ready to go, get the bike ready and generally just not getting any sleep. Up past 1 AM the night before, and finally managing to roll out to the track Saturday morning. I can deal with it, but I HATE last minute scrambles like that for stuff that I should have had together WAY before that....prefer to save my scrambles for the unforeseen!
Either way, made it to the track Saturday and with a HUGE amount of assistance from my AFM mentor, Rory Kamper, got registered, made it through tech, went to the rider's meeting and managed to get the bike ready. Eventually made it out for the second practice round for my group. That round felt good, made sure I was still solid on what I had worked on when I was out there on Wednesday for the 3J's trackday, and felt ready to put the final touches on my braking the next practice. Went out for the next practice and felt really good - doing MUCH better on the brakes, and was putting down solid times for my group. Obviously still a LONG ways to go before I'm remotely fast, but I felt good with what I was doing. Came in from that session feeling like I would peak the next time out, so decided to hold off till my race. Another racer friend, Carl Wassersleben, assisted most of the day as well, helping me out and answering other newb questions as they came up.
Eventually the races started, and I headed out for my AFemme Novice race! My first time out on a grid - I was trying to ignore the nerves/excitement, but that didn't work too well. The first wave went, then we were next! 2 board, 1 board, sideways, green flag!! I was slow on the start, so ended up last in the group. That first lap my head was firmly planted up where the sun doesn't shine, and I realized I needed to quite being so excited and just focus on riding. Pulled it out and had my head in the game by lap 2. Was dicing it up with another girl, trying to find a good place to pass in our third lap, wasn't finding one. Figured I could take her on the brakes into 7, but that ended up not working so well - she was taking a totally different line, and I did not quite set it up to account for that. She ended up swooping across me, I climbed on the binders but her rear tire still swiped the front of mine - but we both recovered just fine, no on lost a place, and no one crashed, so on with the race with a lesson learned on trying to pass on that particular corner!
Eventually managed a pass elsewhere, and was moving on to my 4th lap with at least a podium in mind - but as I was out of turn 6 headed into 7, had the bike mostly stood up, hit a ripple in the pavement and ended up with a full on tank slapper. I managed to ride it out, went for my brakes, nothing - oh, shit, that's right, when head shake that bad happens it will open the calipers - pumped them a few times quickly, and got my brakes back in time for the turn. Leaned the bike in and it just felt WEIRD....since there's a huge place to pull off there without getting in other racers lines, decided to make the prudent call, threw up an arm and pulled off. Didn't see anything immediately obvious, so took the back way to the pits.
Once in the pits found that my front tire had rubbed up against the belly pan pretty bad - bad enough I'll be repairing the belly pan. Also found another issue with my triple clamps, which was probably what made everything feel so off. Either way, was very glad that I pulled out and listened to my gut on that one...bike and I both will live to race another day!
Unfortunately in those few laps and practice didn't quite manage to make a qualifying time for the 600 production, so figured my weekend was done. Needed to shave 1 whole second off, guessing if I hadn't had a mechanical that would have happened. Oh well, next time. Went back, packed up with the help of friends, then went to dinner with a few friends to relax and enjoy the evening. On Sunday, while driving up to drop off my bike and the truck, remembered that I could have bumped up a class - my times qualified me for the 750 classes!!! ARGH!!! I could have raced on Sunday! I kicked myself all the way back to the shop lol! Eh, guess I know for next time lol!
Overall, it was a good weekend, I had fun, met some cool people, learned a lot, and feel much more prepared for this next race. Racing is definitely a different world than trackdays, and I can hardly wait for my next taste of it! Now to get the bike set up and solid for next month's Round 3 at Thunderhill Raceway!
Thanks to my sponsors for making this happen! Carl Wassersleben; Dunlop Tires; Knyte Ryderz; Curve Unit; CT Racing.
And a huge thanks to the many people who have helped me out in the pits, getting ready, making it there, and being there to support! I couldn't have done it without all of you!
I cannot say enough times how proud I am of you to get this far THOUGH it was very obvious you would get this far easy enough! You make it look easy..and you REALLY should be wearing two tutus on Sept 9th since you not only surpassed A group, you are now a racer..that is 2 tutu worthy...green and purple?? :-)
ReplyDeleteHave fun the rest of the season...get that plastic trophy, sis!!
Good on you for having the prescence of mind to know when you should drop out of a race for safety reasons despite being in the heat of the action. Very holistic of you!
ReplyDeleteAnd I wouldn't worry too much about last-minute scrambling; pressure makes diamonds. :)