Round 3 of the SOAR series is this weekend at Grand Bend. Actually it is Round 4 counting the RACE / SOAR joint event at Shannonville two weeks ago. Track layout is "long track". Forecast is for rain Sunday.
Series Standings, Competitiveness etc...
After my success at Round 2 I have convinced myself that I can be competitive in the BOTT LW class, and maybe make a run for the title. The problem is, with my mechanical DNS in Round 1 and having opted out of the RACE / SOAR round that they added to the schedule, I am quite a few points behind much of my competition with only four rounds to go. I will need firsts and seconds from here on in to have any chance against the guys who are competing in all the rounds, and even qualifying points are going to matter, so no more settling for second when there is a chance to challenge for first. It's funny how quickly you can go from "Let's just give this a go and try not to embarrass myself" all the way to "Let's win the series!" I don't really consider myself a competitive person but it seems I have got the bug.
I don't have much recent experience on the Long Track configuration, and so am not sure what kind of lap times I am going to need to be competitive. Watching videos of recent races, I am thinking that something in the high 1:34 range might do the trick in BOTT LW. We'll see what we can manage in Saturday practice. It would have been great to do the Friday practice day this time, but my work schedule just wouldn't allow it.
I don't expect to do super well in the rookie 600 class but it was so much fun last time that I registered for it again. In both classes (but rookie 600 especially) I really need to concentrate on getting away at the start more cleanly.
Weather Forecast - RAIN
Weatherman says 10% chance of rain Saturday, but 90% Sunday with a total of near half an inch. Sure glad I got those rain tires. If it rains, I hope it does it definitively so the call is easy as to which tires to use. If it starts raining 20 minutes before the start I am screwed because I can't change wheels and get everything safety wired that quickly. I'll need to make the call 45 minutes out.
I have never even ridden on rain tires, but I am not too worried about that. I have done some laps in the wet on street tires during my race school and it didn't take me too long to get up to a half way respectable pace. Anyway, it is the same for everyone, and if the guy in front is cornering faster than me I think I can find the courage to trust the tires and chuck the bike in there.
My nine year old daughter Caterina has decided to come this weekend. She thinks the camping part will be fun. I am REALLY hoping that she enjoys herself so she will come with me again in the future. One more reason to hope that the weather is half way decent.
Prairie Dogs Endurance Racing
It seems that Steve has got the bike pretty much back together mechanically, and both Steve and Allen have been trying to get some usable bodywork cobbled together from two smashed up sets. Whatever they come up with will not be pretty, but PDR should be rolling again Saturday afternoon. Fingers crossed... Big advantage for me is all the extra practice time I will get Saturday evening, going around and around and around for a total of about an hour.
Goals for this Round
So, expecting a challenging weekend but super excited as always. To be able to share it with Caterina will make it that much more special. My realistic goals for this round:
- Don't crash
- Improve my race starts
- First place in BOTT LW
- Mid pack or better in Rookie 600
- Show Caterina enough of a good time that she wants to come again
Watch for tweets over the course of the weekend to follow along...
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