This is it! First race this weekend

[All-Labout-me]

I have finally made it. I started back in March with a 2001 GSXR 1000 from the Denver Police auction. I quickly realized that this bike was trouble. I decided BEFORE getting a huge ticket that I would sell it and get on the track. I parted ways with the Liter bike after owning it for 3 months. I took the money and bought a 98 GSXR 600. I figured it would be good for Modern vintage and I could have fun with it without spending a fortune. I have been doing corner marshal work at as many races as I could. I even made the trek to Hastings. Through it all I have made some good friends and enjoy the racing. I went to Ricky Orlando and completed his race class to get my license. After many weekends out at IMI and a couple more at Pueblo I now am a full MRA Novice racer #379.
What a long journey and I am now faced with so many emotions. It is exciting and nervousness, anticipation and apprehension. As with anything new I am wide eyed and taking in as much as I can. So if you see this old man rolling by, give me a wave. I look forward to getting to know so many more of you and hope that this weekend will be safe and enjoyable for all.
-Doug

[rybo]

Doug....

I'll look for you out there this weekend. Glad you're joining us!

Scott

[Slo]

Good luck on your first race Doug..... your the first one out of the bunch to make it there. I will have some of this waiting for you when you get back!!!!

[Spicee Brown]

CAreful there, SLO...Im 37 going on 16! My first race is this weekend, and I crooked my neck getting a coffee cup from the cabinet the other am. I am hurtin! I must be gettin old when I DONT hurt myself dirt jumping, downhilling and generally F$%ing off. No, I strain my back loading the dishwasher! Maybe Ill get a sponsorship from DOANS backache pills. HAahha..uhhhhhh. There goes the back..the old back!
Good luck to all the first timers out there this weekend, Ill be there! Ill be rockin MRA 164 on the silver Kawi.
See you there!
Dave Strain
CO> powersports

[Slo]

Haha Dave, good luck to you out there as well!!!! Would be awesome to see a couple of first timers out there doing good.

Be safe guys....

[jrubin80]

Good luck Doug and Dave, this will be my first race weekend also. Hopefully we all get through unscathed.

[dirkterrell]

Good luck to all you guys!

Dirk

[pilot]

CAreful there, SLO...Im 37 going on 16! My first race is this weekend, and I crooked my neck getting a coffee cup from the cabinet the other am. I am hurtin! I must be gettin old when I DONT hurt myself dirt jumping, downhilling and generally F$%ing off. No, I strain my back loading the dishwasher! Maybe Ill get a sponsorship from DOANS backache pills. HAahha..uhhhhhh. There goes the back..the old back!
Good luck to all the first timers out there this weekend, Ill be there! Ill be rockin MRA 164 on the silver Kawi.
See you there!
Dave Strain
CO> powersports

Here we see an excellent job of "sand bagin' " and hooking it up on the temp injured reserve list, ha.

Good luck to you, Doug and all the racers and their families this weekend!

[*GSXR~SNAIL*]

Good luck Doug! We'll see you out there man.

[King Nothing]

I don't like your name, Doug.



Have fun this weekend.


Doug

[Aracheon]

Good luck, man!

[steezy303]

Good Luck!!!!

[BlueDevil]

ahhh I remember my 1st race..... PPIR, finished like 25th and was so exhausted... Its amazing how mentally drained you get fighting to get 24th.... Welcome to the addiction. Good luck in yout 1st race weekend... !!!!!!

[Bueller]

Have fun out there nOObs!

Good idea to get some points this year, it'll help you for next year for sure.

[RavenR6]

Doug, best of luck!

If you don't win you cant be a part of our race team J/K

You'll do great. Have fun!

[jenners319617]

Good luck peeps! Your first race weekend will certainly be an exciting time! Just remember to breathe!! )

If you get some time stop by the DARC Racing pit and introduce yourself. I'm Jen, the crew chief the one loungin in my hammock all day!! My god I love race weekends!

See you all out there! Good luck to everyone!!

[Spicee Brown]

Thanks Jrubin..thanks SLO..I friggin Love Pueblo. Good vibes..nice sand, Big Spiders..The weather should stay ideal. Somebody record the races on TV for me? I have this archaic device called a Video Cassette recorder that I havnt mastered yet. just kidding.
Hope everyone runs good times and come back with a shiny bike.
Spicee

[LQ3]

Good Luck Doug!

[Wahooman]

Welcome to the addiction....lots to learn, see, and more learning. Come by the Corner 1 pits and say hello. If you need ANYTHING just ask. As a whole the MRA is very helpful. You will learn soon that they become family more than just friends and competitors. I have seen some crazy stuff among competitors helping each other get bikes back on the track so they can battle it out in the next race. Lots of resources there.
Again, come by and say hello to the team........#407, #212, #313, #414, #816----look for the big red canopy and all bikes are silver/red.
GOOD LUCK!

[uberwench]

Good luck guys! Wave to me on your your warmup lap -- I'll be out there Sunday and Monday in...I dunno...turn 5 probably for Novice GTU? Somewhere out there in the weeds. I'll make sure to get pictures of you guys on your first weekend out there.

JRubin80 - bike number? Are you racing the RC?
Doug - you doing Vintage GTU and/or GTO? Novice U/O?

Shiny side up!

Margaret

[All-Labout-me]

Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement!
So here is how the story goes...
I signed up for Endurance Light/Middle weight on Sat.
Novice GTU and Sportsman on Sunday
Novice GTU and Amateur GTU on Monday.

So to get my moneys worth out of the day I started with doing the Novice Slow practice. After a couple of those I was getting kinda whooped. I took a bit of a break and caught some lunch. Fantastic burger at Earlene's place!! After lunch was the Endurance practice. I struggled through the 12 minute practice session. I looked at my times later in the day and my last lap of practice was 2 mintues 12 seconds. Yeah, I was out for a sunday drive. No rest of the wicked. I had a 12 minute break while the Endurance Open and Heavy class were practicing.
So now for the big moment!! I staged at the very back of the starting grid. I didn't want to be ran over with a slow start. Needless to say, I had a good start and followed some of the SVs through turn 1. I quickly decided that the pace was a little too slow so I started to pass. I ended up around 16th with some good lap times. 1 minute 49 seconds was my best lap. This was all fairly conservative so as the race progressed I was feeling like I had more. I was passed by one of the experts in turn 4 and I thought "that doesn't look THAT fast". I figured I would try just one corner at their speed. I caught up and we went into turn 5 with me in tow. Lets just say that their grip was a little better than mine. I low sided in an instant. I'm sure it was the front that came out because there was nothing that gave me any warning. I had spooled up the rear a few times in practice and that I could feel but this was one moment sunshine and ear to ear grin and then asphault. So I slide and strangely enough I remembered to tuck in my arms. When I finally stoped ther was my bike right next to me.
I got up quickly so as not to have a red flag go out. I tried to pick up the bike but just didn't have the steam to do it. I waited for Kip to show up and he got the bike up. Just as he did I heard "White flag" over his radio. Bugger! One stinking lap to go. I had it and through it all away chasing down someone. Oh well, that is how you learn to go faster.
I got my bike started and rode back to my pit. The crash bent the exhaust up and mangled my mid-pipe. On the up side my bike sounded kinda cool with the exhaust straight pipe. Tech wasn't as pleased by my new found sound and told me my race day was done unless I could fix it.

So I did one race and was finished. I still had a great time. My thumb is a little brused and my right pinky has a little rosey on the knuckle. Other than that I'm good. Muscles are sore from all the riding.
So if any of you have a 98 GSXR 600 mid pipe laying around... Let me know!

By the way, BIG thanks to Andy Leyba #223 for all the help! Thanks to Rybo and Puck for stopping by. Good to see everyone out there.
-Doug
aka "Crash test Dummy"

[Slo]

Doug very glad your ok, got your email yesterday and tried to call you.....

[dirkterrell]

So I did one race and was finished. I still had a great time. My thumb is a little brused and my right pinky has a little rosey on the knuckle. Other than that I'm good.

Sorry to hear about the lowside, Doug, but glad to hear you walked away from it. Maybe you put your tire warmers on backwards?

Dirk

[Aracheon]

Maybe you put your tire warmers on backwards?

Dirk

Oh man...