Tom's Race Report from Buttonwillow, CA

11/07/04 Buttonwillow Raceway

For the first time we got to an out of town gig early!! In bed Friday night by 10:30 with the pit half setup! Pat and Mike couldn't make this trip with Brian and I. Matt Bollman and Tom Boge came along and fit right in. We enjoyed their company and help; thanks guys! My goal was to better my time from the first time at Buttonwillow by 2 seconds, which would get me below the 2 min mark. The biggest thing on my mind was tires, besides trying to run 2 bikes in 3 races each. I'm learning (very slowly) we can get more out of the tires than we have been. Yes, they are cheaper than body work and hospital visits but changing 2 sets every weekend is costly also! I need to have more confidence in the tires for a longer time and this weekend I did that. To make a long story and thought process short, my 51 tires had half a trackday at Firebird main, 2 races at main, 1 full day at Thunder Hill, 2 sessions at Button Saturday, 2 races Sunday and in the third race I did my best time of 1:59:3. One thing to point out is that T-Hill works the left side and Button works the right side. So much for tires. Can't remember all the different races or positions just, once again, certain things. Like when the front slid, bad start, good start, good line etc. To me, results are dropping lap times. Problem is, I drop them too slow. On the plus side, I feel very comfortable and not on the edge at all. I had a small problem Saturday seeing down the track. I'm not sure what it was, but it just didn't feel right. Maybe cause we are not used to this type of track, but it held me back some. Still don't get good starts on the RR and it feels stiff mid corner unlike the 51. Need to sort the RR out.

The Heavyweight Superbike race started well. I was in with the front pack coming into the back carousel and was pushed off the track. Ran through the dirt outside the track and came back on in last place. (forgot there was dirt on my tires and almost bit it!) I worked past 3 bikes in 2 laps when my foot peg fell off going into Riverside! I just pulled into the pit and got ready to go-out on the RR while Matt fixed the peg. Thank you very much Ricky Herd for having a rc51 shift lever!!! They got it ready in time for the SuperTwins race! Brian and I had fun. We passed each other in some crazy places!! He was much better through the esses than I was all day and when he entered them first on the last lap, I knew he won (wrong!! I should never think that and I am pissed at myself for doing so!! I won't make that mistake again!) He beat me even though I crossed the line first. Thanks Brian. Just remember if you-look over your shoulder again it might be a mistake!

The F-40 was a good race for me. I was pissed about giving up in the SuperTwins and just put my head down, got my best lap time of the weekend the very last race, go figure!

Have to bring back that killer instinct next week at Firebird! All in all a good weekend with some new pit friends although I missed the full Ball Sac contingent!
 

Tom Savoca

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