Race Report

The Mid-West part of my road trip is starting off a little rough. I've managed to squeeze out an 8th place finish in 750 Supersport though, so that's what I try to keep thinking about to tell myself it's OK. So let's get straight to the drama that was Mid Ohio.

During the last practice session on Thursday afternoon, my brakes failed at the end of a little 4th gear straight away. The crimp fitting on the banjo bolts sheared off clean, right at the master cylinder. They must have been fatigued in a previous crash, and this particular straight away you enter over a crest that you wheelie over and I guess when the front set down it must have been enough of a jolt to pop them. I know you're thinking that the brake lines must have been too short and that they pulled off - not the case. Anyway, I stomped on the rear brake because I knew I'd scrub more speed sliding on my back than riding it out. I piled into the tire wall at about 90mph or so. I got pretty beat up but only had to go to the hospital to stitch up my nose a bit.

90% of my available track time on Friday was spent wrenching on the bike and borrowing parts. I scabbed it together enough to make it through tech and qualified for the race. At that point I felt like celebrating because it didn't look too good for a while there. Things were (and sort of still are) pretty bent.

The Supersport race on Saturday went well. I got a decent start from the 3rd row and worked my way up a few places in the first few laps. I was catching up for one more position for most of the entire race, and it was looking good for me on the last lap. I came up to a lapper and it was either going to work for me and I was in, or not and forget it. I had to follow him through the hairpin they call the keyhole and I knew that was it. I coasted home in 8th for some solid points. In the Saturday afternoon Superbike race I had a little tip-over while running in 16th or something. I got back on but it cost me a pile of places. I ended up 25th.

Sunday's Superbike race was going so well until about 4 laps from the end. I was running a solid 14th or 15th (second privateer) when a factory bike that was lapping me came up the inside going into a super fast 4th gear right hander that you go into on the throttle. I got pushed wide off my line and you have to slow it down in the middle of the turn to setup for the next left. I touched the brakes a little too much leaned over and went for a ride. I bounced off of a curb pretty good and I knew I hurt my hand before I stopped sliding. When I stood up my index finger was totally pointing the wrong way. I didn't panic but was pretty pissed that I broke my finger. I thought I'd better get my glove off before it really starts to hurt but when I pulled on the leather it went "pop" and straightened out. I pulled the glove off and I could bend it alright. Turns out I just dislocated it at the second knuckle. It hurts pretty good now and looks sort of funny and pregnant, but it should be OK for Brainerd this weekend.

We're freshening up the motor right now and actually found a few problems with it, so it should be even faster now. It's after midnight and Pat the Motoman is still lapping valves. We're leaving tomorrow (Wed, July 25th) morning but only after he wakes me up in the middle of the night to pop the motor back in the frame. I'll be taking care of the rest of it once we're up in the booming metropolis of Brainerd, Minnesota. Check back next week for the excitement from there. Laters.