Witchkraft Racing: The Search for Speed

Home » Race Reports » WERA Round 3 – Grattan Racap (A Shade of Grey)

WERA Round 3 – Grattan Racap (A Shade of Grey)

Going into the weekend, we just wanted to have a good showing on our Honda East/Flagstar Bank Yamaha R6 and have all of us involved on the team have a good time as well. In the end we were successful on both fronts. Our team consisted of Joe, Doug, myself, Bob (Watson) and our replacement rider for the weekend, Dave Grey. We were also teamed up with Garry, Richard (Harris), Doug (McCracken) and Chris (Knight). We all hung out together through the three-day event and had a great time.

Dave's main goal on Friday was to get some laps on the bike and get comfortable with it. Sportbike Track Time's track day provided exactly that and Dave put in a lot of laps and got up to speed remarkably well. This was Dave's first time on Pirelli tires and he adapted right away with fast lap times. We had made some changes to the bike – mainly trying a stiffer spring on the back of the bike to accomodate our difference in weight, but ultimately Dave felt the most comfortable with basically the same setup I have been running. We had previously spent a solid four trackday weekends dialing in the setup of the bike (primarily with Garry's assistance), so it was good to see that not only I thought the bike handled well, but Dave seemed to feel the same way. The only complaint I have with the R6 is that getting the shock on and off is a much more tedious task than it used to be. Amidst all the strengths of the new bike though, it's hard to get hung up about that one little thing.

Saturday continued to go as planned, with Dave getting faster and more comfortable each session throughout morning practice. As we looked at the grid positions for the upcoming 20-lap Middleweight Solo race, the fact of the matter was that Dave would be starting from the back of grid; as this was his first race weekend of the season. Without any points or pre-registration, you generally start from the back.

As the green flag flew, Dave got a great launch. With at least 20 bikes on the grid, he rocketed into turn 1 and passed a load of guys, coming out in 5th place. With his stellar start, he was able to avoid getting bunched up on the first lap and could put his head down a bit. As the race progressed, he was smooth and consistent and for the most part, kept his position. He would end up finishing in 5th place, putting a gap on 6th and finishing right on the heels of Eric Spector, who had put in a good run of his own. The lap times for Dave continued to drop and we were all happy with the bike and the finish.

Sunday was cold and windy, but no rain as had been predicted earlier in the weekend. Dave was running extremely well in morning practice, finding himself near the top of the timesheets. As practice concluded, Brent Bennett was the only rider in the 1:22 range, with Dave not far behind with a 1:23.2. The field was extremely tight, with eight or so riders all in the 1:23 range. With Yamaha and Kawasaki money up for grabs, there were a multitude of fast guys in attendance.

With two 600 races on the agenda, Dave was again forced to start on the last row on the grid, but managed an 8th place finish in both of his races. Dave continued to ride smart and told me he was riding conservatively as the last thing he wanted to do was toss the bike down the road. Given the competition and number of AMA Pro guys in attendance, Dave was riding great. It was impressive to say the least.

Overall we had a great weekend. We were visible to our sponsors, which was the ultimate goal and we put in some good results as well. I personally had a lot of fun with everyone who was there (too many people to list) and I think my dad and Doug did too. Dave rode smart and really showed what a fast and solid rider he is, and I really appreciate all his efforts.

To top things off, my dad rode great on both Saturday and Sunday, grabbing a 2nd place finish along with his second win of the season. I can't believe how much he improved over the course of the weekend, as he was running 1:26 lap times - an impressive time for a lightweight twin machine; and equally impressive for someone who hasn't raced since 2004.

Next on the schedule is Gingerman. We've got some maintenance-related work to do on the R6, so I don't think we will have it out there for that event, although my dad will definitely be racing. I'm not sure that I'll be going, as I should probably get some things done at home while I'm unable to race. However the way my dad has been doing, I'd really like to be out there to support him, so we'll see.

Thanks for reading …

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 | POSTED AT: 6:22 AM
FILED UNDER: Race Reports

Have Your Say:

* We don't spam. Your email address is safe and secure.

« Grattan Raceway Precap

Quote This »

About This Entry

You're currently reading "WERA Round 3 – Grattan Racap (A Shade of Grey)," an entry on Witchkraft Racing.
Published: 05.20.08 / 6am
Category: Race Reports