Tom's Race Report from Arroyo Seco Raceway
5/7/2006 Deming, NM - with ASMA
This was going to be our last time at Arroyo until
September. I really wanted to get some better times going in the counter
clockwise direction. It seems the clockwise direction suits me much
better. I've been into the 11's clockwise and I don't believe I've been
into the 12's in the counter clockwise direction. My goal was to hit the
11's maybe the 10's. The bike was feeling real good at Infineon, got
some good times and wanted to carry it over to Arroyo. The whole team
was going to make this round but at the last minute Brian couldn't make
it.
If I was going to get into the 11's I needed to get on the track ASAP. I
got out in the first session.
The gearing I had for the clockwise direction was not good for the
counter clockwise direction. So I changed to 15/37 which was much
better. First session I only do 14's! The second session around the
third lap after coming down the long back straight at 140 plus I go into
the carousel and right at the apex the bike dies! I roll off the track
try to restart and until I turn the key on and off the bike won't start.
I think it's the tip over sensor, so I jump that and the bike is still
shutting down at the apex of the same damn turn! Long story short I
chase this problem all day and find a short on the wires from the tip
over circuit. Roger was nice enough to let me on the track to test the
bike just before sundown. I get in 4 laps and the bike is good.
Race day. I have 4 races on the cbr1000rr and 2 on the 650 kawi. First
race was Unlimited SuperSport. I need to run DOT tires in this race.
This will be the first time all year I ran on the DOT's. I was planning
on testing the 16.5 front on the next race, but Stone showed up which
meant I would have a race on my hands. I really wanted to put the slicks
back on for the F-40 race, but there would be no time to get them
changed after the SuperSport race. I go out in the practice session and
do a 1:18! Holy shit! Now what? Second session I get to the 1:14's.
Whoopee do! I get a bad start in the race wind up running 1:13's and
finish 4th, I think. The worst thing is the bike dies again in the
carousel! When it does I reach in with my throttle hand and reset the
key and continue. Next race F-40. I go tell Stone that my bike may stall
in the carousel so don't sit right behind me. I get another bad start
from pole and by the end of the first lap I'm in second behind Stone.
The first 3 laps the bike stalls in the carousel and I just reach in and
turn the key. By this time Stone is gone. On the lap before the white
flag Stone slows on the back straight and lets me catch up. Since the
forth lap the bike was running find, so when he lets me past I say to
myself "make the most of this and go like hell, if the bike stalls there
is nothing you can do, if it doesn't he will repass before the end and
take the win. So I pass him and head into the carousel not braking too
late cause I know he will not past until the last lap. We cross the
start finish and get the white flag. Now I say to myself "your gonna use
all the energy you saved in this race on this last lap and not let the
'wrist" by! So I go late into turn 1, getting all sideways and don't see
him. I get a great drive out of Yucca and go late into the bus stop just
seeing his wheel. Now I know he can't get me thru the esses so I take a
breath and prepare for the best drive onto the back straight. I know I
have the HP and will get to the carousel first, but that boy is good on
the brakes and this is the time to muster up the energy and go sick deep
into the carousel. Well, it works! I get all sideways into the carousel
and loose the front and save it with Stone on the outside! It was one of
those moments we will both never forget and it made my whole weekend
(thanks Stone for being that pushing force) I keep the bike railing thru
the carousel and Stone behind me for the win. Just to clarify, this only
happened because Stone waited and made a race of it. He could have
rolled to the win. He is 1/2 to 1 sec faster than me in that direction
so if we had a few hard laps he would have made the pass. I am glad for
what he did and I think we both had way more fun because of it, what a
blast! I got down to 1:11.4 in that race on the DOT's! Next race was
Formula Arroyo the money race. I am second in points so I was gridded
second next to Ivan Garza. Ivan gets great starts so I'm thinking to
follow him into turn 1 and hang on the back and let him drag me around.
It works, I get a good start fall in behind Ivan and we run. he is
gapping me a little each lap and on the 4th lap Roger gets around me for
second. As I get to the carousel my shift linkage falls off so I can't
finish the race and loose valuable points. Last race is Unlimited
Superbike, same plan, gridded second next to Ivan get a bad start and
finish 4th. Scott Bergen and I have a great battle which he wins with
some really good riding, way to go Scott. I get down to a 1:11.1 in that
race which is 2 seconds faster than my best in that direction. The bike
never stalled again after the F 40 race, so I hope it went away!
That makes 2 race weekends in a row that my best was 2 seconds faster
than the previous best, I hope that is a sign of turning the corner.
Thanks to all our sponsors!
Tom
#151