WERA North Central Region: round one – Beaver Run

WERA North Central Region: round one – Beaver Run

04/30/2006

Circuit: Beaver Run
Location: Wampum, PA
Track length: 1.53 miles
Personal Fastest lap: 1:07.321 (2006)
Personal Fastest at this event: 1:07.321 (2006)
Last year's best finish: First
Photo link: http://www.fredvoit.info/FolderThms.php?WebProjID=24&CatID=202&FolderID=2928&Page=1

There was no preseason testing in some far-off European track, no warm temps and an endless supply of tires and laps before the 2006 began. I had repaired the crash damage from the previous season-ending fiasco at Barber Motorsports Park (a bent set of handlebars, a destroyed rear rim and an emotionally damaged rider), but had yet to take to the track to work out the kinks. So what I did have was my Cleveland-Akron KTM in the back of my Ford Econoline van, the same image that we were left with at the end of the 2005 season.

On Saturday I ran the first practice session to try and get warmed up, but the bike died not even a 1/4 lap in to practice lap. Having the crash truck bring me back to the pits was embarrassing with a number one plate on the side of the bike. I tore in to the KTM and checked all the electrical connections. I had found some loose wires over the winter post-accident, so I double checked some additional connections and found the problem.

Practice session two was uneventful, and I ran the Lightweight 20-lap endurance as a warm up for Sunday’s races. The Cleveland-Akron KTM ran great and I pulled in on lap 16, as I didn’t want to burn up my Bridgestones. My best lap was in the mid 1:10’s, off the pace from my best time of 1:08.723.

Sunday morning came and I ran the two practice sessions, but like the previous day the track was cold. So I just took it east and made my laps carefully. I eyed up the riders while on the track, and the usual suspects were out there with me. Some riders had returned after being injured for most of 2005, and there were some first year experts out on the track as well. I’m not a fan of Beaver Run, and the thought of beginning my title defense at a track where I was handed my butt in 2005 didn’t really get me too excited. My lap times reflected my outlook and cautious approach, as my lap times were still stuck in the 1:10’s.

My first race was Clubman, and I was just not too excited. Race control called us out to hot-pit, but then held us there to clean up some bikes from the previous race. This got my mind to thinking.

Thinking about how I hated the track, about my accident at Barber in September. And I just thought about getting off the bike, turning it off and quitting. Just saying ‘the hell with it’ and saying ‘I’ve had enough’. I’d had enough of getting hurt and in reality I’d done more racing in 2 years than most had done in a lifetime. I could walk away and I think nobody would question why, I think everyone that knew me would understand. By the time this all ran through my head, we got called out for the sighting lap. I went out and took my place on the grid, front row and in the center.

The flag dropped and I just pinned the throttle. In to turn one I just kept the bike wide open and attempted to break away. All the fear and anxiety that I had in me… I just wanted to get away from it. I was first for the first two laps, and then was passed by Erin Higgenbotham on his Yamaha TZR250. For the next 8 laps we broke away from the rest of the pack and fought for first. Erin got caught up in some novice traffic on lap eight, which caused him to run wide down the back straight. I was able to regain the lead heading on to the front straight.

On the last lap Erin passed me on the front straight. It was obvious to me that he had more motor, but I also know I had more for him on the back section of the track. So I gave chase and was up his exhaust pipe through the back straight. Erin the pulled out a slight lead that I could not make up and crossed the line in second, less than .5 seconds back across the line. I had turned a best lap of 1:08.209 on lap 8, bettering last year’s time by .500 of a second.

One race later and I was out again, barely time to grab a drink and a power-bar. I gridded up for D-Superbike on the second row, the Bridgesones were still warm from my first race. Again, when the flag dropped I again just took off. We all dove in to turn one and no quarter was given, and it got real tight, real fast. As we crested the hill in the back section of the track a rider went down, bringing out the red flag. We were brought back to the hot grid and re-started for the full-length race (10 laps). My re-start was just as good as the first, but the rider in front of me bogged his bike, causing me to check up and loose my drive. By turn one I was third and then lost another position to Sunny Chang on his Honda RVF400. I attempted to put up a fight against Sunny, but I also wanted to give him some space. In doing so I lost touch and was then passed by Don Fine.

Don began to break away, but I began to reel him in by lap seven. By lap eight we had caught slower traffic, and I parked myself on Don’s rear tire and planned my last lap pass. As we came past the start finish on lap 10, I knew I had an advantage on Don. He didn’t know I was there, I hadn’t shown my hand and I knew that if I could get a decent drive out of the last turn I could make a pass and surprise him. As we entered the last turn, I squared off my entry and got an early drive out of my KTM. The bike drifted wide but dug in and drove me out of the corner. I drafted past on at the line and took fourth place by a whisker. My best lap was the last, where I set a new personal best time of 1:07.321.

My last race was Motard, and the grid was light. I had a two-race break between this and previous race. Past champion Jerry Shirley was next to me, and when the flag dropped we drove through the slower experts and novices. Our bikes were pretty evenly matched, and Jerry was able to pull out a slight lead. At the halfway point, I was about a second back and was attempting to reel Jerry back in when a Lightweight Twins class bike blew it’s motor, causing a red flag. At lap 7 the race was called, as it was over the half-done. My best time was in the low 1:09’s, but I had run three back-to-back races. It as fair to say my pace was off, but I got second for the second time in the day, which wasn’t too bad.

Winning a race wasn’t in the cards for that weekend, but I came away in one piece. I chased away the demons that had haunted me since September, and I got some renewed confidence. The next event is at Nelson Ledges, on May 6-7. I’ll let you know what happened.

Thanks to all my sponsors for their support; Bridgestone Tyres (Mize Mobile), Cleveland-Akron KTM, Fuel, Motorex Oils, Oxtar Boots, Portfolio Creative Staffing, RK Racing Chain, S.I.T. Strings, Suomy Helmets, Tech 21 NYC, Tiberius Records, Utopia Optics, VP Fuels

 

Thanks for posting this. As a novice it really helps me mentally to read how an expert approaches the races. Glad you're back out there.

 

You Da man Pete !!!

All I think about is when I can drink my 1st beer !!!