wrenn
06-26-2001, 12:00 PM
The track: Nestled in the booming metropolis of Kershaw,SC, lies a hot, sandy, unshaded paddock are near a pretty cool 2.3 mile race track. The track itself is pretty cool but turns one and 14 are too tight! The track is tough to gear for because it has two sections, a fast flowing rhythm section and a slam the brakes, point and shoot section. The new restroom/shower facility was a big improvement over the old trailer units and at least more centrally located. More power receptacles (for warmers and fans and A/C) have also been added, but they are not the strong 30 amp plugs like VIR. Thus many people (especially tire vendors)had to run generators to get enough power to run their normal pit operations.
The weather: What is normally an exhaustive, oppressive heat & humidity combination was actually quite pleasant this weekend. The temps were in the 80’s and cloud cover kept the sunload down. I learned there was a heavy thunderstorm that came through Friday night and tore up some canopies. There was a big threat of rain on Sunday but we dodged a bullet and didn’t get enough of a sprinkle to even completely wet a car much less the track.
Melissa and I drove in Friday night and set up camp. Mickey the track manager informed me of the new section of power poles so I made a beeline for that area...hoping no one else would park out that far. It worked, we were able to run the A/C unit from one outlet and the rest of the stuff from another.
I went out for practice Saturday morning, and was having a very hard time with chatter from the rear end. My friend Scott Carpenter helped me set the sag and adjust the damping a little and clued me in on some changes to make in my riding. I decided to run the one of the Solo 16’s to get more track time and work on the suspension. I don’t really know where I finished, because I didn’t look. I kept blowing the entrance to turns one and eleven. I never ran off track but I couldn’t get the bike to settle down in these hard braking spots. The track also seemed bumpier than I remember. I had not been here since the TL-R days of last year. Andy Caldwell and I discussed the track later when he showed up to drop off some stuff. He confirmed that the track really was bumpier, I guess those NASCAR testing days are taking their toll on the surface. Andy shared some track knowledge from his track days and races earlier this year, and that gave me some things to work on for Sunday. I also had an old trick up my sleeve for helping to eliminate the chatter on down shifting. (it’s classified, I could tell you but…. http://www.wera.com/ubb/wink.gif )
Melissa and I took Scott and Audrey into Lancaster for dinner. We met my parents at the Black Angus on hwy 9. Very good food, and we learned of Scott’s eligibility (as of Thursday) for the CORC race on Sunday. (Happy 40th to a fast old fart! http://www.wera.com/ubb/biggrin.gif)
Sunday morning practice went much better and I had solved the chatter problems and was actually making pretty good time (within one second of my best on the TL-R). I put on some new tires and proceeded to wait around for my races: race 12, C-Superstock, and race 15, B-Superstock.
C-Superstock: Hey wow, pretty good start, moved up into 5th place and held it for a while. I was chasing Jep Palmour the whole time. Never could really catch him but wasn’t going to let him get away either http://www.wera.com/ubb/wink.gif. Things are definitely feeling better and I am beginning to get used to the bike. I held out for 6th and Jep finished 5th. I didn’t recognize the 4th place guy but I saw Scott Gardner and Larry Denning having a great battle for the win, with Andy Caldwell in a solid third.
B-Superstock: Oh yeah! andother descent start, I managed to pass a few guys on the outside going into turn one and was in 5th. Critter was just in front of me and then there was Scott Carpenter, Andy Caldwell and Scott Harwell on 750’s oh so close! I really wanted by Critter and a chance to show Scott a wheel http://www.wera.com/ubb/wink.gif but they began to stretch the gap as I finally passed Critter. (in Critter’s defense he low sided in the earlier b-superbike race and wasn’t at the top of his form after that). I tried to run the leaders down but those 750s just kept increasing the gap. I saw Scott Harwell put his hand up and slow way up, and I though there was a red flag or something and I hesitated some for two turns. This allowed another guy to catch me and we battled for the rest of the race, I nearly had him at the line… not bad for a stock 600 without a power commander and an exhaust.
Well I had a great time and really have begun to get into race mode. Congratulations to all the winners and participants, and a big THANK YOU to the cornerworkers, medical staff and the officials that put on another great weekend.
A down note: A novice rider suffered a broken femur in turn 3. As any of you medical types know this can be a life threatening injury. I did not get his name, but please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. (and if any of you know his name please don’t publish it here until he does. Thank you.)
The weather: What is normally an exhaustive, oppressive heat & humidity combination was actually quite pleasant this weekend. The temps were in the 80’s and cloud cover kept the sunload down. I learned there was a heavy thunderstorm that came through Friday night and tore up some canopies. There was a big threat of rain on Sunday but we dodged a bullet and didn’t get enough of a sprinkle to even completely wet a car much less the track.
Melissa and I drove in Friday night and set up camp. Mickey the track manager informed me of the new section of power poles so I made a beeline for that area...hoping no one else would park out that far. It worked, we were able to run the A/C unit from one outlet and the rest of the stuff from another.
I went out for practice Saturday morning, and was having a very hard time with chatter from the rear end. My friend Scott Carpenter helped me set the sag and adjust the damping a little and clued me in on some changes to make in my riding. I decided to run the one of the Solo 16’s to get more track time and work on the suspension. I don’t really know where I finished, because I didn’t look. I kept blowing the entrance to turns one and eleven. I never ran off track but I couldn’t get the bike to settle down in these hard braking spots. The track also seemed bumpier than I remember. I had not been here since the TL-R days of last year. Andy Caldwell and I discussed the track later when he showed up to drop off some stuff. He confirmed that the track really was bumpier, I guess those NASCAR testing days are taking their toll on the surface. Andy shared some track knowledge from his track days and races earlier this year, and that gave me some things to work on for Sunday. I also had an old trick up my sleeve for helping to eliminate the chatter on down shifting. (it’s classified, I could tell you but…. http://www.wera.com/ubb/wink.gif )
Melissa and I took Scott and Audrey into Lancaster for dinner. We met my parents at the Black Angus on hwy 9. Very good food, and we learned of Scott’s eligibility (as of Thursday) for the CORC race on Sunday. (Happy 40th to a fast old fart! http://www.wera.com/ubb/biggrin.gif)
Sunday morning practice went much better and I had solved the chatter problems and was actually making pretty good time (within one second of my best on the TL-R). I put on some new tires and proceeded to wait around for my races: race 12, C-Superstock, and race 15, B-Superstock.
C-Superstock: Hey wow, pretty good start, moved up into 5th place and held it for a while. I was chasing Jep Palmour the whole time. Never could really catch him but wasn’t going to let him get away either http://www.wera.com/ubb/wink.gif. Things are definitely feeling better and I am beginning to get used to the bike. I held out for 6th and Jep finished 5th. I didn’t recognize the 4th place guy but I saw Scott Gardner and Larry Denning having a great battle for the win, with Andy Caldwell in a solid third.
B-Superstock: Oh yeah! andother descent start, I managed to pass a few guys on the outside going into turn one and was in 5th. Critter was just in front of me and then there was Scott Carpenter, Andy Caldwell and Scott Harwell on 750’s oh so close! I really wanted by Critter and a chance to show Scott a wheel http://www.wera.com/ubb/wink.gif but they began to stretch the gap as I finally passed Critter. (in Critter’s defense he low sided in the earlier b-superbike race and wasn’t at the top of his form after that). I tried to run the leaders down but those 750s just kept increasing the gap. I saw Scott Harwell put his hand up and slow way up, and I though there was a red flag or something and I hesitated some for two turns. This allowed another guy to catch me and we battled for the rest of the race, I nearly had him at the line… not bad for a stock 600 without a power commander and an exhaust.
Well I had a great time and really have begun to get into race mode. Congratulations to all the winners and participants, and a big THANK YOU to the cornerworkers, medical staff and the officials that put on another great weekend.
A down note: A novice rider suffered a broken femur in turn 3. As any of you medical types know this can be a life threatening injury. I did not get his name, but please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. (and if any of you know his name please don’t publish it here until he does. Thank you.)