BARE BONES MACHINE®

Racing 2000

June 11: Race 3 at Second Creek Raceway

   We went to the newly repaved Second Creek (which is a really short and highly technical track in my opinion). Its a deal where track position is critical on the corner exits in order to be set up properly for the next corner entrance. I really never felt that comfortable because I haven't riden there enough to really master the place. It is by far the smallest track I have ever ridden on and it was hard to get a rhythm going. It is kinda fun though, and definitely a "scratchers track". I felt like I was starting to get the hang of it after the last practice session on Sunday morning, but, I don't think I ever got the bike geared correctly. We are using a close ratio six speed and with the track so short, I think we might have been better off with the regular 5 speed. I had blisters on my big toe from shifting so much...
    The races were unremarkable, in that they were largely processional, and had the same finishing order as the last race at Pueblo. In Formula II, I took the holeshot and led for a lap or two before Russell Stroughbridge motored by on his TZ 250 and walked away from me. I took second place easily. In Formula Colorado I took the holeshot and pretty much checked out on everyone, and entertained myself picking off twins that had left the grid before my wave. We won that one. In Lt. Wt. Superbike, Jurgen Wimbauer took the start and I tried to hang but couldn't, so I wound up running a lonely race by myself to finish second in that class. So, nothing real exciting to report this time around.
     I wish there were more competitive Singles in the MRA. There used to be a bunch of them out there, but nowadays it seems like nobody wants to come out and play. I am getting kind of tired of racing fucking two strokes, four cylinders and twins (Excuse my french, but I could count the number of  4 Stroke Single Racers on one hand and still be able to pick my nose).  I really miss the days of about 20 or 30 supermono's lining up on the grid to have a go at it...Maybe I should talk to Jay about doing some AHRMA races again... Can you tell that I like  S.O.S. Racing???   Something is missing when I look around the paddock and mostly all you see is a bunch of hopped up production bikes with "white bread" modifications out of someones' catalog. That's another thing I miss about S.O.S. racing, is the variety of machines. I've seen Over Yamahas, Bimota Factory Supermonos, Ron Woods "one off" Daytona bike, the Uno Rotax from Germany, Tigcraft and Harris framed racers (including carbon fiber frames) with any engine you can think of;  many Spondon Yamahas, and even a KTM powered Spondon from Canada along with the Dr. Big Suzuki from up there. I've raced against countless Ducati Supermonos and even a Factory MZ skorpion with a carbon fiber pressurized airbox. How about an XR motor in a NSR 250, or an Ascot motor in a FZ, or a Yamaha 4 valve in a FZR 400 chassis, or even in a TZ. Forget about the hundreds of combinations of SRX's and Ascot's; no two are the same. Then we could start to talk about the guys that really build their own shit... starting with the frame. The Parra Rotax, several DUBBs, and most that don't actually have a name, but, are just someones idea or dream created... and I do mean created. There is something special about this racing atmosphere, that doesn't begin and end in the "White Brothers Catalog" .  My brother, Jay, has 10 different BBMs running around out there somewhere. When you "bench race" with these guys, you better have a pencil and paper to properly express your new design or to comprehend their next modification which will involve making chips and sparks... If I ever see another CBR 600 it will be too soon!
    Next race is June 25 at Mountain Veiw.

C.W.