Woo-Hoo! Back on the podium!

It seems like forever since race weekend one when I last visited the podium, but I managed to do it again. The schedule was all mixed up compared to normal, because the fast little 125's and 250's of the USGPRU were in town, sharing the race weekend with us. This meant some grids were combined, and my Twins GTO race would be the last race of the day, instead of it's usual 11 AM spot. Oh well, a late drive home to Boise - but I wasn't going to skip it as I'm third in the points total in that class.

So the first race of the day was the Amateur GTU, on my 600 against experts and novices. I was gridded in the third row, position C. I got a pretty crappy start (seem to be having a problem with that on the 600), but managed to get back past a few late-braking into the very tight turn one. I passed a few more people, and got passed by a couple, but pushed as hard as I could and managed a respectable 8th place, holding off a friend by a whisker at the finish line. Definitely one of my better finishing positions in that class, so I was pretty happy, although I was hoping to be in the 1:42's or 1:43's on lap times, and could only manage a 1:44:10 or something.

Second race was the Novice GTO, this time on the 1098. Grid position was second row, position B. As I sit on the grid I think to myself "Why am I just thinking - get a decent start? I'm going for the holeshot." So, that's what I did! First of all, the Ducati is just amazing off the line, with all that torque. For some reason I can just fly off the line with it. I dive into the first corner in first place, but see that one of the fastest guys out there is ducking underneath me inside. This is a guy that runs 1:37's, so I figured there wasn't much point in trying a block pass, so I let him go.

In the photo above, you can see me leading a couple of riders through the last turn before the straight, called "release."

As the laps go on I'm pushing as hard as I can, just trying to stay with the fast guys and not letting people pass me easily. I wind up in fifth, which again is one of my better finishes. I manage to get into the 1:43's, so I'm pretty happy. The race gets red flagged in the final lap, however, as a rider just a few positions back from me crashes badly, is unresponsive at the track, and winds up being life-flighted to the hospital. Later I get the news that he is doing okay, just had a bad concussion - thank goodness!

The final race - the Twins GTO, was my most fun and exciting race ever! They combined our grid with the Amateur GTO grid (experts and novices on literbikes and 600's). They took up the first five rows of the grid, then there was a separation, then we started back on row seven. Both classes started on the same green flag, which was pretty wild. I was in the front row of our grid, looking ahead at 20+ riders not too far ahead of me. The two guys on my left, in positions A and B, are two really fast guys - both experts, one on a 1098S, and one on a 916. In the second row is another guy on a heavily modified SV that just flies!

Once again I got a brilliant start - that bike is amazing. I'm flying through the pack in front of me in the Amateur GTO group, and we haven't even reached turn one yet. I can see in my peripheral vision that the guy on the 1098S is coming up the inside, but I manage to get into turn one ahead of him - another holeshot! It only takes him about one more turn to blow by me, but hey, it was great while it lasted. I try to stay with him as long as I can, but now we're running into more traffic from the Amateur GTO guys. I get stuck behind a guy who's just a tiny bit slower than me, but he's on a literbike so I can't seem to get around him like I could a guy on a 600.

In the second lap the guy on the 916 ducks under me into turn four, but starts to drift wide. I think of sneaking in under him on turn five, but he chops my nose off so I back off. For several laps I hang with him, mostly because we're both now stuck behind the guy who's just slightly slower. The guy on the 916 is unbelievably fast through the turns - just crazy, but on the straights the 1098 easily reels him back in, and I also find that I can brake a little later.

We come around the last double hairpin leading into the straight, with me on their tails. I duck to the inside and just pin it, hoping I can get by them at the line. I creep alongside, and just as we get to the finish line, I hit the rev limiter and the bike stutters! I think I got by him, but I'm not totally sure at that point. As we round the next couple of turns on the cool down lap, he rides by and gives me a big thumbs up, which makes me feel great, as he's a really fast guy, and well respected around the paddock. When I get back to the pits, I have several people come up and congratulate me on the second place finish! I can't believe it!

I brought home a really nice trophy, a medal for my fifth-place finish, and earned some more Michelin contingency money, which is pretty cool. I also find out later that I win some actual prize money in this class for finishing second, which is a really nice surprise!

I really wish I could put into words what an incredible rush it is to race like this. Sure, it's just club racing, and there are about a million guys way faster than me, but still, it's about the most fun, intense thing I can imagine. I wish everyone could experience this kind of thrill!

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