Race Report

OK, so I’ve reached an all time low with regards to my delinquency on my race reports. My reasons are many, and I’m sure you’re not interested in them, so I’ll spare us both. I’ll make up for it now though, so grab a coffee ... In the end, what really matters is that I was out there giving it my all, my friends and family looked after me through the most challenging season I’ve ever gone through, my sponsors supported me 100% even when my challenges were the toughest, and despite it all, we can proudly wear the OMRRA number 1 plate for another year. We earned this plate the honest way, and against all odds. We all should be proud.

The WMRC series at Mission, B.C. was a bit of a wash-out for the last race of the season. It poured rain all day long, and with the standing water on the track, proximity of concrete walls, and fellow competitors racing for a championship, I thought it best to sit the event out and do some PR work. I had already wrapped up the Open Supersport championship the weekend before, and with the OMRRA overall championship the following weekend still to be complete – I felt as though I had nothing to gain, and everything to lose.

I was unaware of the drama of the last race of the season for the OMRRA championship until I arrived at the track for the weekend. It turned out that not only was it a competition between my fellow racer Chris Ancien and I, but also a Pirelli vs. Dunlop duel. I knew that both camps took the championship very seriously, but was surprised at the readiness of the opposing camp to throw the checkbook at the situation.

The way that OMRRA scores their points for the overall championship is by your two best classes. You score points in those classes depending on the number of entries, and those points are compared to others in their respective classes. Chris’ points were in the 750 classes, and mine were in the 600 classes. Entry fees were purchased for competitors to enter the 750 classes to ensure they paid full points, bikes and riders were hired to attempt to beat me in my classes to take points away, etc. Essentially, we came unprepared for the event. However, I was confident in winning no matter what the terms. If the phrase of the day is ‘down and dirty’; I can roll with the best of them. I would choose a hair pulling, eye gouging fight over a gentleman’s duel any day.

The championship came down to four races. A 600 race for me, followed by two 750 races for Chris, then finishing with another 600 race for me. I sacrificed the Open classes for the charge for the #1 plate. I didn’t even enter the Open Superbike race, and just floated around doing the slowest lap times on the planet to secure my position in the points for Open Supersport. I had a 4 point lead coming into the day, and could only afford to give up 3 of them. After winning the first race (600 Supersport), then Chris finishing 2nd and 1st in his, it gave me a ton of breathing space. I only had to finish fifth or better for the last event (600 Superbike).

Although the pressure should have been off because I didn’t have to push in any way to secure the championship, I still had to circulate on two wheels for 10 laps. To make matters worse it was late in the day, there was a red flag (stoppage) after two laps, then another one on the first lap of the restart, then ANOTHER one on the first lap of the THIRD start! At this point the organization sent us all to the corner because we had been bad. We took a time-out to cool our heads, and let another class run before we gridded up for our FOURTH start. A race that should have been over 40 minutes ago, the race that the whole championship is waiting on ... one measly little 10-lap race that should have been over in a blink of an eye seemed to take an eternity. I start wondering if I should take it easy on the starts to avoid smoking my clutch, started wondering about the chain and where it is in it’s life cycle, wondering about the valves, the wheel bearings, etc ... anything that could go wrong was running through my head. I rode around so slow by the time we actually started circulating that it was all going through my head while I was out on the track. I started short shifting and making my downshifts late to avoid any over-rev, etc. Painful.

It was such a relief to finally cross that finish line for the last time. Considering all that was stacked against me this year, my crew and I should be really happy with the outcome of it all.

Suzuki has shown real faith in me this year. It was rocky, but they stuck with me the entire time. It’s looking like we’re going to have an even bigger program next year with some new machines, and I’m confident that we can surpass the 2005 season accomplishments easily.

Pirelli tires have shown that they truly are the dominant force in the tire wars. They were dominant last year, improved with a new tire again this year, and now it’s looking like there will be another new tire again soon that will have even greater improvements over the last series. I’m going to have to raise those footpegs up another notch!!

Gateway Powersports in Clearbrook, B.C. have been looking after all of my product and support needs all year. The place is essentially family run, and they’ve treated me like family the whole time I’ve been involved with them. I’m happy that I’ve been able to provide some fun for Jim, Catherine, Ryno, Nicole, and the crew there through the year. I look forward to bigger and better things next year, and hopefully years to come.

I’ve used Maxima Oils for most of my racing career, and they’ve always proved flawless. My motors continuously show no signs of wear on the bearing surfaces, even after a long season of thrashing. I use Maxima products on everything I own. Hey, my lawnmower RIPS with 0w30 in it! Those weeds I call lawn don’t stand a chance. And I’ve got the sweetest smelling chainsaw with Castor 927 in it! Rednecks rule.

Josh Bryan up at Tigershark Racing is a close friend, and one that I know I can count on no matter what. Not only does he look after me and all of his customers in more ways than I can list, but the guy’s a motorcycle genius. Any time something goes wrong with my bike that I can’t figure out, he’s the first I run to – and I know I’ve always got the best guy on the project. They say that you’re only as good as the people you associate yourself with, and I’m happy to hang with Josh (and trash his new house) any day.

Flexi-Glass bodywork has looked after me for the last few years, and what can I say….Trev’s a great guy that’s always willing to stay late or go the extra mile for me. He puts together a great product for a great price, carries a huge inventory, and is totally focused on customer satisfaction. I know how hard the motorcycle industry is to make a buck at, but Trevor’s got the right attitude.

Ron Hopkins (RPM Motors) is a sleeping giant in the race engine building scene. He’s largely unknown because he doesn’t flap his gums, or try to create a scene in any way, but the guy does the best work in the NW. His motors have won the #1 plate for the last 4 years. What else can you say? Talk to the most honest motor guy in the world at 503 421 9123.

Dave and Brian up at GP Suspension consistently provide for the most professional, reliable, and functional service and product in the suspension tuning industry. Between them and my Ohlins suspension, I truly feel as though I have the best package available. Dave’s an innovator and magician with his CNC machine. The guy never takes a day off! Even when I was touring the full National schedule, and had access to suspension tuners that work on the factory guys’ bikes – I always felt as though I had the best equipment holding me up when GP looks after my Ohlins products.

My SBS brakes have been my secret weapon all year. I can’t believe that they’re not more popular than they are. They don’t drag on the disks, they stop better than anything out there, and not only did they win the World Superbike and World Supersport championships, but also the coveted, highly sought after, and esteemed OMRRA championship that all the MotoGP teams watch to determine what they’re going to run the following year.

Motorcycle USA and I have been associated together for years and years. Don and the guys over there treat me like gold whenever I need something, and their site rocks the block for news, race reports, and has a wicked superstore with tons of awesome products for great prices (and they’re in stock!! Ready to ship!!)

My PSI leathers keep me rolling without the bangs and bruises. They’re custom, fit perfect, look wicked, don’t twist or burn when I crash in them, and they’re basically bling bling. Me and PSI are putting together a kickin’ package for next year that will truly highlight their products. Just wait till you see us on the front row.

My Oxtar boots and Held gloves never do anything wrong. While riding or crashing, I swear I never even notice them. What more could you ask for from your safety gear.

Over the Top Performance build me some awesome upper fairing brackets and subframes for the machines. They’re truly works of art and priced cheaper than anything on the market. Cheap enough that you can get an extra to have as a spare without breaking the bank. This year, the spares were handy. Blitzkrieg was a heavy consumer of motorcycle parts.

GPR Stabilizers and Spikes Sprockets both make products that people demand perfection from, and deliver in spades. I equate their products to the services of a racetrack tire changer. No matter what that poor guy does, he can only do a satisfactory job. Anything but the perfect tire mount and balance job is completely unacceptable. People take for granted the work of those tire changers and balancers, just like the jobs of their steering stabilizers and sprockets. Racers demand flawless performance from all of them – and thankfully my guys have been able to deliver. So Chuck, Mark, Jeff, and Victor: thank you guys so much for the flawless work. I’m very happy to be able to wear that #1 plate for you guys again next year!

Thank you all for keeping up with me through this challenging year. I hope my soap opera season wasn’t too froo froo for you. And thanks to all those that made it this far in my longest report ever (good thing I type faster than I can ride a motorcycle). Here’s to good clean competition, good people, excellent products, and the sum of the equation = victory.

There’ll be more than a few Captain and Cokes steering the ship come time for the awards banquet. I apologize in advance.