Smash Allen
Banned
Just three weeks had passed since working MotoAmerica at Sonoma with Hustle Hard Racing where we got Chad Swain to fifth place in Stock 1000.
I finally removed the abs pump and brake lines, getting rid of the limited and linked braking from stock system. I installed Brembo 19RCS master cylinder and also a TGP quickturn throttle. No more excuses for my wimpy throttle and weak braking!
Friday morning arrived and it was cold and foggy for the first session, making it an easy choice to skip and wait for the sun to warm things up. The only time I had previously ridden Sonoma was a cold and wet day in February that ended early in rain...so I don’t like to count that day...which means this is my first time at Sonoma...I get a pass for that, right???
Sun came out for the second session and I had my buddy Jay show me around, and after our outlap we did a crisp 1:56. As usual I got impatient after one lap and passed Jay and two more riders around the outside of turn 5 and did a 1:54. Someone on a CBR passed me inside turn 1 and pulled me around to a 1:52 which I repeated three more laps, for a 1:56, 1:54, 1:52, 1:52, 1:52 on my ‘first’ session at Sonoma. I love this track! Second session was a throwaway with traffic but the third went well with a 1:53, 1:52, 1:51, 1:50, and then Chad Swain tried to slow me down a bit to show me lines and we did a 1:52 to end the session. Fourth session went well with another 1:52, 1:50, 1:51, and 1:52 as some traffic and roasted tires slowed things up a bit.
Saturday morning showed warm weather and promises of quick times. Chad stayed over at my place for the weekend and we shared some good banter on the drive to the track. The first two practice sessions went well, running between 1:50 and 1:51. Dave Stanton was at the track in the morning and gave me some riding and setup advice. He is a true Jedi master and I am his hopeful Padawan! I threw on some fresh slicks after lunch and went out for the quick practice session before racing began. Low and behold with Dave’s voice in my head while circulating the track I got down to 1:48.2! That was 5.5 seconds faster than the next person in my practice group 3 and also the fastest time in practice group 4 on that session. Suffice to say I was amped up after hitting low 1:48 after seven sessions total and less than 50 laps ever at that track!
Clubman Heavy gridded up and as usual I got an anemic start. I’ve narrowed it down to my throttle not being opened enough and will be working on this in the future. I made up some places and good passes but after two laps the race was red flagged and I rolled back to the pits. The race restarted and we got going again, although this time I was behind a couple riders who I knew had slower pace. I got got around some traffic and made up the time, closing the distance on Jay #705. In my eagerness to catch up and pass I failed to notice the closing speed I was carrying into turn 11. Bottoming out my forks and locking the front wheel a few times I did my best to bleed the speed but it was not enough to avoid contacting Jay’s bike. I’m not sure exactly how but I ended up going over the bars in a weird front end highside. I landed on my head and shoulder and did a full yoga Plow pose before rolling to my feet. Fortunately Jay was able to stay upright and after a minute or two my double vision subsided and I could see straight. Sitting on the wall I did a self evaluation and discovered that my collarbone was in two pieces...at least my shoulder wasn’t dislocated! My bike seemed good to go besides a broken clutch side clip on and after the race I rode back into the pits straight to Jay and apologized for the contact. He said he only felt something on his tail section and went a bit wide into the cones, and was a huge relief when he accepted my apology. Sorry bro!!!
I was debating racing on Sunday with a sling but the wife wasn’t having any of it...so Chad Swain and Hustle Hard Racing packed my things and loaded my bike into my truck, thank you!!! The drive home was a bit rough, but the most painful part was letting my wife know that I made a boneheaded mistake that was going to impact us for the next several weeks. Fortunately she is a total gem and continues to support my racing, albeit with an ‘addendum’ added to the ‘contract’ regarding my racing strategy going forward. I will also be wearing an airbag vest in the future.
Overall this was my favorite round of the season, even though it didn’t quite end as I had imagined. I got up to speed quickly and had an absolute blast, finding time almost each session and really just starting to explore the capabilities of the brakes with the abs pump removed and a more responsive and sensitive master cylinder.
My 1:48 which came after a close call around the carousel:
youtu.be/fhKFktnddnw
My crash which happened around 12:22:
youtu.be/tVnd2j9Pe4Y
I finally removed the abs pump and brake lines, getting rid of the limited and linked braking from stock system. I installed Brembo 19RCS master cylinder and also a TGP quickturn throttle. No more excuses for my wimpy throttle and weak braking!
Friday morning arrived and it was cold and foggy for the first session, making it an easy choice to skip and wait for the sun to warm things up. The only time I had previously ridden Sonoma was a cold and wet day in February that ended early in rain...so I don’t like to count that day...which means this is my first time at Sonoma...I get a pass for that, right???
Sun came out for the second session and I had my buddy Jay show me around, and after our outlap we did a crisp 1:56. As usual I got impatient after one lap and passed Jay and two more riders around the outside of turn 5 and did a 1:54. Someone on a CBR passed me inside turn 1 and pulled me around to a 1:52 which I repeated three more laps, for a 1:56, 1:54, 1:52, 1:52, 1:52 on my ‘first’ session at Sonoma. I love this track! Second session was a throwaway with traffic but the third went well with a 1:53, 1:52, 1:51, 1:50, and then Chad Swain tried to slow me down a bit to show me lines and we did a 1:52 to end the session. Fourth session went well with another 1:52, 1:50, 1:51, and 1:52 as some traffic and roasted tires slowed things up a bit.
Saturday morning showed warm weather and promises of quick times. Chad stayed over at my place for the weekend and we shared some good banter on the drive to the track. The first two practice sessions went well, running between 1:50 and 1:51. Dave Stanton was at the track in the morning and gave me some riding and setup advice. He is a true Jedi master and I am his hopeful Padawan! I threw on some fresh slicks after lunch and went out for the quick practice session before racing began. Low and behold with Dave’s voice in my head while circulating the track I got down to 1:48.2! That was 5.5 seconds faster than the next person in my practice group 3 and also the fastest time in practice group 4 on that session. Suffice to say I was amped up after hitting low 1:48 after seven sessions total and less than 50 laps ever at that track!
Clubman Heavy gridded up and as usual I got an anemic start. I’ve narrowed it down to my throttle not being opened enough and will be working on this in the future. I made up some places and good passes but after two laps the race was red flagged and I rolled back to the pits. The race restarted and we got going again, although this time I was behind a couple riders who I knew had slower pace. I got got around some traffic and made up the time, closing the distance on Jay #705. In my eagerness to catch up and pass I failed to notice the closing speed I was carrying into turn 11. Bottoming out my forks and locking the front wheel a few times I did my best to bleed the speed but it was not enough to avoid contacting Jay’s bike. I’m not sure exactly how but I ended up going over the bars in a weird front end highside. I landed on my head and shoulder and did a full yoga Plow pose before rolling to my feet. Fortunately Jay was able to stay upright and after a minute or two my double vision subsided and I could see straight. Sitting on the wall I did a self evaluation and discovered that my collarbone was in two pieces...at least my shoulder wasn’t dislocated! My bike seemed good to go besides a broken clutch side clip on and after the race I rode back into the pits straight to Jay and apologized for the contact. He said he only felt something on his tail section and went a bit wide into the cones, and was a huge relief when he accepted my apology. Sorry bro!!!
I was debating racing on Sunday with a sling but the wife wasn’t having any of it...so Chad Swain and Hustle Hard Racing packed my things and loaded my bike into my truck, thank you!!! The drive home was a bit rough, but the most painful part was letting my wife know that I made a boneheaded mistake that was going to impact us for the next several weeks. Fortunately she is a total gem and continues to support my racing, albeit with an ‘addendum’ added to the ‘contract’ regarding my racing strategy going forward. I will also be wearing an airbag vest in the future.
Overall this was my favorite round of the season, even though it didn’t quite end as I had imagined. I got up to speed quickly and had an absolute blast, finding time almost each session and really just starting to explore the capabilities of the brakes with the abs pump removed and a more responsive and sensitive master cylinder.
My 1:48 which came after a close call around the carousel:
youtu.be/fhKFktnddnw
My crash which happened around 12:22:
youtu.be/tVnd2j9Pe4Y
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