Photos copyright by "jenner"<jenner29@hotmail.com>

Yes, we're excited!

"Let's be careful out there!"

Havoc at speed through Turn 9

"MiG" Storbo

The "New Corner" into Bus Stop

Chris Hoover, Ralph Redding, Seth LaForge in Bus Stop
 

Seth,  Chris

Ralph Redding's hot MB5

Todd Paulson,  MiG

Ouch! Gotta lift that foot up!

 
Ralph exiting Bus Stop

MiG

Seth

Gingerly through the wet - no hanging off here!
 

MiG

MiG and Seth onto the back straight

Chris and Todd

Look out, here we come!
 

 Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 19:18:23 -0800 (PST)
From: havoc23 <carcosa@eskimo.com>
To: NW-YSR <nw-ysr@micapeak.com>
Subject: SIR YSR Clinic/Practice report

I got up this morning and looked outside...if I weren't in charge of
things I'd have been tempted to stay in bed! Cold, wet, typical first
weekend of April! The BIMC has its "Fools Run" today, so named for
those who would ride motorcycles in this!

Well, the weather was certainly problematic, when I got there this morning
there were big pools of standing water in front of the grandstands, but
thanks to Jerome Steed who diligently swept and blowdried the zone it was
decent by the time noon rolled around! Thanks a million Jerome!!
There were still a couple vehicles parked in the drag staging area,
please, behind the fence tomarrow?

Everything went smoothly and for once I didn't work myself into a lather
before actually setting tire to the track! Couldn't figure out the poles
on the awning I got from Brett, though they were nicely numbered...it made
a good tarp during the morning downpour, though!

Seven people showed for practice (unless I'm spacing somebody) - me,
MiG Storbo and Ralph Redding, and new riders Seth LaForge, Ruth Costantini,
Chris Hoover and Todd Paulson! Many thanks to  Trippy Nolan and
Squido Owen's generosity in lending bikes - we have people lining up to try this
out, if you're not going to ride, think about doing this - I always see a bunch of
woosers (ysr's) around the pits that never see the track, you know who you are!
Also thanks to Andrea Rainey and Marty Capadona for lending spine
protectors!

The new corner between Turn 9 and Bus Stop worked great, really makes you
think and spices up Bus Stop considerably, making it a horseshoe instead
of a kink...I got chicken in front of the grandstands as it was still
damp, but nobody oopsed and we got in a really great clinic/practice -
thanks to WMRRA for supporting our sport this way, looking forward to a
great time tomarrow!

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead!!!

PS-
I forgot to mention we got _hailed_ on during practice, yikes!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: havoc23 <carcosa@eskimo.com>
To: NW-YSR <nw-ysr@micapeak.com>
Date: 5 April 1999
Subject : WMRRA Season Opener report (YSR)
 

The temperature was still in the 30's when Easter Sunday dawned cold and grey, and an hour less sleep thanks to Daylight Savings Time...I sucked down some coffee and grogged my way out to the truck and up to SIR, where the paddock was already pretty full...I squoze into a spot right next to the tech station, and was greeted with a kiss from Andrea "Lupe" Rainey, which made my day! :)

This year I am at least more organized, and know the routine, so most of the morning was spent wandering around pestering
people to actually _race_ their pitbike YSR's, and watching the events of the day unfold...thanks to "Charles" Clinton,
Jerome Steed, and Seth LaForge for helping with tech!

Altogether 12 bikes showed up, everybody from the day before, plus Jim Broglio, Wendy Dahl, Derek Grove, and Saman Perera and his partner with their trick Honda NSR50's!   Lots of spectators were very interested in the "little bikes", and amusingly as ever several "experienced" riders left their woosers in the pits as paperweights or modern art or something...!
Ride 'em, don't hide 'em!

There was a cold wind blowing all morning, but it stayed dry, though dark clouds kept threatening. Everyone got down to the gate on time before the end of the last morning session, where we waited...and waited...and finally let ourselves onto the track as there was no gatekeeper to be seen.(?) After the safety briefing everyone did circles in the staging area waiting for Taste Of Racing to come out, and waited...and waited...until a corner worker came over and said we would be going first! So we scrambled over to set the "New Corner" in front of Bus Stop,  and get the bikes on the track for a quick warmup and to see the new layout. Unfortunately we set the corner a little deeper than the day before making an awkward transition, o well!

During my first warmup lap what do I find but a yellow warning tape tied to a big rock in front of the grandstands! Where did that come from? So I turned around to clear it, there goes my concentration, sheesh. My YZ80 waterpumper was balking from the cold as it wasn't warmed up enough, and I had my usual crappy start so half the pack was ahead of me into the first turn...the track was dry at least, and I spent the next few laps picking people off and working my way up...Derek Grove had shot into the lead and held it the whole race, I believe...I told him before the start that I bet he'd win it! Just as my motor was warming up and really starting to come on, we got the signal for "3 laps to go!", though I knew we hadn't yet done ten of the planned 15...whatever concentration I had all but disappeared at that point, but I kept gaining till the end, and came back to the paddock with a big "what happened?" in my mind. Later I discovered that all the races were having laps cut because of time, but it would have been nice to know beforehand!
We were without scorers, so I can't report the finishers other than that Derek won it, with Ralph and Seth and Saman and ?? ahead of me, so I came in  5th maybe...I have no idea of the order behind me, so if you know where you finished, email me! Nobody crashed (hooray) and I think we put on a good show for the spectators, so we have started the season successfully! Thanks to "Charles" Clinton for flagging, and 'Cesca Wainright-Owens, Carolyn Bachelor, Jerome Steed, Les Creiss and ?? for cornerworking and gate control!
 
Next race is Spokane Raceway Park May 8-9, on the kart track in the oval - don't miss it!

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