WERA West comes to Buttonwillow Raceway during the summer, as they have for many years now… and, as many years before, I arrived with optimism of finally breaking the two minute barrier… but this time I arrived with a lot more optimism…
A Little History
Buttonwillow and I go way back… it was my very first track day…. Arriving at the Trackdaz.com event in April 2002, with my still brand new R6 in the back of my 1964 Ford, a brand new chapter opened in my life. A journey that happened by circumstance and opportunity meeting one random day.
About to graduate from college, I was ready to embrace this new obsession of sportbikes.
At the time there were only two groups – Street and Race. I was so slow, I remember being lapped by the entire group ….twice in the 30 minute session. The photographs show a determined look on my face, and a nearly vertical bike!
In 2005 I had improved and grown as a rider, and I’ve realized that breaking the two minute barrier was my goal. More than winning a race, I wanted to crack two minutes at Buttonwillow.
Year, after year, after year, came and went without breaking that barrier. In 2010 I was optimistic as I had considerable improvement and many other tracks…. 2:00.5 was the best I could do. 2011, still in the two minute range. >(
Getting on Track
Arriving on Friday evening, I was careful not to get too excited. I was significantly more optimistic that I would succeed in running faster than 2 minutes, but I was also a bit unsure… after all, I had been so confident all those other times…
This race weekend was done on an incredibly tight budget. I did not have enough tires left to run a full track day, so I asked for 3 sessions. I really needed to at least get on track as it had been a year since I attempted to run hard around configuration #13 at Buttonwillow.
Rolling out for my first session on the same tires I raced Willow Springs on, I knew what to expect from the track surface after running it backwards a few weeks ago (a nasty little surprise when I showed up for the track day – I had hoped for our race config, and did not look at their website before hand – totally my fault for not being prepared).
Side note…
A funny story from the track day…. I went up to sign the papers at lunch time, and the track day provider guy asked me which group do I want to be in… the fast racer group or the slow racer group? The fast racer group had less riders, so I asked for that one.
“Are you sure you’re fast enough?”
I laughed… I thought he was joking… as he continued… “Corey Sarros is in that group”
“I know” I replied “I race with him, I might as well practice with him”
“Ok, well, what times do you run? Are you sure you’re fast enough?”
“My best has been a 2 minute flat, I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine because there’s novice guys out there in that group that I know I’m faster than, and some guys out there that I’m the same speed as.”
“Ok, no problem… we’ll put you in that group”
No biggie… I’m thinking… I really don’t give a shit how many questions I’m asked… and he had legit reason to ask…. I didn’t used to be fast enough for the fast racer group.
But then…. Not a minute later these guys come in to sign up for a half day….
“Which group do you want? We have a fast group and a slower group for racers”
Track Day Dude “Well, I have a GSXR 1000, so I guess the fast group?”
“Ok, we’ll put you in the fast group then”
*smh*
Back to our regularly scheduled long, rambling race report….
My first session felt embarrassing. Not a good way to start the weekend…. Not that I expected to set the track record, but I wasn’t prepared for how uncomfortable I felt. Thankfully my new and improved mind set helped me to shake it off before the next session… but imagine my surprise when my transponder recorded lap times at 2:03 and 2:04. It felt like my times were in the two-teens!!!
The next session I was more relaxed, and ready to make some progress in setting my suspension of the bumpy track. Lenny Albin of Superbike Chassis, LLC was there to help and he had removed some oil from my forks in the morning. We set the clickers at a somewhat neutral setting, and opted to make adjustments from there.
I pulled in once or twice, and between Lenny and Cousin Matt Buanno, we made progress. My lap timer showed a best of 2:00.08!!! This gave me mixed emotions as I felt I wasn’t riding as aggressively as I could, but I also felt like I thought I was going pretty good.
The next session was definitely my last. I had only signed up for 3 sessions, but my rear tire was completely finished by the time the third session was nearly over. A good slide exiting turn two, and just a loose rear end all around the track gave away that I wasn’t going to gain any more confidence, or better lap times.
I was quite impressed, and surprised to see more 2:00 lap times showing on my lap timer – and via the posted transponder times!
I was optimistic that I would go faster in the races, but seeing my primary competition – yup, the same guy from Miller – running 57s during the track day, I couldn’t help but think… “oooohhh shit. How the hell am I going to pull 3-4 seconds out of my ass to even be competitive!??!”
Sunday – Race Day
PRACTICE
I put on the only other tire I had left in my trailer – a medium compound slick that had 5 races on it from Las Vegas between Feb and April; and all of practice from Miller. The first few laps I was a bit timid from the unknown condition of the tire, and being the first practice group on a green track.
Lap times were not so great =/
Second practice found me with more confidence, and I was able to hook up with one of my competitors for a tow. The rear started really getting loose, and I realized I was about to get my last lap of practice. Imagine my surprise when the time sheets showed several 2:01s surrounding a 1:59.2. Bittersweet as I was happy to have broke the barrier – finally – but I barely scratched it.
Looking at my competitors lap times I was losing more confidence =/
I had a sort of Come to Jesus talk with Corey Neuer of CT Racing – Pirelli and Corey Sarros. Sarros was running 1:50s and is a former track record holder. After a track walk with him Saturday evening, and trying to follow him a bit in practice through the fast parts; I realized I flat out just needed to get more aggressive on the throttle.
I was attempting that in the second practice round, but the bike was just like being back in the rodeos I used to compete in… bucking and whipping all over the place! In talking with the Corey’s, they commented, yes… you just need to go for it, and let the bike move around underneath you. It’s going to be bumpy, but if you hit the lines like Corey showed you, those are the way around the bumps.
Corey also showed me a sick line through the decreasing radius sweeper that really made a difference!
Hang on Baby Jesus… It’s Gonna Get Bump-y
Sitting there, headphones in, looking at my Big Boy, I was seriously about to lose it. It was so fukg hard to not fall into defeat before the race even started. “You’re gonna choke like you always do here at Buttonwillow… you’re still running 2 minute lap times in practice. That one was a fluke. Your competition is 4-5 seconds faster than you.”
So. Fukg. Hard.
So I had my headphones on, and meditated a bit. Thinking positive. Picturing myself being aggressive on the throttle, feeling the bike dance around underneath me, and being relaxed, letting it move.
OPEN (A) SUPERSTOCK – CATCH A TIGER BY THE TAIL
I opted to be one of the last people out for the warm up lap. I was already hanging on to my confidence by a thread; so having my competition fly past me would likely knock it considerably. I used the warm up lap to scrub in my new rear tire – I was still on that front tire from Willow (the 20 lapper; pract; 3 races and now 3 track day sessions and two practices!)
Sitting in my grid position, I literally talked out loud to my Big Boy. I’ll share with you my raw emotions, but what I said stays between him and I 😉
I got a killer start this time! NO one mobbed me into turn one! I was sitting in 4th place, and rocketed past one of the top runners in my class as he wheelied straight up in the air.
I fell into 4th place, behind two huge twins and one R6. I was pretty damn stoked to be holding that position for the entire opening lap! The guy who wheelied is several seconds faster than me, so it didn’t surprise me that he out broke me into the last corner. I just kept running hard and trying to hold on to the lead group! I was staying with them! I was falling behind a little bit, but I only lost a handful of bike lengths through the opening lap!
Imagine my shock and dismay when a novice went through me =/ Man that was embarrassing. When I saw his lap times (and my own) later, I wasn’t quite so upset. 😉
My nemesis from Miller was in my class again, and I was determined to try to keep up with him. Especially after cousin Matty commented that “he’s running damn fast!” during practice that morning… thanks Matty… that helps :-/
He made a mistake going through turn two, and the novice was close enough to capitalize and go underneath him, but I was able to get up on his tail!
I was determined to hang onto him and see what, if anything, I could do.
If I could hang on through the super fast stuff I would be in good shape. To my surprise, I was tail grabbin’ his ass the whole lap! There was no motoring away from me like the past. As we came down from Lost Hills towards the decreasing radius sweeper I saw an opportunity and seized it.
I sacked up like never before and went underneath him on the brakes. Hoping like hell I would get a wheel in front before he turned in. omg… it took every fukg thing I had to be courageous enough to attempt this.
It wasn’t a hairy, stuffing type pass – it was quite clean – it was just something so out of my ordinary – and so far out of my comfort zone – that it took all the guts I had to do it.
His line was quite different than mine, which allowed me to stay my same line – which helped me to have the courage to make the pass.
I did it! I had a wheel in front! I was in front of him!!!!! Holy fuk I DID IT!… OMG… now what?!?!
So then I botched it. I was so out of my comfort zone that I upshifted when I meant to down shift, stared at my turn in point, and just all around screwed it up… ha ha ha … and I watched him go right back by underneath me. Ugh….
It’s ok… hang on to him. Don’t let him get away. I stayed on his tail… If I can hang on to him, I’m going to get it again.
It was the perfect place to pass. Getting him before the esses leaves only one more opportunity for him to pass me – the last turn. As we went across the line, it was the white flag. Perfect! This worked out well. Now I don’t have to hold him off the whole lap. I can stalk and try that pass again.
As we approached again, he took a more defensive line, but it still didn’t block me. I enter that turn with a very tight line, scrubbing speed as I let the bike run wide.
This time… I made it stick.
Screaming in my helmet as I romped on the throttle through the esses, I knew I had to go deeper than ever into the last turn to ensure I didn’t get repassed.
I went flying into the last turn, past the 3 cone. Kept my head picked up, looking through the turn… grabbing the down shifts, squeezing the brakes I see the front of his bike out of the corner of my eye. Oh hell no….
He was so deep inside there was no way he was going to make the turn without slowing down considerably. When I passed him there was about a foot to spare, he was giving me like 10 feet!
So I turned in on top of him anyway… 😉 After all, I was still in front.
At the apex I picked up that throttle and had it at the throttle stop as I let my Big Boy carry me to edge of the track. Grabbing gears and heading to the checkered flag with my head down, my throttle pinned, and the biggest smile on my face ever.
WOMEN’S SUPERSTOCK
Since I was the only girl in the class =( I opted to just get a good start, and try to run hard, work on the lines Corey taught me.
Another great start and I was in third place overall. I fell in behind the same two twins from Open Superstock. They battled for the win, and I hung behind them about 10 bike lengths. I wanted to see how long I could stay with them, but I also didn’t want to be in their way while they battled in their class.
The third big twinsie boy I passed off the start, passed me on lap 4! That was ok, it was over 100 degrees, I had nothing to gain by running super hard, and I was getting tired, which initially surfaced as small mistakes. At the time that he passed me, I had come to the final decision that I would back off and just finish the race.
As we crossed the line, I was hoping like hell to see the white flag…. Give me the white flag… I surrender… I surrender… omg…
It’s amazing how fast you get tired when you have no one to battle! My front tire was starting to give it up too. Pushing wide while trying to old corners; it just wouldn’t track well any more.
By now, this third twinsie was about 20 ft in front of me. As I came through turn 1, already starting to back it off, this poor guy highsided on the exit of turn one!
I watched his bike slide down the track, and as I went by it, I saw it burst into flames!!! Oh snap! Not like an R6 fireball, but it was definitely on fire!
Sorry dude… but my first thought was, oh thank god, maybe they’ll red flag the race… then seeing the bike on fire… oh thank god, race is over.
Poor Matty though…. The announcer initially said he thought it was ME that went down! Matty was in a panic until he saw me circumventing the track.
DEBRIEF
After it was all over, and I finally felt like I could walk, Matty and I went over to see what my lap times were. He was super proud of me for getting around my nemesis =) I was too, honestly. Imagine my shock to see a 1:56.9 on the time sheet – one in each race!!! It was no fluke!!! In fact, the Women’s race had the greater number of fast laps! Every single lap was under 2 minutes… a feat I was unable to do for seven fukg years until Sunday morning. My opening lap of Open SS was 2:00; my opening lap in W SS was 1:59.
I was thrilled to see the 56 in BOTH races – it shows I did it while in the heat of battle, and running all alone.
The brutal heat had definitely taken a toll on me. During the track day on Saturday, I used my heart rate monitor. My sweet Polar HRM will record heart rate at specified intervals, temperature, ascent, etc. I use it on my bicycle religiously!
However, the Polar watch will not pick up my heart rate when the engine gets over a certain RPM, so I found that putting the watch in my sports bra will allow it to get accurate readings.
The temperature inside my suit read 103 deg F, with an average temperature of 98 deg F!! My heart rate maximum was 185 bpm, with an average considerably lower since I place it in my suit just before I get on my bike; but typical heart rate while riding is high 160s to mid 170s. Adrenaline will ramp up your heart rate without exhausting you as if you were gaining that heart rate through exertion alone. Interesting how that works…
I was wishing I had my HRM on when I raced… as soon as that checkered flag flew I nearly collapsed over the tank!
Thank You…
Huge thank you to Corey Neuer of CT Racing – Pirelli for the immense support over the weekend – I think he’s about as shocked as I am that I’m knocking on the door of the lap times of some of his other top level supported riders 😉
A very gracious and appreciated thank you to my cousin Matt Buanno because he takes care of me so incredibly well at the races!! He cooks me breakfast in the morning; changes my tires, checks over my bike… puts up with my girly emotions…. lol
Thank you Corey Sarros for the invaluable tips!!!
BIG OL HUG of gratitude to Lenny Albin for helping me set up my suspension, do some work to my forks, and help me understand a bit better what it takes to go better at Bumpy-willow.
And a final shout out to Pato Vigil of Five & Dime Tattoo of Oakland, CA for which the race wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you for your immense support Pato!!!
Thank you to my amazing sponsors who help to make this all happen!!!
Graves Motorsports (gravesport.com)
EBC Brakes (ebcbrakes.com)
Scorpion Helmet (scorpionusa.com)
Lenny Albin (superbikechassis.com)
Pirelli Tires (CT Racing – ctracetires.com)
RaceTech (racetech.com)
M Racing (mracingperformance.com)
Five & Dime Tattoo (fiveanddimetattoo.com)
Moonstone Cellars (moonstonecellars.com)
STAR School (starmotorycle.com)
Five-0 Racing (five-0racing.com)
Aussie Body Fitness (aussiebodyfitness.com)
Attack Performance (attackperformance.com)
785Graphics (785graphics.com)
