Summary:
1st Place in 250 GP
6th Place in 750 Super Bike
New personal best time of 1:12.29 beating previous 1:13.13!
Managed to survive a GIANT turn 3 first-lap rear slide in 250GP
This weekend was the FUSA weekend hosted by OMRRA at Portland International Raceway. The
OMRRA classes ran most main events on Saturday and some on Sunday. There were no heat
races. My races were 3rd from last and last on Saturday. I weighed my bike on the FUSA
scales...236 with 2 gallons of fuel!
750 SB:
It was a warm day with temps near 90 degrees. I decided not to run the tires on the bike
and to save them for a practice day. Sport Tire Services were at the track, so I got some
new tires for my bike. Last time out in 750SB I places 12th. I expected to place near
there today. I wanted to save my clutch for the 250 GP race, so I planned to take it easy
on the start and not slip the clutch. Big mistake! I don't know how to start like that. I
KILLED the bike on the start; first time in 5 years. I was on the back row so I knew no
one would rear-end me, so I start pushing the bike (while still on it). Two little tries
later the bike is running and I am off. I am dead last going into T1, but managed to catch
the pack since everyone was jockeying for position. I just picked off as many people as I
could. Turns out that I did several 1:12.5's and 1:12.6's beating my previous best of
1:13.13. I finished 6th which was one place out of the money. I'll take it!
250 GP:
I had a 10-lap novice race between this race and my previous race. My tires were still
warm from the last race, so I figured I would have pretty good traction. I went out for
the tire warm-up lap and gridded on the pole. The board goes sideways, the flag drops, and
I slip the clutch like you couldn't believe. I thought I was first going into T1, but
another bike comes past me on my right. What? Who's this? It was FUSA rider Kling! He
entered the OMRRA Open SB class which started a wave ahead of us, but he started in the
wrong place. He PARKED it in the first corner. Maybe he didn't get a tire warm-up lap...
Couldn't get around him in T1. Followed through T2 and setup for T3 (the first left). If
his tires were cold he would park it again, so I went to the outside. He semi-parked it,
but I was racing my race. I drove around the outside and must have given it too much gas
or hit a patch of something slippery. The rear tire stepped out 2 or 3 feet! I thought I
was a goner and was thinking about the safest way for my body to hit the ground. The bike
was high-siding and kicked me off the seat. My butt was off the seat, my feet still on the
pegs. The front tire tucked, slid over, and came inline with the rear. This was lucky for
me as the bike was no longer sideways! After 2 HUGE tank-slapping wobbles, the bike
returned to a stable position. I was still on the gas as I never let off (or gassed it
more). I was looking right at T4, so I gassed it! I made it through T4, decided not to
think about all the "stuff" from the previous 3 seconds, and concentrated on
racing. Scott Menezes was right behind me and was sure I was going off the track, probably
giving him first place. Sorry Scott. By this time Kling was gone; he finished 2nd in the
Open SB class I think. I made my way through some back markers in the Open SB class. On
the lap where I caught Akers (in the Open SB class) I turned a 1:12.29. Once I caught him,
I could not pass him and make it stick. I passed him in T1 and T4, but by T7, he was
passed me...something about having a lot of horsepower and being a good rider. My lap
times slowed to 1:13.7's, but I was having fun. I finished 1st and won $115 which paid for
all my entries for the day.
Notes and Remarks:
The next race isn't till mid-August, so I'll see you when racing resumes!
End of day tuning info:
I don't believe in having tuning "secrets" so I am adding my tuning notes to my reports. Maybe this will help someone, maybe it won't. Granted, different bikes run differently, but here is what worked for my 93 TZ250.
Time: 6:00 pm
Temp: 86
Hum: 47
Baro: 30.02
(top/bottom)
Deck height: -.06mm/+.01mm
Timing: 1.6/1.7mm BTDC
Main: 340/330
Power Jet: 65/60
Pilot Jet: 17.5
Air screw: 1.5 out
Slide: 3.0
Nozzle: R6/R5
Needle: 61-3 (3rd clip)
Heads: "high compression"
Fuel: Sunoco Maximal 116 octane
Tires: Dunlop, soft compound
Pressure: 30 front/28 rear
Gearing: 14/36
Tranny: Std, Std, Tall, Std, Std, Tall (1st-6th)
My racing could not be possible without the help of my family, friends, and sponsors.
I would like to thank:
I-90 Motorsports,
Sandro at Galfer,
Kristen at Motul,
Jon at White Brothers,
Terry at TPowell Photography,
Northwest Link for hosting this web site, and
Janet, my wonderful wife!
For other race reports, please see http://korygill.net/korygillracing-retro/racereports.html.
I hope you enjoyed my race report. If you have questions, comments, or want any specifics on my race setup or anything else, just ask.
Kory Gill
#150 AMA/WMRRA/OMRRA in 1998
Email Kory: