Hallett, 1st round WERA Mid-Central Motorcross

How about the short version first.
Long drive, dirty, rough, slick practice on Sat. morning, wind gusting to 35mph, but dry.
Corner worked the 4-hour endurance that afternoon...cold and wind-burnt face.

Sunday morning practice...cloudy, warmer, and the track was in alot better shape. The endurance had really helped out the dust and put some rubber down. We had three groups of practice, minis, novice, and expert, yep all experts at once. Big bike, small bike, all together. It really didn't matter, since this track is all about turning. 1.8 miles and very tight.
I only went out for practice twice, even though all groups got three sessions. Like I said earlier, the track is extremely rough and tight, very physically demanding, so I skipped the third session.

Now for the fun part. The rain that we all knew was on the way hit at first call, first race. A decision had to be made, rains, dot, slicks. Well it didn't take long, during the second race a few guys had went out on slicks hoping the rain would quit. Well after the crach truck picked them all up, I went and put on my rain tires, that I had just purchased with the last of my BIB bucks.

As the rain started falling more heavily, more bikes were going up in the trailers. By the time my race #7 had rolled around, all but 5 of the registered racers had either crashed in other races or loaded up and headed home. This was my first time ever on full rains, so it took some adjusting of the brain to tell yourself that the traction will be there. The track was actually better in the rain on Sun. than it was in the dry on Sat. morn.
I took second in that race, lightweight-twins. A lonely race, RPM's four(?) time novice champ from last year just ran away from me. I had noticed this guy during the endurance and knew he'd be trouble.
My second race, F-2, was the last race of the day. Again the field had dwindled down to just a handfull of bikes, but this is F-2, there where a couple that had not raced the twins. Well I got another awfull start, I just couldn't make myself trust the tires. I was third into turn 1, behind the same guy that won the twins race, and a Honda RS250, I had hoped it was an old one there for the vintage stuff, but no luck. The SV and Rs started pulling away, so I had better learn to trust the tires, and I did. It really is amazing how good the traction is with full rains. Before I knew it I was carrying the front out of the slow stuff, and catching the RS. I managed to pass him on the 3rd of 6 laps, pulling enough of a gap to take it somewhat easy on the last lap.
Did I say short story first?

Well, two second places on a track I had never seen, on rain tires for the first time, on a track that needs a resurface worse that the old Talledega, or Memphis, in a 40 degree rain.

I was told that Panoz (Road Atlanta) had just purchased the track and 200 acres around it. If this is true, then it will be a great track when all the money is thrown at it. I do love the lay-out of the track, tight with lots of elevation changes. It just needs some work.

A good friend and WERA regular Jim Johnson took the win in Clubman Expert. Also congratulation to Brad Van Cleev(?) on his three wins in Novice D-super, Light Twins, an Clubman.(all on his EX, he didn't want to get the SV in the wet with the slicks)

I'll see everyone at Talledega in April. Good Luck to everyone headed to Roebling. Be safe.

Al Goodwin

 

Many congrats to the "Old Man" Jim Johnson and to Brad on the EX!! Also congrats to you- Big Al.

 

So Jim ran a race in the rain???

 

Yep, Raining all day, like pouring out of a boot...if you get what I'm saying. Jim did wear some old gloves of mine, so all his stuff didn't get soaked.

[This message has been edited by AL GOODWIN (edited 03-12-2001).]