Race Report

The last day of WMRC racing was looking to be interesting. It poured nearly all day the day before, at night, and somehow defied the forecasts to be a sunny morning (with a very wet racing surface). During rider’s meeting we talked about what to do about the missed races from the previous day. When we were asked how many of us were interested in having make-up races, since we had time in the schedule, my hand shot up immediately. We were split about 50/50 (which is considerable since probably not even 50% of the racers are even in those classes), so the message was they’d determine what we’d do, and announce it before the races. It was announced that rather than make-up races, the final events from this day that coincided with the cancelled races from the day before would be double points.

I had a qualifier before lunch in patchy wet/dry conditions. I think I was the only bike to take to the grid with dry tires on. I got a decent start, felt out the track slowly, and won. Except lunch is when things got stupid:

There’s an “emergency rider’s meeting” to announce the news that the races in the afternoon wouldn’t be double points. I just turned around and left right then, disgusted, knowing exactly the events that played out behind the scenes. I don’t care what kind of excuses who tries to hide behind, but the facts are that there were only two racers with a chance of winning the championship and one of them cried loud enough to get the club to reverse their decision. It was a long shot for me going into the weekend because of the two rounds I had missed earlier in the year, and I was well behind in the points, but I was making them back hand over fist. As the weekend wore on and I continued to win my races in convincing fashion the large lead was shrinking fast and it began to look like there was a fighting chance. Just as everyone was starting to see what was maybe going to happen, all of my championship hopes were struck away. To make matters worse, and rub salt in the wounds, the message was delivered with the words “We want the championship to be decided on the track, and not with the rulebook” WHICH IS EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY DECIDED. If it was to be decided on the track the come-from-behind guy that wins every single one of his races would still have a chance to earn the points he has a chance to. I’m not looking to get them given to me, I want to win them, but this was just disgusting.

At lunch I took a quick spin of the back section of the racetrack on my BMX to see how wet it’d be for the race. Sure enough, it was dry, and going to be interesting as up until this time everyone’d been running around on a sketchy track all weekend. Now it’s time for the Pro Superbike Heat #1 and nobody’s practiced up in the dry. It’s like dropping the flag on a final event without practice or warm-up. It was actually kinda exciting. Unfortunately, I didn’t let the race be very interesting as I took the lead right away and stretched it out to win with a safe margin. There was one corner of the track that was still wet, but aside from that it felt really good to lean hard on the inside bar again.

The Pro Open Supersport race was even more fun, as the track was completely dried out. I didn’t get the start I was looking for, and went into the first turn in 4th place. I passed for 3rd in the first turn, for 2nd in the third turn, and for the lead in the seventh turn (all on the first lap). From there I wicked it up and had a great time painting long black lines for the first time all weekend on my way to stretching out the lead every lap till the chequers. One race to go, and still undefeated all year at Mission. Let’s ‘Get it on!!”

Right before the last race of the day the rain poured down hard, completely soaking the track. We were given time to get the bikes ready for the conditions, and everyone took to the track with full wet tires (even though the rain had stopped).

I took the lead in the first turn and it felt like I was going so slow I must have been holding up the entire field. By the end of the second lap I was still in the lead, but could hear a bike close behind me. Just as I was wondering if someone was going to pass for the lead, the noise from the bike in second place went away. I guess he crashed while attempting to exit the tight turn 3 and I was left with a huge lead. Although I was getting signals from people on the pit wall that my lead was massive I kept pushing. I was in front, having fun, and frankly kinda pissed off about the whole non-double-points thing and spooling the rear wheel up out of the turns was sort of therapeutic.

So of course, I missed the championship. I haven’t said a word about my disappointment to anyone other than my closest crew, but it’s just not right, and letting my feelings be known is the best medicine for me. At least I can walk away knowing that I was undefeated in every single race all year at Mission, and hold the outright lap record for the track. The competition can’t really say that. I’d like to think that someone’s conscience is bothering them about this, but the sad fact is that I think the whole predicament came about because they simply didn’t care, so I doubt that’s the case. Chances are they went with the easier of two roads. Racer “A” quietly goes about his business winning every race he’s in attendance for, Racer “B” cries until he gets his way.

Personally I think it’s pathetic that the club issues the championship to the biggest whiner instead of winner. Oh, and in case you were wondering: Yes, I would have won both classes I race in and the #1 plate had the decision not been decided over a box of Kleenex. There. Said. Done. Moving on.