The Racing Recipe

Years ago, when I was 13 and in my second year of karting, I learned the difference between racing and being raced. The lesson was learned more so than taught, although I am sure I learned it from a combination of experience behind the wheel, my maniacal devotion to David Hobbs and Bob Varsha on ESPN's coverage of Formula 1 and the way my life hinged on the intensely detailed commentary from "Jer' and Lar'" on Thursday Night Thunder. As an aside, Thursday Night Thunder morphed into Friday Night Thunder, then Saturday Night Lightning and eventual it disappeared into the ether as ESPN went from cool and interesting to boring and irrelevant. The series was devoted to the USAC Silver Crown and Midget racing series that was (and likely still is) very popular in the Midwest and California. Watching a 2.0L USAC Midget rocket around a 1/4 mile asphalt oval, spooling the outside rear tire into a 15 minute lifetime of thinly haloed tire smoke and rubber marbles, was the kind of thing I lived for throughout my youthful existence. But, I digress... The lesson learned from all the broadcast coverage, and first-hand experience behind the wheel, was that every race weekend was going to be dominated by the manner in which I raced, and this manner was largely driven by confidence as a motivator of attitude.

Summation It was possible to show up for a race weekend and either drive the race in such a way that the result was controlled and influenced by me, or it was possible to show up and be driven by the race, or driven by others in the race. The term driven here is not suggesting motivation, but instead represents a lack of control. This is not to say that I was out of control of the kart while racing, it simply means that my actions in the race were largely reactive to what was happening around me. While this can be a factor of racing without a plan, it is ultimately a question of confidence. To show up at a competition and race the event was a result of proactively making things happen to my benefit. On good weekends I could proactively race my competitors into bad positions and situations that allowed me to take advantage of their actions, which generally means forcing my competition into a mistake. On bad weekends I would feel as though I was always on the back foot, being taken by surprise and chasing -or struggling- the entire time. Racing is a recipe; here are some of the ingredients.

Preparation Being fully prepared for a race prior to arrival was a key to confidence. Scurrying around the paddock to make last minute changes, adjustments and fixes always served to erode my confidence in either the equipment, my ability to pilot it around the circuit or my belief that it was set-up properly to allow the kind of driving style I had adopted for that circuit and during that particular event. While racing is a series of adaptations to the prevalent conditions of both circuit and machine, I had to know that the kart was ready to go and that it could mechanically withstand anything I asked of it. Being prepared also helped me maintain a cool head, positive attitude and calm demeanor throughout the race weekend, especially while driving. Attitude Confident, proactive decision making is the primary result of a good attitude. If I am thinking with a clear mind and proactively racing the event by being in control then I am making all the decisions -or adapting seamlessly to unexpected situations- during a race, and this is a direct result of my confident attitude. While it is perfectly normal to be realistic in your aspirations and expectations, it is still critical to have a good attitude about those expectations. Going into a race knowing I was off the pace, and likely only fighting for a top 5 result, was fine as long as I maintained a positive and aggressive attitude that was focused on achieving the best result possible with the equipment and resources we had available. The right attitude does not employ adrenaline or over-confidence and is aggressively focused on an end result.

Focus Feeling at peace during the race, especially in the heat of wheel-to-wheel battle, is crucial and leads to proactive decision making. Adrenaline and over-confidence lead to choppy inputs, indecisive lines and the general feeling that you are doing everything you can just to stay on the track and in touch with the pack. Adrenaline charged decisions are rarely good ones and their results are typically mired in embarrassment or the sudden realization that the body was not capable of the mind's infatuated expectations. Adrenaline also has a short half-life, and when it does wear off the tired feeling hits not only the body, but also the mind. This compound depletion of resources is the primary reason I always choose to prepare for a race with a few moments of silence instead of a rousing "pump up". Being truly focused is also the lack of thought, to some degree. The mind, body and machine were operated to their maximum potential and none of it had to be 'thought about', it simply happened as a natural consequence of being focused. That maximum potential may have only resulted in a 5th place, but it was a well-earned result.

Attitude as a Physical State The physical manifestation of the above has always been critical, and it is immediately observable. Sitting with my head tilted down, eyes narrowed, shoulders and arms loose and body relaxed was obvious from the outside and always a direct result of confidence and the correct mental attitude. The physical attributes are a self-fulfilling prophecy and will always lead to the best possible result. The loss of this level of concentration, and physical attitude, for even a few moments normally ended in a disappointing trip into the tire wall. A driver that was not displaying the correct physical attitude typically meant that their head was upright, and their body was actually being jolted around by their choppy inputs and the sloppy movement of the kart as a result. It was so obvious you could actually predict when and where the unfocused driver would loose control and go off track. On the positive side, my father was so keenly aware of the physical manifestation of my attitude that he could predict, with near 100% accuracy, when and where I would attempt a decidedly insane late breaking pass on a competitor. On more than one occasion this resulted in audible gasps from observers and a wry smile from my father, as well as good stories for us to share after the race.

Tie it Together Karting, like any motorsport, is best performed on the knife-edge of control. It was a delicate mix of the conservation of momentum through smooth steering, throttle and brake inputs and an aggressive "throw it into a four wheel drift with minimal steering input and a pinned throttle" driving style where the latter was actually done properly (i.e.- sadistically fast) only by full employment of the former. It was entirely possible to smoothly slide a kart into an apex with the tires loaded to their maximum threshold and the frame flexed to the limits of structural soundness at nearly wide open throttle. At mid-corner, and with 3g loaded into the chassis and tires, you could selectively balance the whole thing on three wheels so that only the inside front, and then only the inside rear, tire would lift an inch or two off the ground and glide elegantly over the rough curbing before the whole mess of steel, rubber and humanity sprung back into shape and launched out of the corner with the engine detonating at 12,000 RPM. This dance was especially enjoyable in an esses and chicanes. The aggressive and focused driving style, while tremendous fun, was only possible when I was fully confident in all aspects of the vehicle and my abilities as a driver. Additionally, I didn't have to think about any of it while it was happening. I just did it, and would later revel in the memories with my father as I relived the race for him corner by corner at our little trailer. The result was also a product of having the attitude that I was racing to a focused and planned result.

Bicycles. Wait, bicycles? Amazingly (unless you know me well), all of that is nothing more than a lead-in to helping explain a recent result from my latest endeavor: Bicycle racing. It also helps you, dear reader, understand what is meant when I say that for my first event of 2012 I was being raced to an end result that was only somewhat planned, and not optimal. My poor showing was a direct result of my attitude going into the event. The self-fulfilling prophecy of being raced into finishing with the main pack, instead of being on the attack and in a break, was driven by my attitude going into the race, a debt of confidence and the lack of a sound plan. I missed the main break of the day because I was camped out at the back of the peloton being affected by the decidedly poor skills of many other riders. I was also at the back because I was not focused and I was being raced into an uncomfortable position of having to chase hard just to stay in touch with the leaders. The event started much more quickly than I anticipated and while it did slow considerably before too long, it zapped some of my energy and, mentally, put me on the back foot. I was now riding hard just to stay with the pack, rather than assuming my customary role of producing excessive wattage and making others wonder how many children I had consumed for breakfast. Additionally, I have zero confidence in my ability to corner hard on the bicycle. Much of this is owed to an unforgettably brief foray into motorcycle road racing that manifested itself in a few good memories, a collection of worn out knee pucks, four broken bones, a fair amount of debt and a complete lack of confidence in my ability to maintain decent corner speed. Add to that the joy of being hit head-on by a car while bicycling and I am a bit gun shy when it comes to laying the bicycle over into a corner. My feel for the limits of the tires is completely masked by my fear of low-siding and getting injured. My decision to rail around the outside of a hairpin corner, dragging the rear brake to tighten my line, results in many lost positions and the need to accelerate hard out of the corner. This wastes not only massive amounts of time, but also energy that should be conserved and used for a decisive attack. Oddly, the 42 degree banked corners at the Superdrome seem completely normal and acceptable by comparison... So, what is the good news?

The Good News There is always good news, even in situations where things seem to be little more than a bit crappy.
1) I stayed in the main pack for the entire race. On lap three a hard acceleration up a 12% climb (repeated 19 times) split the field and many racers were left behind.
2) My form (endurance & power) is quite good.
3) I know what attributes I need to work on to become more competitive: corner confidence and acceleration (snap).
4) Given the way I dealt with a few morons, I am also now keenly aware of how to effective deal with repeat offenders who think it is acceptable to force others off the road by diving through the corners with little regard for those around them.
5) I had a lot of fun, which in the end is the only thing that actually matters to me. Results are nice but I will gladly attempt, and fail, to attack during races this season if -just once- it actually works.

Progress: Installation

Slowly, the new Ridley Damocles is starting to take shape. I stripped the stem and brake calipers off my wrecked Fausto Coppi and installed them on the new Ridley. Current stem is a 10cm Easton EA90, but it might be too short.

The most striking aspect of this Ridley frame is the shape of the tubes. This is a monocoque construction, and the tubes are nowhere near round. The top tube is triangular where it meets the head tube, and square-ish where is meets the seat tube.

The head tube is round enough, but mushrooms dramatically like many of today's carbon frames to house a massive bearing surface for the fork. Pictured as well are the Mavic SSC brake calipers that I have learned to love. I'll create a review of those calipers a little later.

The downtube on the Damocles has a beautiful shape as well and cuts a very nice angle down to the bottom bracket where it flares and surrounds the BB with a nice carbon nest. Not visible, but to be photographed later, are the monster chain stays employed by Ridley to make certain this frame will accelerate and climb well.

Making the switch from aluminum to steel when I built up the Fausto Coppi was a real moment for me. I was making a change to a bike that wasn't lighter weight or higher technology, but I was willing to sacrifice a little to realize a ride that could see me in the saddle for hours at a time. I made the switch to steel (Columbus Neuron) and after the build was thankful I had done so, the ride was incredible.

Then the wreck happened, and I was back to square one. Moving on, I was faced once again with what seemed like an endless list (see previous post) of frame sets that could fit the bill. Aluminum was considered, steel and of course carbon. In the end my desire to try a lighter bicycle and carbon won out over all other senility. Over the coming weeks I'll do all that I can to chronicle the build, shakedown and mileage on the new frame. An added dimension: I also picked up a Garmin 305.

Part 3: Sella Italia

Pista 2008 - Rounds 1-3

Friday March 28th
The 2008 Superdrome race season opened with a bang. A bumper field of nearly 50 riders was welcomed back to the track by race officials, a smattering of cold-weather resistant fans and enough adrenaline to keep most of us warm for much of the evening. By evening’s end we had four photo finishes, some new winners, a spate of team tactics and separate races for Cat 3, 30+ men, our women racers and the largest-field-of-the-night honors going to the 35+ men!

For my own part the evening provided an amazing mix of team tactics and an onslaught of attacks, both of which were working hard against me in the form of GS Tenzing. The quartet of Tenzing riders were all competing in two categories (30+ Cat 4, Cat 4) but this didn’t stop them going for wins in both classes. In fact, they swept the podium in 35+ Cat 4 and were denied the same in Cat 4 by my solo effort for Metro VW. A collection of independent and affiliated riders, including Junior racer Cody, comprised the balance of the Cat 4 grid and provided plenty of action and close racing.

For me, race two provided the best learning experience, although my worst result. I had more fun finishing third in this race than winning the final of the evening, and worked far harder in the process. At 16 laps in duration I expected more of a slow crawl to get things started, but almost immediately I was out off the front with one of the GS Tenzing riders as we looked to lap the field. This never materialized, and only a few laps into our early push I found myself all alone at the front as the GST rider (Rob) dropped back to get help from his teammate, Jim. Out front, I pushed hard to stay out alone but ultimately made the mistake of looking back to check their progress. This kiss of death only worked to slow me down, and the pair of teammates caught me with about 5 laps to go. We slowed dramatically in a game of cat and mouse allowing the balance of the field to catch us and even things up going into the final laps. From there, Rob and Jim would alternate their attacks in an effort to break one rider away for a sprint to the finish. I responded to every attack, sometimes twice in the same lap, and found myself locked on Jim’s wheel when the bell rang and we gunned for the final sprint. Into turn three I swung wide to break the draft and slingshot past, but Rob had the legs on me and motored around the outside, closing my window and boxing me in behind Jim as we approached the line. The tactics were well executed; I immediately saw my folly and chalked it up to a great learning experience.

April 4th
Having already lost the first two races to riders half my age (14 and 16) I decided that I would need to depend on my warped sense of race tactics. I don’t normally take much pride in losing, but this week was quite exceptional. In the final race of yet another evening long battle with the forces of GS Tenzing I found an impromptu teammate in young gun, Josh Wade. Josh and his father Ron had driven five and a half hours from Kansas to race that evening as well as at several road races in Mineral Wells. Having been stomped by GS Tenzing and Cole, an impressive independent racer from Oklahoma, Josh and I turned from foes to friends in the third race of the evening and decided to work together on the fly. We made a quick plan and I told Josh to be sure and stay on my wheel, reduce his work and I would do all I could to set him up for the sprints for points.

Our plan, which was probably a better plan than any I had ever hatched for a bicycle race, ended up working quite well. In the end we stole enough points between us to take 1st and 3rd in the race, as well as in the Omnium.

April 11th
In one of the biggest Cat 4 fields of the year I found myself working alone, yet again, and fighting aggressively for track position. In an effort to work on my leg speed I successfully picked the wrong gearing for the opening scratch race. The mistake cost me dearly in the race one and I managed to go from leading the race on the bell lap to being completely out sprinted and out gassed by eight other riders. The unceremonious trouncing was enough to make me add two teeth and get back to the business of mashing, at least in track terms.

Race two brought the excitement of a 25 lap point race with sprints every five laps. The point payout is 5-3-2-1, and the challenge of enduring the event as well as sprinting hard for points adds a welcome dimension to the event. From the start four of us made a break off the start and opened a very nice gap over the field. We worked well together for the first ten laps, allowing me to take a single point in the first sprint and winning the second. From there we began to fall apart and were caught by Cole and a rider from GS Tenzing who had bridged up and brought the pack a bit closer as well. From there everything is a bit fuzzy, but I think I managed to take a few more points before a miscommunication created an interesting issue with lapped traffic. The traffic was comprised of the ever impressive women’s Cat 4 racers and Cody, who normally races as a junior. With the bell ringing 8 riders sprinted for turn 1 in a large mass and quickly ran up on three riders low in the sprinter’s lane as well as one up high above the Stayer’s line. Needless to say it was difficult to judge the gaps, and with one rider going well high on the banking for a diving sprint I managed to create an opening and then hope for the best. In the end I crossed the line sixth, taking another single point and second in the event.

Race three brought forth the lung shredding joys of an unknown distance race. This is where the referees make an executive decision that is a careful balance of their appetite, relative temperature and desire to be evil. You start the race as usual, but the bell lap can fall anywhere between 20 and 50 laps. Have fun. For this we also saw the combination of the Cat 4 and 35+ Cat 4 fields, which meant we started the event with a monster field of some 20+ riders. Having struggled with track math in the past I never tried to count, but we didn’t really all fit on the rail without some curious amount of overlap. Off the start I made a break with Royce from GS Tenzing. His lead out felt as though we’d been fired from a canon and it was all I could do just to hang on to his wheel. From there we swapped pulls every one and half laps and put an easy half lap on the whole field before the inevitable… someone’s team orders dictated that they crash. Now, I don’t know if that is entirely accurate, but it does make me smile so I’m sticking with that as my reason. We heard the hollow thwack of a carbon bike landing on the boards and were forced to slow as they neutralized the race. Sitting at the rail with 10 laps down we knew we wouldn’t get away with it again, but once they whistle blew Royce and I tried anyway. It didn’t work. In the end, after 29 laps, I think I managed a 4th in class.

Source Endurance Clinic

The first track clinic of the year was the Endurance Clinic with Stefan Rothe of Source Endurance. April 5th brought 18 riders to the Superdrome for a four hour session concerning tactics and training for endurance races at the Superdrome. Mercy teammate Mat Stephens assisted Stefan throughout the day and brought an excellent dimension to the clinic with real life examples and detailed explanations that complimented Stefan’s own accurate coaching.

After starting the day with a brief classroom session we took to the track for a long warm up. Pace lining the Superdrome with 18 people of varying skill levels is quite difficult, but the exercise taught us to pace ourselves, keep the line together and pay extra attention to those around us. From there we split the sessions into two groups to keep things more enjoyable and certainly to learn more by watching others mock race. Throughout the day I was able to gain insights regarding gear selection, proper training and goal setting for both training and racing. In particular, I learned that my impression of good track gearing was well off the mark and that I desperately need to achieve much better leg speed, or cadence, if I want to remain competitive and still have the legs to last an entire race.

To end the session Stefan and Mat took the track along with Chris and Aaron for a demonstration of The Madison. Having now seen the event for the first time in person I came away with a renewed respect for not only riders of this amazing event, but also of the tactics and exceptional timing each teammate must have to successfully compete in such an event.

All in all the Endurance Clinic provided an excellent opportunity to discuss training and racing tactics with an established track racer and professional coach. While the clinic did not reveal any dark secrets it did shed light on a number of key facets of the sport, opening my own eyes to my next set of goals while training for track racing. With several more clinics scheduled for this year, one taking place before you read this article, the opportunity to learn from true professionals should not be missed.

TXBRA Pace Bend Road Race

I awaken slowly as rays of sun pierce the tent and highlight in little rainbows on the dew that has collected on the windows. Within moments I am sitting bolt upright and wiping at the corners of my eyes to clear away the long night listening to the drunken exploits of some campers down by the shore. I clear the fog from my slept-in contacts just in time to see that I have awoken exactly one hour later than I had planned, and precisely 45 minutes before the start of my very first road race.

After a brief moment to make certain I am dressed, I emerge from the tent to find our camping spot surrounded by cars, bikes and people. People who are already awake and warming up. I am not warming up; in fact I am not warm at all. While my fiancé sleeps soundly in the tent I forage in the trunk for my gear and head for registration. A line that appears to stretch longer than my start time looms in front of me, but I wade through the crowd and find my place in line. This is no worse than when I was racing motorcycles, and at least I won’t need to go back to the pit to fire up a generator and worry about having enough time to slap on some tire warmers…

Back at the car I beg, borrow and steal enough pins to hold two (crisp) numbers to my jersey. I’ve never done this before either so I enlist a woman standing with her husband and pray she does not draw too much blood. Luckily she’s done this all too many times herself and within minutes I am identifiable as #539 and ready to ride, if only I could make a final decision about layers and what to wear in an effort to stay warm without cooking before the checkers. My phone says it is 42 degrees as I rummage for tights. They’re at home. Minutes later I have used the free t-shirt to wipe dew off my bike, consumed a pair of bananas, filled two water bottles with Accelerade laced water and am lining up on the road for my start. Seeing as how I do not know how this will work, I decide to head straight for the back.

My plan, much like any plan I have concocted before a bicycle race, is to pedal really hard and go faster than other people. I also plan to do very little work at the front and I figure the hills will do a nice job of keeping the pack together for most of the race. After the start I sit around the back trying to figure out what is happening, where the road goes and where the hills are located. I also spend a great deal of time looking at other people’s bicycles and am fascinated by the variety of frames I have never seen before. I ask them about their bikes, but this only serves to confuse some of them. Others, I am relieved to find, have a great sense of humor and don’t mind a little conversation as we ride. Later, some of my joking actually caused someone to drop his water bottle, for which I felt very guilty, but quickly decided to work into future races as part of my plan. If I can accomplish this on the first lap I may very well dehydrate the field before the finish!

The plan, as it were, works perfectly. I feel great, I am pedaling and I am still attached to the main pack. I noodle through the field and find that I am able to carry momentum up hills, work when I want to and close any gaps quickly. Then, on the biggest hill at Pace Bend and on the final lap of the race I decide to do something without consulting the amendments to the plan. Somebody jumps out like gangbusters and makes a bee line for the front, so I get on his wheel and we’re off for a really fast, unexpected break at the base of the biggest hill on the course. Again, the plan works perfectly until we get to the top of the hill. This is when I find out that my legs have not been informed that the finish is actually a little further down the road and my lungs are asking me to please stop inhaling nails. Luckily, this becomes a rather humorous event as a dozen people pass me, all probably wondering if the loud bang was my heart exploding or a concerned citizen putting me out of my misery. I watch and laugh as they pass by, reveling in my own stupidity. By the time we reach the final downhill corner I recover enough strength to sprint my way to a 10th place finish. On the cool down I converse with everyone and we all agree it was a safe and enjoyable race. What better way to finish than with a whole host of new friends? I can’t help being pleased with this result and attribute much of it to the training I’ve been doing with the FCS / Metro Volkswagen team in Irving. They were nice enough to take my money and provide me with a really cool jersey, brutal training rides and refresh my eagerness to make my legs and lungs feel like they’re filled with lava.

2008 Superdrome Press Release

The Superdrome at Frisco Texas proudly announces their racing schedule for the 2008 season.
This year sees the return of the Richardson Bike Mart Superdrome Points Series (SPS), the Moritz Sprint Series, the Matrix Cup, Texas Cup races, a Masters Regional, an Elite National Qualifier and Collegiate Conference racing. The Superdrome Development Program encourages youth participation in the sport by including heats for junior racers during each of the SPS events. For 2008 we will also introduce a series of skills clinics taught by National track racing champions.

Development Classes
Given the Superdrome’s 44 degree corner banking and open air design, the Superdrome staff hosts regular Development Classes to help new racers understand track racing at such a unique facility. Classes are conducted on Saturday mornings by experienced Superdrome staff and create a safe learning and racing environment for everyone participating in practice sessions and race events. Development Classes are scheduled for March 22nd and April 18th as well as throughout the 2008 season.

Track Skills Clinics
• April 5th kicks off our exciting 2008 schedule of track skills clinics with Stefan Rothe’s curriculum covering Endurance track racing events.
• April 26th continues the track skill clinic series when 2002 U.S. National Track Cycling Champion Jeff LaBauve drops into the lane to teach the finer points of Sprinting.
• May 11th brings Christian Williams’ Fitness Clinic, an invaluable resource tailored specifically for new and seasoned cyclists seeking to use the track as a training and fitness tool.
• May 31st former sprint champions Tim and Suzie Goodwin welcome riders to the track for event specific training. Standing starts, flying 200s and other timed event techniques will be tailored to every rider’s individual needs.
• Later in the season we’ll have Nathan Rogut on hand to teach track etiquette to racers at all levels of experience.

Endurance Events: 4/5 Noon-4pm with Stefan Rothe
Sprint Clinic: 4/26 noon to 4pm with Jeff LaBauve
Fitness Clinic: 5/11 2pm to 4pm with Christian Williams
Timed Events: 5/31 8:30am-11:30am with Tim and Suzie Goodwin
Track Etiquette: Date TBA with Nathan Rogut

2008 Superdrome Race Schedule

March
14 Practice Race (2 pm)
21 Practice Race (2 pm)
28 SPS

April
04 SPS
11 SPS
18 Matrix Devo Class PM
19/20 Matrix Cup Sat / Sun (TX Cup D1 each day)
25 SPS Moritz Sprint (TX Cup D2)

May
9 SPS
16 SPS
17 Moritz Sprint 2
23 Festival Of Speed 1 (TX Cup D1)

June
06 SPS
07 Moritz Sprint 3
13 Masters Regionals Weekend
27 SPS (TX Cup D2) (Tx Cup D1) *Exact date TBA

July
11 SPS
18 SPS
19 Moritz Sprint 4 (Tx Cup D1)

August
15 Festival of Speed 4k Weekend

Sept
12 Race TBA
19/20 Superdrome Elite Qualifier & Collegiate Regionals Weekend (exact date TBA)
26 FCC Track Racing On Speed (TX Cup D2)

Oct
3 SPS
10 SPS (TX Cup D2 makeup date if neded) (Texas Cup makeup date if necessary)

Nov
26 Tx Cup Awards Night / Makeup Date

Never a fee for spectators, food and drinks welcome but please leave glass at home
Friday Night Superdrome Points Series (SPS) races start at 7:30 pm, registration closes 7pm.
Races for all categories, juniors, youth and apron races for kids
Race schedules, updates and information posted online at http://www.superdrome.com/

TSBA Sign-Off

After Three Years at the keyboard, Sampson Signs Off
February 24, 2006
Lewisville, TX

In an unprecedented move today, Texas Sport Bike Association (TSBA) member Greg Sampson (a.k.a. Spammy, Loopy or Clutch) has called quits to his now three year old membership.

From his new home in San Antonio, "What the hell did he break now, his fingers?", asked former Fujiwara Tofu Shop teammate and TSBA member John Roberts.

“It is time to move on”, said Greg from his home in Lewisville, Texas, “I have had a great time in the TSBA and met a lot of great friends, but it is time to say when.”

Speculation has been rife that Sampson would never throw a leg over a sport bike again, but he still insists that this is not the case. Speaking again from his home, Greg had this to say about reports that his riding career ended as early as November of 2004.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that myself and didn’t do much to dispel the comments, but truth be told I just needed some time off to collect my thoughts and address some issues that needed to be handled”, upon further questioning Sampson revealed, “it was a loss of confidence, that year really shook me up and I needed to do take some time to get that back. Now I think I’m ready, and I want to have fun.”

Despite this new attitude toward motorcycle riding, Sampson is pressing ahead with plans to sell his current street bike, a 2002 Suzuki SV650S; a move that some feel is contradictory to his plans to begin riding again.

“He’s done”, states Greg Childress from his office Bat-Phone, “I was going to adopt him until I realized my plumbing still works.”

Messer Sampson, however, maintains his position, “I’m tired of the dangers that street riding presents, and I had grown bored with it towards the end anyway. What I’m looking at now is an exclusive return to the track.”

A return to the track appears to be a good idea to TSBA members, Cathy White and Sunny Balram, who collectively remarked, “after that last episode at Oak Hill we just wanted to get him back on the bike so we’d have a video camera ready for filming. ****, that would have made us some serious cash on the Internet!”
Other members such as ‘Hooligan Dave’ feel that immediate medical attention and the lack of immobile obstacles resting only yards from high speed corner exits only, “removes the thrill,” from typical sport bike riding.

While the return to racing does not surprise some, it does come as a shock to others; his parents seem to prefer he pick a more mundane hobby such as needlepoint.
“Racing is in his blood”, stated his father from the family’s retail store in Charlotte, North Carolina, “I wish he’d stay on four wheels so we could stop getting calls from the emergency room, but such is life. He had such a tame childhood; I guess that might explain it.”

His mother, a bit less understanding, had this to say, “Well s[censor]t. I don’t know what that kid is thinking. I mean, what on earth did his father and I do wrong, anyway?”

Despite his ability to post until February 28th, Sampson has decided to call an end to his membership with his 3000th post and has no plans to continue beyond this fabled landmark.

“Three years at the keyboard have given me the chance to espouse a lot of knowledge to the members of the TSBA, and I don’t regret that at all. I thought this would be an appropriate point to reach before letting it go.”

“Terming his posts as a source of knowledge might be a bit of a stretch,” according to former TSBA President Edward ‘Geek’ Walker, “You call that knowledge? I call it a stoppie and a loop-out. He might as well be flying a helicopter”, a subject with which Mr. Walker assures us he is confidently familiar, “I used to be ranked number 12 in the world with RC stunt helicopters you know.” Walker was then sought for further questioning but was unavailable for comment after snapping his fingers and suddenly disappearing without a trace.

When asked for reasons for his departure Greg is somewhat vague, but many in the club have their own suspicions. While some are more far fetched, others could be closer to the mark.

“I think the biggest factor is this new girlfriend of his”, spouts dirt bike rider and fellow TSBA member Amber Terry, “she’s gotten him into this whole rock climbing business.” She also notes that, “I personally find that climbing is a bit too slow paced for a competitive dirt bike racer like myself. I can see how his brain is more able to comprehend it but I prefer to spend my time having religious experiences dodging trees and rocks in the woods.”

John Ulmer, JohnT on the TSBA forum, was convinced that, “He’s exhausted his resources for tail in the TSBA. I mean, let’s face it, there’s no good *** left to be had in the club and he was forced to look outside the club after coming up dry within the association. He found what he needed elsewhere and there’s no sense in sticking around now.” When asked if he would miss Sampson’s repartee on forum posts, Ulmer simply rolled his eyes, “Miss him? Are you kidding? At least now I can read through posts without having to wade through one of ‘Mr. 5000 Words’ little tirades. Although, I guess I will miss that in some way, too.” When asked who might take up the role as a long winded word smith Ulmer replied, “Well, I think Nathan will step into that role nicely.”

Mr. Heirone-… Mr. Heironom-… Mr. Hyronee-… Uhm…

Nathan H., pegged by Mr. Ulmer for his somewhat longwinded posts and ability to take any situation and spin it into a positive and reflective experience, commented that, “Under the circumstances I think the situation should prompt everyone to step back and reassess their own position within the club. Perhaps we need to take a closer look at the speed and riding style being demonstrated on weekly SMRs (Sunday Morning Rides) and decide if this is the direction we want to take with…”, but the telephone connection was mysteriously severed moments later and, even more mysteriously, was not able to be reestablished for further comment.

Other members expressed grief at the announcement, although not everyone.

“I think the main problem is that he wasn’t going on enough SMRs”, commented Faisal Kahn from a bramble of shrubbery and trees some 400 yards from a tight left hander on FM455. “Look”, he stated as he stepped away from the wreckage of yet another liter bike, picking leaves from his Aerostitch, “if you want to be a part of this club you have got to either ride the SMRs or come out for some dirt rides, that’s all there is to-… Hang on… This branch is really getting me in the wrong spot. Can you just hold my helmet while I pull this thing loose?”

Speaking from behind a muffled mask, TSBA member ‘Albie’ was too busy wildly firing paintballs into a crowd of kindergartners awaiting their morning school bus ride to say anything more than, “That’s 28 rounds a second you little bastards! MUWAHAHA-HAHA-HA!”

Lee ‘Wheelee’ Nolen, speaking from Sean Gurevich’s home in Frisco, felt that while Sampson would be missed initially, the feelings wouldn’t last long. “Give them a week to mull it over and most people won’t even remember who he was.” Flexing in front of a mirror, Nolen continued, “besides, he doesn’t tan and certainly doesn’t hit the gym as often as I do, so who would remember him?” A small cadre of women, presumably a portion of his growing harem, then giggled and coated Nolen with another layer of body oil while he inspected a tuft of body hair somehow left unshaven on his mid section, “**** it woman, can’t you do anything right?!”

From his garage in Coppell, TSBA member and former President Tim Thompson stated, “Stop putting that grease in your brother’s hair”, and then continued, “Now who is going to borrow this trick folding trailer?”

Along the same lines, Tom “Tommy Dubya” Welker enthused, “Well, at least he didn’t start crashing the crap out of himself until after he’d ridden my Aprilia up at Hallett. I’ve got a kick *** trailer you’re welcome to borrow if you need it…”

From a garage ripe with the smell of fumes, a TSBA member (wearing only a Viking helmet and pink thong) asked, “Hey, do you have any idea what would happen if I dropped this lit match into a 55 gallon drum of 115 octane racing fuel blended with castor bean oil and fertilizer?” Ben “Crash” Crain was quickly engulfed in flames and left the garage screaming, “It worked, you fools doubted me, but it worked!”

“We saw this coming a little while back but decided to just let things play out as they may. Still, we imagine this will give him time to travel up our direction so we can facilitate the breaking of some bones on the half pipe”, opined former TSBA members Patti and Jyri Strandman from their home in Park City, Utah. Mr. Strandman, a Finnish national, spoke fondly of Mr. Sampson, but most of what he said was a garbled mess of broken English and exotic hand signals before he placed a pair of pink panties on his head and began singing a medley of Britney Spears and Nancy Sinatra tunes.

Current website aficionado Brad Felmey was quick to point out that, “I think a lot of this has to do with the current TSBA website and forum. If the board would just stop f[censor]g around and allow me to go live with this project, he’d have stuck around.” When pressed further, Felmey also admitted that, “perhaps he felt left out of the club in 2005. I myself found it quite pleasing, and the club more welcoming, having annihilated a healthy outcropping of fir trees one Sunday morning. Now everyone loves me.”

“Whatever”, commented ex-TSBA Post-Whore Melissa Knight, “I’m sure we’ll miss that bastard’s sarcasm, but I’m also sure I can step up to fill the gap. I’ve been waiting for a new challenge ever since my husband made me clean up my usual rash of weird posts.”

Her husband, Robert Austin, was presumed unavailable for comment following a brief telephone conversation that seemed to bridge the gap between tirades and empty physical threats. Austin’s recorded comments were later translated by a team of scientists from the University of Texas, with a transcript available online at their website: http://www.redneck-translations.ut.e...ch/RAustin.html

In a final parting comment, Sampson simply stated, “Look, I’ve got some other plans in the works and this is just the first step in accomplishing some of those goals. If people are really curious they can always call or email me."

Cresson: My First Race

Saturday:

Cathy White and I had dropped the bike off on Friday night and unloaded most of the gear but still had a lot of work to do on Saturday morning. Tech inspection was looming and we needed to mount a new set of tires, along with installing a catch pan (turkey baste pan) on the F4i to make it legal. All this, and a bit more, was accomplished by 11 a.m. and the bike was tech inspected and ready to go.

John Roberts got to the track Saturday and brought his wonderful wife Linda and his friend Nick to the track to help us in the pits. He also brought his F2 as a backup bike, in case anything happened to the F4i. Gary Strunk and Cathy’s friend Guy also dropped in to help us with pit stops. Guy has 10+ years of experience and brought a great deal of advice and insight to our team, and Gary was a big help keeping thing organized and running smooth with each stop.

Practice session:
In the warm up we were allowed to run both bikes so John took the F2 out to acclimate himself with the track, and Cathy rode the F4i to scrub in the new Michelin M2s and also learn the track. Everything went well and we were ready to hit the track and get racing!

Race:
John, Cathy and I had previously decided to run 40 minute stints. With each pit stop we would add fuel and change riders, check the tire for good heat and do a quick debriefing of the new rider. We were starting 49^th out of a 52 bike grid. I think that worked out well for us because I was starting the bike and had never actually done that before. It was all guesswork for me and if I’d been up any farther I think I would have just been in the way.

Given that, my first stint went rather well and I was able to hoist the team to somewhere around 29^th or 30^th before handing over to John’s capable hands for the second stint. The bike felt good, we were running clean and having a lot of fun.

John’s stint went very well, he acclimated himself to the bike quickly and set some fantastic lap times. He also kept us right in the hunt and I think we were placed at about 31^st at the end of his stint! Cathy was up next and we had yet another flawless pit stop. Her stint went almost perfectly as well and we stayed right there in about 32^nd or so, and on the same lap as quite a few other bikes.

My second stint started off really well. The bike and tires were holding up just fine and I was excited to get out there and mix it up again. Unfortunately, I had trouble finding some people to run with since the field was so spread out at this point. Still, my times were good and the bike felt nice and secure. Then, it started to sprinkle. Not a problem with the nice hot tires and rubbery track, the bike still felt great and I had tons of traction. Soon though, it started to drizzle and the track was somewhat slick, though still not bad. Then, suddenly it seemed; the track was soaked. I came around on the lap and saw no less than 8 bikes down! The track had instantly turned into a slab of hay-fever mule snot and the Michelin’s didn’t seem to have any ability to move water. After what seemed like an eternity, my stint ended and I brought the bike (gleefully) into the pits to hand off to Mr. Roberts. We decided that if the track just felt to greasy and slick, that we should park the bike and save it for my sprint races on Sunday. John did a recognizance lap but felt that there was little to no traction. We had a team meeting, checked the scoring monitor and the team made the decision to park it. There was no sense in jeopardizing our yellow jersey status or risking damage to the bike. So, we ended the day in 32^nd overall and something like 8^th in class. Not bad for a bunch of newbies!

Sunday:

I decided that the morning warm-up was useless given Cresson’s greasy morning stigma and slept in. I got to the track around 9am and decided to go ahead and clean off the tires from Saturday’s muddy, marble-fest of crap on the tires. The warm-up went well and I put in a brisk 5 laps to scrub and clean the Michelins.

Once again Gary Strunk was eager to lend his assistance in the pits and help me out on Sunday. His company was welcome and well appreciated! A whole host of friendly TSBA faces also showed up throughout the day along with a host of my friends from work and play! All in all it made me feel really good and actually thought I was somewhat important…

Middleweight Supersport AM:
34 starters, I was starting on row 11 in 28^th

The start went decently and I managed not to lose as much time leaving the line. I don’t have tire warmers so I took it gingerly into turn one and made a quick assessment of the riders ahead of me. Immediately, I realized that many were taking it much easier than necessary so I dropped the hammer and passed one or two on my way through Tombstone, then another into Buzzard’s neck and continued my work from there. By the end of the 8 laps I had caught another group of 4 riders but was unable to make anything stick as I diced for position. In the end I was 19^th out of 34 starters, and felt pretty good for completing my first sprint race without incident. I have, though, found that even my raised LP pegs are too low, as I spent the whole race grinding away sliders on my knees & boots plus a portion of the pegs!

Heavyweight Supersport AM:
24 starters, I was somewhere on row 7

I’m not entirely sure where I started, but my launch had a lot to be desired. I was instantly smoked on the start and found myself dead last, and more than a few paces behind the pack… joy. Once again I felt out the tires and then began to make work of the riders ahead of me. I made a few solid moves and eventually ended up on my own, chasing down what I think was a liter bike. He had apparently given up and was cruising, not expecting anyone to come by… so I snuck up and blasted him going into Buzzard’s neck (turn 5?), the downhill, off-camber, decreasing radius corner where John Roberts was working Sunday. I had previously promised to make his afternoon exciting and hopefully lived up to it with my cannonball move. Well, needless to say, the other rider was a little miffed. He blasted by me coming out of Little Bend but I wasn’t ready to give up yet. I kept on him and carried more speed through many of the corners, but he kept pulling me exiting the left hander and also the front straight after Rattlesnake. With just two laps to go I made another move on my way into Wagon Wheel. As we crested the hill I had a heap of speed and took an outside line as we entered the corner. I made the move stick and finished the race in 16^th.

Middleweight Superbike AM:
19 starters, I started 16^th-ish

Ok, Michelin tires were not designed to last through an endurance race and three sprints. I found this out the hard way. Once again I had a horrific start and dropped to the back. I also quickly found that traction was at something of a minimum and the bike was sliding everywhere. I lost ground immediately and had to work hard to fight back up and challenge Steve McNamara (of LSTD fame). I managed to eventually pass him in Turn 5 but as I exited Little Bend the bike took a HUGE step out as I rolled on and I nearly lost it. I felt like it slid out about 2 or 3 feet but honestly I have no clue. All I know is that I stayed in the gas, lost the position and had to start working all over again. Grrrr. So, I did. Steve looked to be sliding just as much as me so I hung with him and eventually got by with only a lap or two to go as we entered Wagon Wheel. After that I lost the position again on the last lap to some guy that passed me like I was sitting still. I ended up finishing 14^th out of the 19 starters. Not great, but not bad for being out of tire!

All in all I had an awesome weekend. I’d love to keep doing it but we all know how that goes. I have a lot of prep on the bike that needs to get done if I am to be competitive… so we’ll see.

Motorsport Ranch

The Motorsport Ranch
by Greg Sampson
Originally posted on TSBA.org and Newbieracing.com

The morning warm-up went off without a hitch and the bike felt, as usual, amazing. I got myself into a good mindset and went to work at the office setting some reasonable lap times and getting acclimated with the bike and the track after being on the motard.

Mr. Roberts started the race from somewhere on the grid and, being that he was the first of us to ride the murderous hour and twenty minute stint, we decided that he was also the guinea pig. Poor guy. John had some great lap times and did quite well moving up into the field, but we did notice that he was off the pace and began to wonder why. John’s lap times were consistent, though they fluctuated while battling heavy traffic at the start of the race. It seemed like forever (for him I’m sure) but we were soon ready to call him and it would be my turn on the bike!

The pit stop went flawlessly and after filling up with 3.5 gallons of fuel and a quick chat with John revealing a fair amount of rear tire sliding in turn 5 (Boot Hill) and some front end slides in Turn 1 (Wagon Wheel), I was on my way. I glanced at the rear tire and noticed some cold tears, so I wanted to be sure and conserve the tires, but still try to run some hard laps and get the most out of my time on the bike.

I entered the race and was immediately in the fray, fighting with some 600s and trying to get my brain aligned to racing and getting up to speed quickly on the hot tires. Cathy came past me within a few laps but despite my best efforts she pulled clear away from me after chasing for 5 laps and then getting snarled in traffic. I was also experiencing a fair amount of sliding with the rear tire at the exit of turn 5 (Boot Hill is the uphill, off-camber, decreasing radius corner at the top of the track) and had quite a few front end slides in Big Bend (fastest corner on the track) that made me wonder if another low-side would be in the cards that afternoon! I toned back the pace for a few laps and tried to get my bearings, feel out the bike again and then began to push and make up some time. The dash (and tach) stopped working within about 10 feet of my exit from the pit lane so lap times and any indication of revs were non-existent for my entire stint. I spent most of the time playing with shift points and adjusting my line to stop the slides, conserve tires and still managed to have a few good battles with some teams in our class as well as some 600s and a handful of woefully slow 1000s! Still, the front end was getting a little vague and with the back doing some more slides I was forced to bide my time and never felt quite comfortable enough in my own skill set to really push the bike or slide it into a corner. Eventually, and I mean eventually, my stint ended and I was called into the pits to hand the bike off to David for the final hour and 20 minutes of the race.

Let me just attempt to explain that doing that much time on the bike is, easily, the best workout I’ve ever had. For those unfamiliar with track riding, it’s a lot like simultaneously doing presses, squats and crunches with no rest and long repetitions for the entire time you are on the bike. Needless to say I was dehydrated, tired, a little cranky and just a little disappointed in my performance on the bike as I knew I could have carried quite a bit more speed in several areas, if only I’d had more confidence in the tires, and/or my own ability to keep with the bike as it slides across the track. Seat time is the only cure for this and I’m hopeful of getting plenty of that this winter.

David’s stint on the bike was great. He started out conservatively and felt the bike out in traffic after my warning about some sliding, but quickly picked up the pace and settled into sup 1:30 lap times for most of his session before coming in unexpectedly at the 1-hour mark asking us to take a look at the rear tire.

That tire, I must tell you right now, was completely destroyed. It was brand new at the start of the race and should have easily lasted the entire race + all three sprints on Sunday… but at this point, with 30 minutes remaining, the tire was blistered, chunked, scalloped on the edges and showing cords! We made a quick decision to install my street rim complete with Michelin Pilot Road on the bike and send David out to finish the race.

Side note: I think we are all familiar with the Pilot Road but for those who are not, the tire is a high mileage street tire designed to be ridden about 9000 miles in highway and some sporty conditions. It is very, very far from being a race tire.

Despite the above, David went out and set the fastest lap for our team at a 1:26.7 (only a second or two off the pace of an SV sprint race)… before low-siding in Wagon Wheel with only 3 laps to go. Damn. The accident bent up a fair amount of parts but David was, thankfully, uninjured. Apparently the back tire finally spun up and let go at the exit of turn 1 and sent the SV into a low-side. The damage was enough to keep him from finishing and made David feel like a bit of an ass, but it was impressive to see the time sheet and what he was able to run on flat-centered street rubber! With our set of race tires annihilated and the bike a little bit of a mess, we made a team decision to forego Sunday’s sprint races and cut our losses.

World Endurance Championship

Back in April of 2006 I took a two week vacation to Europe, working as a mechanic for Primo Racing, a motorcycle road racing team in the FIM World Endurance Championship. Since then, I have spent about four months with a complete creative road block and had not been able to put pen to paper, or finger to key, since arriving back in the States.

Finally, for reasons I cannot explain, the details spilled out in a flurry of short stories, anecdotes and recollections. I hope you are able to enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, and with any luck you will be transported across the Atlantic and placed at my side. Please bear in mind, chapter titles are not numerical, and the story is not presented chronologically.

Two Weeks in Europe: A Vacation in the Pits

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Continue >>


Photo Credits:
Luc Vervoort, Pers Racing (Assen & track shots)
Yves Verhaeghe, Primo Racing (Mixed)
Greg Sampson, High Velocity Journalism (Mixed)

In an effort to ease navigation each page is now equipped with a link that will take you to the next chapter.