- Oct 13, 1999
- 2,812
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Prior to this race I made some minor changes to my bike to lower the front end. Offroadr gave me an extra 47-tooth rear sprocket he had (Thanks buddy!), so I replaced the sprockets and the chain. I also removed the high volume power valve cover hoping to get more of “hit” out of the engine. The track at Warner’s Lake was the same ¼-mile track that had been laid out three weeks earlier. Only now it was rougher with ruts and acceleration bumps in turns two and four. The club, Electric City Riders, was working hard at preparing the track. I signed up for the Senior (30 and over) class, which was a good choice. I probably should have signed up for the 250 Amateur class too, but that would have meant another $30 and I have to be tight with money these days.
Out in practice the track took it’s toll on my arms. After two sessions I came in with severe arm pump. I backed out the compression adjuster two clicks on the fork. This greatly improved things during my third practice session. The bike was sticking like glue in the corners. I was leaning it way over and just rolling on more and more throttle to the point where the back end would start coming around. It probably looked like I actually knew what I was doing out there. The 13/47 gearing was perfect. In the entrance to the corners I’d drop down into third, power through then kick back up to fourth on the exit.
The schedule showed seven riders in the heat race and I was in the last, far outside position. When we lined up there were actually eight of us. Turns out there were two bikes running the number 69, and even though there was an extra bike, that wasn’t supposed to be there, I still got stuck in the outside position. Everyone staged and the starter raised the flag. I dumped the clutch, whacked the throttle WFO and the front end came up. I backed off the gas, to bring the nose down, and hit the first corner in dead last. I didn’t stay there for long though. Using an outside line I got around the extra 69-bike, before the exit of turn two, and tried desperately to catch the pack that was pulling away. On my second lap, coming out of turn two I caught the 150-bike and passed him on the outside. With two bikes down the next one in my sights was the 6x-bike. Three weeks earlier this guy was also out practicing and he was kicking my butt in the corners, but now my bike was handling much better. The real estate between us was getting smaller and smaller. At the halfway point, three laps of the six-lap heat race, he was 50 feet ahead of me. By turn three of our fourth lap it was half that distance, but upon exiting turn four he went down and I slid into fifth place. The lead pack was too far ahead and nobody was in position to challenge me. I back off a little and rode smooth, preserving my position.
When the schedule for the main was posted I was in the fifth position off the pole. There also had been an extra bike in our heat race, so there would be only seven bikes in the main. After watching the minis and un-studded bikes the Seniors took to the ice, staged and waited for the flag to go up. Once again my front wheel came up, but instead of backing off I leaned forward and brought it down. I had left the 150-bike at the line and passed the 6x bike on the inside of turn one. I fell right in behind the 288-bike and tried to keep up with the pack. Unfortunately the first three bikes took off leaving the 288-bike and me to battle it out for fourth. He was never more the two bike lengths in front of me and I had enough horsepower to catch him on the straights. The only real advantage he had was in the corners because his bike had been lowered three inches. After the halfway point of the four lap main, I tried to stick a pass using the outside line in turn two. Unfortunately I went too wide, slid and nearly got tossed off the bike when my back tire hit the outside berm. At this point I decided to ride smooth and hang onto fifth place. My bike was starting to ping going down the straights and I didn’t want to risk a top-end seizure. The lead bike nearly lapped me on his final lap, but I held on and didn’t get lapped. I took fifth place about a quarter-lap behind the 288-bike.
Afterwards I went over and congratulated the guy riding the 288-bike. Turns out that two-weeks earlier we had both raced the Novice class down at Lembo Lake and he had won the class. We talked for a bit about tires and he mentioned the best thing he’d done was lower his bike three inches. Another guy, who I had parked next to, was racing the Expert classes. He watched my race and mentioned that had it not been for the horrible start I would have done much better. It’s great being able to get some constructive criticism from riders who’ve got a lot more experience. Hopefully the skills I’m learning here will transfer over and improve my riding skills all around. The main thing, though, is to go out, have fun and not get hurt. So far I haven’t sustained any injuries and I’m having a blast!
Watching some of the other races was a hoot. It's amazing how fast the experts can go. They hardly back out of the throttle going through the corners. The wipeouts can be exciting too. One racer, who's a mere 70-years young, had an incredible wipe out just after the start, going over the outside berm in turn two. The race was red-flagged and after a few minutes he got up and took his spot back on the pole. Two kids running in the 80cc class weren't as lucky. They collided just after the start and had some leg injuries. I hope they heal up quickly though.
By far the most exciting race to watch was the side-hacks. Only two showed up to race, but it was and incredilbe race. Watching the “monkey” hang off the hack, just inches above the ice is something you really have to be there to experience. Those guys must have some big steel ones or have a few screws loose upstairs. I hope more hacks show up next weekend at Lake George.
Out in practice the track took it’s toll on my arms. After two sessions I came in with severe arm pump. I backed out the compression adjuster two clicks on the fork. This greatly improved things during my third practice session. The bike was sticking like glue in the corners. I was leaning it way over and just rolling on more and more throttle to the point where the back end would start coming around. It probably looked like I actually knew what I was doing out there. The 13/47 gearing was perfect. In the entrance to the corners I’d drop down into third, power through then kick back up to fourth on the exit.
The schedule showed seven riders in the heat race and I was in the last, far outside position. When we lined up there were actually eight of us. Turns out there were two bikes running the number 69, and even though there was an extra bike, that wasn’t supposed to be there, I still got stuck in the outside position. Everyone staged and the starter raised the flag. I dumped the clutch, whacked the throttle WFO and the front end came up. I backed off the gas, to bring the nose down, and hit the first corner in dead last. I didn’t stay there for long though. Using an outside line I got around the extra 69-bike, before the exit of turn two, and tried desperately to catch the pack that was pulling away. On my second lap, coming out of turn two I caught the 150-bike and passed him on the outside. With two bikes down the next one in my sights was the 6x-bike. Three weeks earlier this guy was also out practicing and he was kicking my butt in the corners, but now my bike was handling much better. The real estate between us was getting smaller and smaller. At the halfway point, three laps of the six-lap heat race, he was 50 feet ahead of me. By turn three of our fourth lap it was half that distance, but upon exiting turn four he went down and I slid into fifth place. The lead pack was too far ahead and nobody was in position to challenge me. I back off a little and rode smooth, preserving my position.
When the schedule for the main was posted I was in the fifth position off the pole. There also had been an extra bike in our heat race, so there would be only seven bikes in the main. After watching the minis and un-studded bikes the Seniors took to the ice, staged and waited for the flag to go up. Once again my front wheel came up, but instead of backing off I leaned forward and brought it down. I had left the 150-bike at the line and passed the 6x bike on the inside of turn one. I fell right in behind the 288-bike and tried to keep up with the pack. Unfortunately the first three bikes took off leaving the 288-bike and me to battle it out for fourth. He was never more the two bike lengths in front of me and I had enough horsepower to catch him on the straights. The only real advantage he had was in the corners because his bike had been lowered three inches. After the halfway point of the four lap main, I tried to stick a pass using the outside line in turn two. Unfortunately I went too wide, slid and nearly got tossed off the bike when my back tire hit the outside berm. At this point I decided to ride smooth and hang onto fifth place. My bike was starting to ping going down the straights and I didn’t want to risk a top-end seizure. The lead bike nearly lapped me on his final lap, but I held on and didn’t get lapped. I took fifth place about a quarter-lap behind the 288-bike.
Afterwards I went over and congratulated the guy riding the 288-bike. Turns out that two-weeks earlier we had both raced the Novice class down at Lembo Lake and he had won the class. We talked for a bit about tires and he mentioned the best thing he’d done was lower his bike three inches. Another guy, who I had parked next to, was racing the Expert classes. He watched my race and mentioned that had it not been for the horrible start I would have done much better. It’s great being able to get some constructive criticism from riders who’ve got a lot more experience. Hopefully the skills I’m learning here will transfer over and improve my riding skills all around. The main thing, though, is to go out, have fun and not get hurt. So far I haven’t sustained any injuries and I’m having a blast!
Watching some of the other races was a hoot. It's amazing how fast the experts can go. They hardly back out of the throttle going through the corners. The wipeouts can be exciting too. One racer, who's a mere 70-years young, had an incredible wipe out just after the start, going over the outside berm in turn two. The race was red-flagged and after a few minutes he got up and took his spot back on the pole. Two kids running in the 80cc class weren't as lucky. They collided just after the start and had some leg injuries. I hope they heal up quickly though.
By far the most exciting race to watch was the side-hacks. Only two showed up to race, but it was and incredilbe race. Watching the “monkey” hang off the hack, just inches above the ice is something you really have to be there to experience. Those guys must have some big steel ones or have a few screws loose upstairs. I hope more hacks show up next weekend at Lake George.
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