Zero Profile Racing – Jay Buchanan #63 - WMRRA Rou...
Zero Profile Racing – Jay Buchanan #63 - WMRRA Round 2 Race Report - 5/3-4, 2008
The forecast for the 2nd round of the WMRRA race season looked promising. It was calling for a passing shower in the AM on Saturday and then sunshine.
Saturday morning came and it was dry, what a change from the first WMRRA round that left us with about a ½ inch of snow. I head out in the first morning practice, Group 5 practice. The bike was feeling pretty good with some slight suspension changes needed. Now if only I could feel this good. I could feel the rust from not being on the track but one time since my turn 1 crash late last year. I was able to pull off some respectable lap time, especially with the rusty rider, off a few 33's and consistent low 34’s. I know I could be better in the race with a few minor changes to gearing and suspension changes.
Lunch time came and the sky beings to gray even further then they were. The "passing shower in the AM" has seemed to finally come. I looked around and don’t see anyone changing to rains. I look up at the sky and do not see this “passing shower” passing anytime soon. I decided to swap tires now so I could get one rain practice before the 600 Super sport race.
Second practice, Group 5 came. There were only about 4 or 5 riders that got rains mounted in time. I went out for some much needed rain practice. My teammate, Troy Harrell, had decided not to ride in the rain so I had thrown his rains that were already mounted on. During the first few laps I noticed I needed some much needed help in the suspension settings, as the bike seemed to plow thru the turns like a dump truck. Overall, good practice session and I had a good idea of what I needed to change.
My next race, 600 Super sport, was scheduled for an hour after my final practice. I was trying to warm up by the heater and get as dry as possible during the off time. I noticed I didn’t hear any bikes on the track. Myself and a few other riders where wondering what was going on. We ran to the starter and checked what was going on. Holly Shit!!!! We were up. Sidecars had declined their practice so our race was moved up 30 minutes. Myself and 3 other riders hurried to the grid. We missed the citing lap and went straight to the grid. I gridded dead last, of about 32 riders, as to not upset the other riders and starter since I was so late. The flag dropped and I got a good launch. I worked my way up to the top 15 by turn 1 and passed about 3 more riders on the outside of turn 2. Visibility was TERRIBLE, with the water spray from other bikes. I settled in around 9th place, pacing a few other riders. I was going into turn 3 and accidently took an extra downshift and the bike was all over the place. I gathered it back up, but lost 3 or 4 spots. I was starting to gain confidence in the rain and latched on to John Lippis. We worked our way thru a few other riders and had a great battle. Visibility was terrible down the front straight and I was having to lift going into to turn 1. I was able to out break John on the last lap going into turn 2 and was able to hold him off thru the remainder of the track. I came across the line and finished 9th place, my highest finish in WMRRA Expert race thus far!
Call comes for 750SS, actually heard this call, and I head out. Nico and myself moved up front so we could get a clean warm-up lap in and see what the conditions are like without all the spray from the other bikes. I settle into my grid spot, which was third row of the 2nd wave. With the rain, they did it as a 1 wave start. I took the outside line of turn 2 and passed 3 or 4 guys. Down the hill into turn 3 and I caught a couple more. Around the half way mark or a bit later I came thru turn 7 to see Nico had high sided and was off in the dirt.
The next lap I was making an outside pass on turn 4 and on the exit, one of the lap traffic had high sided as well and his bike was laying right in my exit path. I had to settle back in behind the guy I had just passed. I came across the line in 13th place.
Sunday morning came, finally it was dry. Time to swap out the rains and throw the DOT’s back on. Morning practice was relatively slow, with the track not totally dry yet and track temp being very low. I had forgotten to take the rain suspension changes out of the bike, so I was running wide in a lot of the corner exits.
We get the call for 600 Super Bike race. The board goes up, revs come up, board stays up…and up….and up. Board goes down and the light stays on. What is going on? Board goes up AGAIN, and the light finally goes off. Hope I didn’t fry the clutch. Off we go from my row 8 starting position of the second wave. I got a good jump, and was able to pass a lot of guys on the outside of turn 1 and hold the throttle open and make a few more passes into turn 2. I seem to be in a comfortable pace, nothing special on times and around 15th place. Around lap 3 or 4 I am coming out of turn 7 and get on the gas and the revs just go up. Wheel spin, no…. the back in was planted….looks like I did fry the clutch. Lap after lap it got worse. I had no drive out of 3rd gear. I lost about 5 or 6 places and finished 21st.
750 Super Bike race came and I decided to try and limb the bike thru the race. I didn’t want to damage the bike to much since we were going to Miller Motorsports Park in a week. The race was very uneventful for me. 3rd gear was slipping a lot, so I tried running down a gear in a few turns and then 2nd gear was gone as well. I limbed the bike back to a 31st place finish out of 52.
Overall was a great weekend, and I was able to talk to Rick Salmon at SB Motorsports to drop ship me a new clutch before we depart for Miller Motorsports Park. I would like to thank all of my teammates at Zero Profile Racing (Troy Harrell, Josh Ngyen, Jamie Gaiser and Andrew Nelson) as well as all of my Sponsors (Adrenaline Freaks Track Days, Suomy, Terra Powersports, Braking, Vortex, Elka Suspension, Dependable Wheel Repair, AZ-Synthetic Lubes – AMSOIL, Powerstands, Utopia Optics, LP, Regina Chains and Leo Vince Exhaust)!
Pictures courtesy of Brandon Bones of Studio 819
Sat: http://studio819.smugmug.com/gallery/4884505_qabaa#291358115_svXBp
Sun: http://studio819.smugmug.com/gallery/4889418_h3cWd#291736556_3xGxn
See everyone for the Adrenaline Freaks Track Day in Miller on 10 and 11 May!