2007 AFM Round 1: Buttonwillow Raceway

March 25, 2007 – Buttonwillow, CA -- We all had grandiose plans for the offseason - train hard on dirtbikes, quit smoking, get our bikes tuned to the hilt, and get in the best shape of our lives. But all of a sudden it was time for the first race, and we were all a hot mess. Paul was out with injuries, Hodaka's bike was struggling to stay alive, and I barely slipped in with my crank arriving just 3 days before we were supposed to leave for Buttonwillow (THANKS to CNracing for his lightning-quick work on my motor).

Come Friday practice, Hodaka got in all of one lap due to electrical issues on his bike. When we still couldn't figure out the problem during Saturday practice, Hodaka was ready to give up on life. I had to force him onto my bike and drag him kicking and whining to the grid for the lightweight clubman race. AFter all, we drove nearly 300 miles to race!!

So, it was time for lightweight clubman, the very first AFM race of the season! The green flag dropped, and everyone watching from the main building cheered as the pack took off for turn 1, and Hodaka was pedalling the little 125 furiously in the very back. As he got up to speed, he picked the other riders off one by one, wending his way through the pack. When it came down to the last two laps, Hodaka was hot on the tail of an SV, pulling up alongside the bigger bike right and left but not quite getting past. The white flag was out, and I secretly prayed that he would just finish the race with my bike in one piece. Not only did he do that, but he passed the SV going into the AFM sweeper and finished the lightweight clubman race in 10th place!

The next day, we decided that Hodaka's bike would run for the FIII race, because it typically wasn't until the bike had been running for some time at temperature that the electricals would start cutting out. We gridded up, and I got to start in the front row for the first time ever! At the green flag, I took off, and... there was no one around me. I guess I somehow managed to get an exceptionally good start, and I was wondering if I had actually jumped the start when Elena Myers stuffed me going into turn 1. I checked up, and Jeff Lim flew by as well. I put my head down, and clung tightly to Jeff Lim's rear wheel, following him and Elena through cotton corners to the bus stop. I was flying through the track faster than I had ever gone before, and I had never felt so much bumping and skipping in my life - but the bike stayed on two wheels. Mike Aron showed me an orange wheel a few times through riverside, and I started getting nervous because my sensory inputs were already at max capacity. I let him by going up lost hill, and then Marcus charged through a few seconds later. Going down the hill, I saw Jeremiah pull alongside, so I let him pass, because I am just so nice. I knew the race results were set at that point so I cruised through the next few laps with Hodaka safely trapped behind Gwyn.

It was the best first half-a-lap of my life, and I think I just need to learn to be more comfortable with going fast and keeping my competitors at bay. This was only the first race of the season, and we were still shaking the cobwebs off our bikes. Now that we have our heads in the game, this is going to be a great year!!

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