I don’t know where to begin… first off huge shout out to the #RuthlessCrew Thomas, Dave , Chris and Hoover. This morning in Q2 I blew the head gasket. This afternoon between 2pm and 4:30pm ten minutes before the start of the race!! My boys dropped the engine, pulled the head, replaced the blown head gasket, and rebuilt the entire motorcycle!! So this afternoon it was my time to step up.
Even with 18 months off a motorcycles and only 15 laps before the start of the race, I felt I had a good shot at a top 6 or 7. I qualified in 9th after missing most of Q2. So at 4:35 I headed out. We all gridded up and took off for our warm up lap.
Going into turn 5 a downhill to a 90 degree left going from wide open throttle in 6th down to 3rd I noticed the front fairing shift pretty drastically to the side…..Fak Fak Fak. No time for anything but finish the warm up lap and take my grid position. I contemplated pulling into the pits but I knew if I did that it was over.
So as I rolled into my starting position I was desperately trying to tighten the fairing! The right side mount had come loose. Well I ran outta time and off we went into turn 1. As I got on the brakes I could really see the fairing shift hard to the left. Just so you people who don’t get or understand what I’m saying the fairings are made of Fiberglass, if that fiberglass comes loose and goes under the back tire….I’m going for a ride!!
Anyway I make it to the chicane after the carousel corner and grab another mit full of brakes and the fairing shifts again and spooked me… I ran off. Came to a complete stop and checked the fairing. From 10th to 22nd and about 10 seconds behind when I said Fak it. I need the seat time.
So I jumped back on the track and just did what I could. I went from 22nd to 11th and went faster than I did in qualifying. So….happy, bitter, satisfied….never. But, I Can take away the positives. Every time I was on the bike I went faster! My team showed that they all love this as much as I do. Next race in in a few weeks at the Ridge in Washington State. Already looking forward to it👍🏻👊🏻🤙🏻