WMRRA Round 3 Race report from Spokanistan…
Have you ever been woken up from a deep sleep late for work or an appointment or something really important that made you run out of the house in a fog and get fighting??? Well that was my experience with the first race of the weekend at WMRRA Round 3 in Spokane, WA – 600SS. The race was scheduled for 2:20pm and after lunch I felt a little sleepy , so I decided to relax a bit I my truck to some tunes and air conditioned luxury. Yep, I crashed hard! Now, I thought I might so I set my phone alarm to 2:00pm to give me 20 minutes of prep time before the race. Plenty right??? HELL NO!
My deep slumber was disturbed by Chris Fratini banging on my window saying the race was starting NOW! My first comment was “BULLSH!T!!!” as I guessed he was messing with me. But he sure wasn’t. The race was 20 minutes ahead of schedule!!! Holy crap!!! Talk about a scramble. I ran to the trailer and started barking out what I needed to get going and my team was right there to make it happen, laughing all the way. Eric Featherstone and Chris Fratini were harassing me, “How could you fall asleep Kev?” , “Dude! You’re going to miss your race! Ha ha haa!”, “Get the tire warmers off!”, “Start the engine!”, “Go GO GOOOOO!!!!!”
I’m watching everyone fly by on their way to the track entry, thinking I’m not going to make it. I get my still sleepy ass on the bike and get a good kick in my butt from the gang and off I go to track entry with the entire group leaving right then. So it was perfect timing! I was still just completely frazzled and trying to rub the sleep from my eyes through the visor, like a freakin idiot. Yep, that’s me…
Sighting lap down, “whew”, I tried to remember my grid position, row 3, 4th from left. Wound up on row 4, 3rd from left, so I have to apologize to whoever I messed up there… Oops. (It was a worse position…) Up goes the red lights, rev up to 10Krmp… red light out, GO GO GOOOOOOOO!!!!! I had a great start and kept a good position through the first couple of turns and only lost a little ground to the faster guys on the first lap, after that it was a seek and destroy mission and I managed to pick up a couple of spots and finish in 14th position. A great result for me. No chance to start the cameras, so it will not be posted, damnit…
I also contested the 750SS ,600SBK & 750SBK races with good results. My new Contour HD video camera caught a couple of the races, but we had some technical issues and I have only one to post for now. I’m hopeful that I can get the others up and posted soon. Here is the 750SS race:
The rest of the races were also great fun but not quite so hurried. I managed to catch Mike Tobin on video as he endo’d into turn 6 on the start of the 750SS race. He did wind up crashing with minor damage and got right back out the next day. Glad you were okay Mike!
I had some serious suspension issues with the 750 this round, but Barry “Voodoo Priest” Wessel sorted me out Saturday evening and Sundays’ race was much much better! What a difference a couple of turns and clicks make. Thanks B & GP Suspension!
Another WMRRA weekend in the history books. I’m really looking forward to Round 4 at Pacific June 13 & 14. Bring your family and friends to our pits and say hi. We have plenty of room for all, I hope…
Here is a video looking back at Spokane:
Many thanks to my teammates Eric Featherstone and Chris Fratini for getting me going and Troy McCrae, our Bridgestone sponsor and Pennell Powersports dealer too! Couldn’t have gotten out there without you guys! Bailey and Sarbora didn’t make it this round, but with good excuses. Sarbora’s excuse was best as he was racing WERA at Miller! Way to go Chris!
Thanks to our other sponsors as well! PNWRiders, Bridgestone, Adrenaline Freaks Track Days, VholdR Video Cameras, Vortex Racing, More Power Racing, Motorex Fluids, and Power Stands.
