2006 Starts out with a whimper!

Wouldn't you just know it- I actually start my bike the day before a race. I change the oil. I clean the air filter. Change the oil filter. Check tire pressure. Check the brakes. You know- all those things you're supposed to do. I put in new spark plugs with Griffin and Aidan's help. Put in some Redline fuel injector cleaner, figuring I'd run the rest of it out in practice.

This was going to be a new kind of race weekend- because Steff had her most excellent pit bike (we're still working on a title for it) and Erin was bringing her XR100. We get up at 6am, put my bike on the trailer and head North, grabbing some Hardees on the way (Steak breakfast burrito.. Yum!)

When we get to the track, I get my first nasty WERA surprise. We show up only on Sunday to save on gate fees. Guess what- WERA is charging fricking $20 a head to get in. On Sunday. NESBA, on the South Course is charging.. (wait for it...).... $0. I guess it is to cover expenses needed to cover racing (this is foreshadowing- let it soak in a while).

The pits are actually packed. The weather is beautiful- it's the beginning of the season, so everyone is out to see where they stand. Daytona was the past week, so I'm hoping that the semi-pros are going to be tired from driving back, but Acree, Carpenter, et al were there for the Suzuki money. We drove around until we found Russell Masecar and he had a nice big double-canopy set up for us. And- we ended up next to Glenn as well- from whom Steff got her bike. I sign up for the races, while Steff and the crew unload and set up. I did A Superstock (1000cc), Heavyweight Twins Superstock, and Heavyweight Twins Superbike- races 1,3,9. The grids were so crowded that there were actually more races than were on the schedule- for example, race 1 was split to Race 1A and 1B.

Here's the next fricking horror- I have to rent a transponder for $60. NON REFUNDABLE. For what?! Suzuki BOUGHT WERA those transponders- and they either make you rent them every weekend for $60, or buy one for $330. Let's do the math for a second here- since WERA only shows up to VIR once a year, it would take more than five years of racing with them to get my money back. Let's also compare them to CCS. CCS DOESN'T CHARGE FOR TRANSPONDERS. Let's get right to the point- the transponders are for WERA's convenience. That way, they don't have to have a boatload of scorers (lower cost) and get more precise calls at the finish. Sure, the racers can find out their laptimes- but that's what your friends and family *like* to do at the track. So, I get to pay WERA to help them out for a free transponder. Gosh, I wonder why I run WERA so rarely. $60 buys a lot of doughnuts. Maybe it is to help run a smooth weekend?

I finally get my paperwork and head to technical inspection- and there I see my old racing instructor Ed Bargy. Ed is fun to be around, for sure. WERA does have some good people- too bad they don't really make a difference in the way it is run at the top. Speaking of which, I see a blast from the past- Dan Jakyl . More on Dan another post...

We get two rounds of practice- my tires are pretty fresh, and since I instruct for Cornerspeed I know the track pretty well. Scoob tells me that I looked good, and just needed to wick it up race-time. The bike feels okay- I'm weird about the brakes- as usual, but the suspension seemed okay. The power is down, but that's because I'm trying to burn up crap gas and FI cleaner in the tank. I come in when the fuel light starts blinking to get some fresh fuel for the race. Steff fills up enough for my pair of races- 1 and 3. We hit the rider meeting- grab a quick bite and get ready to race.

Race 1- I start in the last row with some serious bikes in the race. The new 1000s are in the 160s for HP now, while my TL is about 30 down on them. But, I wanted to use this race to shake out the cobwebs, so just want to test at race pace. I get an average start, start whipping off some good laps... I pass a few guys and am starting to feel good when the bike starts surging. Especially on the straights- like it was running out of fuel. I start wondering if the bike *wanted* FI cleaner in it- or maybe the FI cleaner dislodged something that got stuck in a fuel line. Anyway, the progress I had made was for naught- and I sputter across the line and ride back to the pits, determined to find the cause. As I'm riding back, I remember the old days of non-Fuel Injected bikes and that fuel lines could get pinched- and sure enough- that was one if the victim's of my pre-season maintenance. I'm quite happy to get it back together for the next race.

The next race is the money race- well, not for me since my bike is too old to get $$ from Suzuki, but it's the race that it is most competitive- Heavyweight Twins supersport. Basically, a pipe and a jet kit- so the big $$ bikes can't compete. The bike to have is the SV1000- but my bike outpowers them- though it is heavier, so it is due to be a close race. I start again on the last row yet my start was good- but I get pinched at the inside of turn 1 by a moving roadblock (some white bike) and everyone goes to the outside. I'm stuck behind this guy for several turns until I get a good drive out of the esses and then turn under the bridge and race up the hill. I'm pissed that the front group is getting a way so I really crank on the throttle through the uphill section. One of the corners is off-camber, and I'm hard on the gas and... whoooaaaaaaa- the rear steps out under accelleration. The outcome of that can be the dreaded highside. I slowly roll off, but the bike it out of shape and I run off the track, where the other guy stuck behind the roadblock gets by me. I put my head back down and chase him down the front straight and into the braking area and outbrake him- and almost run off the track again, screwing up my drive. That was pretty much it because WERA only runs six frigging laps. Yeah, highest cost.. least laps. My next race is a w

(okay, enough ranting- WERA is not nearly as good as CCS anymore)