Fellow mid-packers and backmarkers: do you also have fun racing?

Man, great thread and let's do some convincing! I started with WERA in 1997 at 38 years old. I saw an article in Old Bike Journal about building up an RD400 to race in Formula RD (remember that class). Anyway, I had never been to a race, never done a trackday, never taken a bike apart.

So I buy an old RD400 and follow the recipe. Spend the winter of 96-97 building this bike. Took every single part off and redid it. This was before the internet was as big as it is now but there was Alek's RD site and it helped alot.

So I get this bike together and head to IRP for my school and first race weekend. I didn't know anybody. Pours rain my first day. What the hell did I care, I was on a racetrack! That first season I just putted around the track. But I met lot's of great people. The best of the bunch for me was Dick Gruhn. He told me what I was doing wrong and helped me every step of the way.

The next off season I sent my heads to him for a first class port/polish job. I found a guy in Louisville that helped me get my jetting correct. Now the bike was coming to life. Next season I'm out there challenging for the lead. I got a 3rd, then a second. Finally I'm in a race that Dick has a good lead in and I come around for the last lap in 2nd place and there he is on the side of the track. I'm going to win this race! Hey, that's racing. Still have that trophy in my shop.

Along the way I entered that goofy old 400 in every class I could. I even entered it in some 2 stroke class (way over my head) that had some kid named Nicky Hayden racing. Hell, they were talking about him then. If I recall he was on an RS125 and he lapped me by the 4th lap. But damn I have had fun.

If you really want to race, I mean not talk about it but really do it, then nothing gets in your way. If there was a QA50 class back then and thats all I could manage I'd be there.

Racing isn't what bike you are on or what place you are in. It is being there doing it no matter what and enjoying the hell out of it because you are a participant, not a spectator.

If you go through life spectating, life just goes by you.

 

The one's that come to mind were for 2nd place, 4th place and 2 or 3 6th places.

This one was from the LWSB race with Turner, Gette, and Wischmeyer last June. Wall and Cutchen made appearances as well but cleared off. We were racing for 5-8th. Most fun I had all year.

 

That was a fun race...it was too damn hot for my fat ass and broken hands.

 

Do it! I was 38 when I started racing.

Can't stop now! I love it!

 

That shot sums it up real well...

 

If you need some arm twisting help, hit me up...I'm right down the road from you.

 

That's a great shot right there :up:

 

Give me a couple of months and I'll be up the road from you too...

 

Kurt Kessler and i had a great race for last and second last at Atlanta two years ago on the ninjettes! I think we swapped positions every lap, but he pimped me at the end. I think he cheated!

 

Of the few races I actually did was an 04' endurance race. I think we got p9 overall and p3 in our class. In my stint I did about 4 laps with the a guy that was just great. I will always remember what it was like to try to shake someone off that is stuck to me like glue.

 

Yes. And it's hilarious when you show up all season and have to appeal the bump to "expert" when you're basically a rolling chicane. Been on both sides of the "which one of us is gonna crash to be 'not last'" battle for "also-ran", great fun!

For the guys who are debating it, there's not a better seat in the house than your bike for watching the "skills guys" battle. One of the coolest things I saw was getting sucked in and trying to watch Opie, Tim, and Jensen battling drifting together three-wide up the back of Barber. It was so cool, that for a few seconds I forgot I was "racing" too and almost took a trip to the statues.

 

All it ever got me was a busted up bike and trips to the hospital

 

Most fun I ever had racing was for 6th place last year. If you can picture three of us nose to tail as fast as we could (about 90 or so if you are counting) through turn 17 at VIR, Rick Beggs, Dan Ronca, and I. Gives me the chills just thinking about it. I ended up crashing in that race but it was fun up until that point. We battled all year at various events but that was one of the most memorable. Heck we did the same thing at Summit a few times now that I think of it.

 

Don't even let it enter your mind. A faster person will get around you and 99.9% of the time it will be safely.

 

Too many to count for me. I guess Im lucky enough to have more good memories than bad I have met some really good people and had some really good races with them. I hope to continue that trend this year.

 

Me and SLLaffoon bumpin heads.

 

Go ahead and say it...you miss that little EX.

 

Hell yeah I have fun. There's nothing like waiting for the flag to drop.

 

You only need one guy your speed to race to have a fantastic race.

 

Yes I do