I suck at this! @ DRAGBIKE ZONE.com

HOME

ARTICLES

JOIN

BIKELAND > FORUMS > DRAGBIKE ZONE.com > Thread: I suck at this!

NEW TOPIC NEW POLL POST REPLY

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted May 18, 2003 07:05 PM

I suck at this!

I just got back from the NHRA Division 7 race at Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield. In qualifying, I cut an 0.031 (.431) light and still only managed to qualify 16th out of 20. I thought that was pretty good considering the fact that you're not allowed to deep stage at the divisional races.

I lost in the first round of eliminations when my damn clutch grabbed and pulled me into a red light. This is the first time I've lost because of an issue with the bike. Needless to say that was pissed because I totally believed that I could beat the guy in the other lane.

I guess that's a good sign that my confidence is finally coming in.

I have to admit that the losses were easier to take when I felt like I was outclassed by these guys. But, now that I know that I can run with them, the losses hurt much much more.

Well, that's racing.

I hope you guys did better than I did this weekend.

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted May 18, 2003 07:29 PM

Edited By: wannabe on 18 May 2003 20:29

This is my first qual pass. Yes, I'm launching a bit crooked. (The bars are laying down only one stripe.) I fixed it after this pass. Do I need to tuck more at the launch too? The photographer was nice enough to get the pretty side of the bike. The other side is still rashed from my incident in January.

Pro
Posts: 1592

posted May 18, 2003 07:39 PM

Nice pic man.
With bars, I wouldn't think you should be concerned about the tuck at the start,......just at the other end of course.

I've only bracket raced twice. Once at Norwalk and once at Indy. I now realize that I pretty much suck at bracket racing. I'll just stick to going for low ET for a 'stock' cc bike.

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted May 18, 2003 07:45 PM

Thanks, BA. Bracket racing is my only hope for a win. As you can see, I'm a safe member of TFA. There's no way I could win a heads up 'stock' race.

It took a while, but consistent reaction times in the .4's are there. Now, I just have to get them in the sub-0.430 range to be competitive. I still remember earlier this year when I was jumping for joy when I cut a 0.480 light. Nowadays, I kick myself when I cut a light that slow.

I think that life may be more enjoyable when you have lower standards.

RedBull

Expert Class
Posts: 406

posted May 19, 2003 05:14 PM

Edited By: RedBull on 19 May 2003 18:15

20 bikes was not bad for NHRA . . .

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted May 19, 2003 06:49 PM

quote:
20 bikes was not bad for NHRA . . .

Yeah, it was a great turnout for a division race. John Widemann brought half the town with him, and the boys from Vegas came in to represent their track too.

I'm hoping that nobody will want to drive all the way to Oklahoma so that I get an invitation to the King of the Coast by default.

kcadby

Pro
Posts: 1733

posted May 20, 2003 03:09 PM

Very Nice

4-ANYTHING is a good light in my book!!!

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted May 20, 2003 04:28 PM

quote:
Very Nice
4-ANYTHING is a good light in my book!!!

Thanks, Kev. Unfortunately, 4-Anything is no longer good enough for me. I want to be able to cut consistent sub-0.430 lights. I want to be able to (in the words of Sean Connor) 'skull f*ck' people at the line. I want people to attack the tree and possibly redlight because they know that I'm going to cut a good light. I want people to be more aggressive on their dial-ins because they know I'm going to take them off the line.

I know it's only my first season, and I shouldn't expect much, but I'm starting to see what I have to do to earn a win. Hopefully, I'll have myself dialed in by July at the latest. I'd hate to go a whole season without a win.

____________
-----------
"There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; the rest are just games." - Ernest Hemingway

RedBull

Expert Class
Posts: 406

posted May 21, 2003 04:09 PM

Edited By: RedBull on 22 Jun 2003 14:45

On your next tire purchase, buy the smallest tire that will fit your rim.

This way your roll out will be quicker & your short time will come down.

Red, *<(:{)-

____________
1998 Prostar West Super Gas top ten.
1999 Prostar West Super Gas Champion !
2000 NMRA / Prostar Pro E/T runner up.
2001, 2002, & 2003 NMRA Pro E/T Champion !
2004 #3, 2005, & 2006 NMRA Pro E/T runner up.
2007 Pro St. Legal #6, NMRA Pro E/T Champion !
2008 Motorcycle Drag Race Assoc. SS Champion !
www.dragbike.com - www.MDRA4U.com
www.PMRcomponents.com www.NAARDEN.biz
Photos by www.HooliganUnderground.com

kcadby

Pro
Posts: 1733

posted May 22, 2003 09:00 AM

If you get to where you can cut consistent LOW .400s like that!?!?!?
You WILL have people red-light trying to keep up with you!!!

DR JOE

Expert Class
Posts: 352

posted May 22, 2003 07:46 PM

Hey wannabe where do you live???

I'll tell you right now that is the home track for the PMRA at Thunder Valley Race Park in OKC and we all have open invites for the Div. races... Just saving you a long drive, But hey if you want to come out here and play , come on we would love to have you here....

DR JOE

P.S. Good picture of the bike...

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted May 22, 2003 08:17 PM

Thanks for the invite Dr. Joe. I may just be crazy enough to take you up on it. I live in Northern California, and Yahoo Maps says that Thunder Valley is 1622 miles from home. (24 hours 57 minutes.) That's a long drive, but that would be one heck of a story to tell my grand kids, huh?

Did you say that the King of the Coast race is going to be there?

DR JOE

Expert Class
Posts: 352

posted May 24, 2003 08:22 AM

No its at Tulas raceway about another hour and fifteen more to the east.. Thats where the King of the coast race will be.. I should be there..

If you need anything please let me know...

I had planned to go to alot of different races this year, but putting my wife thru collage is kicking my ass financially... thats why I have not done any motor mods this year as I was hoping...
Oh well she gets out in 3 long years, then it my turn....hahahahaha

DR JOE

DR JOE

Expert Class
Posts: 352

posted May 24, 2003 08:25 AM

Hey wannabe

I just noticed that you don't have a front tiedown strap. How are you lowering the front end???

DR JOE

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted May 24, 2003 10:19 AM

Dr Joe,

Yup, I lowered the forks in the triple tree. I used to have a strap too, but I found out that it's against the rules to have a strap and wheelie bars in the NHRA. You have to choose. You can't have both. I don't know what the rules are in the PMRA or other sanctioning bodies, but in the NHRA, you can't have both a strap and wheelie bars

swft

Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION

posted May 24, 2003 06:19 PM

It's a safety thing. With both a strap and wheelie bars, you have literally no suspension.

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted May 24, 2003 10:05 PM

Literally no suspension? Strap or not, you're still required to have a minimum of 1.5" of suspension travel in the forks. (Wether or not that's followed or enforced is another story.) So, if you're still required to have 1.5" of travel either way, I don't see why not allowing a strap with wheelie bars is a safety issue unless the NHRA is acknowledging that the suspension travel rule is totally ignored when people use a strap on the front end.

GOZR