TWS LSTD/CMRA Weekend Report -

[cm]

 was at TWS this weekend starting with the LSTD trackday on Friday, 4/10, corner-worked on 4/11, and then did a couple of Sprint races on Sunday. 

Friday:
Weather was pretty good all day and really enjoyed the Advanced Rider School with LSTD.  We got in 8 sessions though 2 were a bit abbreviated.  That's still a lot of tracktime.  Started the day just getting used to the track again and then on Session 2, was running 2:33 as my best.  To put that in perspective, Superstock Novice times there were around 2:02-03 so I was 30 seconds off the pace.  My instructor James worked with me (he had a GoPro Hero camera and we looked at video on my laptop after each session...also did some analysis of the data I have from the Starlane) and by the end of the day, I was running 2:15.  Still slow but not 'moving speed bump' slow.  I can see getting to under 2:10 next time I go with good weather.   I ran both SVs, and I can say that the one Jim Cambora set-up was a little easier and more comfortable for me to push with.  Very important when coming off the banking at over 125mph (i'm still a little chicken with the throttle so I would check up after hitting a maximum 131mph).  Gearing was also perfect for the track at 15/46.  I also let my instructor run the Starlane on his bike during one of the other sessions and it was nice seeing where he was much faster to get 2:05 (he ran easy pace).

Saturday was a cornerwork day for me.  I have never corner-worked so I did learn a few things...including the fact that I really respect those people who do that.  We were in the corners (turn 4 was my assignment) from 7:30am to a little past 6:30pm.  We did not leave the track (lunch was brought to us and porta-potty was nearby).  I do have plans for the next time I have to do it.  I was probably the most tired after cornerworking.  I did bring a camera (but not the right lens) and I'll post pics after I get through them.  It was cloudy all day and they ran a 6-hr Endurance race (with suprisingly very few incidents...didn't have anything in my corner and no red flags the whole day).

Sunday:  Big day for me (first CMRA sprint race) and of course, I woke up to a slight drizzle so the forecast of 80% rain was likely going to come true.  Figured out Registration (I signed up for the first 2 races my SVs were eligible for so I can head home. Also, 2 was the minimum number required for my Provisional Novice requirements so I just signed up for Race #1 which was Formula 2, and Race #8 which was Lightweight Twins).

There were 3 rounds of morning practice and with all the hectic stuff happening before getting to College Station, I still had to put numbers on the bike and finish up safety-wiring the front calipers and rear axle (in case I had to change tires).  Rain started pouring heavy (it was so dark that I changed to clear shield).  Fortunately, I have Bridgestone Rain tires which helped my confidence some.  I went out for several practice sessions and started getting used to the tires.  Still slow (2:45 or so) but fast enough to pass a surprising number of people during the practices.  After the 2nd practice session, I was actually liking the rain! Also got to do some practice starts in the rain - but since my weekend goals were to FINISH both races as required for my licence, I decided that I will give up the starts to minimize crash risk.

For Race #1, I was gridded at the very last row (gridding is done by points, then time of registration...so I registered on Sunday morning making me one of the late entrants). It was a 3-wave start with about 10-12 people in the Novice F2 group.  I did my half-second delay on the start to avoid the big group and to allow myself to stay away from the deeper puddles on Turn 1/2.  However, I found myself catching up to a couple of racers by Turn 3.  I made a pass entering Turn 3 and then was looking at another ProvNov ahead and went into Turn 4 a little behind him. However, he got a little excited and shot off the track as I turned in (he was ok).  I just told myself to settle down as I started seeing a crash on every few corners (how I did most of my passing).  There was a crash on Turn 6, Turn 7 and then a bunch in Turn 8/9, the latter on the next lap.  There was a bike in the middle of the track I had to avoid entering the Carousel (turn 10).  During the 4th lap (of 6 laps), a Red Flag came out and we came in.  It was decided that since we finished more than 50% of the race, they were not going to restart...and check this out...I finished 4th!  Apparently, the crashes were the leaders (about 4 of them).

In between races, I noticed the weather starting to clear up and I decided to prep the other SV for running in the dry (it didn't have number either).  Was watching the weather and looked like another option was Rain fronts and DOT rear as the track dried up.  However, another Red Flag on Race 6 delayed the start of Race 8 to after lunch...more later  (w/ pictures hopefully).

[DLSGAP]

Hey man.. I didnt even know you had gone through the licensing school and gotten your yellow shirt... congrats.. put up the money for me to do it too and we'll run some endurance events...

congrats on the 4th place finish... not bad at all for the first weekend out...

[Duc L'Smart]

Muy Cool, CM

[cm]

Continuing with the recap...

After lunch, the weather started getting better with the sun coming out. By Race 8, most of the track was dry except for a few puddles that can be avoided.  I was gridded on Row 17 for the Lightweight Twins race and I also decided to use the Red/Silver bike (which I had not ridden at all on Sunday since it was my dry-weather bike). Though it was tempting to go for it with the weather being nice, I did the same strategy as the first race.  I launched in time with the green flag but short shifted to give me a little bit of distance from the big pack in front.  I passed a couple of people in the first couple of laps but after about 3 laps, I checked behind me as I came up on the front straight and there was no one there so I just backed off and made sure to finish.  It was definitely strange for me to practice in pouring rain and then run the sprint race in dry conditions (on a completely different bike). There weren't too many incidents on this race and I ended up finishing 11th (out of about 15 or so starters).

Packed up and was glad that at the end of the weekend, I am now 50% complete with my prov nov requirements.  I need to corner work 1 Sunday (July is the next one that was close enough to just come for corner working) and do 2 more sprint races (probably a Sunday in September at Cresson).  No rush this year anyway.  I still need to get faster to get to midpack (without having people in front of me crash out)...

Learned a lot on how a race Sunday goes so I'll be better prepared next time.

[cm]

Hey man.. I didnt even know you had gone through the licensing school and gotten your yellow shirt... congrats.. put up the money for me to do it too and we'll run some endurance events...

congrats on the 4th place finish... not bad at all for the first weekend out...

I thought I'd just get the process started. It will take the whole year with my schedule to get through the Sunday cornerworking day and the next race day. I'm doing both at Cresson (cornerworking in July) and final Prov Nov race day in Sept.  I'll see where I am at the end of the year and decide if 2010 will be a full schedule.  I'm still going to be doing primarily track days this year to get better.

[cm]

Some pictures:

This was from the LSTD trackday on Friday.  The bike behind me was my instructor for the day.  We were doing passing drills and it was great getting practice on that.  I know my body position needs work...but will focus on that this coming weekend.



On Saturday, I was working Turn 4 during the 6-hour Endurance race and brought my camera out there. Wrong lens though but did get some practice doing some panning shots....

Here's a pass coming into the apex of Turn 4



And here's one of Ty Howard coming through during the practice sessions after the race...his first full practice lap coming out was in the 1:46 range...unbelievable...

[sdlrodeo]

Great Job! Don't sell yourself short by detracting because the other guys fell off. You didn't! Which means, you finished! and accomplished your goal! Absolutely fantastic. I'm a little envious. Ok, a little more than a little. Oh, yeah, corner working sucks. I did mine at a mini endurance in a deluge for 4 hrs.
Steve

[cm]

Great Job! Don't sell yourself short by detracting because the other guys fell off. You didn't! Which means, you finished! and accomplished your goal! Absolutely fantastic. I'm a little envious. Ok, a little more than a little. Oh, yeah, corner working sucks. I did mine at a mini endurance in a deluge for 4 hrs.
Steve

I guess the first goal of a race is to finish....and will always keep that in mind.  I need to get my speed up though...and only more tracktime and good practice will help with that. I can't "race" until I know I can run within 1-2 seconds of the people I'm racing.

I guess I feel good that we had pretty decent weather for cornerworking on Saturday (cloudy with a little sun, temps around high 60's for most of the day).  I think I know how to make it more fun next time I do it...

I'm now looking forward to my next trackdays...and look forward to hopefully some improvement over the next couple of months.

[DLSGAP]

Some pictures:

This was from the LSTD trackday on Friday.  The bike behind me was my instructor for the day.  We were doing passing drills and it was great getting practice on that.  I know my body position needs work...but will focus on that this coming weekend.

Pam gets great shots doesn't she...

[cm]

Love the way this shot was taken from ground level (as we entered Turn 10/Carousel). I ordered the CD from the track photographers for Sunday's races.  Hopefully, I'll have a good one in there but I doubt he took any during the torrential downpour during practice.


By the way, anyone have any recommendations for Leather Treatment. My leathers, gloves, boots all got soaked and as they have dried, they feel a little tougher and stiffer than I remember them. Any advice?