Race Report

March 9, 750 Supersport. I qualified 22nd (with a 1:56.7) which I wasn't too pumped about, but I figured out a few things in between qualifying and the race so I was sure that I would move up.

Once again, I blew the start. Only this time instead of spinning out in the wet, I wheelied in the dry, but got it under control without losing too much ground. In the first couple of laps I was moving through traffic better than I could imagine. I knew that I was going quite a bit faster than the laps I qualified with, I was pushing the front going into all of the 2nd gear turns and the back end seemed to never settle down on the way out of them. I was having the most fun I'd ever had on a motorcycle. This new 750 just rockets out of the turns with the front just pawing at the air everywhere. You have to be so aggressive to ride one of these things fast, it's soooo my style. I was working my way up through groups of 3 or 4 riders and getting past them and moving on all race long. I found out later that I was turning steady 1:55's with a best of 1:55.1. 3 laps from the end I bumped into a backmarker going into a tight left hander while trying to pass him on the outside. I barely kept it on the pavement and lost a couple positions. I got them both back in the next lap but while trying to exit that same turn out onto the banking a lap later I had a HUGE near highside that sent me straight for the wall as I tried to keep in on two wheels. I saved it but they both got me back as I got pointed the right way again. Now I only had a lap and a half to get them both and I swear I must have twisted the throttle round and round the handlebar on the banking trying to catch up. I got the one going into the international horseshoe, and the other I got the run on coming out of the chicane and pulled off the classic draft & pass Daytona move on the run to the flag. It was the hardest I'd ever raced before and a huge success to come out in 6th place after qualifying 22nd. I'm elated for the entire Tuff Dog Racing team. Nothing felt better than to come into the pits and seeing their faces all lit up with excitement. I can't wait till I win one of these things!

March 11, the 200. I had problems with the bike running wide while I got on the gas with the slicks in the first qualifying session on Friday. For Saturday we just went with what we knew worked and put on a DOT rear and dropped about a second down to a 1:56.5.

The start of the race was pretty mentally tiring as it was red-flagged a couple of times to clean up big messy situations. Unfortunately some people were hurt pretty bad, I hope their recovery is speedy. The 200 is a really long race, it's funny how it seems you have a bit of time to look around and pay attention to some of the things around you. Every lap I'd look up at one of the big towers that shows the laps completed and who the leaders were. Too bad I didn't spend that time to think about the condition of my front tire. The plan was to go with a couple of rear tire changes, but run the front the distance. I had just got on a new sticky rear a few laps before, and I guess it gave me a false sense of gription. I went into one of the 2nd gear turns the same speed as I always did, except after 40 laps I guess the front tire just isn't the same as after 39 laps (I was running in 13th position at this time). Down I went in a heap of haybales. I didn't even scratch the paint it was so mild, except the shifter broke off. I tried making it work but there was just no way. Luckily my crew did an awesome job of getting a new one slapped on and I only lost a few laps. Way to go Tuff Dog Racing and NWcycle, I'm just sorry I let you down. I ended up finishing 28th, but the real story was my ride up until I piled. It really feels good to think that I was in a couple restarts from row 4, with Doug Chandler right in front of me and a couple factory Harleys in the row behind me, on my supersport bike!!

A big thanks to the Tuff Dogs and all the people that are helping to support me. You guys rule the school.