It was so bad that nobody was able to run any kind of pace there on Friday. I waited until about 11am to go out, and then I did a total of three sessions before calling it a day. It is really a shame that a track with such a nice layout has deteriorated in just a few years to be one of the roughest tracks in Texas. Only MSRH is as bad, and I think currently ECR is actually in worse shape than MSRH. The water in T2 was avoidable on the regular line, but the line had to be changed completely for T5, T8, and T9. Each of those turns had to be taken very tight, making those lines slower and more defensive. They even used white spray paint to mark the wet spots, but that didn't stop tons of people to crash their brains out. T9 in particular was eating dozens of bikes all weekend long.
After the timid practice on Friday, we ran in the 6-hour F4 endurance race on Saturday on the Ninja 250. This was done on the 1.6-mile track, which utilizes the crossover to the left of T5, which spits you back out right past T8, thereby skipping the long straights (and turns T6-T8) in the back. It was still wet, and my first stint was pretty slow. We were using a different gearing at this race, and it took me a minute to get used to the new setup. I started to get into my groove in my second stint, and by my third stint I was able to break into the high :3Xs, running a couple of 1:38s that were the fastest laps of the team, which I was content with, considering the conditions. In fact, the CMRA race direction had considered running the full course even for the 250s, since the crossover was in absolutely horrendous shape. You had to make sure to be completely light on the handlebars and have all of your weight off the seat, or else you would get unseated with your teeth chattering from the bumps. You also had to be fully pinned throughout that entire section (from the exit of T3 through the braking zone for T9), or you were getting murdered by everyone else. Fun stuff. I did get into a few battles with team Robot Devil, although it wasn't enough to put us in front of them. We did get red-flagged twice during the 6-hr period: once when Hunter Morgan crashed into the tire wall coming out of T11, which put us down for 50 minutes, and once near the end of the race, when somebody crashed in T9 and spilled fluids all over the turn. In the end, we ended up 20th of 28 teams, but in the overall standings we're on 15th position. Our goal is to be in the top 10 by the end of the season, which may be ambitious, but not impossible.
Sunday was time for the sprint races. After signing a sponsorship contract with the regional Bridgestone vendor (
), I was sporting a set of brand new slicks for the sprints. I went out for the first open practice at 8am to scrub them in, and the track was in pretty piss-poor condition (shocker that!). By the second open practice around 8:45 or so, I was at least able to put a knee down and scrub in the sidewalls of the tires. Then it was back onto the warmers until my first race around noon. That first one was F2, my favorite class. It includes everything from 650-twins to CBR F2s and F3s, and even Ducati 992R and 1000SS. As usual (but hopefully not for much longer), I started in one of the back rows. My buddy Theo, who ended up finishing ahead of my at TWS due to the red flag, was several rows ahead of me. I had a decent start, and it took some hard work to get him into reach. I don't know how many of you know Nick Doolan, but he is probably around 15-yrs old (if that) and races an Aprilia RS125, and that kid is quick. I chased him for quite a bit, until I had enough of it and stuffed him in T9. Theo (also on an SV) was now in my sight, but I couldn't convert my higher corner speed into a pass, until I got him on the outside of T4. The next guy in line was this guy Karl Hansen on a CBR F3, which has nearly 100hp (as opposed to my 70hp). Every time I passed him in a turn, he would murder me in the next straight. I even drag-raced him into T6, with me having the inside line, but he got me again on the back straight between T6 and T7. On the final lap, I knew that it was going to be close. I was on his rear tire through the canyon (T9), and when I saw him leave a couple of feet between himself and the curb in T10, I decided to go for it and tried to pass him on the inside. I showed him a wheel and was almost next to him, when he closed the door on me by tightening up his line. I had to check up for a second to avoid hitting him, and at that moment, Nick Doolan and Theo both passed me on the outside. I tried to outbreak them into the final turn of the race (T11), but they had the drive on me, and I came in 10th instead of 8th. I knew that it was a gamble to try and make that pass two turns before the finish line, but that is what I was there for. I'll get him next time. I'm still 10th (of 17) overall for the season in that class.My second race was in Lightweight Twins. Most of the people in that class are on 650-twins, but there were also a couple of motards (Ducati Hypermotard 1078 and a KTM SMC654). I didn't really care about anyone else, I just wanted to battle it out with my buddy Theo. Sure enough, after being ahead of him at the start, he made a pass on me on the back straight. From that point on, I was glued to his bike. I had him on corner speed at just about every turn, but never enough to convert it into a pass (something that I really need to work on). I finally caught him again on the outside of T4, but then I came way hot into T5, and ended up running wide. Boom, he went past me again. Why, you little!!! I don't quite understand why, but he would pull on me significantly on every straight, despite running a slightly taller gearing than I was (although only by a single tooth in the rear). I tried everything that I could think of, but he was running very solid and defensive lines. When we went into T11 on the final lap, I knew that it was going to be my last chance, and - once again - I decided to go for it. I drifted out just a couple of feet further than he did, and then I hammered the gas as early as I ever have in that turn (I did say a little prayer at that point), and got the drive on him pulled next to him, and then he pulled on me and left me behind. For having the same bike, him pulling on me by 2-3 bike lengths when I was fully pinned and fully tucked baffled me. I know Theo pretty well, and I know that he doesn't have any engine mods on his bike. Rich, who was corner working for his provisional license at the races, mentioned that it may be the difference in weight (he is probably about 30 pounds lighter than me), which may certainly be contributing factor. It just amazed me, because he would consistently pull on me with what seemed like a difference of ~10hp. I know that I was on the gas much sooner than he was on the final turn, but yet he outgunned me on the straight, on another SV. I'm going to have to work harder to learn how to convert my corner speed advantage into something tangible. Regardless of the final placement (10th in class, and 10th for the total season), I had an absolute blast in that race. Rematch in a month!
My final race was in superbike D. That class always mops the floor with me, because both the bikes and the riders are just stupid-fast. I started in last place, and got what was probably my best-ever start, gaining several spots before T1. After that I was able to hang for about one lap, after which they left me behind like a bad habit. This was just as well, since I was super-exhausted (it was already around 5pm on the third day of the event), and they were gunning for each other's throats. On the final two laps, there were crashed out bikes in every other turn, so I actually ended up placing 7th, which put me into 10th place overall for the season. I'll try to hang with them for two laps next time...
Overall it was a fantastic weekend, despite the treacherous conditions at ECR. Next month the CMRA circuit is heading to Hallett, Oklahoma, which is supposed to be a really fun track. Having never ridden it before, I'm sure to get my ass handed to me, but as long as I get to battle with Theo, I really don't care.
