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2009 WERA Grand National Final
The WERA Grand National Final held annually in October at Road Atlanta was an event I had marked on my calendar way back before my first race at
For me, this weekend would be easier in a logistic sense. It was a four-day weekend (Columbus Day) so I would be able to drive the five hours to
For preparation I performed my usual ritual of watching as much video as I could find on this racetrack. Since Road Atlanta is a premier venue on the AMA circuit I was able to watch the AMA Superbike and Daytona Sportbike races in addition to numerous amateur videos. One of the most useful videos on youtube was an onboard offering from a Ducati 848. The video was taken this past June during the expert level heavy weight twins superbike race and proved to be the most helpful of everything I watched. Although I did not know the author’s gearing or motorcycle upgrades, I could still hear what gear the bike was in, when he changed gears up and down, and could see all his reference points. Armed with this knowledge I was eager to get things started.
Friday
Friday 1st Practice
One of the concerns I had coming into this weekend was the weather. Rain was predicted for both my race days and I was hesitant to race in it. However, as a motorcycle racer you have to be able to ride fast in all conditions so I decided to suck it up and ride no matter the condition. Unfortunately, the first practice was on a damp but drying track. It was still too early in the morning for a dry line to have formed. There were numerous puddles both on and off the racing line. Normally I don’t use the first practice session for flying laps but to learn the track and this one would be no different, only with more caution.
The video I had watched was playing in my mind as I left pit lane and headed up towards turn 2. I am glad my pace was tentative because as I have learned previously, there are some corners that no amount of video can do justice to. The entrance to the famous esses section of the track is one of those corners. As you crest the hill to the left, the track goes right. The old section is still there, blocked by two orange cones. However, before the cones you have to go right, flick left, then right again before turning left, heading down a blind hill that turns right, flicking left then right while on the brakes, before turning left again up turn five. It happens that fast. The first time you see the right, left, right kink leading into the down hill section is an eye opening experience. It is partially blind and requires absolute precision to get through carrying any kind of speed. If you’re not perfect, you will end up in the dirt in one of three places. This is not a good area to run off because you will most definitely come right back onto the track and into any traffic going through that section. The left/right downhill section deserves mentioning as well. The track drops away to the left and leads you into a blind right hand turn while carrying a lot of speed. Later in the weekend I was able to carry high third gear through this section. The down hill right hander sports a major elevation change and thanks to cage racing around the track, if you’re slightly off line it is very bumpy. It is the kind of feeling that encourages you to stay on line to the best of your ability.
After you come out of turn five (wheelying over the rise) you descend into turns six and seven, leading you onto the back straight. This was another eye opener. Since the track was wet and still unknown to me I didn’t open the throttle all the way so I wasn’t able to enjoy the 140mph (+) head shake as you crest a rise on the straight on your way to a 155mph kink before heading downhill into the turn 10A brake zone. On a wet track with slightly used DOT’s, that was a sporty experience. But wait, there’s more!
As you exit 10B and drive under the Suzuki bridge, you crest another hill that drops dramatically away into the new turn 12. On the video this looks like a straight section; it most certainly is not. The first time I came over the hill I was pointed straight off track and had to slam the throttle shut and pull myself back. Pretty hair raising.
I spent this practice going slowly and focusing on what would be my racing lines. Making sure they linked together but knowing I would have to adjust them and set new brake markers once the track dried. After I found “pit in” (more on that later) I headed back to the pit with a brand new respect for this track. Massive elevation changes, blind corners and an insane back straight would make this one of the most demanding tracks I had ridden. I couldn’t have been more excited.
Friday 2nd Practice
A dry line had started to form so I decided to pick up my pace slightly. The track was still cool and damp in some parts but I was able to pick up the pace as compared to the first session. That was until it started raining in the back section of the track. From turn 10A until turn five, the track was forming a dry line but rain was starting to fall on turn’s six and seven, as well as down part of the back straight. Rather strange and definitely made the conditions tricky but I still managed a few laps. I felt much more comfortable with the layout of the track but still had no dry reference points. My plan was to make those up as I went along during the race, as I’ve done many times before.
Friday, Heavy Weight Twins Superstock
After the morning rain, the clouds parted for a little while and the sun shown through, casting it’s warm, drying presence around the track, simultaneously warming and drying the entire area. In addition to the sun, the endurance racers were out for their four-hour stint. By the time it was all said and done, the surface was dry, warm, and best of all, grippy.
As I pulled out onto hot pit lane I decided to move out of the way and do a practice start. This is something I’ve never done before but after having found what I felt to be a good method at Mid Ohio, I figured now was as good a time as any to practice. I positioned myself the same way I had in Mid Ohio, increase there revs, imagined Chuck waiving the flag and launched. It felt excellent. I knew if I could get that same start off the line I would be in a very good position going into turn one and was confident I could race for the win.
I took my position on the grid right next to the same fellow I lined up against during my first race of the season in
Also on the grid were a few other familiar faces. John Moore on his Ducati 848 was on the front row. We had also raced at
It was good to see familiar faces and to be around guys I had raced against before. I would occasionally check their results on the WERA website to see how their respective seasons were progressing and have to say I was impressed. John had taken the mid central and south eastern Heavyweight twins superstock crown; Grant won the Heavyweight Twins superbike title in the south eastern region; Robert won the Heavyweight Twins superbike title in two different regions as well as claiming the top spot for Heavyweight Twins Superstock in three; Brad had claimed the Heavyweight Twins Superbike title in the mid central region. These guys had all become proven winners, class champions. The level of competition for this race was extremely high, just the way I wanted it to be. If you can’t match your skills in any vocation against the best in the game, why bother doing it at all? I was comfortable riding close to them and respected their collective accomplishments but more than anything, wanted to beat them all.
None of these thoughts were in my head as I took my position on the grid. Grant and I gave each other a thumbs up, just as we had done in our first race, dropped our visors and instantly went from friends to competitors, asking nor giving quarter to each other or anyone else. Such is the spirit of competition. You can be friends with someone in the pits and in everyday life but when it’s time to race, all that other stuff is left back in pit lane.
Two board, one board, side ways, green flag……neutral! Yes, you read that correctly. I assumed my starting position, clicked my bike into first gear, revved it and as soon as I saw the green flag, attempted to launch just as I had practiced. Apparently the bike hadn’t engaged fully into first gear so as soon as I let the clutch go, it jumped into neutral. Thankfully the guys behind me split around me as I re-engaged first gear and hammered the throttle.
This put me in dead last going into turn one. However, the red mist had already descended and I was determined to make up every single position. Thankfully, through discussions with Gene and Gary I was very comfortable and relatively quick through the chicane just before the esses. I managed to make up a pair of places going through there, pass Robert and someone else between turns five and six, then get a great drive onto the back straight. From what I recalled, John always got great starts so I figured either he or Grant were way out front. I knew I needed to gain back as many positions as I could as fast as I could if I wanted to have a chance.
As I headed out of turn seven and onto the back straight I could see several riders in front of me. I drove past a couple of Buell’s sporting white plates and started gaining on Brad Johnson. I immediately planned on slip streaming him into the brake zone at the end of the straight. Either my bike is fast or his had gotten slower but I managed to slip stream him just before my brake marker. As soon as I got past I saw two more riders that he was behind. I figured I’d pass the first and as I did, noticed I was closing on the second rider rather quickly. At that point I decided that now was as good a time as any to test my new brake pads and feel the effects of the additional fluid in my front forks. I could handle the bike when the forks bottomed out and was expecting that feeling as I rolled past the final person on my way into turn 10A. As advertised, the brakes worked beautifully sporting a great initial bite and feel. What surprised me were the forks. As I mentally braced my self for the bottoming out feeling that I was sure was coming, I was pleasantly surprised to feel a controlled, slight lifting of the rear tire as opposed to a fish tailing rear end along with a chattering front. No chatter, no snaking rear end, just control as I dropped into 10A, clear of three riders at one shot. I saw Grant in front of me and dispatched him around the outside, using the same unconventional line entering the chicane at the top of the esses. Now there was nothing in front of me but clear track and somewhere up ahead, John Moore, leading the race. Game time.
I immediately set about readjusting my brake markers later and later while getting on the gas earlier and earlier. Once or twice I could feel the tire spin a bit, indicating my rear tire’s response to my ham fisted application of throttle. I knew my lap times were dropping but wasn’t sure by how much. All I knew is that now I could see John ahead of me, still several seconds ahead but getting closer and closer.
I continued to push as hard as I dared. Since I had no knowledge of the track in dry conditions I was continually searching for faster ways through certain sections. A few times I went a bit too hot into the chicane but always managed to keep the bike on track and not really lose too much time. During one of my trips through turn 10A I felt the front end slide. However, I was already transitioning to 10B when this happened, inadvertently saving the slide. It happened so quickly that I was driving up the hill out of 10B before I even realized it.
The white flag (indicating the start of the last lap) came out entirely too soon. As I exited the new turn 12, I could see John braking for turn one. He was close. I could almost smell his exhaust. I felt victory was within reach. I estimated that I had about two seconds to make up on him in the final lap. The old racing adage of “win it or bin it” entered my brain. This sort of challenge is why I race.
With every corner I was getting closer and closer. I managed a good drive out of turn seven and eased my way into his draft just as we had to shut down for turn 10A. I closed on the brakes and even more on the exit of 10B. Up the hill and under the bridge we went. He got an excellent drive, moved to the middle of the track – a defensive line – and was late on the brakes. I was a bit later and closed down to his back tire. At that point – that split second in time - my brain did a quick calculation. I had a pair of options. I could either attempt a risky pass that had about a 50/50 chance of either working or crashing us both, or I could square the corner and attempt to out drag him to the very near finish line. I opted for the latter and it cost me the race.
As I crossed the line .124 seconds behind John I had a mixture of emotions. I was exceptionally disappointed in my performance and felt like I had let Matt et al down by not going for the win. At the same time I was happy for John because he is a good rider and a nice guy. I simultaneously respected and regretted my decision. In that instant however, what it came down to is that both he and I had to go to work on Monday and the reality of it is that we’re both yellow plate hobby racers, not pro’s chasing a huge paycheck and sponsorship deals. Even as I write this I regret not attempting the pass but at the same time know I would have felt horrible if I had and wrecked us both. Such is racing I suppose.
Saturday Practice
The track was damp and cool so I sat out the first session. I knew the track layout and needed to work on going faster, not exactly something to be done on a slick track. By the time the second session came around a dry line had started to form. The track was still damp in spots but I could work on a few sections. Practice overall was uneventful but served as a good warm up for the day.
Heavyweight Twins Superbike
I had no misconceptions about this race. The grid was relatively full with both experts and novices with the addition of the large displacement Buell’s as well as a pair of 1098’s. This was going to be a difficult race to say the least. I knew if I got a good start however, I could be in the mix. I remembered being out powered by a 1098 at Mid Ohio and knew it may be even worse at Road Atlanta due to the length of the back straight. It would be a challenge but I figured I could at least keep them close through the esses.
The grid was full of the usual suspects for the Twins Superstock race as well. We had all talked the day prior as well as the morning of and had enjoyed racing together again. It was time to do it one more time. I practiced my start again on hot pit lane and got another excellent launch. I had discussed the issue of the bike popping into neutral off the line with Matt and he suggested keeping the bike in gear while sitting on the grid, waiting to go. I do have a habit of popping the bike into neutral, adjusting my helmet and gloves, and then putting it in gear to start. Perhaps I hadn’t engaged the shifter fully, causing a false neutral.
With a plan in place, I went out for the warm up lap. Everything felt fine as I took my position on the grid. I was a bit more nervous than normal about the start. Afterwards I would realize I was over thinking it. As the flag waived, I dumped the clutch too hard and caught a big wheelie. I took the clutch in, let it out, only to have the same thing happen. This time I chopped the throttle enough to get the wheel down a bit but still got off the line. I short shifted into second, which brought the front end down, and pinned the gas. By this time everyone behind me was now in front of me. I looked up to see John lead into the first corner, closely chased by a pair of 1098’s. This is precisely the opposite of how I wanted to start this race.
I managed to outbreak a few people into turn one, then used my outside line to get another person into the esses. A good drive got me past another rider between turn’s five and six. By the time I was turning in for 10A, I had passed about three or four more riders. There was a small gap to a group in front of me so I set about chasing them down. I was a bit frustrated but felt I still had the pace to at least finish top three. I knew I had to catch and pass the group in front to make this happen so I started pushing a bit harder, increasing my pace.
Within less than a lap I had caught up with the riders in front of me. Both were going pretty well. Much to my delight, I managed to catch them going into my favorite braking zone, the one leading into turn 10A. I got past both riders pretty easily, flicked into 10B and got on the power, the same way I had done numerous times already. This time however, a decision to be cheap came back to bite me.
As I drove out of 10B my well used back tire spun up pretty badly. For reference, I’ve spun the back end before, even during my first race at
I entered the new 12 a little slower due to my lost drive but squared the corner and got on the gas hard. No time to dwell on a mistake; I would sort it out later. There was still a race going on and I had work to do. I worked my way through the esses and down into turn’s six and seven. The riders were steadily coming back to me. The next time around I passed one into six and planned to pass the other on the brakes into 10A. Coming out of seven, I caught another big slide, although not as bad as the last one, it caught my attention. My drive was hampered enough that I was only able to make up ground on the brakes, not make a pass. I slid again out of 10B but not like before because I hadn’t gotten on the power as hard as before. That is when I realized that the right side of my tire was done. Not a good feeling.
I continued to battle with two slower riders because I had no grip on the right side of my rear tire. I would spin more and more, driving my confidence down further and further. I knew I could go much faster but was didn’t have the confidence to push as hard as I needed to. It was such a frustrating experience. I kept trying to ride hard however, and ended up on the rumble strip outside of turn 12, yielding a place to the guy behind me.
I finished the race in fifth place, not exactly where I wanted to be. My lap times were consistent 1:42’s, slower than I had run the day before. I felt like a moron for being cheap and not at least purchasing a rear tire. I figured I could get eight more laps out of my trusty Dunlop’s like I had earlier in the season but I was wrong. I failed to realize tires last longer when you ride slower! I had gotten faster and therefore used tires faster. It was a painful lesson to learn and a bitter pill to swallow but it could have been worse. I could have high-sided my brains out instead of just running off track a few times.
Matt commented that I didn’t look like myself during the last race so I explained the tire thing to him. I can honestly say that I will never make that mistake again. Beyond just losing the race and riding horribly, I felt like I had let my crew down. They had come all that way to support me but all I could offer were second and fifth places. That sucked.
AFTERMATH
It was an interesting weekend, full of a high and a few lows. I was able to quickly learn the track but a bad decision kept me from realizing my full potential. I will always debate whether or not I should have attempted the pass on John during the Superstock race but coulda, shoulda, and woulda type thinking will get me nowhere. As I have done in the past, I will reflect on this weekend, learn from it, and do better next season.
An important lesson I learned was about tires. I should have at least changed my rear tire to have a competitive race but chose to be cheap. I was very lucky. That worn rear tire could have very well high-sided me to the moon. Again, another mistake I will not make.
As I’ve reviewed this year, I’ve come to realize that I raced in too few classes. I focused on classes where I was competitive - the Twins classes – and avoided classes where I would be less competitive, like the 600 and 750 classes. For next year, my plan is to run at least 4-6 classes. More racing experience is the only way I will get faster. Not to mention, Matt and Indy Ducati have done a lot for me, I owe them more than two or three races a weekend.
