John Reynolds Am#321
2000 SV 650
CCS South West
Chandler
Az. 19-20 Nov.
Firebird International Raceway West Track
Results:
Sat. Practice – Did not crash
J Track Kicked my Butt !!!!
Sun. LW SuperSport - 3rd
LW SuperBike – 3rd
LW GP – 2nd
LW Thunderbike – 1st
Best Lap: 1:05.03
Recap
Racer
255 and I arrived at the track Friday night around 930 or so and were
third in line. Cha Ching To celebrate we cracked open a few Coronas and
partook. After chatting with a couple guys about the track and
discussing the best place to set up in the morning we decided to hit the
hay. I never sleep well the night before a race weekend. Don’t ask me
why. Maybe it has to do with the 6 hour drive, the beer and or pre-race
day anxiety. It could also have to do with the drag boats testing their
engines all night. Nah that couldn’t of been it.
I was up at 6 and the
gates opened a 7. Big Headz racers 241 and 813 joined us and after
playing circle the wagons for 15 minute we decided to set up along the
fence between turns 2 and 3. It was a good spot and we were close to
some other racers we knew. We were now 4 bikes deep with 3 SV’s , an R1
and three pit bitch volunteers. We were set. Now it starts getting fun.
For some reason it is always hectic the first morning. Pit set-up, last
min bike preps and tire changes, registration, riders meeting and first
practice combine to create a race all on its own. Go figure it was the
first race I lost. Had to change tires from 207 GP’s to 209’s. By the
time I got the tires mounted the first practice was underway and I still
needed 30 min of tire warm up before I went out . I know what your
thinking, I should have went out on cold tires and warmed them up on the
track right but I was warned by the Dunlop dealer Jim Cox that the
combination of new cold tires, cold track and cold air would have caused
the tires to tear and not to go out on them until they were warm so I
stayed in.
I spent the rest of the
day working the track. It was my first time at this track and the first
track I’ve run counterclockwise. It was tuff finding markers and
figuring out my braking point. Turns 8,9,10,and 11 were not being very
friendly to me and I never got comfortable going through them. By the
end of the day I had gotten down into the 108’s but I knew that wasn’t
going to be good enough to win in any of the classes I was in. I had a
lot of work to do Sunday if I was to have any hope of placing well.
The
first race started off just as I thought they would. I got a great whole
shot and was in with the experts by the first turn. I was in 5th
overall and second in my class at the end of the first lap but I was
losing ground already. By the half way point #110 passed me in turn 3 on
the outside. Damn it! It was a good pass and we both had good drive
coming out of 4. I knew I could brake late into 5 so I got just inside
of him and waited to see if he was going to go deep. He didn’t and I got
passed him again but as before he passed me in three and this time he
shut the door in 5 and it was over. I finished 3rd behind #
214 and #110. Had a lot to think about after this race. Got the track
map put and started planning for the next race.
The
second race start went the same as the first except it was a two wave
start. No chance to put some bikes between me and #110 who was
consistently a second or too faster a lap. My only hope was to get out
fast and put some distance between me and him. Didn’t work. He passed me
early and again on the outside again coming out of three. RRRRRRR. Again
back in the pits more to think about. At least I was getting faster and
a little more comfortable on the track but I was still really slow thru
the 8-11 combo of turns. Finished third again.
I decided race three was
my race. It was a single wave start, I knew I could get in with the
experts by the first turn and I had a plan to run more defensively to
close the door on #110 if he got passed the guys behind me. I got the
great start I was hoping for and by mid race I was where I wanted to be,
in first place, but because a throttle and brake mistake coming off the
straight into turn 5 I went off and didn’t get back on till after I was
passed by and Expert and #110. Damn it. I had that race and seeing where
#110 was I knew he would not have caught me by the end. Oh well No one
to blame but myself. And I had to settle with a second.
Last race of the day.
Thunder Bike. My chance to get a win. I knew I had a good plan just
needed to make sure I didn’t make any mistakes this time. Again, a great
start out in front. I put my head down and drove hard by mid way threw
the race I started to see a shadow as I came out of some of the turns. I
didn’t know who it was but I had a good idea he was going to try to pass
me in turn 3 so I drove hard and went wide to shut the door. It worked.
He tried it again on the next lap and failed again. Second to the last
lap he changed tactics and came under me in three and got by. It wasn’t
a great move because it put him shallow into 4 and forced him to drive
wide onto the straight. I got more drive and went under him and took the
lead 
back
as we sped down the straight. All I had to do was keep him off for two
more laps. I had my work cut out for me. I don’t remember when he got by
me but I remember as I was chasing him into and threw 4 he went wide
again but this time he was in the dirt. He blew it. I drove passed his
cloud of dirt and what sounded to me like swear words that can’t be
repeated passed the white flag and onto the win. I did it I won. I was
elated. I felt like Haden at Laguna. I t was a win I could be proud of.
I earned it. IT WAS THE LAST AND BEST RACE OF THE SEASON.
