Diomede Racing

It was a quick trip up on the Friday before, I carpooled it up with Ray, Cathy and Brian.  It makes the drive feel so much shorter, to have others to talk to and there is much more activity in a motorhome then a truck.   We made good time with the new shortcut, or at least it seemed faster.

Saturday, I didn’t do any riding since I was borrowing a bike and Brian had 3 races that day.  I play pit crew, I’m sure that I’m not very good at it since I spent a lot of time running around to other people’s pits BS’in with them and trying to get feed back what to do about my bike.  

Brian really was amazing in his races, I was really proud of him.

I got to ride the bike for the first time on Sunday morning in my two practice sessions, I was a wreck the whole time really worried that I was going to shift it the wrong way.  I usually ride GP shift and his bike is std shift.  I was finally getting the hang of it by the end of practice.  I never managed to drop my times down to where they were the last time I was there.    I still managed to finish 2nd in the LOR, but was kinda disappoint that I didn’t have better lap times.

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Lenny from RaceTech went above and beyond today.

He stopped off in Abq to rebuild my forks at the dealership where my bike is.  I’ve have chatter in the front that we couldn’t get rid of, so he tore them down to figure out what it was and make changes to the forks and to my shock as well.  I can’t wait to test it all out.

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Since the dealership wasn’t able to get my bike up and running for the weekend, I wasn’t really looking forward to this weekend.  It was wonderful and flattering that people offered me bikes to use for my races.  But really, it’s just not the same.

I ended up using Daryl’s SV, which is a fun bike, even if it is 1/2 the hp of mine,  has interesting brakes, and  the suspension feels like that of an old caddy with shot shocks and partly because of all that it was a blast to play on. I can’t thank Daryl enough, for letting borrow it.   I even managed to drop my lap times down into a range that was respectable.  I learned a few new things riding it, like it is possible to go into a couple of turns so much deeper then I thought, and I can stuff it up under others without problems when I have no other choice.

The new configuration CW is a lot of fun, and it is a whole lot more tiring then the std config.  Maybe it was just because it was so hot, but I was wiped out and I didn’t ride as much as I usually do.  I’m sure that part of it is that the 675 is so much easier to ride then the 13 year old SV.  I managed to drag hard parts for the first time, and my toes a few more… even though I kept pulling them farther up on the pegs.

I really should have practiced a launch or two on it before sunday.  It didn’t even occur to me to do that until I was heading to the grid for the Nov GTO race.  I almost didn’t make the race, I missed the warmup lap.  I didn’t hear any of the calls for the race, funny since I even had a radio…   So had one of my worst launches in a long time, and was pretty much last off the line.  I managed to get back a couple of spots so I was pleased and I was feeling much more comfortable on the bike after that too.

The Am GTU race went even better, still didn’t have a great launch, but I finished even better so, again over all I was okay with the result.    The Nov GTU race went even better… hum… pattern…  🙂  I actually had a good launch and I finished a little better, if I had had just a little more hp I would have been able to finish better in all three.  So riding that SV was a great lesson for me.  I found that I was able to carry some really good corner speed, but my drives out weren’t as good as they could have been.

If we hadn’t gotten rained out again in the afternoon, I bet I would have figured out just how to ride that bike faster.

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 So far Aug has turned out to be a REALLY expensive month for me and we were only 3 days into it.   I almost didn’t go up for the school, getting a new clutch in the truck was murder to my bank account.  But, I had been planning on attending Jason Pridmore’s Star School @ HPR since April.    I still needed to get up to Denver to pick up my truck with its new clutch.  So why not just follow though???    I hitched a ride up with another NM racer, we tossed my stuff in his trailer on Friday morning and headed up to Denver.   Xen had never been to HPR, so the last 45 minutes before we got to the track, he kept asking “are we there yet?” and “are you sure, there is a track out here?”  LOL.  I’m pretty sure once he laid eyes on it that he was really glad that I talked him into going.

This was my third time riding with the school and each  time I’ve come away with something good to work on and learn how to fix an issue that I was having.  I make it a point to take something away from everyone that works with me.  It was all those years of riding horses that taught me how to be a great student and how to  get what I need from the instruction that I was getting.

This time I was really looking forward to someone telling me why I couldn’t drop my lap times down to where I really think the should be.  I know that I have the skills to be doing the faster times, but I just wasn’t able to get there.  I’ve finally gotten some consistency to my times, but they just were dropping.      I actaully really like the smaller schools, but I know that it means they don’t break even.  I had a much better time at this school and got some really great help from the instructors.  If I had thought about it a little more I would have been able to figure out where I was killin my lap times…. it’s always in the heavy breaking that I’m weakest.  It’s been that way off and on for the last two years,  I get hung up on coming into corners once I’m there or they are linked I’m great and there isn’t as much to improve on there.  I got a couple of drills from Wyeth and spent the rest of my time that first day working on it.   

 Unfortuneately my first day was cut a little short.  The oil cooler failed on the bike, again, and this time it spit oil all over my back tire  (and the track)  I was very lucky that I happened to be in the slowest corner on the track when the tire broke loose and I ended up going down.  I also was very lucky that I came off on the lowside before the tire caught and flipped the bike over onto it’s other side.  The damage to the bike was actually minimal, considering.  Its the first  time I’ve ever seen a rearset get folded in half…..  There was some rash on the body work and the tail sections has allot of duct tape in it’s future, and the clutch cover took a beating and was splintered into multiple pieces.  I just ended up with some bruises on my left elbow and on my hip.  The elbow at this point is many lovely shades of brown, blue, green, and black.   The hip bruise is already gone.   Everyone was really great and kind, esp. since my little spill costed everyone some time on the track.  It took awhile to clean up all that oil.    I really felt kind of awkward since I was the only female (other then an instructor) and I was the first one to go down.  I was really worried that I’d get some smart remarks/attitude about that.  Not how I wanted to represent.    Maybe there was, but I never heard it.  It might have helped that Jason talked about it being a mechanical failure and that I hadn’t actually done wrong.  It made me feel a little better about it, but I still beat myself up over it for most of the night.

I ended up riding one of the school bikes for the second day,  I’m really glad that I did.  I’m planning on heading up there again to race in two weeks, I needed to get over my fear of that turn.  It was better by the end of the day, but far from where I should be.   I have to say that those gixxers are fun bikes, but I missed my low end torque.   It was the first time that I’ve ridden a bike and was able to feel a difference in the tires, other then on my street bike.  The Dunlops have a very different feel, Iwasn’t sure if I liked them or not.  It may have just been the nerves from riding a bike that wasn’t mine and riding post a fall…  those things kind of mess with your head.

I’m already looking forward to riding with them again next year.

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I’m starting to think that CO just doesn’t like me…

The races were great, I’m a huge fan of the Pony Express Endurance races.  I’d like to do a 4 hour and only have one other team mate.  I was on a team with 2 others and we all had a great time.  We finished somewhere in the middle of all the teams, much better the I expected.  I’m sure that had more to do with Dave, being able to run the faster laps the myself and Shana.

I was really happy with how the bike ran, it was the first time that I’ had a chance to ride it hard since it was fixed.   I managed to drop my times down from what they were the last time I was there.  I actually managed a new fastest lap time.

Aside from my truck breaking down on once I got to the track and my trailer jack stand getting bent on the way home.  I had a great time.

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Even though the weekend was cut short, more on that later, it was a really long and tiring weekend for me.  It started with having to be down in Abq,  early on Friday to first pick up my bike from the dealership and to get the borrowed air fence into place.  That didn’t quite go as planned, it took much longer then it should have.  I finally left the track just after 9pm.   Many thanks to Edda for letting my stay in their spare room for the weekend.  It makes things so much easier, then having to drive an hour + home.

Saturday was our July track day and we were running the new configuration CCW.  This was the second time, we had used this configuration, but it was going to be the first time that we raced it.  There were very few wrecks during the day,  if I recall correctly there was only 4 bikes that went down for the day.  While that’s never good, but no one was hurt, and all the bikes just need a repairs to look perfect again. It was really cool to see three of my MSF students out there, and to see them riding really well.  It was really a blast to ride, but it is awhole lot more work then the other direction.  I was beat at the end of the day, and normally control riding doesn’t wear me out like that.  I didn’t feel it  on Sunday, but I’m kinds sore today.

Later in the day, some concerns were raised about the safety of the new config for racing.  I don’t run the same kind of pace that the really fast guys do so I can’t say that I agree with the things thought were an issue.  I didn’t see them at my pace.  Some of things I thought were interesting since they are things that were complaining about are in place going the other direction as well.    It was decided that, we would run the std config. until some of the questions raised could be answered.  I was really disappoint, but I’d rather see everyone safe.

Sunday like Sat was cloudy and humid,  I kept hoping that it would just do the same.  Spit rain, but not so much that it soaked the track, since we can’t run that track in the rain.

I only got in one practice session, since I forgot to plug my warmers in before registration closed.  Opps!  At least I got one in, and man was I slow. 

First race up was the Nov GTO and I was starting in second place.  Shame, I almost stalled the bike and then mis-shift coming up to turn two.  I ended up at the back of the pack and was unable to get around one of the riders, even though his like 3 seconds a lap slower then me.  I’ve gotta stop being so nice with my passes and stuffing people.  I had it like 4 times and just wasn’t willing to shove him outta the way.  It was one of the most frustrating races I’ve ever had.  Since he was on an 1125r I couldn’t out drive him out of the corners, and I kept almost running into the back of him in the turns.  His lines were all over the place and twice I had him come in and almost bump my front tire.  I really was mad at myself when I got off the track.

The next race up was Am GTU, and I was on the front row again.  I knew that I needed to prove to myself that I could do better and I had a great start. Not a hole shot but I was right in the middle of it and I wasn’t going to back off this time.  By the end of the first lap I was  in fourth and then Brian who was in 3rd when down coming into turn 2 I saw the back of his bike come off the ground and then the dirt went flying.  As I came into the turn I could see the bike laying on him, it kinda freaked me out and I rolled off and thought about slowing way down.  Once I saw that he was moving, I picked it back up hoping that I hadn’t let anyone get to close when I did that.  It took me a lap or two to get back on pace.  I managed to hold on to 3rd until the last two laps.  Then I had Sean go by me.. I tried to get back past him, and we crossed the s/f with me right behind him.   Brian was fine and the bike was pretty damaged, but he was working hard to find a way to make his next race. 

Two races later is started to rain hard and we took a lunch break, hoping it would blow on through.  It did for the most part but the ground was soaked and was drying up.  So the rest of the day was called and at some point we will make up those races.

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So the plan was to head up to CO Thursday night, ride the Fasst Lapping day on Friday, race with MRA on Saturday and Sunday, and then head up to Denver to ride HPR on Monday.  Can you imagine a better way to spend a weekend? I sure can’t.

So I left work early on Thursday, I met Brian (another SMRI racer) at my house, we loaded up his stuff into my trailer and hooked it to his truck.  We headed on up, we found a great place to stay that night in Pueblo.  We got to the track Friday am to ride and things were awesome.

I rode in the fast group and I even managed to get Shane Turpin to spend sometime with me.  He followed me around and video taped me and showed me some better ways around the track.  He went over the video with me to show me where I could fix a few things.    I was stoked to get back out there and try out things we had talked about.   I did one session a bit slower so that I could focus on those things.  I was feeling really good about it when they ended my session.  I headed back into the pits to go over  things and write down some notes.  I talked with Shane again, and we getting ready to head back out, but,  it was at this point that I noticed oil all over the left side of the bike.  It was also all over the tire, it was a good thing that I wasn’t pushing when I had been out in the last session.   It looks like the oil cooler failed again, there is oil in the radiator overflow.   There went my weekend, drat!  I was so bummed.

I tried to find a dealership in CO with a part, who could get it fixed, but I didn’t have any luck there.  The part was at the dealership in Abq, but I couldn’t find a way to get it up to the track.  Oh well, it was looking like I was going to spend the weekend being Brian’s pit crew.   However, Shane offered his 1098R to me for my race.  I had to think about that one for a bit.   I did take it out for a couple of sessions on it, and once I got over being terrified of it, I really liked it.  I loved the brakes and the slipper clutch, I really need those on my bike! I also need to get that quick-shifter fixed.

I decided not to do the NGTO race on Sat.  I really didn’t want to take risks with his bike.  I did put some new tires on the 1098 and helped Brian (www.speedin-motorsports.com) get ready for his races.  I’m really proud of him, he started 32nd and finished 9th in the NGTU.  This weekend was his first time on the track.  He also did the same thing in his other race (MW endurance).

I went out Sunday for my two practice sessions,  so I could get more comfortable on that beast of a bike… I mean really 198hp that’s insane.  It really doesn’t ride like the beast that it is, but it is the only bike I’ve ever ridden that makes you slide back on the seat every time that you catch the next gear.  I felt so much more confident on it then I did on Friday.  I wasn’t running very fast times, but I was only going at about 60%, since I wasn’t going to risk a bike that wasn’t mine.

I really was nervous about launching that bike, the traction control makes things a little trickier and I’m not always the best with launches.  I had done a couple of practice launches on Friday and the best I can say is at least that I didn’t stall it.   Shane had told me that he was going to video the start and  if I did stall it he was going to laugh at me.   I was ready for it too, but it was my best launch on it, even though it was a really slow launch.    Wyeth was gone, and I got into second by the first turn.  I managed to hold second for the LOR for the whole race.   So I was really pleased with the whole race and I had a blast on that bike.

Then Brian and I drove up to Denver for the lapping day at HPR.  It killed me to watch him and Eric out there, but we put my lap timer on their bikes and my camera on so they could get some good footage of themselves riding.  I really wish that I’d had a bike to ride.  There was hardly any people out there.

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I was kind of dreading this weekend, and was still bummed that we hadn’t managed to get rid of the front end chatter. 

However, it turned out to be a great weekend for me, I finally got my lap times down to where I had left off on the R6 last year.  I actually even set a new fastest lap time for myself.   Yahoo!!!

Practice really didn’t give me any indication that it was going to be a great day. It went fine and I noticed that I was running slightly quicker laps then during the track day last weekend, not unusual for me.  I don’t push on track days and the adrenaline gets the better of me on race weekends.

First race (Nov GTO) of the day was epic for me.  I actually got the hole shot and lead the race for multiple laps.  Xen tried to get around me in the second lap in turn 5 but then ran wide and I went under him to get back in the lead.  We did that a few more times until he finally got by me.  It was a couple more laps after that, I got passed again.  Overall I was really pleaseed with the race, afterall 3rd isn’t too shabby.

Next up was the AM GTU race and I actually had another great launch.  I hit the first turn in 3rd, but I had one guy get by me coming out of turn 2 and then had a lap later had another get by me in turn 5.  I managed to take back 5th from Xen when he late braked me into 5 but again ran wide. 

Nov GTU the 3rd race of the day was ended up going the same way, but Xen launch in front of me and then managed to hold me up for the entire race… I’ve got to learn to be more aggressive about passing.  I had a couple of the guys, yell at me when I got back to the pit about the number of times that I had it but let him go.

The 4th race was AmGTO, I pretty much only do this one to learn a few things from the experts in the class for as long as I can manage to stay close enough to keep them in sight and to bug the crap outta Doug.  Since I can launch and he can’t, so I just stay out until I lose sight of the front group and until Doug finally manages to pass me…  It’s evil, I know, but it is really too much fun to mess with him.

The 5th and final race of the day is Formula Femme, by this time of the day it’s way too dang hot and I’m just beat.  It wasn’t an exiciting race, I launched into first and just slowly walked away from the other women in the class.  I had hoped that I might be able to lap 2nd place, but I didn’t manage to pull that off, but if I’d had two more laps I would have been able to get it done.  She was about 1/4 of a lap in front of me as I crossed S/F.  I did manage to lap 3place  and under two times though.  I found out after the race that 2nd place had gone out on her husbands 1K instead of her 600.

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It was another just fantastic day at the track, albeit a HOT day.  Our sponsor for June was Santa Fe BMW, and wow they put some effort into it.  They had a demo truck at the dealership the day before along with Race Tech to set up and answer questions for their customers.  Race Tech also spent Sunday at the track helping everyone with their bikes.   A fantastic lunch was served by the Dealer as well.  A side from a few crashes it was a smooth day, and I didn’t hear any thing negative.

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Well, it was kind of a good race weekend.  If it hadn’t been for the rain I’m sure  it would have been a great weekend.  Overall, it wasn’t too bad, I did get some good time on the track Friday afternoon.  I would have been better, if the track hadn’t been covered with mud in the morning.  They worked hard to scrub it, but it was still quite dirty when I got out there for some much needed practice.

It was the first time in about 9 months that I had been on it, I was surprised at how much I remembered about my markers on the track and really was missing some of them.  Since it had been so long I figured that I’d have to start over with picking new ones, which was pretty much on target for most of the corners.  I ended up having to modify some lines due to the dirt on the track.

By the end of the day I was feeling pretty comfortable with the track and the bike.  Mainly due to Shane adjusting my suspension, don’t know how he does it… but all the chatter is gone.    Also, many thanks to ST selling me a set of his rain tires.  I was really hoping that if I bought them that I wouldn’t end up needing them.   No such luck.   It started to pour as I was leaving the track and as I was driving toward Byers, I notice a rather large funnel cloud heading our way.  As I was checking into the hotel, the hail started.  Luckily, it didn’t last long and the cloud skimmed by the track.  It continued to rain all night again.

Saturday, I made the decision to not ride in the rain.  I’m still kinda traumatized by racing in the rain after Barber last year.  So I hung out in the Vanmar pits all day with Tammy.  I did get the bike out to tech it, and get the rain tires on it, just in case I changed my mind.  (I’m a girl, after-all)

Sunday the weather wasn’t any better, but at least some of the dirt had washed off the track with all the rain.  I went out for practice and towed Shelia around for a few laps.  I don’t think that I’ll be doing that again.  It’s too much of a one way street.

I actually had fun in practice, the bike handles great in the rain.  The only issue is being able to see after 4 laps, my visor fogged up so bad that I had to open it to be able to see where the track was.

I only did the LOR (Ladies of the Rockies) race, it was the third race of the day and it is held with the Modern Vintage GTU race.   I was gridded in the second row right behind Wyeth.  I really just wanted a good launch and to finish up right without going into the mud.   I couldn’t believe it but I had a fantastic launch!!  I was right on Wyeth’s tail going into the first turn then, I got a little to happy with the throttle and the back end of the bike went sideways.  It stayed up  right, but it kind freaked me out, so I backed off quite a bit.  It started to rain harder about the 2nd lap and my visor fogged up even more.  It was during the first lap that the first MVGTU guy got by me and then I blew turn 1 and had Shelia get by me.  I stayed on her and almost got back around her in turn 4 but I did the same thing with the rear of the bike and decided that I didn’t want 2nd that bad.  So I just stayed behind her until 2 more of the MVGTU guys got by me.  By this time I couldn’t see anything unless I opened my visor, only it would blow shut on the back straight, and I would have to guess were turn 4 was.  Needless to say I finished in 3rd for the LOR and was 6th for all of the bikes, not too bad.

I think that racing in the rain could be more fun, if…. I had rain gear, an extra set of leathers, and had rainX to keep my visor from fogging.   Fresh rain tires are very different from rains that have been around for awhile and now that I know the difference, I will be buying a new set every year.   I also need to have my extra set of wheels to make tire changes easier.

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