Race Report

So last time I showed up in Portland to do some racing I was good and ready for a weekend to go my way. I felt chinced out by the weather, but ended up wrecking and then having a motor squeak on me, so this time I was more than ready to start throwing down!

Since I had the new bike we thought we’d get into it to try to make a little more power. Wednesday morning we started early dropping the motor and getting ready to do the top end. We got it all apart and it just took a little longer than we though, and opted against sending the head out to get any work done. Basically we left the motor stock except for a thinner head gasket and degree’d cams.

I spent the next couple days riding in the Cascade Track Time trackdays to work a few bugs out and get both the GSXR 750 and GSXR 600 working the way I need them to. I felt pretty good on the 600, but seemed a bit uncomfortable on the 750.

Finally come Saturday it’s race day. I’d been looking forward to this for quite a while, and couldn’t wait to see some green flags. First race out of the gate is 750 Supersport. They drop the flag and I get the jump into the first turn. I pulled off a couple decent laps before a red flag came out to stop the race. I took a look back to see that I had a sizeable lead given the short run we just made. Probably with visions of crashing out of a big lead in the last meeting still on my mind, and knowing I was leaving the field, I subconsciously took it pretty easy off the restart. I never looked back, thinking I was continuing my trend of stretching out a lead, and took it to the flag for the win – however after I got back to the pits people mentioned how it was actually a really close race! Holy! You’d think I would have known! I’ll be sure to take a look back next time………and I was also determined to throw down a bit more to make sure everyone knows what I can do on that bike.

The 600 Supersport race was the barn-burner of the year for me. It was probably till the halfway flag that I saw Lenny Hale for the first time, but myself and Chris Ancien had traded places numerous times. I guess you could have thrown a blanket over the three of us for most of the race though. I gave up a lot of top end horsepower to both of their bikes, barely able to stay in the draft, and had to do everything I could on the brakes especially at the end of the back straight and through the 120mph turn 7 and 8 chicane where I was destroying them in speed. We went back and forth, and although I was disadvantaged horsepower wise, I was still sure I would cross the line first. Two laps from the end though we went three wide going into turn 1 and I clamped onto the brakes to avoid what I was certain was going to be the impending two-bike crash involving Chris and Lenny. Lenny came in hot enough I was sure he was going to run wide, and Chris hadn’t seen him. I was just hoping to not become part of it, but they both made it, and I was the one several bike lengths back now! Acccckk! Then to make matters worse they both got underneath a lapper in the long left hand turn 3 that I had to go the long way around the outside of. I was certain that was the end of the race for me, as the draft would be gone, and they’d just leave me on the straight.

Well, I guess I shouldn’t rule myself out, cause I nailed the turn before the back straight better than ever and had momentum on them around the back straight, brought about another 8 or 10 bike lengths back through 7 and 8 and all of a sudden I’m back in it! Now we’re starting the last lap and although I’m third, and back a little – I’m feeling like this is my race (but I kinda always figure that). We’re looking good through the infield till we get to the turn before the back straight again and I got shafted by a lapper that made an erratic move between 4 and 5 where I was hoping to carry speed for the back straight. I had to chop the throttle for a second, and I knew that’s all it was going to take. I figured I’d just follow around the back and watch the show from where I couldn’t do anything. Chris outbraked himself going into turn 7 though and took off into the grass. Lenny kept it on the track, and I brought him back at the end of the lap better than I thought I would, but I still fell short by 0.1 of a second at the line. Close, but no cigar.

I didn’t want the 750 Superbike race to even be close. At the drop of the flag I got straight down to the biz, and started up building a lead. I kept doing that all race long until I crossed the line almost a full 7 seven seconds ahead of second place.

Although the first 600 race was probably the race of the year, I didn’t want the same race the fans wanted. I was pissed off, determined to win, and wanted to get some clean track in front of me to see what I could do with it. It took three separate starts, and one trip back to the pits before we finally got a chance to make the run to the chequered flag. I was at the front for the most part in the first few starts, and set to keep that trend going. As the only place I’d been passed all day was on the straightaway, I just forced myself to get more and more ballzy into turn 1 to try to shorten that time I spent on the straight. Only once did I have to follow across the stripe, and every time I was passed on the straightaway it was after the finish line, so I felt pretty strong about my chances. Once I led into the first turn on the final lap I was certain the race was mine barring any incidents with lapped traffic. Nobody was able to make a pass stick in the infield, and the speed I had on them in the last portion of the track was dramatic, so I just kept it clean and took it home for the win.

In the end it was a hugely successful weekend. Although I was outgunned with pure horsepower, I still made my mark, and got the last word. I also stretched out my lead for the overall championship by a little bit, which is good news. Every bit of breathing room I can get in that department is welcome given this time of the year. Now pack up, travel the next day, and race the following day at Mission Raceway Park.

Mass props to the guys at Cascade Track Time and SDS Performance for putting in the long hours to work on my stuff. Chances are they’ll be taking a look at the 600 prior to the next race to see if they can squeak another couple horsepower out of it. I’ll race it the way it is, but it’s probably safer for everyone involved if my bike’s a little more competitive!