Pat's Race Report from Infineon
4/23/2006 Sonoma, CA - Round 2 with AFM
I have been looking forward to going back to
Infineon since I was first there in August. This time, my wife Michele
would be flying up there with us. She doesn't get a chance to make
it to the races very often. Tom, Sally and Dave “The Flying Pole”
Siminski would be joining us for the trip. Tom's sister Valerie
and her husband Paul drove the rig up to Infineon (12 hour drive) while
the rest of us took the “Rock Star” route.
 For
this race, I left the Kawasaki 650 at home and took the 749r as a back
up bike only. I intended to only ride the 999r. At the last
round, I wasn't able to ride the big bike because of a starting problem.
Jason from
Section 8 Superbike sent me out a new battery and a trick set of
jumper cables to aid in the starting process. I found that the
Power Commander on the bike was contributing to starting problem.
I took the Power Commander off the 749r and the 999r started right up.
The last time we were at Infineon was last August for the 4 hour
endurance race. I also did my first sprint race with AFM on the 749r and
my best lap time was a 1:52. Not very fast, but I had limited time
on the track. My goal for the weekend was a 1:48 lap time.
Most of the AFM races conflict with our local CCS races. CCS has a
very limited turn out. Most grids have less than 10 riders and
many have less than 5. Tom and I decided to race with AFM this
year for the added competition. The grids at AFM are HUGE!
Some have more than 60 racers in a single wave start!
The weather was supposed to have a little rain in the forecast. It
would suck to come this far and not be able to race (AFM doesn't race in
the rain). For Saturday practice I was put in group 3 and Tom and
Dave were in group 4. AFM groups practice by previous lap times.
I would have liked to be in group 4 with the faster riders. I
found it very hard to get any clean laps in. My best time was a
very easy 1:50 in the last practice of the day. I put a new set of
Michelin slicks on the bike after practice. I still had my race
tires from the February WERA round from Fontana on the bike.
 On
Sunday, we had only one practice session before our races. I went
out and on the second lap while pushing up my braking marker in turn 8,
I overshot the corner and stalled the bike. The bike wouldn't
start and my practice was over. My first race was race #1, 750
Superbike. I had a #35 grid position. Normally it takes me a
little while to get going in the morning. Tom told me to take four
200 mg Motrin an hour before the race and I'll be fine. Those
older guys know all the tricks about loosening up sore muscles. It
seemed to work, I felt loose and ready to race. I got my typical
bad start and went to work after the leaders. I started passing a
few people. I could always see a few riders up ahead to keep me
motivated. At the half way mark, I could see a group of three
riders about a straight away ahead. I thought I'd be able to catch
them before the end of the race. On the last lap I pulled right up
to them going into turn 8. I thought I could pass them on the
brakes going into turn 11 and out motor them to the finish line.
Before I make my move, the guy in the front crashes and hold up the
other two while I go on to the finish line in 17th place.
Afterwards, I found out that I did a 1:46.7 on the second to last lap.
I found that pace to be very easy and was hoping to improve on it in the
next race. My times were right in line with Tom and Dave's.
It felt good to be riding hard again. Riding that little 650 might
actually be helping my riding.
 My
next race was race #4, Formula 1. My grid position was #63 on a 63
rider grid. I was dead last. I try to start my bike and
nothing. It won't even turn over! I'm unable to participate
in this race. I immediately go to plan B, which is prep the back
up bike (749r) for racing after lunch. In a last ditch attempt, I
find a guy named Jerry with a set of starting rollers. I put the
bike on the rollers and the bike fires right up. It looks like my
starter is fried. I'll be ok in the next two races as long as I
don't stall the bike!
Open Twins was next. This is the class that I'd like to do well
in. It's all similar bikes, mostly Ducatis with a few Hondas and
Aprillias also. I'm gridded in the 15th position. I get a
decent start, not great, but not bad either. We're nose to tail
for the first lap. Coming out of turn 2 on the second lap a rider
crashes right in front of me. I have to avoid the bike and the
rider sliding across the pavement. I miss the bike and also miss
running over his leg by 6 inches! While I was avoiding the fallen
rider, 2 or 3 racers got by me. I was able to catch up to them and
pass them within a lap. My little off track excursion put me out
of touch of the group in front and I finished 10th. My best lap
time in this race was a 1:47.1. Not as fast as I would have liked.
I was hoping for a 1:45.
 My
last race was Open GP. Tom would be starting one row ahead of me
towards the inside and I was at the far right. I thought I could
get a good start and rail on the outside and pass a few guys before turn
two. I thought that if I could get up with the faster riders,
they'd tow me around and get me in the 1:45s. At the start, I get
this big wheel stand (too anxious) and have to back out of the throttle.
I settle in two riders behind Tom and follow them around for the first
lap. They'd gap me a little on th straight and I'd get them back
on the brakes. My new Brembo Monoblocs are AWESOME! Coming
up the hill for turn two, I get a little greedy on my drive out. I
spin the rear tire up on the exit and the bike is full sideways and
spits me high in the air. My hands are still on the handle bars
and for a second I think I can save it. I then decide it would be
safer if I let go. As I let go and am sliding on the pavement, I
can see the bike on a ghost ride for 300 yards along side the track.
It finally falls in some tall grass. The bike never touched the
pavement and only suffered a bent subframe and broken windscreen.
That's the way all high sides should be! I was unhurt with only a
sore hip and a raspberry on my left elbow. The bad thing about
this incident is my wife was a spectator in that corner and saw the
whole incident. She was much more shaken up by the crash than I
was. She has vowed to stay in the pits at the next race. Tom
finished 8th in that race and I should have finished 13th or better if I
didn't crash.
Thanks to Tom, Dave, Michele, Sally, Paul and Valerie for the help in
the pits and driving the rig.
Thank you to the continued support of my sponsors: Section 8 Superbike,
Duc Shop, Speedy Moto, Moto Wheels, Lockhart Phillips, Universal Forest
Products, Motorex, Michelin.
Pat
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