Race #3

I had a good couple of days at the gym last week. What? A good COUPLE of days?! Well... I actually got to ride! Twice! Wednesday, I went to the track where Sunday's race was, and our office was closed for Good Friday, so I had a 3-hour session with Matt at Thunder Valley. Just what the doctor ordered and what I've been missing - seat time. After a warm-up moto on Wednesday, Robb prescribed three 15-minute motos with only 5 minutes of rest in between. It was rough (avg HR 168... high of 185!... for the 46 total minutes of ride time) and my lap times got progressively slower toward the end of each moto, but I haven't run 15 minute motos yet this season, so it was good. Thunder Valley on Friday was jacked up. It was dry in sections and muddy in others with footpeg-deep ruts. I did a few laps before Matt and my buddy, Alex, got there and I just wasn't having fun. The track was sketchy and the variability in certain sections made it dangerous. Because of the conditions, Matt, Alex, and I worked on ruts. With what ended up being a pretty muddy track on Sunday, it was a good thing we did. I had a lot more confidence in the deep ruts, particularly in long straight sections, when I left the track Friday afternoon than I've ever had, and I was very confident, both physically and technically, going into the weekend. It was on. The forecast for Sunday was 40-60% chance of showers with a high of 51 degrees. Not exactly ideal, but the meteorologists around here haven't gotten it right, yet, this spring, so I was hopeful. Well, they got it partly right - it rained, but not until after the morning program and only for about an hour. Fortunately, I had a late schedule this week, so I stayed dry. The track, however, didn't. At least in the afternoon. Deep ruts formed in the morning, but the track was otherwise awesome. My 40+ moto was first, and again, the only fast guy there was my new nemesis, #77. He got the holeshot, but I was on him and stayed with him. I noticed in the first two laps a couple of sections where I had a faster line, so I closed the gap, but just couldn't get past him. BUT, I knew I had the speed for him and couldn't wait for moto 2. My 25+ class was next. Once again, I got a bad start... which ended up being the story of the day... but I got out front quickly and got the win. The 30+ class had a similar beginning and ending, and I got another win. Moto 1: 2nd, 1st, 1st. Great start to the day. At the break, the rain started and the track was slick and sloppy in sections, and there was a slight delay so they shortened each of the afternoon races by one lap. In moto 2 in the 40+ class I found myself playing catch up once again. I was 5th coming out of the first turn, but made short work of the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd place riders. By this time, however, #77 had pulled a pretty good gap, but was still in sight. I started to reel him in... and then it happened. About half way through the last lap, coming into one of the sloppy corners, I lost concentration and stalled the bike. By the time I got it started again I gave up two spots and ended up 4th for 3rd overall. Frustrating to lose because of a stupid mistake, but I know I have speed for #77. In the 25+ class... did I mention I got bad starts all day? Well, this time EVERYONE beat me to the first corner, so I let everyone go wide and I cut inside and found myself in 2nd place going into the second corner. Nice! I'm on the first place rider and just biding my time waiting for the right opportunity and it happened - I stalled the bike AGAIN! IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE!! AND ON THE LAST LAP!!! This time, however, I was able to start the bike before the 3rd place rider caught me, and held on to 2nd place for 2nd overall. DAMMIT! In the 30+ class, what happened? Yeah, I got a bad start... but somehow found myself in 2nd place going into the 2nd turn. Coming into the corner... where I had previously stalled the bike... I saw the 1st place rider going for the second rut out and I had been railing the inside line, so I took it. He was still about a half a bike length ahead of me going over the next jump, but I was going for the inside line again coming into the next corner and was going to push him out. He decided to do the same thing, dove inside, I hit the brakes, bumped him, got cross-rutted, gassed it to get out of the ruts, got squirrely... AND STALLED THE BIKE!!! I lost a couple of spots, but was able to get them back by the end of the race for 2nd, and 2nd overall. UGH!! Lesson learned here - patience. I knew I had more speed than this guy, so I should have waited to pass, but I lost my head. And lost the race. The good news is I still have a decent lead in the points standing, but I'll miss this weekend's race and give up some points to do a "practice" race at Thunder Valley to prepare for the Area Qualifier there on May 9/10. Remember, it's all about Loretta's.