sports related industry. I can do this if someone gives me a chance. Are you listening, Tony Hawk?

After months & months of pain from a lingering back injury, I have decided to retire from motorcycle roadracing. I still have hope that I can get by without major surgery, but to do that, I will have to limit physical activity to not much more than walking & bike riding. In the last year, I have had 4 epidural injections, physical therapy, steroid treatments, and I continue to take pain medication every day, just to be able to do daily tasks such as driving to and from work. I've had a back injury before and my body always responded to treatments well. I was in a car accident last May, and since then, none of the treatments has worked well enough to allow me to have a normal life. It's kind of ironic that the only position I'm comfortable in is a racer's tuck, because it takes the pressure off of the nerves in my back. It's the driving and lifting that I can no longer attempt.



My thanks to all of my sponsors who have stuck with me thru difficult times. I've done my best to promote your products in a professional manner. I've done okay for someone who didn't start racing until the age of 32 years old.

Hey Everyone! If you live in SW Michigan, come up to Grattan Raceway in Belding, MI anytime over Father's Day weekend. I'll be racing in the AHRMA National there...Saturday night is a free pig roast & band, and it's a great place to camp & party. Hope to see some of you there! Here's a link to a race preview & track info.



www.ahrma.org/previews/grattan.htm



Rob

Hey! It's about 1 week to go until my first event of the season, the AHRMA National roadrace series at GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, MI. Just signed on with Chicago Sports & Cycle for another season, to promote their dealership. If you are looking for a bike, quad, or waverunner, contact Kathi Wolfe, who is the store manager. Tell her you got the contact info from my Sponsorhouse.com profile. She will appreciate it and so will I, and she will give you a great deal.



Here is the store address, phone number, and website info:

Kathi Wolfe

Store Manager

Chicago Sports & Cycle

14723 S Pulaski Road

Midlothian, IL  60445

Ph:  708.371.2200

Fx:  708.371.6487

csckathi@comcast.net

www.cscpowersports.com

Hey...not wanting to sound unfriendly or anything like that, because I am a friendly type of dude...but if you are sending me a friend request to pump up your friend count, save your time because I'll reject it. This ain't MySpace.com.



Rob

Red Mist Racing once again welcomes Carbone-Lorraine Brakes to the ever-growing list of sponsors for the 2007 race season!



Give these French brake pads a try...I found them to be better than any others I've used in the past (including SBS, EBC, Galfer & Ferodo). No fade whatsoever, long lasting grip...what more can you ask for?

Hi to all my friends at Sponsorhouse! 2007 plans are firming up...will continue to ride the Suzuki SV650 for another season. Also,  we have new sponsors on-board and more to come, along with the continued great relationships with my current sponsors...and there are new friends, too! Please be sure to leave a note when you stop by my profile.



Keep an eye open for Red Mist® on Sponsorhouse...I will be introducing a new cutting edge clothing & gear company in coming months. I plan to offer sponsorship to selected riders & athletes. Be sure to drop a note if you are interested.



Ride hard and when you see the Red Mist®, use it to your advantage!



Rob

I traveled up to beautiful Grand Rapids for the AHRMA National event at Grattan. With wins in BOTT F3 there the last two seasons, I was feeling pretty confident that I could win another one. Unfortunately, there were a few really fast guys there and things didn`t go my way.

On Saturday, I scored a 6th place in BOTT F2. This was after a huge wheelie off of the starting grid leaving me in last place going into turn 1. A bit later, I had a nice run in BOTT F3. After a mediocre start, I was mid pack thru the first few laps of the race, not far behind the lead group of 3 riders. I was held up a bit passing a backmarker thru the esses, then I caught up to the lead group again. All 4 of us came up on a slower F1 rider on a beautiful Ducati 749. Unfortunately, the timeing was such that I was the only one who didn`t get by him going into the esses. The top 3 guys got a bit of a gap between us, as I diced back & forth with Mr. Ducati. I would catch him in the esses, lose a bit in the sweeper, then gain a bunch thru 10a & 10b. I would get a much better drive coming out of 10b, pull up besides him, and then he would motor away down the straight. We did this for 4 straight laps, and I ended up in 4th place.

On Sunday, the imminent threat of rain meant that, after a vote of riders, we decided to go right into racing in the morning with no practice. This was good because we got out before the big rain hit, but it was bad because I had a few things I was going to work on in practice. I was also going to change my gearing but I didn`t have time.

BOTT F2 went a bit better for me. I rode hard and finished 5th. I was ready to go for the F3 race, even though it was starting to rain lightly and everyone was spooked about the track surface. I got a good start but I was pushed wide right going into the off camber turn 3 by a rider who decided to pull off there. I rode extremely hard to catch up the the lead group of 5 guys. On lap 4, my bike suddenly sputtered, and was running on only 1 cylinder. I thought I was out of gas at first, then I realized it was probably some tank rust or dirt clogged in the main jet of one carb, so I stayed on the gas, hoping it would clear out. I rode around for 2 1/2 laps like that, falling all the way back to the back of the pack, then it suddenly cleared out. I passed a bunch of guys to climb back to 7th place, where I finished the day.

So, for the weekend...4th place (into the wood), 5th, 6th, and a 7th place. Very average, and not what I would`ve liked, but what can you do (other than your best)? I have high hopes for BeaveRun this weekend.

The first race weekend was a tough one for me. I tweaked my back loading my toolbox into the Blazer. My bike was completed by 4&6 Racing late on Friday, which meant no Friday practice. Saturday morning practice was to be used to seat the rings but an oil leak wiped out most of that time. My first race of the day was BOTT F2. This essentially was practice for me, and I finished way back in 11th. BOTT F3 was later, got a terrible start and fought my way back to 6th. The stifling heat didn`t help matters...by the end of the day, I was having severe leg cramps even though I drank about 2 gallons of Gatorade.

The cramps got worse that night...Sunday came and I was sore all over, and still dehydrated. My back was, and still is, killing me. I ate about 3 bananas, drank a quart of Gatorade and headed out for practice. I felt better on the track but as soon as I came off, I was cramping again. I fought thru it as best I could, and I finished in 10th in BOTT F2. I thought I rode better in BOTT F3 but I still finished in 6th place.

All in all...this was a weekend of survival. I got some points in my main class, and I made it though it. Next up...Grattan Raceway in 3 weeks. I`ve won 2 of the last 4 BOTT F3 races there, so I hope to keep the string alive to keep the win ratio at 50% at the least.

Red Mist Racing welcomes new sponsor Carbone Lorraine Brakes to our team! If you want to try what the World Superbike guys use, then try Carbone Lorraine pads.