anybody wanna start an endurance team

Another great example of the hidden costs teams that are really new don't quite understand...

 

Our pits get very competitive. And believe me, I'm not that laid back. When the race starts we have our game face on. Luckily I'm surrounded by a good group of people that know how to keep me under control

It's a stock Honda motor! I've asked around and unless you can tell me otherwise, I have never heard of ANYONE blowing up a STOCK Honda motor. Good God, the thing barely puts out 95hp! But just to keep peace of mind we swapped the engine to one that barely had 3,000 miles on it. Engines are just an e-bay away.

Sorry, I've done plenty of track days so I have the Kodak moments out of my system.

Hmm, so we don't know what it takes? Last I checked we finished every race we entered. Finished as high as 13th overall at Grattan and podiumed at the GNF. We had a couple rounds that I crashed and could of done better, but who doesn't crash? Not bad for a little F4i IMO. Especially considering my lack of talent.

Not everyone is as hard core as you Lizard. Some of us are very realistic and know that a top ten overall finish is earned through years of riding experience and a great deal of money. Endurance racing through WERA is a challenge I have set for myself. Therefore, as long as WERA takes my money, I'll be out there.

There are a few hard core teams out there that treat the series as a job. Good for them, if they got the talent and money I'm happy for them. But for the rest of the 75%, this is just club racing. I hope you find a top 25% team that will tolerate you.

 

:up: :up: :up: :up:

 

get back to work polar X...

 

to what do you attribute your finishes at grattan and the gnf?
where did you find these percentage figures?

 

Stock o not, it still needs maintained. You may not "blow it up", per say, but you could do some serious damage to a motor that's never gone through and maintained....

Look, at Atlanta, the guy riding for you at the end was definately a great rider. Turned some serious times on an older bike. Kudos, for sure. However, when you finish the season in the top three in class and top 10 overall for the season, you'll be that much better. Oh, and you'll need more than $10k....

Where did I say I was hard core? This is a bit like the whole deal with Lone Wolf. I pointed out a few issues that you were overlooking and you blow up. Do you know everything? If you did, you'd be on top as opposed to where you finished. Do I know everything? No. However, I've been around a ton of great racers and have tried damn hard to be number one in class. We had serious competition and I saw what they did to win year after year. In order for us to have won, it would have taken a combo of talent and money. Simple.

I pointed out that doing a season on take-offs, on a bike with tons of miles and no concern, on a budget of $10 for the whole year, etc. wasn't a smack in your mouth nor a bashing. It was simply pointing out that you need more.

You were responding with statements like "fun" and "some don't take it as serious as you", etc. Trust me, we were a bunch of goof-offs. The famous pit bike flat tracking at the lower pit in 2002 was due to our dumb-ass antics. We were always having fun. We had a lot of friends and we were looked upon with at least a bit of respect. However, fun wasn't to be had when we raced. We were "hard core" as you put it.

Do what you want, but chimming in and then getting pissed because you get a few pointers is ridiculous. Hell, even Freddie was pointing out some issues that need addressed by teams and they were, in a way, contrary to what you were saying.

Again, I come across as harsh sometimes, but dude, you're killing me. Nowhere did I say your team sucks. Nowhere did I say you were never going to amount to anything. I suggest - that's all...

 

it's ironic you should say that.
i was thinkin', before you posted, the way i feel about ohio's comments kinda puts me in your shoes when you were thinkin' about lonewolf. (no way do i put my self in your shoes, tho'...i couldn't fill 'em).
what's funny about it is, i was gonna slam ohio for his "know what it takes" comments...as if i knew.

i'm still gonna slam him, tho'.

to, again, use my wife's favorite line when she's pissed at me for somethin' in my control that i've messed up...
"i'm just waitin' for the next stupid thing to come out of his mouth."
oh, god, i love that line.

 

These guys (Matt and Lance) were incredible at Grattan. The front suspension was badly mis-adjusted and they were putting down some very decent times. As for Matt, I believe that day was the first time he was on a bike in about 6 years.



As for the GNF, I really didn't belong out there. Todd, from which had converted me from track day to Racer was throwing down decent times for a bike he never ridden. As for Skip, the guy is Superman. I really let him down at Barber so he deserved this one. Hope he does well with Wiz.



I had a blast last year even with all the ups and downs. Hell, it was probably one of the best times in my life. I could only imagine if I would of been within 3 seconds of those guys, we would of made some other teams really cry!

As for my 25%, it's quite simple. Look at the drop off from the top 8 team to the rest in lap times. The race monitor is quite interesting.

 

Lizard,
I can tell you’re really passionate about endurance racing but you come off as tearing down other people who are doing things differently than you.

And FastFreddie, I do know what it takes to win in Endurance racing. Apparently giving out free rides and lots of money.

So I was being sarcastic about the 10K comment. But my costs are really low compared to other teams chasing a podium every race. I'll keep on keeping on and hopefully improve every race and learn a little more. I have 30 to 50 teachers every endurance race!

 

oh...mkay.
i was thinkin' hometrack advantage for grattan and the fact that there were only six teams in class at the gnf...one of whom retired on lap 10.
luck is part of what it takes.
preparation and all you can imagine that entails is the other. imho.

 

If memory serves Matt and Lance had done Grattan once each years ago. I had done a track day two weeks prior to the race. I hated that track. But then again my suspension was really messed up. BTW, I consider my home track Jennings.

As for the GNF, well that is what makes endurance racing great. Takes lots of dedication to keep a team together all they way to the end. If you only knew the logistical BS I went through...

Preparation? That is kind of funny. The races I had all my ducks in a row I fell on my ass (literally). The other times I was running around with my head cut-off is when we did our best. Hopefully that changes this year!

And I will most definetly agree with luck.

You wanna keep up? The beer is tasting great and I have a short day tomorrow!

 

damn. outta lager.
aaand, no mixer for the rum, either. drank that while wifey, sister-in-law and one of their friends were here, recently.
let me see...what's left?
ok. an open bottle of some french stuff. chassis-matador?...agh, i can't read it.
WHOA! reading glasses sure helped.
not much left...i'll drink it.
chassagne-montrachet 2001...whatever.
hey, it's not bad! couple more swigs and back to the frig to see what else is left.

i previously checked your results to kinda get an idea of you guyses sitiation. you don't wanna go there...nothin' but anti-ohio ammo if one wanted to make a case against ya.
i wouldn't be discouraged...our('05 lonewolf) results don't look much better but, "the facts" can lie...just like a dyno.

so, jennings, huh?
not much of a rain rider? what a frickin' "hello kitty" and welcome to the season.

 

It was really simple, when I didn't crash we did good for my expectations. Those facts don't lie.

Ahhh Jennings, I'm so looking forward to some redemption. Hopefully it won't be a lake this year.

"Hello Kitty"? I hope your not stepping in what I think your stepping in.:up:

 

i have no idea what i'm steppin' in.

how'd you get your team together?
we, dave cross, scott harwood and myself, fred bittner, were virtual strangers.

 

I had lived in Atlanta and had many friends at the track and GSB (Georgiasportbike.com) BBS. After Cliff went down at Barber Skip took his place.

As for Matt and Lance, they both answered an ad here in the Endurance section. Never met them before. Got really lucky on those two. They are responsible for changing quite a few of my habits, like leaning GP shift (That poor gear box at Summit and Grattan), and making ride till the gas light came on.

 

well, the chassis stuff is gone but, there's a bunch o' german champagne. the wife's gonna kill me.

gp shift. i love it. dave wasn't keen on it, tho'.
i really think it helps the mechanical aspect internally, on top of the rider benefits.
a few riders i know have been converted. i like to think i had somethin' to do with it.

f4 again, or?

edit: ooh, one o' the champagnes is open.
can't get busted for that!

 

Heck yea. The trusty F4i will be back.

So I heard you got a new ride this year? Team Maxxis I believe?

 

maxxis? where'd you hear that?

 

Hmm, perhaps I got the team name wrong. I got my sources and I don't want to get anyone in trouble just in case I wasn't suppose to know. Or if I wasn't suppose to tell

 

good answer.

sittin' here thinkin' about hondas. i've had a couple. are they not prolly the best all 'round bike available? not the best in the extremes but, man, they do make good stuff.
scott raced an '05(?) and dave's on '05s for this year.
is there an aftermarket for them that i'm not aware of?