Mike
07-08-2008, 07:58 AM
Back in 2000, we came to Topeka, Kansas for a short track national, but now we were across the parking lot on this nice, new clay 1/2 mile. Once I got to the track, I was anxious to go out and walk it and see what it was like. Wow, it was small, more like a 3/8 mile I would say. It looked like it was almost round shaped, as the straights were very short, with big sweeping turns and some banking too. As usual, starts were going to be very important.
Practice/qualifying was about to start, and I knew Rob and Larry had me a great bike, ready to roll. When I went out in the first session, I could not believe how short the straights were and how fast the turns came up on you. You would get into the turn pretty fast, then way before you were ready, the turn was heading back the other way. This was just a very small track for a 750 twin, as the 450 singles would be real fun here, but this was a twins national, so that's what we were all on tonight. I felt pretty good the first time out, as were second fastest so far, but I knew we had to get a little closer on the gearing. Then for the next session, which was our first qualifying attempt, the bike was better, but the track was getting slicker by the lap, and my adjustments we made for this just were not feeling too good. I was seventh fastest now, but I knew exactly where I could go faster on the track, that is if I could get myself and the bike to work a little better. I had noticed earlier in the day while walking the track, that the starting line had some real dry spots on the very bottom and the top. So right now, I was sitting in the seventh qualifying spot, which I knew I would put me second off the bottom in the second heat race, which would be a good starting spot. How can you go out and try and hold your qualifying spot, and at the same time try and improve your bike setup? Hard to do, plus you don't know if the rest of the riders were able to go faster either. The track was getting slower and slicker every time out, so I really thought that everyone's qualifying time from our first attempt would stand and not move around too much. I watched the first two groups right before me, and just as I thought, nobodys time in the top ten or so had changed. So I went out for my last attempt and rode the bike really hard, and it was definitely feeling better, as we had the fastest time for the last session. Then I found out that had bumped me up to the number four spot overall on combined times. Dang, I mean, yah I was happy that I was about the only one to improve that last time out, but at the same time, now I had pole for my heat race which would put me on either the top or bottom of the starting line, right in those dry spots I had noticed earlier. OOh well, do what ya gotta do I figured.
In my heat race, I had Sam Halbert, Jared Mees and others, so I knew the start was gonna be key. Halbert got the jump on me off the line, as I had spun a little bit, just enough to let him get there first. Once we were rolling though, I felt faster than he was, but I could not find a way around him. He was making a few mistakes here and there, but then so was I. Mees was right behind us I guess, but I was moving all over the track, just trying to find a way past, as I knew I needed the heat race win to guarantee myself a front row starting spot for the final. Lap after lap, I was right there, sometimes passing him up high in turn one, but he would shut the door on me on the exit of turn two. Halbert ended up getting the heat race win, with myself second, and I just felt that his pace was not fast enough to have us be one of the two fastest heat races which would give me that front row start for the final. I was right there, as we were fourth fast, so that would put me on the second row for the start of the final. No we have our work cut out for us on the back row for the final.
I studied the start line before the final, and knew where I wanted to start from. Well actually I wanted to be on the front row, but not tonight, second row was where we would be. At the flash of the green , I got a decent start, and going down the back stretch, I was in about the 6th or 7th spot. Just as we all entered turn three, Jared Mees was right in front of me, and right when he entered the turn, down he goes. I was on his outside, so I had to stand my bike up and try and avoid hitting him as he bounced across the track. I narrowly avoided hitting him, and the red flag quickly came out. He was up and ok. So we would have a complete restart, which I knew I needed to work on my start a little more this time, and try and get a few more guys on the first turn.
At the flash of the green, I got a great start this time, well, I guess as great as you can get from the second row that is. I came out of turn two in the sixth spot, as Coolbeth was leading, followed by Pearson, Halbert, Carr, Russell and myself. Right away I was all over Russell and Carr, trying to find my way past, as the pack in front of him was starting to get away. I got around Russell first, now I had Carr. I finally got around Carr on lap 9 or so, and I knew that had taken too long. So I started pushing it really hard, trying to catch Coolbeth, Halbert and Pearson which had built up a good gap on me. That was a mistake, as pushing it too hard on a slick track like this will usually make you go backwards, as you need to use the " the slower you go, the faster you will go" approach. But I was having a real hard time getting my bike slowed down in turn three, and this was making it real tough to make any ground up on them. I felt real good in turn one and two, but I knew I needed to figure out the other end of the track. Then around lap 15 or so, Smith worked his way by me on a high line. I was still searching around the track quite a bit, just trying to find that sweet spot that no one had found yet. Laps were winding down now, and we were all pretty much holding our own it seemed. I just could not move forward in this final tonight, as I was fighting it more and more it seemed with each lap. Coolbeth ended up getting the win, followed by Halbert, Pearson, Smith and myself.
This was not the finish I wanted, but then I felt I rode the bike really good, as I just missed on my setup a little bit tonight. Next weekend we have the new Columbus, Ohio mile, which will be a two day race, with the first day being practice and qualifying, and then day two will be the heat races, semis, and the main events. I'm gonna come back swingin' next weekend, as I'm sure I fired Coolbeth up with my two wins last weekend, and he came out chargin' hard this weekend and got the win. But I can promise you that I will be back stronger than ever next weekend, as we have two cushion track races in a row for the next couple of weekends. And I'm a lovin' the cushion tracks this year again! So bring em' on, let's go boyz!
Last week at the Lima 1/2 mile the racing fraternity lost a great guy. JB Norris passed away at the track that day from a sudden heart attack, while getting ready to announce another race for us. JB was a true die-hard flattrack supporter over many, many years. Every time he announced a race, he would always say"Lets Go Racing" right after the national anthem. My youngest son Kody,3, still thinks those are the last three words of the national anthem, and I love it! Thanks JB, and we will all miss ya tons big guy! Let's Go Racing!
Until next time, G'Day! Joe
Practice/qualifying was about to start, and I knew Rob and Larry had me a great bike, ready to roll. When I went out in the first session, I could not believe how short the straights were and how fast the turns came up on you. You would get into the turn pretty fast, then way before you were ready, the turn was heading back the other way. This was just a very small track for a 750 twin, as the 450 singles would be real fun here, but this was a twins national, so that's what we were all on tonight. I felt pretty good the first time out, as were second fastest so far, but I knew we had to get a little closer on the gearing. Then for the next session, which was our first qualifying attempt, the bike was better, but the track was getting slicker by the lap, and my adjustments we made for this just were not feeling too good. I was seventh fastest now, but I knew exactly where I could go faster on the track, that is if I could get myself and the bike to work a little better. I had noticed earlier in the day while walking the track, that the starting line had some real dry spots on the very bottom and the top. So right now, I was sitting in the seventh qualifying spot, which I knew I would put me second off the bottom in the second heat race, which would be a good starting spot. How can you go out and try and hold your qualifying spot, and at the same time try and improve your bike setup? Hard to do, plus you don't know if the rest of the riders were able to go faster either. The track was getting slower and slicker every time out, so I really thought that everyone's qualifying time from our first attempt would stand and not move around too much. I watched the first two groups right before me, and just as I thought, nobodys time in the top ten or so had changed. So I went out for my last attempt and rode the bike really hard, and it was definitely feeling better, as we had the fastest time for the last session. Then I found out that had bumped me up to the number four spot overall on combined times. Dang, I mean, yah I was happy that I was about the only one to improve that last time out, but at the same time, now I had pole for my heat race which would put me on either the top or bottom of the starting line, right in those dry spots I had noticed earlier. OOh well, do what ya gotta do I figured.
In my heat race, I had Sam Halbert, Jared Mees and others, so I knew the start was gonna be key. Halbert got the jump on me off the line, as I had spun a little bit, just enough to let him get there first. Once we were rolling though, I felt faster than he was, but I could not find a way around him. He was making a few mistakes here and there, but then so was I. Mees was right behind us I guess, but I was moving all over the track, just trying to find a way past, as I knew I needed the heat race win to guarantee myself a front row starting spot for the final. Lap after lap, I was right there, sometimes passing him up high in turn one, but he would shut the door on me on the exit of turn two. Halbert ended up getting the heat race win, with myself second, and I just felt that his pace was not fast enough to have us be one of the two fastest heat races which would give me that front row start for the final. I was right there, as we were fourth fast, so that would put me on the second row for the start of the final. No we have our work cut out for us on the back row for the final.
I studied the start line before the final, and knew where I wanted to start from. Well actually I wanted to be on the front row, but not tonight, second row was where we would be. At the flash of the green , I got a decent start, and going down the back stretch, I was in about the 6th or 7th spot. Just as we all entered turn three, Jared Mees was right in front of me, and right when he entered the turn, down he goes. I was on his outside, so I had to stand my bike up and try and avoid hitting him as he bounced across the track. I narrowly avoided hitting him, and the red flag quickly came out. He was up and ok. So we would have a complete restart, which I knew I needed to work on my start a little more this time, and try and get a few more guys on the first turn.
At the flash of the green, I got a great start this time, well, I guess as great as you can get from the second row that is. I came out of turn two in the sixth spot, as Coolbeth was leading, followed by Pearson, Halbert, Carr, Russell and myself. Right away I was all over Russell and Carr, trying to find my way past, as the pack in front of him was starting to get away. I got around Russell first, now I had Carr. I finally got around Carr on lap 9 or so, and I knew that had taken too long. So I started pushing it really hard, trying to catch Coolbeth, Halbert and Pearson which had built up a good gap on me. That was a mistake, as pushing it too hard on a slick track like this will usually make you go backwards, as you need to use the " the slower you go, the faster you will go" approach. But I was having a real hard time getting my bike slowed down in turn three, and this was making it real tough to make any ground up on them. I felt real good in turn one and two, but I knew I needed to figure out the other end of the track. Then around lap 15 or so, Smith worked his way by me on a high line. I was still searching around the track quite a bit, just trying to find that sweet spot that no one had found yet. Laps were winding down now, and we were all pretty much holding our own it seemed. I just could not move forward in this final tonight, as I was fighting it more and more it seemed with each lap. Coolbeth ended up getting the win, followed by Halbert, Pearson, Smith and myself.
This was not the finish I wanted, but then I felt I rode the bike really good, as I just missed on my setup a little bit tonight. Next weekend we have the new Columbus, Ohio mile, which will be a two day race, with the first day being practice and qualifying, and then day two will be the heat races, semis, and the main events. I'm gonna come back swingin' next weekend, as I'm sure I fired Coolbeth up with my two wins last weekend, and he came out chargin' hard this weekend and got the win. But I can promise you that I will be back stronger than ever next weekend, as we have two cushion track races in a row for the next couple of weekends. And I'm a lovin' the cushion tracks this year again! So bring em' on, let's go boyz!
Last week at the Lima 1/2 mile the racing fraternity lost a great guy. JB Norris passed away at the track that day from a sudden heart attack, while getting ready to announce another race for us. JB was a true die-hard flattrack supporter over many, many years. Every time he announced a race, he would always say"Lets Go Racing" right after the national anthem. My youngest son Kody,3, still thinks those are the last three words of the national anthem, and I love it! Thanks JB, and we will all miss ya tons big guy! Let's Go Racing!
Until next time, G'Day! Joe