Tom's Race Report from Buttonwillow, CA

7/11/04 Buttonwillow Raceway

First I'd like to thank my teammates, Pat, Brian and Mike. It's truly a team effort when we head to the track with everybody doing their share. Also thanks to Pat for the toy hauler and letting my truck drag his second "house" around! Gotta thank Pat's wife for the great food this weekend also!

Well, we arrived at Buttonwillow at 2am Saturday morning (for reasons not mentioned here)! Got to bed and woke at 7am. Talked to some racers at the track and they said the faster Amateurs were running 2:05's. Since none of us were ever at Buttonwillow we would all be learning it for the first time. First session 2:15's and thought 2 things, 1-this track is fast, not long straight fast, sweeping turn fast. 2- it is long and will take time to dial in. This is the longest track I was ever on and only getting 5 laps or so every session is not much time to figure it out. I decided to work on the track in sections. I don't think I put my knee down more than 5 times all day Saturday. To me getting the speed up in those sweeping turns was more important and getting my eyes to look further ahead was the chore for the day. I ran consistent 2:09's the last session and with Brian in the 2:05's I had to keep telling myself "it's OK you have a plan stick to it." Actually I felt real good mentally. I put new tires on Saturday night and focused on Sunday morning warm-up to scrub 2 laps then 2 hot laps to see if I could put everything together and get the times down. After the warm-up I felt great I knew the time was down before I even looked. I put everything together at about 90% and did a low 2:06.

First race GTO, much mayhem, some very stupid passing and chance taking. Second lap was in third (after Brian's 3 bike crash) behind #700. This guy scared the shit out of me! He was so unstable and changing lines mid turn on his Gixxer 1k I just hung behind looking for a clear shot. I watched him bang into a passing rider and the passing rider's shift lever flew off the bike and the other guy ran off the track. I guess I should have been more aggressive and passed this time bomb but didn't and 2 bikes passed him and me in T2 on the last lap. I followed those 2 guys through and put #700 behind me but couldn't get by the other 2 and finished in 4th.

Second race, unlimited GP didn't get a good start (wasn't happy with any of my starts this weekend?) I think I was running somewhere around 3 or 4 on the second lap with 3 bikes on my ass. Brian Land and Pat crashed on the same turn which put my in 2nd I believe. I was pushing real hard to stay in front but on the last lap my temp was flashing 255 and power was way down and those 3 that were right behind me got by and I wound up 5th, still in the money.

Third race and now I have the big fans on the bike as soon as I get in cause I am doing the next 3 races, every other race and miss piggy is HOT. Superbike Heavyweight, got out to the lead, pass a few experts and the pit board says 3sec. On the brakes into the carousel before the esses Eric #69 passes me! I didn't realize he was that close! We didn't get the white flag yet so I just stick to his back and go to school. I follow him for one complete lap and pass him at the end of the straight hard on the brakes, front sliding just a little but make it stick! Whew!!! Now I tell myself "go like hell!" and dame if he doesn't pass me on the brakes into the fucking carousel again! Well, you can't pass in the esses so I'm thinking "hard drive out of the esses to the last turn and get drive onto the straight, drive up his ass and try the draft to the line. It all works and I get him by a foot at the line for the win! Eric says he missed a gear but what a race! Eric's girlfriend has the last 2 laps on video, it was fun to watch!

Race 4, SuperTwins another bad start settle in and get to the lead behind everyone except Brian Long (hellva lot of Brian's out here)! and #299 expert. I know it means nothing to pass the expert #299 and I have a huge lead on the 2nd amateur but I had to push for 2nd overall. I'm glad I did cause #299 and I had a hell of a race for the last 2 laps! I wound up passing him (I think T2) and finishing a couple of bike lengths in front.

Race 5, last race F-40, I'm tired and it's HOT. Good thing I like the heat, my old body actually does better overheated I think! Got off to a decent start in behind 3 experts, the third one being #299! I follow him the whole race with a 5 sec lead for first amateur. We get the white flag and I tell myself it's "go time", well in the same turn where Pat & Brian Land go down (a down hill right hander on the gas) the back slides out the most it ever did on me before, bars locked, feather the gas, put my foot down hard to stand it up, shoot the bike out, clean shorts, and settle for the win and 4th overall. I can't wait to get back to Buttonwillow to analyze that turn!

All in all a great weekend (except for teammates crashing!) 1st F40, 1st Superbike Heavyweight, 1st SuperTwins, 4th GTO, and 5th Unlimited GP and $160 in purse plus any tire money. And I had a best time of 2:02:0. One thing that bothers me is that the tires are now in their prime! I think I need to change them Saturday and do 1 or 2 sessions on them so they can be in their prime in the middle of the race day. Then again it depends on schedule----ahhh tire management!!!

Tom Savoca

#151