Race reports
July 23-24: Roebling Road
Pat #233
The long drive sucked. 11 hours by myself, it was deathly hot so I was running the A/C in the truck, getting 10 mpg. It poured rain all the way thru South Carolina, a few close calls. I got to the track, and it started pouring again. I ditched my rig and went to a buddy's house for some grub and some good sleep (thanks a ton Sanee).
Lightweight GP amateur, saturday July 24 - I hardly remembered my way around this track, its very bumpy in places and there is sealer all over the place. I was doing slow laps in practice and I was wondering if I'd be able to do well in the race. Everyone was complaining because it was too hot so the races were shortened from 10 laps to 8, I was ready to run 50 laps but everyone wanted less laps, and considering I only had one race per day I couldn't really campaign for the 10 laps. Whatever. Well there was only 6 or 7 guys in my class, I got a great holeshot and I knew to look for a fast guy #105. He got a huge launch and was in front of me off the line. I don't think he knew I was coming though and I came up on the inside into turn 1. I led for a lap or two, where he took my on the brakes into turn 4. I had just put a flipped set of slicks on so they held ok but the chatter was very bad, in both the front and rear end. Well the leader got by two expert 125's and I got held up a little bit. Then going turn turn 9 one of the 125's tossed its chain right in front of me, I got a little spooked, shut down the gas for a second, and he was basically gone. I ran a lonely race and came away with 2nd place. But I got my lap times down a little bit, and used the rest of the race for practice, finding a faster way around Roebling. I am not a fan of that track at all.
Lightweight GP amateur, sunday July 25 - I softened up the suspension a little in practice and immediately dropped a second off my best time of the weekend. That was great - I could actually hold the gas harder a little bit and not worry about throwing it down the track. Well same grid as the day before, I got a great start and led into turn 1. Led for a lap or two, then took a bad line around turn 3 and got passed on the brakes into turn 4 by the same guy. Then the next lap or so I missed a downshift going into 4 due to my "new" boots, and almost pushed the front out hard on the brakes trying to get around. Got taken up the inside, and played catch-up the rest of the race. I would catch up in turns 1 and 2 only to get left in turn 3. I would catch up in 4 and 5 just to get left in 7-8. I really just didn't get into a great groove. When I saw the white flag, I was yelling at myself for letting not one but TWO guys by me. I put my head down and made my best lap time of the weekend, railing. But I came up about 5 feet short of 2nd place at the line, so I finished 3rd.
Overall, the drive to Roebling isn't worth it for me, and I hope CCS removes it from the Mid-Atlantic schedule. The turnout was poor the whole weekend, the track staff are not very nice, and its a really long drive for a lot of guys. I spent more $ on gas in the truck than I did for entry fees, race gas, and food. I was happy because I got to meet up with 2 of my fraternity brothers from college, and that's about all I was happy with on the weekend. I should've been faster, but oh well. The ants there got all in my truck and lets just say I got my ass chewed off by those little fucking things driving home. I won't be going back to Roebling Road next year unless I get enough sponsors to make it fiscally smart, or I'm in a points game for the championship or something.
