Summary:
250GP – 1st Place
Formula II – 1st Place
New personal best lap time: 1:31.3
Previous personal best lap time: 1:33.6
Difference: 2.3 seconds faster!
Inside my head:
Formula II:
Formula II mixes the 600cc 4-stroke bikes and the 250cc 2-stroke bikes together. The 600’s have more power, but the 250’s have more cornering speed and can stop/slow quicker. Today, the latter proved to be the advantage to have! The light goes green, the race is on. I get a good launch off the line and going into turn 1 (T1) about 5 600’s are in front of me. This time, I made note of who exactly was in front of me. I settle in behind and started planning how to pick them off. Ferraza on a 250 was riding well, and passed me in T3, but I got him back later. He eventually crashed while behind me. I really can’t remember when exactly I got who, but I remember railing around someone on the outside to T2, another between T3 and T4, a really good pass around T9 which leads into the “bus stop” or T10. About the halfway point of this 10 lap race, just Perreault and Gooch were in front of me. These guys are pretty fast. Coming into T3, I get right on Perreault’s rear end. I am setting him up for T4. He goes wide, I go to the inside and gas it early. We are neck and neck down the entire back straight to T5. His 600 and my 250! (after the race was over, both of us were surprised!) I *think* this is where I got him…by making my pass stick into T5. Now I am really focussed on getting Gooch. I put my head down and charge. I really can’t remember many details from here, but I did pass him on lap 8 since I know I was leading on lap 9. Wow, I am in 1st on the last lap! Make it stick…ride smart…finish the race. I kept him at bay and took the checker! My first 1st place!
I came into the pits simply beaming with joy! What a race. What a battle. I really must thank my competitors for riding a good race. Everyone had great predicatble lines, rode smoothly…to me, this means a good, honest, “safe” race! Janet was timing me and got me at 1:31.3! Bruce Lind came over and said he got me at 1:31.6 on one lap as well! I think Mike Sullivan who wins many races at SIR turns 1:30 and 1:29 times…the track record might be in the 1:27 range, but don’t quote me on that. I was really flying!
250GP:
This class, as the name implies, is just 250cc 2-stroke bikes. A race where the bikes are “even”, and rider skill plays a more important role. Well, tuning can play a large role too… I was jetted perfect (or 1 jet from perfect). I got a great start and led into T1. Craig Harry had a mechanical and didn’t get out today, so the only other logical (main) competitor today would be Ferazza. I charged hard as if I was leaving off from where my previous race left off! After a few laps, as I was coming out of T4, I could see a bike coming down the hill into T3; it was Joe Ferazza! Whoa! I had pulled about a 4 second lead. I had more speed down the straight, and Joe wasn’t catching me in the corner. 3rd place was back quite a ways from what I was told. I pulled a few good wheelies coming out of T10 where you have to shift down to first. A couple were decent, but on one, I really got the front end up there and actually grabbed 2nd gear (which normally sets the front wheel back on the ground), but instead of the wheel dropping, it stayed up. I was having fun, so I rode it till I had to turn onto the straight. I guess the crowd liked it. I took the white flag and just hoped the gremlins wouldn’t attack my bike on the last lap. They didn’t, and I took the checker leading the race from start to finish! I would have liked to have more of a battle with my competitors, but having a clear track for 10 laps was sure fun. My times were in the 1:32 range. Faster than my previous best, but not as fast as my best of the day.
What a day! Sunshine, 70+ degree temperatures, 2 First place finishes.
I have to thank Janet for timing me, feeding me lunch, and keeping me full of fluids. Also, no race day would be complete without sharing it with all the friends who showed up…thanks!
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,
Terry at TPowell Photography,
Northwest Link for hosting this web site, and
Janet, my fianc�e.
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: