Sat was perfect weather! Sun and scattered clouds, high 80s with a cooling breeze.

Theo was there Friday for practice. I skipped it due to a cold and lack of energy.

Saturday was good, ran both practice sessions in the morning and felt pretty good.

Races started after lunch. We both ran 2 races, both with a large grid. The GTL 25min race and another 7 lap Thunderbike sprint, I think Theo got 11th both times and I got 5th both times.

Sunday was a bit warmer but still had the breeze. I skipped practice to save my tires for the next 4 races (I flipped the rear Sat night but needed to conserve the front).

Races started after lunch again (always preceeded by the National Anthem which on Sunday was sung very well).

Our track buddy John was pitted next to us and had like 9-10 races scheduled (he’s 23 so that explains that). He was first to race. He got a good start and was in 5th after the first lap, pushed too hard and crashed exiting turn 3. Bike was fixable but he got banged up, his day was over nursing wounds with ice packs and feeling sorry for himself (a familiar feeling :-/).

Theo was up next in the Supersport race (I abstained as my bike is not technically legal for the class). On lap 2 or 3 a racer crashed in front of him in the middle of T3 and oiled the track. Theo hit the oil and went down and out of the race but he got up and was ok. Just as I was heading to the stands to watch him the PA announcer calls out… “looks like bike number 209… Theo… Novakowski has gone down but he is up and ok” and I’m thinking OH Shit! Im next! I could see a trend starting.

As soon as he got to the pits we took inventory on the broken bits and started removing them while he made a parts run to the Street & Comp trailer a few paddock spots away. We had him fully repaired and good to go in about 30 minutes and he never missed a race.

We were together in the next 4 races. Theo quit the Ultra LW Superbike early due to his clutch cable being too loose and causing shifting trouble (result of the crash but easily adjusted). I took 2nd.

In the next race , the LW F-40, I had a good battle for 1st with a Ducati 900 but he had just enough more HP than I could overcome. I took second.

Third race, Lightweight GP… I was getting tired and loosing confidence in my tires… the rear had a big cut in it (likely from straightening out the esses by running over the curbing) so I had that on my mind. They were still gripping well so I pushed cautiously. I don’t remember all the details but I took 2nd again after a battle with another SV. On the last 2 laps he was turning in way too early so I kept getting a better exit drive and new I could take him eventually. I figured he was tired like I was. I passed him early on the last lap and rode hard and held a defensive line to try and keep him behind me. It worked.

The last race, Lightweight Superbike, with only one race to rest up in between… Theo bows out due to exhaustion. I was filled with self doubt but decide to press on. I figured I’ll have a go and if I have a chance at a podium I’ll push a little and if not Ill just cruise. It was a fun race and I thought I might be competing for 3rd but it turns out it was for 4th. I took 4th. I was running over 2 seconds of my best lap times and my tires were toast and so was I. I started cramping up bad as soon and I rolled of the hot pit.

We must have looked like a couple wet noodles packing up camp but it was that good kind of tired, we had good experience to show for it. Got the trailers ship-shape, hit the showers and hit the road.

We have a month to prep the bikes for the next round.

I caught a sleeping beauty. I actually rose before he did Sat and Sun. I didn’t have the heart to wake him up.

Saturdays sunset:

SV650:

LW F-40 race (the audio is a bit out of sync):

LW GP: