03/23/2015
So Round 1 was a success if you ask me. The CRST CBR 600rr wasnt ready for the first round so we dusted off my trusted R6 and she was ready for the action. I had a looooong friday and showed up to the track around noon.
I was met with my new suit from Gimoto. I was like a kid at Christmas. This suit was better than my already high expectations. The craftsmanship is amazing. the fit, even better. I cannot express how happy I am with the suit. More about the suit on track later.
I finished getting my bike ready with the graphics and some new brake pads and relaxed the rest of the day.
Saturday, I was rested and ready. I slipped into my new Gitmoto suit and gloves,and new Kali Protectives helmet and went out for the first session. I had not been to this track in a couple of years and vaguely remember the layout but remembered the horrible track surface more. I was excited to see that the track was WAY better. I just needed to remember how to ride it!
As the day went on the bike and the suit felt great. Riding around in a suit that actually fit and is made of quality material made all the difference in the world. I was struggling against an ill-fit suit all last season and my riding suffered as a cause of it. Now, able to move freely on the bike I felt more relaxed and energized. The track came back to me as well and I was practicing in the 1:53's. The tire wear was amazing and Jim made one small adjustment all weekend and the bike was perfect.
Sunday came and my first race, 750 Production, could have gone better. I was gridded 4th. A front row start. I could not have had a worse launch.
By turn two I was about second to last. I got stuck behind a group of slower riders for the better part of the race. Buttonwillow Raceway is not an easy place to pass. Every time I would line something up the gaggle of guys in front of me would fan out and make a safe pass impossible. I came into the pits steaming mad.
My next race, 600 Production, was delayed as we were set to go out. I sat in my leathers and helmet for a long while, just clearing my mind and mentally prepping myself.
There was a lot of confusion on the grid because race direction failed to let us know there was a change. I was shuffled to the inside of row three. I got a decent launch. The traffic into turn one was harry to say the least. I thought I was going to crash or get collected in someone else's crash about four or five times in those few seconds of turn one.
After a brief sigh of relief I put my head down and started my pursuit of better times and positions. I was able to put in several good laps and ended up having a fun little chase of Stephen Rue. I put several good, clean laps together and we got caught in some back-marker traffic. The last lap I was able to close the gap and got a great drive out of the chicane. I was all set for the last corner pass but there was a yellow flag. I dragged him to the line but was about half a second behind. I was happy none the less, and set a 1:50 laptime.
Formula 1 was fun too. I had a bit of a bobble on the entry to turn 1 due to some aggressive riders which set me back a few spots. I was able to link up with a pack of riders and slowly make my way through them. I had a fun battle with my buddy Patrick Murphy. Once I got through that pack I was able to gap myself from them and put some consistent laps in.
I cant thank my sponsors enough.
Jim and Nickie at Catalyst Reaction are incredible. Their support over the last few years has been incredible. I owe so much to them.
S&P Racing for their support the last couple of seasons has made racing with the AFM possible.
Gimoto Suits and gloves... if you dont have a set, get some. We got a ton of compliments on them this weekend and they are well deserved. If you want to feel like a professional racer, and wear what they do, then you need a set. (Call Nickie at Catalyst if you are interested).
Corey and Chris at CT Racing/Pirelli tires. The tires they got me on this weekend performed perfectly. They continue to support me like one of the fast guys... which I am not!
K-Tech Suspension, TechSpec, Precision Trackdays, Motion Pro, Kali Protectives, Galfer Braking, and Moto-D for all the awesome track side pats support. Their warmers and under suits are easily the best in the paddock.
More pics from Oxymoron Photography coming soon!
