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Tom's Race Report from Thunderhill - AFM
07/17/05 Willows, CA
I knew it would be hot (not 110!) so I started with water Wednesday
and continued with water and juice and NO beer till Sunday night. Rian
got the trailer to the pit Friday around noon and Sally and I got to the
hotel around 8:30, quick dinner and off to bed by 9:30.
Saturday practice and some USGPRU races which meant only 4 sessions. Had
slicks from last Firebird East trackday (half day) and they also had 4
races at Arroyo on them. This was my second time to Thunderhill - I had
done a trackday with Rogue about 1 year ago. My best time on the RC51
was 2:06:9. I wanted to get to 2:01:0. First session out did 2:07's, I
remembered the track, it's not as technical as Infineon but challenging
in that it has many off camber and very high speed corners. The best I
could do Saturday was 2:06:0 which was very disappointing. Found out the
tire pressures were reversed front to rear. Correct pressure would help
on Sunday. The track is fairly bumpy so track knowledge is important to
have the correct lines through bumps. Still it's a lot of fun and makes
you use all your skills.
Race day, 3 races one practice session. Drop to 2:04's in practice on
new slicks. Choose a med/soft rear and should have gone with the med.
Race 1 the first race of the day. It was F-40 and the one race I feel I
can win with AFM in the not too distant future. Not happy that it's the
first race but deal with it. Gridded 28th of 40 racers. Get a great
start dice with and past a bunch finishing 12th and a best lap of
2:02:6. What a fun time!! Moving up in the grid will help for the next
few AFM races. The winner ran a 1:58:9. Times were up because of the 110
degree heat I believe, the track just felt a little greasy, or actually
the tires. I really think with this kind of heat you shouldn't plug in
the tire warmers. We had them plugged in for my second Race Unlimited GP
and my times were higher, high 2:03's. I don't remember the size of the
grid but I was gridded 12th and finished 9th. I didn't have them plugged
in for the next race, the very last one of the day, Unlimited Superbike
and got my best time of the weekend on the last lap, a 2:02:4. I was
gridded 26th and finished 15th, another fun race.
There are many places to find time on this track. It's so long (3 miles)
that with only 5 laps per session, I just didn't get to it all. I worked
on getting the track into my tiny brain for the next time, hopefully
I'll remember it!!
Thanks Sally for making the boring trip and keeping me company and Rian
for driving up the truck and trailer and pit work.
Thanks to AFM for providing another enjoyable weekend. No lines, always
on time, audible announcements, corner workers in every corner, 3
ambulances, getting to crashed riders within 20 seconds, bringing in the
riders involved and corner workers to see what or who caused the crash
and taking action, never making you wait on the grid.
Tom Savoca
#151
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