Monday, March 11, 2013

Another One Bites The Dust

AFM round 1 At Buttonwillow Raceway (also Kown as Bumpywillow ) took place March 2-3, seeing Ive never been to Buttonwillow I decided to do the Friday practice to get a little extra track time.

Friday Track day
Friday I arrived at the track with the TTF Crew (AFM # 875 Ricco Nicholas and #923 Jahan Raissi) we all had little or no time at this track so we wanted to use it to prepare for this upcoming weekend. My first thoughts on the track was "its not as bumpy as people say" (but maybe thats because some sections were recently repaved) but I liked the layout, it took me some time to get use to the flow of the track especially turn 2, 3,phil hill and the sweeper.

Saturday Practice
Saturday morning I arrive at the track feeling good after the friday track day,I go to register and find out I'm in practice group #2 when I ended last year in practice group #3. I was kind of bummed because Ricco and Jahan were in group 3 and we're all around the same speed, but I thought about it and took this opportunity to let me figure some things out with no added pressure of riding over my head and trying to stick with them or anyone else in group 3 when im not ready.The first few practice sessions my times ranged from 2:10-2:15,I was able to break the 2:10 mark and get down to 2:08 once before lunch. Druring lunch A good friend Joe from 4theriders came to check on and me and ask me how I was doing. I let him know that I was having problems with cotton corners and he gave me some pointers on getting through those turns better which gave me a game plan for the session after lunch.The first session after lunch, and applying what tips joe gave me I instantly dropped 3 seconds from my lap times and was able to drop down to a 2:05. I did not complete the last session of practices because I wanted to relax and prepare for the clubman Middleweight race that was shortly coming up.

Clubman Middleweight Race (Saturday)
I got a good start from the second row and was able to put myself in 4th place by turn 1, I was able to stay in 4th for the first lap. Lap 2 going into turn 2 a rider made a aggressive inside pass on me which cause me to do a stoppie and run into the run off area to avoid running into the back of him and or crashing trying to make the corner, I was able to re enter the race with only loosing 2 positions which now put me in 7th place. I remained in 7th place until the 5th lap. On the 5th lap going down phil hill I had a little moment where I had a minor tank slapper which allowed a rider to get around me and put me in 8th place. I would finish the race in 8th place with my fastest lap being 5 seconds faster than my practice time at 2:00.

750 Production Race #2
I got a great start and had the whole shot going into turn one but thats about where it ended. Going into turn one I went in a little to fast and with bad body positioning the back of the bike got uneasy and lost some traction swerving side to side like a snake moving across the asphalt, I had to let the bike settle down and slow down before trying completing the turn which caused me to loose 3 places putting me in 4th,As I approached turn 2 the same thing happened; I had to tell my self "Jovan settle down and relax"once I regained my composure it was time to try to make up some ground. 4 laps into the race I was able to catch up to #999 David La Bree and An expert rider from the first wave going into Riverside, at the end of Riverside I was able to make an outside pass on La Bree putting me right behind the expert rider going up Philhil,through the sweeper ,the S's and onto the front straight completing lap 4. Lap 5 La Bree would outbreak both me and the expert rider into turn one ,but  he ran the corner a little wide staling the expert rider as I made an inside move that put me behind La Bree. I would chase La Bree until we once again reached Riverside, coming out of Riverside up to philhill I was able to outbreak him,but due to anxiousness, bad body positioning and uncertainty if I would run the corner wide it caused me to loose momentum and allow La Bree to make an outside pass and regain his position and we would finish off lap 5. Lap 6 the final lap, Labree and I was able to gain ground on #744 Manuel Hernandez, we would stay this way with manuel leading, La Bree following and me at the tail of the group until we reached my favorite turn... Riverside. As we went three deep into riverside seeing this was the last lap and I felt I had a little more speed than LaBree I went for a inside pass on the exit apex of riverside that I was able to make stick putting me behind Manuel going up to philhill. I could not set myself up for a pass on Manuel until turn one of the 7th lap which did not matter because our race was only 6 laps,I was so into my zone i did not realize the race was over until completing turn 1. I would finish the race in 4th place with my fastest lap breaking the 2:00 mark at 1:59.


600 Production Race #5
Due to a bad start consisting of a wheelie and a mild tank slapper I ended up in 8th place by turn 1, during this race I was only able to make up one position which is where I would end the race in 7th place.

600SBK Race #11
600SBK would turn out to be an interesting race. I once again had a bad start but managed to get in 5th place with #822 Yovany Alvarez right on my tail. I was able to hold yovany off for 5 laps. On the 5th lap through riverside we encountered 2 riders from the expert wave. I was able to pass one expert through riverside and the other going into the sweeper putting a little distance on us as I went through the S's and the left hander at the end of them leading to the last left hand turn that leads on to the straight I make a mistake. I apexed the corner a little earlier which caused me to run the corner wide on the exit taking me out towards the rumble strips.I tried to inch my way towards the track but with my focal point being on the dirt instead of up the track, thats where I ended . I almost made the corner but caught a little dirt at the edge of the track and down I went. This would symbolize the end of my weekend.




Sponsors
I would like to thank all my sponsors - Munroe Motors,Chuck Warren & Archlight Racing,TTF, Axo,Silkolene,Pacific Track Time,EDR Performance,Woodcraft,Stage1racing,Moto-D,CT Racing,Optimal Racing and all of you for support and encouragement!