Keep it stock
Virginia International Raceway (VIR) - Alton, VA
April 10/11, 2004

So we're back. 1 week after the season opener, but on 'home turf'. I decide that after the jetting problems at Jennings last weekend I should do the all-day practice on Friday to try and get the jetting sorted out.

Friday morning I head to VIR, and meet Reet and setup camp next to him and across from Bill Cole. Rebecca has to work so I'm soloing it today. The main goal today is to try and get the bike working right with the leaded fuel setup. This should be a no brainer, but after last weekend I'm having my doubts. So I primarily take it easy, and just do a few laps for the first couple sessions. I'm just looking to get a good plug chop and reading of the jetting after every session.

I jet fat for leaded gas and take the head off after every session, and it still looks lean. WTF?! So Bill helps out and recommends some real fat jets. I put those in and head out for the next session. Come in check everything... mixed signals. Pistons & head says lean, pipe & feel say fat. Strange... so we try a few things.

We try the leaded gas with the unleaded head... actually feels a little better, but not like it should. We go through the motions of plug chops & readings and taking off the head after every session the entire day... Neither Bill nor Reet could figure out what the fuck was going on, but I decide to keep it and try it for tomorrow's race.

So I head back to Raleigh, get some rest, and come back Sat. morning with Rebecca hoping for a better run with the bike.

Get out in morning practice... no dice. Still feels fat, but looks lean. Don't know what the fuck is going on, but I leave it in for the GT lights race. Got a shitty start, I'm talking I'm DEAD LAST into turn 1, 26th place! It's my first big race against the SVs and faster bikes and I'm just not 'feeling it'. Bike's running shitty, & my riding is shitty, but I manage to work my way through traffic, slowly. Then I start to get tired and lazy, and my shifter is mis-shifting causing me some time and positions, as I pogo between 13-11th place. I turn off the quick shifter, and things are better. I slowly regain my momentum and work my way up to 11th place. Last lap, near the last few turns, I pass 2 riders to take 9th place at the finish line! Woohoo another top ten finish!

Now it's Sunday, and I have my best 2 races today. Since the leaded setup wasn't working for me, I switch back to the stock unleaded setup.

I get out in practice... SUWWEEETT. The bike feels GREAT. I'm psyched for my races. First up is the 125GP race. I get an 'ok' start, about 5th place. Hold steady and pass 1 or 2 people after the second lap. The bike is balls fast now. I'm in third place, as my teammate, Reet, and another rider are ahead I setup and get a great drive out of the last turn on to the straight, and walk right by them both. "I'M IN FIRST PLACE. WOOOOHOOO", I scream in my helmet.

I continue around under the bridge, up the hill, when I get a little off focus, take a turn too hot, and apex it too early. I let off the throttle, which loads the front wheel and 'pushes' it to the outside of the turn. "SHITTTTT!!", I yell. I run off the edge of the track, and hop back on for the next sharp turn but can't make the lean to keep it on the track and have to run off... I roll through the bumpy dirt and grass, struggling to keep it up, when it finally tucks the front wheel. Luckily I was going pretty slow by this point. I examine the bike, and the subframe is bent as is my handlebar. I 'could' get back in the race, but don't know about the condition of the subframe, so I sit and wait for the crash truck to pick me up. Oh well.

Back in the pits, we bent back the frame, and put on a new handlebar, all fixed for my last race, LightWeight GP. Again, against the SVs, I get an OK start, about 6th place. I'm making my laps at a pretty good pace, make a pass here and there, gaining positions. I have no idea how I'm doing or what place I'm in, I'm just trying to catch up to the next guy I see ahead of me. Rolling around for the cool down lap, I try to see who's ahead and what position I'm in. I see a couple guys but not sure if they are lapped riders or what.

I roll into pit lane and they flag me to goto the start/finish line (for a little interview). "No way", I say to myself. There's no way I won. I roll up and see Darren there... Holy shit, I got 2nd place!! Art Staples interviews me, asking a few questions and I head back to out pits where I get a big hug and congrats from Rebecca. This was my 1st wood and podium finish A. as an expert, and B. on the 125!

I'm psyched that I switched back to unleaded and the bike is running well now, and also that I got my first expert wood! Now that everything seems to be working and the bike is fast, I'm happy that my 'R&D' is over and now it's time to focus on riding.