Jay's Race Reports for the 2010 Season

The 2010 AFM season is here at last!!

Race Report AFM Round 1, Buttonwillow Raceway, March 20, 2010

Round one started with the Friday track day at Buttonwillow Race Way Park. I just got this year’s SV running on the Wednesday night before heading to Buttonwillow on Thursday. I would be testing the new bike for the first time the day before round one races! Testing went very well; the bike only needed very small adjustments to get it going “as good as it gets.”

Saturday practice started slow, my brakes were fading and had no feel. The first fix I tried was to add a set of fresh Galfer brake pads; the pads made all the difference, my corner entrance speed was greatly improved.

Then it was time to see just how well the bike would work at speed. The best lap time I could do on Saturday was 1:58, not very impressive, but no one else was going crazy fast, so I wasn’t too worried. All in all practice went well, considering I had an untried and all new bike.

My first race was the formula 40 Light Weight; my first race in over a year--Yikes!! Lucky for me AFM changed the KFG (Known Fast Guy) rule just a little and I was able to get a fourth row starting grid position. We all line up on the grid, all the Formula 40 classes (that’s geezers over 40 years old and up) in three waves!! LWT was the last wave. When the green dropped I found myself riding the rear tire, cutting through riders really quickly! I hit turn 1 and I just needed to out brake one bike and bam, I was in the lead by turn 2! I thought “Wow how did I get though all those guys with out running over any of them.” I just told myself “relax, be smooth be fast.”

I was coming up on a lot of lapped riders every lap; I just tried to get through them clean. By the forth lap I was thinking “where is everybody? Did I scare them so bad that they all gave up and went to the pits?” I looked back and saw a bike – great I thought; at least one guy had the guts to stay out here with me. I thought it was lapper (that’s a guy that's behind by a full lap). I was on the last lap thinking “I can’t believe I am going to win the first race I entered in over a year!”

It was like a bad dream, going into Mazda turn a bike passes me on the way in - it was a Honda 600. I had heard that Dino bikes (really old pieces of crap that turn a crap load of horses) were legal in F40 LTW and one of the antique bastards got me. I tried to stay on him and get a good drive out of the last turn but I had too little too late. I ended up 2nd in F40 LTW.If I was paying better attention I think I could have won the race. Lesson learned!

After F40 race I was feeling great! Next it’s time for 650 twins. I messed up and didn't ask for known fast guy soon enough, crap! I get gridded on the ninth row. After much crying, whining and begging on my part I still got a ninth row position. In short crying gets you nothing! I mentally got myself ready for a good start, when the flag dropped I got to turn one in about 6th place, that was a great start from the 9th row on the grid. I’m not sure how but I did it, but I’m going to stick with good juju – I don't want to jinx the next one, so no more about my lucky start. In three laps I was able to work my way to 4th place right behind Scott L., that guy always goes good, I stuck in a wheel here and there but just could not get by him. I ended up working really hard but could only manage a 4th place. I was not happy with my finishing position; on the other hand 4th was good for being so rusty.

The next race was after lunch so I joined the TwinWorks Factory crew for some lunch, Treana and Linda had prepared a tasty meal indeed; those ladies are really the most valuable players on the twin works team, they rock! After lunch I remembered just how much fun this racing thing really was; I had a permagrin on my face the rest of the day. I decided no matter what happens, it’ll be a great day.

The last race was the Formula IV. Fortunately, I was able to get my shit together and get KFG grid this time (4th row). The flag dropped and coming out of turn 1 I am right on Dan and David, a couple of the real go-fast riders. That was great I just needed to go with them and see if I had the speed to win it? Going into turn 2 two kids on 125's had both crashed, both are up and walking around, so I thought all was good, but by the time I got  to the Riverside the black flags were waving -restart race – SHIT. So back to the grid we go.

The flag dropped and I got hung up a little on the re-start. Coming out of turn 2 I am about in 6th place, so I tell myself “relax you have 6 laps to make it happen.” Two laps later I managed to work my way to 4th; I spent the next two laps doing some hairy dicing with some guy who just would not give up his place. I finally got that done and my old buddy Scott went flying by? He and I end up swapping places a couple of times. At this point I decided that it was time to go for it. Going into the Mazda turn I decide that it was time to take him, so I decided to go in deep and out break him, but he pulled up on my outside and looked like he was going to lean on me. I rolled on the gas just enough to keep him on the outside so he had to back off to make the entrance to the S turns. I was able to keep him behind me for the last three turns. Cool, my 2nd podium of the weekend. Being the good sportsman he is, Scott saluted me several times on the cool down lap, some kind of strange hand gesture. So I saluted him in kind. In retrospect, I think he was just saying I was Number 1, he must have been confused as I was actually in 3rd place. It was all good, Scott is fun guy and real fast so thanks Scott, had a blast!

All said and done after the season opener I will be starting Formula 40, Formula IV and 650 twins all on the front row. Round two at Infineon will be a great chance to run with the fast front guys and see what the new bike can really do. Can’t wait.

Thanks to Zoran and all the TwinWorks crew, and big thanks to my friend and sponsor Bruce Thee, Pirelli tires, BW factory bodyworks, Lucas Oil and Galfer, it’s going to be a great season.

Race Report AFM Round 4, Thunderhill Raceway, June 12, 2010

What can I say; it’s a good thing I’m faster at riding than I am getting my race reports written! But, better late than never.

Team Avansino (me and my pit bitch) went to Thunderhill on Friday the 11th to test the new motor for the A bike. A week before when doing a track day, I burned up a motor and had to get it re-built the week before the races. We wanted to test it and get it run in before the weekend’s races. I rode the A bike for half a day and everything tested out fine. Then we rode the B bike for half a day, made some adjustments and both bikes ended up outstanding by Friday night. So a Margarita and fine Mexican food was in order.

Saturday, June 12th, we practiced half a day, and sorted out tire pressures and grip for the 95 degree weather. With the right tire pressures the Pirelli’s were working nicely and we felt we had the formula down for Thunderhill in those temperatures.

The first race on the list was Formula 40 lightweight aka “formula old fart”. 40 years and older riders run that race and the youngsters like to tease us “mature” racers; but it’s actually a pretty tough group, two of the three top competitors in Formula 4 and 650 Twins are also in the Formula 40 race. We’ve all have been doing this for a long time, we know each others’ games and have fun dicing it up with each other.

I can’t remember how I ended up in the 2nd row, but it probably had something to do with missing round 3. In spite of that, I got away well and ended up in 1st position during the first lap but I could hear Dan Sewell breathing down my neck the entire lap. On lap 2 entering turn 3, Dan forced a front wheel inside of me and I had to let him in front of me. As much I as hate to admit it, Dan was running fast and I was not able to match his pace. I ended up 2nd in Formula 40. It was a good outcome for twin works with Dan in 1st, me in 2nd and Robert Campbell in 3rd – GO YELLOW.

The first ever tag team race through AFM took place after that; Tom Dorsey and I teamed up. The tag team format is a 60 minute race with two riders. Each rider has to ride at least 20 minutes of the 60 total. Also, it’s a running start, literally. The first rider has to sprint across the track, jump on his bike and then take off. Tom started and I did the anchor leg. Tom got a good start, rode steady for 30min and was in 2nd place, then the first place lightweight crashed and Tom advanced to first place. It was up to me to keep that first position. All I had to do was ride steady and fast, which I did, and twin works ended up winning first place again! Another heavy night of margaritas and Mexican food ensued to celebrate our victories.

Sunday morning I woke up slowly, I’m not sure if it was riding in 100 degrees all day Saturday or the fishbowl size Margaritas that my umbrella girls were buying me – that Heidi is a playful little tyke! Formula 4 was my first race of the day. I was gridded 1st row position 4, my favorite. The thermometer climbed to nearly 100 degrees again so bottles of water and standing in from of my pit fan was the only way to stay cool. The usual suspects occupied the front row, Dan Sewell, David Raff and me. I got away in 2nd place and things looked to be a repeat of the last race. I made one attempt to pass Dan by out breaking him  going into turn 9, which backfired on me.  I passed him but carried too much speed into the turn and drifted wide; Dan held his line and passed me right back as we exited the turn. I followed Dan and was gaining on him when we ran into lappers. Dan got through then I got hung up losing some time, then gaining it back, running into more lappers, gaining, loosing, gaining, loosing until the checkered flag when I finished 2 ½ seconds behind Dan. All the while David Raff was on my rear wheel. Dan got a lucky break in traffic and made it past an incident in turn 5 BEFORE the yellow flag came out. Unfortunately neither David Raff nor I saw it and consequently made an illegal pass. Barbara, the Race Director, was very pleasant as she explained that David and I would both be hit with fines for the infraction; but, better than disqualification! Deja vue: Dan in first, I took second and David 3rd.

The 650 Twins was my last race of the day. I had a front row grid position with a good start in 2nd place. Dan, David and I were riding much better this time and our lap times were very close. Lap traffic was a much bigger problem in this race because the lappers were 250cc and much harder to get around as their lap times are similar to ours. Dan was in the lead and made good use of the lappers by passing them in spots where he could get around them quickly but where Dave and I had to wait for the next passing opportunity. Dan’s tactic allowed him to keep a consistent 2 second gap in front of us. I was in second place and David was a very close third. David made a last ditch attempt to pass me in turn 14; as I went around a lapper on the outside, he was able to pass the lapper and me on the inside with only two laps to go in the race. I followed David for one lap and starting the last lap I was able to outbreak him into turn 1 and then I held him off until the finish line and got another second place finish.

Thanks again to Zoran and all the TwinWorks crew, and big thanks to my friend and sponsor Bruce Thee, Pirelli tires, BW factory bodyworks, Lucas Oil and Galfer.

Race Report AFM Round 5, Thunderhill Raceway, July 10, 2010

Here I am at thunder hill again and it's hot again!! Yikes! Could I be getting to old for this shit? No can't be!

Saturday practice went well bikes working well without any changes required and Chris from CT Racing has the Pirelli tires working great, outstanding traction.

The first race Saturday afternoon was the Formula 40 Lightweight, or formula old fart as we like to call it. It is a good race to get an idea how well my biggest rival and teammate Dan Sewell is running, so I look forward to it. Twin Works has three of the four front row positions on the grid, way to go Twin Works Champs of Formula Geriatric! When the green flag dropped I got a great start, I was the first rider to turn one, so I just put my head down and went as hard as I could. For the first two laps I thought Dan must be right there so I just kept telling myself not to screw it up! Then on lap three in turn 3 I hit a huge bump in the middle of the turn. I hit is so hard I heard the forks bottom out and the front tire squeal under the load! Wow, I had better not do that again or I’d be on my ass for sure. About lap 4 I came around turn three again and I saw my team mate Dan in the dirt off the outside of turn three. He must have tucked the front and gone down. Thank you Lord, what a gift; that meant I was back in the points race for Formula 40 Lightweight for the year. Two turns later, in turn 5, I saw Guy Hyder off the track as well. Guy is the other rider in the points. Holy shit it must be my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one! All I needed to do was finish and I would have a great shot at winning the class for the year. I kept calm, kept focused and finished the race for a 1st place, which put me in the point lead. I was glad to hear no one was hurt; that was the best possible outcome – they crashed enough to let me win, but no bad enough to get hurt.

The next race Saturday afternoon was the tag team event. I was not planning on running in that race, but my team mate Dr. Jon Forman talked me into it. I got elected to do the run for the start. It was only the second La Mans start I’d ever done - kind of cool. The riders all line up across the track from their bikes; when the green flag drops they have to run across the track, jump on their bikes and take off. I was lined up, face shield down, all excited, sweating like a pig when the green dropped and away I went. I successfully jumped on the bike (success defined as not crushing one’s man parts), took off and ended up second into turn one. Wow, it felt like it was going to be my day. After lap 2 I settled in and was racing with some open bikes (1000cc bikes) and I was hanging in about 5th place. After the race the AFM president came to tell me the corner workers had complained that I made two aggressive passes! No shit they were aggressive, how else do you pass guys on 150 horsepower liter bikes when you’re riding an 85 horsepower 650 twin? Say “excuse me, I’d like to pass please?” WTF! After the first few laps, I settled down and just ran my own pace. It seemed like I was out there forever; my pit slave, Bruce, was supposed to flash the pit board to me when it was time for me to come in. I kept looking, but no pit board! Were they screwing with me? Finally, I said screw it and I came in; it turns out I actually came in right at the half way mark. I handed off the armband to my partner Doc Forman and he took off to finish the race. He was able to keep the pace and we won the second tag team event for the year. Lots of fun, but the heat whooped my butt. That was it for the Saturday races, next stop Casa Ramos for some great Mexican food and TeKillYa.

The first race on Sunday was the 650 Twins class. Dan had spent much of Saturday evening working to get his bike ready after the down in the Formula 40 race. So I had Dan and David Raff, the other two fast guys in the class to contend with. I had a front row start so I was looking forward to a great race. The flag dropped and I got a great start and was leading the pack into turn one. I snuck a glance back at about the half way point and I saw Raff about 10 feet behind me but no Dan. David wasn’t able to close the gap until the last lap. On the last lap he got a good drive off the last corner and pulled up next to me; we put our heads down and raced for the finish line - I beat him to the line by 2 feet! Close call! I need to get a bigger gap on him next time. The 650 race was in the bag, my third win of the weekend! It turns out Dan’s shift level broke or came loose right at the start so he never made it to turn 1. In the melee Dan hurt his hand and will be out for the rest of the season; not the way I had hoped to beat him. I hope that he’ll be healed up and ready to go next season.

I had one more race to go on Sunday, Formula IV. I had a front row start again so I was in a good position at the start of the race. I got a good start really tried hard to get a big gap on Raff; the last race was way too close for comfort. About half way through the race my pit board said I had a 5 second gap on the second place rider, so I just put my head down and tried to stay focused, stay smooth and stay fast. Formula 4 was a win!
Four wins in four races; my best weekend of the year!

I really have to thank all the Twin Works team, they are all a big part of the wins this season. I also want to thank my friend, sponsor, and part time pit bitch Bruce Thee, CT Racing and Pirelli tires, Galfer brakes, Driven, Lucas Oils, Sidi boots (I really love those white boots!), Motion Pro, Zero Gravity, Zoom Zoom Track Days, LeoVinci Exhaust, Suomy helmets, and a big thanks to my friend Shaundra for all her help. Thanks to all of you for making this a great year.