What a month it’s been and it’s not over yet. There’s the Road Racing World article, the Chicken Hawk banner and there is the Aug SMRI race day!
The August Race, finally felt like I’m making progress again. Racing is one of those things that once you get to a certain point, it’s really hard to make huge steps of progress.
Three years ago I was convinced that with the ‘new’ bike I’d be able to get into the 55s. After the first year with that bike, I was lucky to get under the 1 minute mark. I have and still am struggling with confidence issues where the bike is concerned. I love every thing about that bike, except for the not really being able to trust it. After having it put me down twice with no warning, and being very lucky that it didn’t at least 4 other times. It’s really hard to not let that have an effect on how I ride.
Last year I worked on just being more consistent in my lap times. I have to say I’ve done pretty well with it. I’ve had numerous races where I was within .5 from the start to the finish. I’ve gotten pretty good at hitting the spot I want just about every corner with every lap.
I did manage two new personal best times this year, even though they weren’t huge improvements. I was consistent, for the race, with times being less then .8 from first lap to the last and beating my previous best time by .1 seconds.
In Aug I had another step forward, and for me this was a large one. I was finally able to make the passes when I wanted to make them, instead of over thinking them to the point of losing the opportunity.
I added a race that weekend, so I ended up running 5 races that day. The last race of the day, it clicked. I was gridded at the back, I got a decent start, and I ended up right in the pack. I lost some ground in the first turn but made it up by the second. I was able to get around the first guy after about a lap. I wasn’t going to really run the race I had just gone out there to help fill the grids, but it just seemed to easy so I kept going. I caught the next two guys in another lap. I was working out where to make the next pass when the guy in front of me blew the turn big time, WITHOUT, hesitation, I went under him. That’s a first for me. That left the next guy in front of me, I was able to get around him in three more turns. I think late braking him into a turn was another first for me… as I’m usually weak on the brakes. After that I was able to run down the next guy, in about 2 laps. I was even able to get by him coming out of a turn.. See that’s what I’m really good at. I just couldn’t hold it into the next one. After that he kicked it up a bit, but I was able to stay right on him. I’d guess that with another 1 or 2 laps I would have been able to pass him again. I just ran out of time.
I was really pleased with how I rode and thrilled with the times being so consistent, even with a tire that was shagged and it being the second of two back to back races. Things are getting better. I’m really ready for September’s races, even if it’s a configuration that I don’t like as much.