AFM 103 – Greg McCullough

Buttonwillow backwards. Last race weekend of the season. My last races as a Novice.

I can’t help but think back to the beginning of the year; the first-time racer, struggling to figure basic AFM registration and tech processes. 8 race weekends later, I’m stunned by how much I’ve learned about myself, bikes, and racing; not to mention all of the good friendships that have developed. I can easily say it’s been one of the best times of my life.
I rolled into Buttonwillow Thursday night, to take advantage of the track-operated trackday on Friday. With no familiarity with the track, I needed the extra day to learn some lines, check out gearing, and try a new front tire I’d been given. By the end of the day, I think my best times were probably in the 2:05 range, based on some other folks I followed with laptimers. I didn’t bother to put mine on. I’ve realized that the timer just slows me down. Speed is a derivative of good lines, throttle control, braking, body position, and all the other little things you do in every corner on the track. Looking at the number each lap doesn’t tell you how to go faster. Listening to your bike and body every lap and watching others can tell you that.

Saturday practice started cold and windy, and the wind didn’t let up all day. It made some of the turns very interesting, especially the high speed Riverside turn (100mph+), with the wind pushing you wide. In hindsight, it was great practice, making it easier to rail through that turn on Sunday. My best times for the day were in the 2:03 range. I could only find a few 2:01s on other 650 twins riders timing sheets, so I knew I was in striking distance.

Sunday

Race 1: 600 Superbike

As my “optional” race, on a severely outclassed bike, I planned to use this primarily as starting practice, so see how many people I could get around by turn 1. Good starts have been the key to good finishes for me this year. Green flag. Starting in 54th position, the back of the pack seems to be nearly parked for the first couple turns. I dove for the inside line as fast as I could, throttle wide open nearly to the apex. Jason started in around 28th position, and although he picked up some spots on the start, he was only about 4 bikes away by turn 3. Grin. Starting from the back of the pack can be fun. Sadly, the race was red flagged for a crash 1 lap later. On the restart, my bike wouldn’t start for the warm up lap. I rolled it back to the pits to replace a spark plug holder and tighten down some other wiring. At least it wasn’t an important race, and I got my practice start.

Race 2: Formula IV

Second row start. I’ve done relatively well in this class throughout the year, and a few folks didn’t show up to this round, so I found myself in a great spot on the grid this time. Green flag. I got a good jump, diving into 4th or 5th position going into turn 1. In the next lap, I picked off Kevin Heiss, but was passed by Gator the lap following. A red flag shut the race down the lap following due to a 4 rider crash out in Club Corner.

On the restart, I got a bad jump, and found myself swallowed up by a few riders into turn 1. I have a pretty strong motor, so I expected to be able to get around some of these guys on the back straight, but Jay Kinberger proved me wrong. He’s got a rocket for a motor. I couldn’t reel him in until the slow technical parts of the track, and didn’t force a pass until Gator and Brian Harp came FLYING by both of us in 2 consecutive turns. Ok, screw this, time to go. A half a lap later, I found a good spot and got past Jay, but it was too late to get back in touch with the front runners. 4 relatively boring laps later, I finished in 7th. Not bad – matched my best performance to date – but I knew I could do better.

Race 3: 650 Twins

Due to the race schedule, we had a massive 4 hour break in between races, leaving me lots of time to ponder the game plan for this race. Due to my mediocre finishes in this race during the year, my grid position was 3rd row, right between Jason and Brian Harp, who both start pretty well. Not a good set of cards to work with here. Ok, well, I was pretty happy with the 7th place from the first race. This is the last race of the year. Time to just have fun, put my head down and go as fast as I can. These are 6 lap sprint races, after all.

Green flag. I nailed the start, jumping through 1 row instantly, and snaking up the inside to dive through turn 1 side-by-side with Jeff Hagan for a moment ( oh yeah! ), leaving only 3 riders ahead of me. As I ran through the Esses, I realized I was having no trouble keeping up, and in fact was off the throttle to avoid running up on them. As we get onto the back straight, none of them pull a gap. I guess my motor IS strong. This could be interesting. The next lap or two is a bit of a blur. I think I passed Bill Fox somewhere in lap 2, and find myself about 2 seconds behind Dan Sewell as we head onto the back straight on lap 3.

The back straight in the backwards configuration is called the drag strip for a reason. It’s forever long. On an SV, you tap out in 6th gear about 2/3rds of the way down it, just hanging out near the rev limiter, trying to make yourself very small on the tank and get that last mile an hour out of the bike. This gave me lots of time to think as I stared at Dan’s bike in lap 3. I was sitting in podium position for the first time, and would achieve my outside goal for the year if I finished like this. I was totally happy to finish right there. Ok, but that’s not the way racing works. I know that if I stopped pushing, I’d fall off pace and be swallowed up by the talented guys behind me. Remember the plan before the race. It’s the last race of the season. Let it all hang out. Ok. Dan, I’m going to chase your ass down and take second.

Bit by bit, I pulled in the gap. As we passed the white flag, I pulled parallel to Dan. He saw me and we both went diving into turn 1 way too deep trying to out-brake each other. My front end started pogo-ing as I hammered the brakes. Bam! Skip! Bam! Skip! I guess I could have used a little more pre-load on the front suspension. I overshoot the apex by at least 10 feet, but so does Dan, and I get the bike settled down and throw him a little wave to apologize for the hairball passing as I head into the Esses. 2nd place baby. I just need to keep it together for this lap.

As I come over wheelie hill heading into the last 6 turns of the track, I see Dan’s shadow behind me. I just need to keep a good pace on a protective line into turn 2 – the only good passing place before the finish line. As I come over the next hill, I see Jenn ahead. Oh crap. We’re going to lap her, and it looks like it’ll happen right as we head into turn 2. My plan for protecting the line is totally out the window. It’s going to be a free-for-all. I stay right on her rear tire on the entry to the turn, with Dan pulling up to my right. As Jenn turns left, I dive inside, thinking about sneaking in before the second apex of the double apex turn. Dammit, I can’t do it. It’s way too tight, and I didn’t carry enough momentum through the first apex. Dan was on the outside line, but as soon as I went in, he pulled right in behind Jenn, following her through the second apex. Crap, I painted myself into the corner here. I back off and let him through and focus on a good drive into the last turn.

We fly by Jenn on both sides, but I’m 2 bike lengths back from Dan going into the turn. Get on the gas! Get on it early and hard! Drive! Drive! Drive! Drifting wide, out towards the paint, I keep drifting, and I’m over the curbing with both wheels in the dirt. Oh crap. The front end goes into a big tank slapper, and I have visions of tossing myself onto the pavement 200 ft. from the checkered flag. The bike settles down and jumps back on the pavement. I get back on the gas, look back through my cloud of dust and see Gator’s too far back to close it up. Checkered flag. 3rd place. What a way to end the season.

I’m going to miss going racing every month with all the great folks I’ve met this season. It’s been a total blast, but the down time will be good too. I’ll probably be racing a 600 next year, but keep the SV around, now that it has a fresh strong engine and some new bits here and there. I love running with the 650 Twins crowd, so I’ll race as many of those as I can next year.

Until then, it’s time to get muddy on the dirt bike.