A National Championship!

October 22, 2004

“When it started raining prior to the start of the GTU race I was very disappointed. I have raced in the rain a couple of times but I knew that my closest competitor would have a better chance at beating me in the rain. When the skies began to clear and the GTU race ran the full 30 minutes, the track started to dry out in most areas. On pre-grid I looked around to see what tires my competitors were on – there was a mix between rains, DOTs and slicks. This gave me confidence in my new Michelins. I knew DOTs were the way to go. On the warm-up lap everyone hesitated to go so I started off first in my group. I think everyone wanted to trail behind to gauge how fast the pace would be on the semi-wet track. Back to our grid positions. Out goes the green flag in the second wave and I pull the biggest wheelie I have ever done on that 250! I follow James into Turn 1, thinking that everyone is going so slow. Into Turn 2 the pack slows again and showing James my front tire, I pass him. As soon as I got around everyone I led the entire 8-lap race to the finish. With 3 laps to go I am looking for the white flag because I can’t believe I have led the entire race and at the same time I keep telling myself to relax and take it easy so I don’t mess this up. After taking the checkered flag I am yelling in my helmet “I won, I won, yahoo!”. If only everyone could have heard me! I pull in to our garage area knowing that Jeff is out on the track. I wanted to see his start. I catch a glimpse of him darting out into second place when I hear my name called over the loudspeaker that I need to get to Victory Lane. I walk over and Art Muse tells me I need my bike for the Victory Photo. Shoot, I go back and get my bike to get my picture taken with the beautiful trophy – a gold replica of a motorcycle racer that will have my name engraved on it. Tiffany Kelcher (Events Manager for CCS) says congratulations and tells me how happy she is that I won that race. Roadracing World Magazine (the Bible for road racers) will also do a feature in a future issue of the 2004 National Champions. Thankfully a photo will be in the magazine – that is the only photo I will have! Later on in the day I went up into the scoring tower to see why I am shown in last place on the results. The manual scorer had not counted my eighth lap and entered me into the system with only 7 laps. It was fixed and official results were posted. While up in the scoring tower I had my picture taken with Tiffany’s baby, Madison (only a few months old). They said they wanted to be able to show her when she was a baby with a female National Champion. I took the baby’s little hand and told her to remember that “girls rule” and hopefully when she is of racing age it won’t be a big deal anymore to see a girl win a race or National Championship….”

He Said...
Jeff Crowned "the Cone-in-a-tor"

I got a killer start in the F40, passed a few Experts into T1 and found myself in 2nd place behind Keith Joy. I was thrilled because I know he is undoubtedly one of the fastest FL riders and has completed many laps around Homestead (this was my first outing at the track) He had me by a easy 3 bikes lengths at the end of the first lap but I could gain on hime in T1 based on prior practice sessions, but it was not meant to be.

The final turn leading onto the front stretch after the chicane has cones lining the course to prevent the racers from? .. who knows what...entering to high on the front stretch ? tightening the final turn?.....CCS did not explain thier logic behind the cone placement and considering the cones where getting hit all weekend during practice, would it not stand to reason to move them out of the way?....apparently not. Needless to say I went wide and t-boned 4 cones killing my drive onto the front stretch, breaking the lower and was immediately passed by 5 riders. I expected a meatball flag and I looked everytime at start finish as well as the corner stations but none came out. Did not really matter anyway because I could hear that broken lower banging in the wind once I got out of 3rd gear and decided to just finish the race while awaiting the lower to get hung up in my rear wheel and sent me flyin'. It never happened so I finished somewhere in the top 10. The final results were not posted before we headed home. What a weekend !wheew glad it's over..