Diary of a rookie racer; FUSA podium, part 1

Race Report 3-A Racer #486-Dan Martin June 16, 2003

Formula USA Nationals 80th Annual Loudon Classic



THANK-YOU AND ACCREDITATIONS:
(This is to be a regular section)

Thanks to Steve LaRochelle and Gerard Shifino for riding with me in the Team Challenge Endurance race.
It was my privilege racing with you.
Being in the winner's circle was a dream come true.

Thanks to Lisa LaRochelle for her organizational skills, and operating the fire bottle during re-fueling.
Thanks to Betty "blue nose" from LRRS for lending us a fire extinguisher to qualify with.

Special thanks to John Srnac and Heath Smith for being our pit crew, helping with the tools, and setting up.

Thanks to Scott Major, Double Apex Racing**, and all of their sponsors for allowing Gerard and I to race under their name.

Special thanks to NESR Racing* for lending us a rider to compete against them, again! I hope something nice happens to your team for your effort in the racing environment.

Thanks to Lockhart Phillips USA*** for their great contribution as sponsor to racer #486.


PAYBACK:
Yip, we got wood!!!
3rd place in GT lights category. Winner's circle, champagne, interviews, cheering! Woo Hoo!!

But it wasn't easy;

FRIDAY:
8:00am
Arriving at the track, the skies were gloomy.
Will it rain? Here we go with the tire game again.
I was supposed to run with Steve LaRochelle, and Jason Hillsgrove of Double Apex Racing. Sign-up deadline: noon.

10:00am
Steve and Lisa arrive at the track but aren't in a hurry. I found they were a little superstitious, it was Friday the thirteenth. Steve is frowning saying he's not sure about running today.

Jason isn't here yet; it's 10:30. I'm getting nervous.

Talking with my friends from NESR Racing over the winter, we all knew that making both the Loudon and Daytona events would get us on the "map", albeit briefly.
I took this day off at the last minute, wanting to run the Nationals and get a ranking. Barb and I plan on doing Daytona in October; this is also a Nationals event. Running them both, we may have a shot at some decent points.



Steve and Lisa:
We have grown to like and count on Steve and Lisa. Lisa helps me with my leathers and keeps an eye on me when my wife isn't at the track. Steve is always giving me racing pointers and eyeballing my bike.

Lisa doesn't like today's situation, too disorganized, Friday the thirteenth, could rain, much badness.
The sign-up deadline is noon. We can't practice because we aren't registered yet. We can't register because the other rider hasn't shown.
Steve is moving real slow, I'm setting up for tomorrow, type of slow.

Looks like a no-go. I wanted to run this event in the worst way.
I am quietly going nuts.

10:45am
My cell phone rings. It's Heath Smith on his way to the track with Scott Major.
I ask,
"Where's Hillsy (Jason Hillsgrove)?"
"We don't know. Is he there yet?"
"No! Where are you?!?!"
"On our way to the track. Relax, Scotty's right here with me."
"Frig Scotty! I don't need Scotty, he can't run with his hand broken.
I need a damn rider. Got your leathers?"
"No."
"NO? You're a licensed racer, on your way to the track and you don't bring your friggin' leathers?!?! Don't do that again!"
I hung up.

What now?
Oh well, there's always tomorrow, I started to concede.
We set up the cold pit slowly, I GENTLY work on Lisa and Steve, trying to persuade them into MAYBE running today if Hillsy shows up.

11:00am
Scott and Heath arrive. Scott asks NESR Racing for a rider to take Hillsy's place.
My friend, my man, Gerard Schifino comes through again and volunteers to run, but needs entry fees.
"No problemo amigo!!!,I've got G-man's and my entry fees!", I shout.

11:30am
Steve comes around:
"Ok, we'll put it on my credit card. Let's go get registered!"
Scott uses his influence at the track and comes up with a fire extinguisher from the LRRS crew, thanks Betty!
We all take off for the front windows; its 11:50, ten minutes to register. Confusion sets in, need to fill out forms; get everyone's signature. Hillsy arrives. My wife arrives. John Srnac arrives.
12:00pm
Registration closes.
Scott Major begs the window back open and passes in the forms, we're registered!





What bike do we use? Steve offers his brand new Ducati 800ss, an 800cc V-twin.
I burst out:
"Coolness! I've always wanted to ride a V-twin!"

Steve looks into my eyes for a sign of levity. Nope, I'm all honest and stuff.

Steve now looks rather concerned.
I offer;
"Hey, don't worry. I just want to run, get in some track time. I'll be easy on her."
Steve now looks into my eyes for sincerity and find gobs of it.
Steve LaRochelle begins to smile again.


PRACTICE:
We all missed morning practice, there is one more practice in the afternoon for endurance teams. We all decide that I should go out in practice to get friendly with a V-twin setup.

I did. It was a nice bike. They really ought to add a red number or some sort of red area on the tachometer for, say, Oh, I don't know, how about the: RED LINE!?!?
It would be helpful to us racers. Thanks in advance Ducati.

V-twins tend to buck a little hitting the rev limiter. This captured my attention going down the front straight. That's when, to my dismay, I discovered Ducati had not put any red line indicator on their tachomoter. I had to do it again to find out where the limit was.

The red line is around 8500 rpm. I tried to shift at 82-8300.
She didn't seem to go anywhere when I turned the throttle, guess I like in-line 4's.

TEAM CAHALLENGE ENDURANCE RACE:
We start by loading up all the tools and gear in the Avalanche and heading over to our hot pit area.

NESR Racing has a real pitboard. It is nice, made of real aluminum, cost lots of money. They can spell out what lap it is, time of lap, and how close the rider behind is getting.

I want a pit board too!
We scrounged up enough cardboard and duct tape to spell out:
OK? -and- PIT IN
on either side. Then we all thought to look at NESR's pitboard for the lap count.