All results
Race Report
5 starts · 4 podiums · 4 wins
New Ridge best lap: 1:49.756
My normal race schedule at The Ridge, two Open Novice and two Open Amateur on the #916 Panigale R, plus one new thing: my first race as an expert in Formula 40. Four class wins from five starts, three of them overall, and sixth in the F40. The goal going in was to win both novice races, ride well in the amateur races, and finish the F40.
The 2Fast track day, five sessions. The bike was feeling really good, getting good drive, all the things. I worked down to a 1:52.8 by the second session and then set my quickest of the day in the evening Superpole, a 1:52.19 on my last lap.
Woke up to a bunch of rain. I skipped the morning practice, and by the time I went out for qualifying it was mostly dry. A 1:54.624 on my last lap took pole for both the novice and the amateur races, 0.832 up on Steve Schock (#930).
Eric Lin (#997) and Steve got in front of me at Turn 1. Once we were through Turn 3 I got to work. Eric had a little bobble out of 8a on the rear, which reminded me that I have the pace to get him, and that the pressure from Steve and me was going to get to him. First in class and first overall. Fresh SC1 on the rear, the first race on it, and my quickest settled lap of Saturday at 1:50.167.
Same thing with Jacob Marshall (#15) in the mix. Steve and I took him into 6, then got to work on Eric. Steve won overall and I got in front of Eric for the class win. Second race on the same rear, and I was running 1:51s, best of 1:51.135. Still, being able to hold that once I was past him told me the 1:49 I had been after was on the table.
Something new this weekend: I struggled to get the bike to go out of Turn 12. It started on the Friday track day, where I asked for more acceleration and the bike put the yellow light on and said no. I ran traction control at 3 on Friday, moved it to 2, then to 1 on Sunday, and it kept doing it. Out of 12 I can be full stick, the bike stands up, and it is just not going. Out of 11 I can lift the front wheel and drive. The light is fully on through those moments, where other times it catches for a second and the bike still drives. I am pretty sure it is more than a loss of traction. Maybe a speed sensor. That one needs investigating.
Garrick Fulbright, my mentor, and his wife Ember came out to watch Aaron and me race. It was the first time Garrick has seen me on a race weekend. I wanted to get the 1:49 in front of him, but it had to wait.
The least important of the three to me at the moment. Class win and the overall with it, best lap 1:51.198, on the rear we flipped on the rim on Saturday night.
My first expert race. Not my best pace, but a great experience. I gridded tenth and made my way up to sixth, and my quickest lap, a 1:51.286, came on the last one. Fourth race on that same rear. I didn't have a bad start, but there was an abundance of bikes, three or four wide in front of me, and I didn't want to try anything exciting in my first expert race. I settled in, probably second to last through the first corner, and then got to work.
One pass I was proud of. I had been following Cory Raketti (#3R) on a BMW M1000RR, and he came up on a rider from another class and sat behind him into Turn 1 instead of going around. I slid right past both of them on the outside, cutting the curb on the triangle. That was sixth. Same lap, I came in way too hot and way too shallow into 13 and just about ran onto the recovery asphalt, but got the bike turned and held the place to the flag, 3.9 seconds clear of him.
The money race, and the last of the weekend. I had decided I was going to get the time down, and push a bit harder than I had before. I felt super comfortable on the bike and like I was carrying more mph pretty much everywhere, except out of 12. What I needed was clear track, to want it, and to trust that I had all the skills to do a 49 and faster.
Eric and Steve got the holeshot again. Steve was following Eric and didn't look like he could get it done, so I passed Steve, then Eric, and ran away with it. I passed Eric the same way in both novice races, into 6. He doesn't carry the speed I carry through there, so I get alongside on entry and force him to stay behind me.
Fresh SC0 on the rear for this one. Two 1:49s and a really low 1:50, best of 1:49.756. A new best for me here. Something clicked. I felt in control and like I was riding the bike, comfortable at lean angles I don't normally run. My braking into 13 and the chicane is going a lot deeper in a good way, but it is a little chaotic. Some suspension work and some time with my mentors should make it less dramatic.
Getting any bike under two minutes at The Ridge takes some patience and dedication. Under 1:55 more so. Under 1:50 is where things start to get quite a bit more difficult. I am happy to be in the group of locals who are capable of it.
If I can run the 1:49s consistently and find some 1:48s, which Sage found this weekend, I think I have a real shot at the top of Superpole often, and the top five in some of the big races.
Garrick Fulbright, Sage Wilkinson and Mark DeGross, for a lot of great advice. You are the ones responsible for making me this fast.
