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Series: AMA
Superbike
Date: March 7th - 11th
Classes raced and results
Daytona 200 - 18th
Going to Daytona is a huge undertaking for
any race team - the logistics required to bring a race team
clear across America are staggering and extremely expensive
at best. With that I really need to thank Dan Zlock and the
whole Zlock Racing team: Dale, Marc, Sean, Arnie, Rob, Jeff,
Francie, Joyce and Boonie for all their combined efforts.
I also really want to thank the entire Meyers family especially
Eric, Charlotte, William and Michelle for their amazing hospitality.
Without awesome people like this we would not be racing.
Daytona has, over the past few years, become a place that
I really enjoy racing. It offers a very unique challenge with
extremely high speed banking (exclusive in the world of motorcycle
racing) along with a now very tight and technical infield
section. Turn one at this track is considered one of the most
challenging in road racing as you enter the turn from the
absolute top speed of the bike and somehow need to get down
to first or second gear speeds (depending on your transmission).
You need nerves and confidence in your machine to do well
here, both of which I felt I had going in.
Notes on practice:
Practice was a slightly frustrating time for me as Pirelli
didn't have the tires we were going to race on available thus
forcing us to use different compounds and constructions during
our first two practice sessions. Initially I didn't think
too much of it as the bike was pretty much the same as last
season so I had a good picture in my mind of how it would
handle and what it was capable of, or so I thought. When we
went to the new compound and construction the bike behaved
quite differently forcing me to relearn how things felt as
I approached the limits. On the other hand the bike's engine
performance was top notch as once again Dan had produced a
rocket of a bike, something that's absolutely paramount at
Daytona.
Notes on qualifying:
I went out in qualifying in a determined mood. My goal was
to get into a low 1:46 or, if possible, a 1:45. I felt that
if I put a lap together and just really dug deep the bike
and I were both capable. I started out on race tires in a
full race set-up and was quickly into the low 1:47's feeling
quite comfortable. After I strung together several 1:47's
I decided to come in and grab some soft tires in an effort
to drop our times even further. With new even stickier tires
I went out and did about three laps getting into a rhythm.
On the 5th lap I came out of the chicane feeling as though
I wasn't accelerating as hard as previous laps. As I came
out of NASCAR turn 4 (off the banking) I noticed that the
engine felt "tight" and wasn't revving as freely
as it has been. I went into turn two and my heart sank as
I looked back to see a huge plume of smoke exiting our Hindle
exhaust. Oh no. We got the bike back to the pits where Dan
and the team immediately started working on it. It was apparent
that nothing had come apart inside the engine as I hadn't
heard any knocks or bangs while riding. However, it was clear
that we had experienced a failure of some kind. It turned
out to be a fuel issue as we had experienced detonation on
the number four cylinder and the top of the piston had literally
disintegrated. Luckily the cylinder was undamaged and Dan
was going to be able to repair the engine, after we located
the necessary parts that was. Sure enough, after just a few
hours of work the next morning, Dan and the team had the bike
together and running. What a team! The other good news was
that even though we hadn't posted a decent qualifying time
we were still in the race, although way back on row 10 in
something like 37th place. I think I can see the start lights
from here. :o)
Race Day:
Dan and I talked the morning of the race and came up with
several pit stop strategies accounting for Pace Car situations
and how they would communicate to me through the pit board.
I only did four laps in the morning warm up to ensure the
bike was working and operating effectively. We then went back
to the pits and the team practiced pit stops, getting full
fuel and both tires done in around 25 seconds. This is quite
amazing considering we didn't have any expensive quick change
equipment to speak of. All we had was the stuff that Dan and
the team had fabricated. When there isn't a big budget you
have to rely on ingenuity and creativity to get the job done.
That's Dan and the team.
The Race:
My plan was quite simple. Get the best start possible and
never give up for the entire race. I did well off the start
gaining several positions in the first lap, although I had
no idea where I was in the field as I had asked the team not
to tell me anything other than what lap I was on and when
to pit. To be honest I didn't care where I was during the
race, my mindset was just focused on riding. The first stint
on the bike seemed to fly by as the laps came quite easily
and comfortably, although the bikes temperature had been steadily
rising causing me some concern. I came into the pits for the
first stop where everything seemed to be going as planned
until the front quick change didn't go as well costing us
about fifteen to twenty seconds. Not too much time but still
time nonetheless. The middle stint on the bike went quickly
as well. The bike's temperature was now, for some reason,
at the normal level and everything felt really good. I didn't
get into the best rhythm as traffic was now becoming an issue
but I just kept on pushing my way through. The last pit stop
went extremely well as Dan opted to forgo the front wheel
change to avoid another possible delay. Once again, as last
year, he had faith that the front tire would endure two sessions
on the bike. The last session was without a doubt my best.
My physical training was paying off in spades as I could see
the fatigue setting in with other riders. The team had decided
to inform me of my position to motivate me further as we were
now just outside the top twenty. It did and I proceeded to
put in my best laps of the race. Each lap I was making one
or two positions feeling absolutely fantastic. Then I saw
what I was absolutely dreading, the Pace Car. This meant everyone
was gong to "bunch up" behind the pace car and any
advantage we had worked up was going to evaporate. Luckily
I had paid attention during the riders meeting knowing that
the Pace Car would stay on the track for three laps. Apparently
some of my competitors didn't hear what I heard. At the front
of the pack I could see Miguel Duhamel and I just kept my
eye on his position on the bike. I understood that he knew
what to do in this situation, so when I saw him accelerate
and tuck in, I did the same passing several "sleeping"
riders in the process. Unfortunately this didn't equate to
any positions for me as the riders in front must have been
on different laps than I was. In the end we came across the
stripe in 18th place. Although it's not quite what I thought
the bike and I were ultimately capable of obtaining, I am
pleased with our efforts and I didn't give up for 64 laps.
Again, none of this would even be possible without the combined
support of all our sponsors, friends and family. Thank you
to each and everyone one of you!
From here I have quite a bit going on in regard to our 2006
racing season… It's going to be a busy year!
Stay tuned… You know I'll keep you posted. :o)
Oliver
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