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I just did my last race with the CBR600F2 yesterday. It's been a grand 5 years of riding and I closed up this whole story with sub 1:20's solidly under my belt plus finally got to run at Seattle and Portland this year to close out yet another goal. On top of that we had two wonderful years of Boundry Bay events plus I ran at Saratoga once and hit Spokane for 6 days of riding. All in all not a bad 5 years of track time.
It's been fun but it's time for me to move on. Even running at the pace I'm at I can feel there's more but I just do NOT have the stamina to get there and ride at that pace for long. Even now I get tired and start making mistakes a lap or two before the end of the race. How the Moto GP riders do it for 45 minutes is just WAY beyound my comprehension.
Anyhow even though I won't be riding the CBR at Mission anymore I haven't got the racing bug totally out of my system. I got into the mini road racing with the Pacific Coast Mini Road Racing Club and it's a hoot. Rubbin' elbows but at reduced speeds and GREATLY reduced cost is JUST as much fun. Granted the speeds aren't there but I've got my share of that and can concentrate on having fun.
I'll likely be doing a couple of the Track Dayz with the Husky motard or perhaps I'll even risk the Z1000 at a reduced pace just to see how it feels. But the racing days at Mission are done. However they aren't getting rid of me that easily...
I've met far too many great people out there and plan on being at the track to either help out or just kibitz for many years to come.
PS: For those that say that if you don't crash you're not trying hard enough? Well perhaps that's true. In my 5 years I only crashed once and it was a sorry little prat fall after a long run on the gravel in turn 2. If I'd pushed harder and crashed once or twice I suspect I'd have hit my final performance level a year or two ago and be that much further down in times. However I don't mind. It meant that I got to wake up and go to work on Mondays without a lot of hurtin'..
The point of this PS is that it IS possible to ride the track and learn a heap and come out the other end without a crashed bike. For anyone that has considered it I STRONGLY suggest you jump in. Either at Troy's Track Dayz or go for the full pull and get the racing license. It's truly one of the most exciting things you can do in your life.
It's been fun but it's time for me to move on. Even running at the pace I'm at I can feel there's more but I just do NOT have the stamina to get there and ride at that pace for long. Even now I get tired and start making mistakes a lap or two before the end of the race. How the Moto GP riders do it for 45 minutes is just WAY beyound my comprehension.
Anyhow even though I won't be riding the CBR at Mission anymore I haven't got the racing bug totally out of my system. I got into the mini road racing with the Pacific Coast Mini Road Racing Club and it's a hoot. Rubbin' elbows but at reduced speeds and GREATLY reduced cost is JUST as much fun. Granted the speeds aren't there but I've got my share of that and can concentrate on having fun.
I'll likely be doing a couple of the Track Dayz with the Husky motard or perhaps I'll even risk the Z1000 at a reduced pace just to see how it feels. But the racing days at Mission are done. However they aren't getting rid of me that easily...
I've met far too many great people out there and plan on being at the track to either help out or just kibitz for many years to come.PS: For those that say that if you don't crash you're not trying hard enough? Well perhaps that's true. In my 5 years I only crashed once and it was a sorry little prat fall after a long run on the gravel in turn 2. If I'd pushed harder and crashed once or twice I suspect I'd have hit my final performance level a year or two ago and be that much further down in times. However I don't mind. It meant that I got to wake up and go to work on Mondays without a lot of hurtin'..
The point of this PS is that it IS possible to ride the track and learn a heap and come out the other end without a crashed bike. For anyone that has considered it I STRONGLY suggest you jump in. Either at Troy's Track Dayz or go for the full pull and get the racing license. It's truly one of the most exciting things you can do in your life.
