Before I begin I really want to thank Steve & Chris Lily for their continued support of my race programs and for bringing down their motor coach for us to use for the weekend (I could get used to having that thing at the race track). Also, I need to thank Jeff and the crew at SG Power, along with Honda Canada for helping so much with the SuperMoto program this year, and thanks to my good friends Joe Keskeny & Marc Burgess for helping me as well. And last, but not least, I would like to thank the promoters and staff of SuperMoto USA for putting on such an awesome event.

Well if it weren't for bad luck this weekend, I really wouldn't have had any luck at all. I'm still smiling, although a little sore. Hey, that's racing.

Friday Night
Marc ("Sparky") and I arrived later in the day on Friday and decided to get a few laps in around the Pats Acres facility as neither of us had been there before. As you can see from the picture below this place is SuperMoto heaven. The track is very technical with lots of flowing turns making it an exciting and challenging track to master. By the end of the first practice I was within one and a half seconds of Jake Holden's times, so I knew we weren't too far off the pace. All I needed was a good sleep and some new Pirelli's - or so I thought.

Saturday - Practice
I spent the day working on setting up the bike to work with me through the tighter turns. Despite all my changes the bike still wouldn't get into the turns as efficiently as I knew it could, but I had literally run out of adjustment and had to settle with what I had. A little frustrating, but there comes a time when you just have to make due with what you've got.

Sunday - Practice & Heat races
Here is where my luck simply ran out, and as I look back on it I can't help but laugh at everything that happened. In every single heat race I either had a stall or was taken out on the first lap. Luckily I wasn't injured in any of the antics, but did manage to drag some poor soul for about twenty feet when he became entangled in my rear wheel - no joke. This lack of results in the heat races left me, let's just say, at the back of the pack for the race starts (not something you want to do when your hunting for a podium I assure you).

Race 1 - 450 Trophy
This was, in my mind, the best shot I would have at a podium all day. Despite my third row start I managed to get into fourth place by the third lap. Two laps later I could tell that I was gaining heavily on the three lead riders and had a shot at a podium. Then, on the exit of the dirt section the little 450 coughed and stalled. I frantically attempted to kick the beast to life, but it wanted nothing to do with it. About twenty kicks later and I don't know how many positions, I managed to get it started and finished the race.

Race 2 - Open Trophy
Because of the misfortune in the heat race for this one I was slated in the "B" main which meant that I had to finish in the top three just to make it to the back of the grid for the "A" main. Not a huge issue, although the "A" main was scheduled right after the "B" main with no rest. Yep, you got it, I had to run an entire race distance, and then proceed directly from the cool off lap to the back of the grid for the next one (and people ask me why I work out so much). Thankfully my training paid off in spades and although I was quite tired afterwards, I had still ridden fairly well to come through the field.

Race 3 - Open $$
Last race of the day and I was on the third row for the start. I got a decent start, but got bumped around quit a bit going into turn one and lost several positions. I calmed down and started riding smoothly just focusing on hitting my apexes and getting into a good rhythm. Sure enough the lap times came down and I started to work my way through the field ultimately finishing fifth.

What an awesome weekend. It may sound weird considering the results as this is the first race weekend this year that I haven't scored a podium finish, but I had an amazing time riding, talking and hanging out with my friends. After seeing the Pat's Acres facility, I'm further convinced that I want to do even more SuperMoto. I just need some trick parts to get our Honda around the track a little better. Best get on that right away.

Stay tuned.

Oliver

Please click on image to enlarge

Check out this gorgeous facility - what a track (Larger file)
Our pits (Note the HUGE motor coach) :o)		Sparky working on Joe's KTM
Joe & his daughter Kaitlin	Sparky "slavin" on my rims	Joe pretending to do some work
		The bikes
"poser"	Chris Lily	Turn one - Jake Holden
	Deluxe sleeping accommodations	Making a "stellar" breakfast
Tires anyone?
The 450 can be a bit stubborn sometimes	Talking "racing lines"	Chris Lily in the air
Local wildlife	Turn one	Into the dirt section
Bustin tires
Somehow someone caught me working on the bikes
	Holden's 450	Joe & Yogi
Sparky & I getting ready to go
	Huge field of riders	The boyz