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DC-Cycles Racing at VIR

Discussion in 'Race Reports' started by Roach, Aug 22, 2000.

  1. Roach

    Roach Yamaha Catapult Tester

    Hey all... this weekend found DC-Cycles racing at the new (reopened) Virginia International Raceway.

    The facility is... remarkable. The new owners have built/rebuilt an amazing place, with top notch facilities and an awesome track... and they're not even done yet.

    DC-Cycles Racing was represented by Randy Moran (and friend Randy Nesbaum (sp?)), Sean Jordan, Brian Roach, Fred ... and our own Laura Granato as full time pit-crew and den mother!

    Laura, Sean, and myself drove up Thurs night as there was a practice day on Friday that would be most useful since none of us had ever seen the course. Friday practice went well, with only a small rainshower at the end. The track is TECHNICAL. Depending on which map you look at, it has 19 - 24 turns over 2.6 miles (some are more like small bends and not numbered but you get the picture). To say you are lost the first time around is an understatement. WERA held their vintage races on Fri (don't ask) but unfortunately Fred was having some technical issues which kept him from running one bike, and the other was misfiring. On top of that, the weather was not kind to the vintage folks. He'll get 'em the next time for sure.

    Randy and Randy showed up early Sat morning and joined our merry little band. We got one round of practice on Sat morning before.... The Endurance Race.

    Endurance racing is a whole different animal, I've come to find out. Two weeks previous to the VIR round, I was asked to ride for Cyberlogtech.com in the 6-hour WERA National Endurance race. I replied YES immediately as I thought this would be an excellent way to get some needed track time. It was, and more. The National series does not have a lightweight class... there are 4 classes, MW Supersport and Superbike, HW Supersport and Superbike (600cc and 750+cc machines). We, however, had a Supersport Suzuki SV650 at our disposal... a lightweight twin with about 72hp at the rear wheel. We also had no extra rims (and no quick-change rigging even if we did), no quick-dump fuel cans, no backup bike, etc... Ah... what the hell, it's track time and should be a neat experience. We chose to run a set of Michelin DOT Pilots ("endurance compound") as the plan was to run only one set of tires, and the michelin guy said that was our best shot at it. Neat...
    "who's going to be the fourth rider who has to ride them for the last 45 minutes?"
    "Um... you did say you were used to spinning and sliding on your superbike, right Roach?"
    "Oh Lord"
    Sean and Laura "volunteered" (ok... we suckered them into it) to act as our scoring and timing team.

    Alan Nelson started the race, and proceeded to start knocking off consistent, fast laps. Looking at the pit boards, we didn't seem to be running that far off the pace of some of the faster teams. Huh, that's odd. My first stint on the bike came at about 2:30:00 into the race... we were running something like 24th out of 36, which isn't too shabby on a bike that's giving up about 15hp to the weakest 600 out there (and about 50 to the strongest). The race was... completely uneventful for us. We'd come in, refuel, switch riders, and rejoin the race. Coming to my last stint, we're somehow in 14th place overall, and 3rd in class!! (We had been 4th in class for a while, then the team in 3rd had an agricultural racing episode that put them 3 laps behind us when they were able to rejoin). With (unknown at the time) 5 laps to go, I had come upon another bike running at about the same speed as myself (obviously just slightly less) I made the pass and took the checkerd flag 2 laps later. At the trophy presentation, we discovered we had taken 12th overall and 3rd in class! It was truly awesome and prob one of the most rewarding experiences I've had in racing to date. We got a big trophy, plaques, and $125. Woo Hoo! We spent the $125 on the celebration dinner [​IMG]

    Sunday arrived, and D-Superbike comes as race 1 every time. I was able to launch the RR off the line without a hitch, and get the hole shot into T1. I never looked back and proceeded to lead the race flag to flag. Only one minor off-track excursion marred what would have been a perfect race with me having a clear lead. After the agricultural expedition, I knew my rival Matt Whistle was on my tail by the distinct sound an SV makes as it tries to show you a wheel, but he never made the pass.

    By winning that race, I clench the 2000 Mid-Atlantic D-Superbike Championship as there are not enough points remaining for Matt to overtake me!!!

    Race 12, Formula 2, and I am ready to try racing my new TZ250. I've yet to figure out the secret in launching a two-stroke, and my start was much like the starts I get on my TZ125. That is to say, from pole position I went into turn one... dead last. This makes for a rather exciting race as you now need to pass a whole bunch of bikes to get back to the front. I was able to make it back up to second place, losing only to my Endurance teammate Alan Nelson. Adding that second place to the points I already have, a 3rd place or better at Summit Point next weekend in Formula 2 will give my second Championship this year!

    Randy Moran Is vying for the Lightweight Twins championship, and if this weekend is any indication, he's going to do it. Randy put on a stunning display, with the closest competitor finishing some 10 seconds behind him. More than a few white-plated experts got a taste of the Moran Bullet this weekend... and they won't be the last I'm sure.

    Sean Jordan, or FNG as we like to call him [​IMG] , got more valuable track time and had a good dicing with another bike in the F1 race. He looked much better on the bike (I even have pictures to prove it!) and may turn out to be a racer after all [​IMG]

    Both Randy and Sean can fill in more details on their weekend, for sure.

    Next stop: Summit Point Raceway, WV, Aug 26-27

    A BIG thanks to Laura Granato. She was a true saint this weekend, taking care of pretty much anything we (ok, mostly *I* - I'm the only idiot trying to make 3 practice sessions on three different bikes) needed in the pits, she gave up all Saturday afternoon to sit up in a scoring tower and count our bike come by 200 times, and was always there to help me get into leathers and get my bikes ready to go out. There's a lot that goes into being successful on the track, and without help like that it's a LOT harder to do.

    I'd like to thank SpeedWerks of Camden, DE (www.speedwerks.com). Without their sponsorship and excellent bikes, this year would not have been possible for me. Jon Hovey is probably one of the best motorcycle mechanics on the planet and Steve Long has never let me down when it comes to providing the fastest 400 superbike on the track. If you're a racer, call 'em up - they build some of the best bikes on the track. They also deal in parts and accessories to tune up your street scoot through Street N Competition. I'd also like the thank Bridgestone tires for their support and Team Bridgestone sponsorship. 1 championship, 7 wins, 15 podiums, all on Bridgestone tires - [email protected] (JB Motorcycle) can sell you what you need on the track or for the street.

    Brian Roach
    WERA #699
     
  2. boaide

    boaide Well-Known Member

    <<but unfortunately Fred was having some technical issues which kept him from running one bike, and the other was misfiring. On top of that, the weather was not kind to the vintage folks. He'll get 'em the next time for sure.>>

    TD-3 is a new racebike and I expected problems, it is being set-up at Summit by the buider. The trusty 350 was a surprise. The kill button was bad. That's why I ended up racing in one race after having entered 3 and raced with 1 1/2 laps of practice. Didn't finish last though, what a relief.

    Ciao,

    fred
     

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