TaurusRacing
04-11-2009, 07:35 AM
WMRRA Rnd 1 - Eric Featherstone #650
Posted 04-10-2009 at 10:29 AM by TaurusRacing
WMRRA Round 1 – Pacific Raceways and Adrenaline Freaks Track Day
Race results: :hurl:
650SS – I suck
MWGPTwins – Why am I out here?
600TFS – Isn’t this supposed to be an older model class?
Wow my first race report ever! Where do I start with my eloquent writing to make me sound better than I really am??
I won’t lie…I am a total novice! I started racing a few years ago and I had never been on a track till 2007. I believe I went around the track the past few years with the death grip on the bars. For the first time this year, I actually can feel the track, tires, suspension and generally what the bike is doing. Troy with Bridgestone helped tremendously figure out tire pressures and helped me understand what I was feeling with the bike.
Well, let’s start with AF on Friday. I actually had some track time a few weeks earlier with a 2-fast day which helped me get the fuzz off but AF really helped me focus on the lines and most of all figure out my settings. AF turned out to be a great day. It started a little sketchy with the wet track and the unexpected fuel spill mid-morning. By the afternoon I was feeling much better.
WMRRA Saturday
Because I was racing in 3 classes I was able to get in on a few extra practices. This really helped me dial in my tire pressures for the track temperature. I know this sounds so professional (which I am not even close) but I really could feel the difference between a few pounds off in tire pressure. The front end felt like I was slipping but Troy said I was pushing. I really felt it through some of the faster corners like 2 and 8.
650SS – I was so ready for this race. I was fairly nervous but not like I have been in the past. I had an amazing start…so amazing that Randy Bailey (teammate) never even mentioned it in his report! I was gridded 1st row fifth position and I got a smoking start. I was leading down to T-3 until Mr. Finken passed me. I stayed with him till the second lap then throughout the race others began to catch and pass me. I was thinking “Am I slowing down?” but actually they were picking up the pace. I stayed consistently slow while everyone else got faster.
WMRRA Sunday
The weather on Sunday was amazing! It was such a nice change to have great weather for the first WMRRA round.
MWGPTwins – I had another amazing start but unlike the 650SS, I had to compete against the SuperBikes. I was gridded second row but got into T-2 in fifth. After getting passed by the other 650SS bikes through mid-race I tried to get into a grove and actually concentrate on some consistency and lines. I know I am supposed to do that in practice but if I am not going to be dicing it up with someone then I might as well focus on improving lap-times. There were a few times where I drafted and passed a few bikes but they got it all back on T-3 and T-4.
600TFS – This was my last race and the final race of the day. I got another great start but again couldn’t hold on to it for more than a few laps. I achieved the fastest lap I had from last year so I was pleased to start the year where I left off. Although, I was extremely frustrated with the race overall. There is an amazing need for me to not break as soon into T-2 and T-5. With some seat time I will be able to break the 1:40 mark within the next race or two. I am also really frustrated being absolutely blown away by bikes down the straight. I guess it is something to live with when I can only afford a stock bike. My advice to myself is quit bitching and get faster as there are many other stock SVs doing 5 seconds a lap faster than I am. Actually, overall it was all a lot of fun and I enjoy the experience.
Our new transponders (AMB) are really cool. MyLaps.com allow us to compare our laps to others in the race.
I want to first thank my teammates for helping out…Kevin Klemmer and Randy Bailey. Our team manager Katie Perry, who treats us like royalty! We missed having Chris Sarbora in the pits due to a blown motor on Friday. We also missed Chris Fratini due to mechanical issues and of course Eric Anderson because of (fill in the blank).
Thank you to my sponsors:
Bridgestone Tires - Troy McCrae of Pennell Powersports
Motorex USA
Vortex
Adrenaline Freaks Track Days
PNWRiders.com
MorePower Racing
Posted 04-10-2009 at 10:29 AM by TaurusRacing
WMRRA Round 1 – Pacific Raceways and Adrenaline Freaks Track Day
Race results: :hurl:
650SS – I suck
MWGPTwins – Why am I out here?
600TFS – Isn’t this supposed to be an older model class?
Wow my first race report ever! Where do I start with my eloquent writing to make me sound better than I really am??
I won’t lie…I am a total novice! I started racing a few years ago and I had never been on a track till 2007. I believe I went around the track the past few years with the death grip on the bars. For the first time this year, I actually can feel the track, tires, suspension and generally what the bike is doing. Troy with Bridgestone helped tremendously figure out tire pressures and helped me understand what I was feeling with the bike.
Well, let’s start with AF on Friday. I actually had some track time a few weeks earlier with a 2-fast day which helped me get the fuzz off but AF really helped me focus on the lines and most of all figure out my settings. AF turned out to be a great day. It started a little sketchy with the wet track and the unexpected fuel spill mid-morning. By the afternoon I was feeling much better.
WMRRA Saturday
Because I was racing in 3 classes I was able to get in on a few extra practices. This really helped me dial in my tire pressures for the track temperature. I know this sounds so professional (which I am not even close) but I really could feel the difference between a few pounds off in tire pressure. The front end felt like I was slipping but Troy said I was pushing. I really felt it through some of the faster corners like 2 and 8.
650SS – I was so ready for this race. I was fairly nervous but not like I have been in the past. I had an amazing start…so amazing that Randy Bailey (teammate) never even mentioned it in his report! I was gridded 1st row fifth position and I got a smoking start. I was leading down to T-3 until Mr. Finken passed me. I stayed with him till the second lap then throughout the race others began to catch and pass me. I was thinking “Am I slowing down?” but actually they were picking up the pace. I stayed consistently slow while everyone else got faster.
WMRRA Sunday
The weather on Sunday was amazing! It was such a nice change to have great weather for the first WMRRA round.
MWGPTwins – I had another amazing start but unlike the 650SS, I had to compete against the SuperBikes. I was gridded second row but got into T-2 in fifth. After getting passed by the other 650SS bikes through mid-race I tried to get into a grove and actually concentrate on some consistency and lines. I know I am supposed to do that in practice but if I am not going to be dicing it up with someone then I might as well focus on improving lap-times. There were a few times where I drafted and passed a few bikes but they got it all back on T-3 and T-4.
600TFS – This was my last race and the final race of the day. I got another great start but again couldn’t hold on to it for more than a few laps. I achieved the fastest lap I had from last year so I was pleased to start the year where I left off. Although, I was extremely frustrated with the race overall. There is an amazing need for me to not break as soon into T-2 and T-5. With some seat time I will be able to break the 1:40 mark within the next race or two. I am also really frustrated being absolutely blown away by bikes down the straight. I guess it is something to live with when I can only afford a stock bike. My advice to myself is quit bitching and get faster as there are many other stock SVs doing 5 seconds a lap faster than I am. Actually, overall it was all a lot of fun and I enjoy the experience.
Our new transponders (AMB) are really cool. MyLaps.com allow us to compare our laps to others in the race.
I want to first thank my teammates for helping out…Kevin Klemmer and Randy Bailey. Our team manager Katie Perry, who treats us like royalty! We missed having Chris Sarbora in the pits due to a blown motor on Friday. We also missed Chris Fratini due to mechanical issues and of course Eric Anderson because of (fill in the blank).
Thank you to my sponsors:
Bridgestone Tires - Troy McCrae of Pennell Powersports
Motorex USA
Vortex
Adrenaline Freaks Track Days
PNWRiders.com
MorePower Racing