MOTOAMERICA SUPERBIKES AT AT MONTEREY - July 7-9

What would have made me jump on that bike is the fact that Aprilia was fully taking over the team vs. just farming it out to Gresini. I wasn't surprised when they started doing a lot better after the switch.

 

Who wins the other SBK race? Gagne?
Too bad only one SS race for Josh this weekend.

 

What other SBK race ?
Only 3 this wknd.
He's got Cam on 2 races and Josh on 1 race = 3

 

MA just released a technical bulletin which allows the R6 to use a fully ported/epoxy head. Who's gonna fly one in and bolt it on tonight???

 

I thought he meant Hayes in SS. Got it.

 

Nobody.... they all already have it done on the R6 !!!

 

According to Caruthers and Bice, Joe Roberts is here hanging during the MotoGP break and was hanging out with old friends. Didn't post any lap times, Herrin rode a stock-ish Duc so he didn't post a laptime.

 

I think porting for the 600s (and 636) has been available for a year or two now. But was pretty limited, I wonder if they opened the rules more.

 

I don't know, but don't you think the guys asking for that, probably had a little birdie let them know early, and already arrived with that kit already installed?

 

I just realized this is the 30th anniversary of my first trip to Laguna Seca for motorcycle races.

I can't recall why (probably flight availability using points), I flew into SMF for the trip. During the trip, I asked the middle seat passenger if she could suggest a place to eat near the airport, as I was about to drive to Monterrey. The guy in the aisle seat heard me, and asked if I was headed to Laguna. For the rest of the trip, we talked about racing and motorcycles. I had just started to ride again, a bit more than ten years after I suffered two street wrecks within 10 days (both not my fault). The weekend previous to this flight, I had just ridden The Dragon on a 1974 RD350 that I bought from former WERA and AMA racer Billy Eisenacher (who I met via the parts guy at the shop on Cobb Parkway[?]).

We did eat lunch nearby ... at a place called "Murder Burger." I wish I still had the tee shirt.

Bob, the guy I met, was meeting a friend at the airport that was also headed to the track. They invited me to ride with them instead of renting a car. At the track, I met four other friends of theirs, and we hung out all weekend. I still recall all seven of us in his Suburban, on the way to the track, getting pulled over by the CHP. I almost bit my lip off, when Laird, the driver aged about 45, was asked if he was the owner of the vehicle and replied - "no, but it belongs to my dad." :--) It was as if everyone was back in high school again, looking for trouble.

Two of that group, (a different) Bob and his wife Carol, I'd see multiple times at the track and their home in LA. They would ride up to Laguna each year. Bob worked at Area 51 at the time. He didn't say it outright, but did mention he had to fly out every Monday and return on Friday ("Janet Airlines," no doubt). During one of my visits with them in LA (near Santa Clarita), they insisted I stay the night with them so all three of us could ride up to The Rock Store the next morning. I got to ride their daughter's Rebel 250. While there, I met a guy that had a very nice RZ350 like the one I had at home at the time. He let me borrow it so I could get a pic of me and it in front of the Rock Store sign.

Another tidbit: During that first Laguna trip in 1993, I was staying with a cousin and her family at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterrey. Her husband was an A6 pilot, and was involved in the little skirmish with Libya that had recently occurred. I was able to watch a video that showed his prospective. His wife, my cousin (former Navy), drove a mini van with a personalized tag that read "MOMS A6".

I think I've attended six AMA rounds, one 500GP (94?), and one World Superbike (98) at Laguna.

 

Pulled in and set up with the motor home. Gonna be fun!
Absolute last minute trip, so we are "camped" in the #7 brown parking area. Overflow for last minute knuckleheads like me!
Picture of daily schedule attached.

 

And now this

 

Well nuts, keep getting an error saying file is too large, when it's not.

 

Got it

 

Stanboli would set up and do it at the track if he had the customers I’d bet… dude works non stop…

 

Billy is a good guy and the king of Yamaha contingency before the R6 came out. Always had a smile it seemed.

 

SSP on track

http://timing.motoamerica.com/

 

The timing of this baffles me. Literally the day before the event starts?

 

I use to pit by him whenever I could. Fun guy to watch check out.And he did win a shit load of Yamaha money in the 90's

 

I'm glad you posted, I didn't even realize they started today. Good thing as I actually got some work done versus dreaming and watching online.

Josh is moving on that R6, wonder if he has the updated head? I figured he would be fast here, because of the handling of that R6.

Nice to see Aussie Dave at the pointy end. I hope running this class he can really start hitting it hard and getting podiums and a win?