AFM Round 3 (Sears Pt)--this weekend

[tigre]

Pic from warmup lap, methinks.  Where'd you find?

Yes, folks -- had a good result in open twins today.  I was happy.  Very happy.  Ecstatic, even.  Was hoping for a podium heding into the race, but knew Nick Hayman and GoGo would be thinking the same thing.  I got a rockin' start off the front row, came around the outside of Gogo, and trailed only Siglin and Randolph into Turn 2.  Thought I was running a good lap, but Gogo came screaming past me on the outside heading down toward 9.  

I maintained contact for a couple laps, but GoGo broke contact.  Then I started to realize I was under pressure from Nick Hayman, who was right on my rear.

A few laps later, I saw GoGo run wide on the entrance to Turn 9, which allowed me to re-gain contact with him.  I got a bit closer as we headed into the last lap.  I caught a lucky break, and GoGo got held up by a lapper headed into turn 4.  It killed his drive heading through 5 & 6, and I was able to get onto his rear wheel going into the carousel.

I knew I could outdrive him heading into 7, so I got into a good tuck and got on the gas HARD.  I sling-shotted past Gogo, and braked as late as I could into 7.  He is never one to lie down, and I saw him try to come back by on the brakes in my peripheral vision, but I was able to hold the line.  I rode a defensive 2nd half to the lap except turn 11, where I just focused on getting a monster drive up the front straight.  

My final lap was a 1:44.9 -- passing a lapped rider, and GoGo on the final lap.  1st podium of the season, and a good ray of hope that I'm getting dialed on the new bike.

Can't thank my sponsors enough -- Desmoto Sport, for all their help keeping the darned bike running (special shout-out to Drew who came to the track Sat/Sun to be my pit crew), and Mark with DoubleDog, who supplied some pregnant dogin' lightweight parts (17 pounds of weight savings!) and pulled DoubleDog duty as my pitmate.

Cheers,
Steve

[mostrobelle]

Some guy on BARF bought a new camera or something and was snapping some photos.  Not sure if he's a turn-worker or not--might be.  He provided a link to his album, so I thought I'd take a peek to see if you were in any of them... He said most of the photos were from warm up and cool down laps, which makes sense if he's a turn-worker. 

Sounds like we missed a great race day.  We were there in spirit even though I'm still in bed with my cold. 

[duckwrench13]

ROCK ON TIGRE!!!!!

One of these days I'll get my sorry busted arse back out there.

[Drunken Monkey]

Wooo! Glad to see everything coming together as it should 

[somegirl]

Congrats, great job Steve!

[thunderpuppy]

CONGRATZ STEVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!