This story was originally posted by Kevin Glick on the VFR List, and he has graciously allowed me to post it here for others to enjoy. Kevin has a nice writing style that makes his stories easy and fun to read. A little background on Kevin's bike. It is a '89 Kawasaki EX500 with SS braided brake line, Lindermann revalved stock forks and rear shock, and few other changes. The engine, carbs, airbox, and pipes are stock. There is more information about Kevin's racing on the Team Daemon Racing Site.
As Kevin was saying ...The Beginning
Everything considered, this was a very nice race weekend indeed. Actually, this weekend was absolutely perfect. My travel partners and I arrived at NHIS Friday (July 16, 1999) at midnight. After a little chatting with the team and some ooooing and ahhhing over the wonderful paint job (more on that later) that Paul did on my bike we all bedded down for a nice night of muggy tossing and turning.
Everybody always seems to put their thanks last but I think I'll put it here because without them we couldn't hope to do this half as well as we do. Many thanks go out to HJC, Parametric Technology Corporation, Jodi F. Solomon Speakers Bureau, Factory Pro-Tuning, Lockhart Phillips, Fog City & Modern World Ventures, North Reading Honda & Kawasaki, PK Suspension & GMD CompuTrack, Sharkskinz, Spectro Oils, Street & Competition, The Knee Dragon, Vanson Leathers, and Woodcraft & CFMotorsports.
Oh yeah and a VERY SPECIAL thanks to THE TEAM and to Matt Lai and BJ Worsham for the friendship, close competition, camaraderie and all the great atmosphere that surrounds this very wonderful group of people.
Saturday July 17th, 1999
Hmm ... time to see if the bike is running. Paul had mentioned that it would not idle nor throttle off of idle. After trying to start the bike with everything from rollers to baseball bats (can't do that it would hurt the paint) I decided to pull the carbs and see what was the problem. To make a long story short the carbs were contaminated by spooge during the Penguin Pro-School Day when the petcock filter dropped of in the tank and the bike sucked some creme or tank gunk. After much fiddling I manage to make it out for the 2nd Jr-Ex Red Practice. I spend this practice trying to remember, and work on, the stuff that I learned in school. The bike is running like it never has before and other than the fact that the track seems very slippery to me, I'm looking forward to a great day.
Race#4 Jr. LWSportbike
I'm gridded in spot 15A. I'm the last bike on the grid and the only person in that row. I hate being lined up all the way to the left but the way the guys in front of me positioned themselves there was no place left to go. I decided that I was going to go for a medium launch and then work my work to the right, while every one else was going left, for a run up the outside in 1, 1A. BINGO! The strategy worked perfectly and I was past 2/3 of the field by the time we entered T2. I made an inside pass on at least 3 people (including my nemesis Matt Lai) in T3 and proceeded to run up the hill into T4. For whatever reason I ran wide on the top of the hill. This shouldn't have happened. I was going too fast and proceeded to moto-X my way over the hill. I re-entered the track on the inside with no speed or position to get to my usual entry point for T6. I took option number 2. Gas it and run up the inside. This actually worked pretty well and I managed to re-take 2 of the 3 spots that I lost to the moto-X.
As we entered T9 I was now within striking distance of the next rider lead by Scott Sargent and then by Matt. I knew that I could beat them. I passed the next rider coming into 11 and then ran hard up to 12 and closed to within 6 bike lengths of Scott and 12 of Matt. I closed the gap even further between the front straight and T9, where I passed Scott on the inside, and then drove for Matt. I took a backward look in T12 and spoiled my drive allowing Scott to motor back by me on the front straight. At this point we were running somewhere in the top 6 and had closed to within 3 lengths of Matt. Entering T1 I went late for the brakes and kept up my speed to pass Scott on the outside. It was a beautiful pass ... right up until I hit the transition bump in T2. Hey how come I'm sitting on my A$$!
I hit the bump and before I could say BOO the rear wheel had come around and passed the front. So much for the new paint job. Actually it was minor. Unfortunately, I was the reason for the Red Flag so even if I could have fixed the bike I had been DQ'd anyway. MAJOR BUMMER!
Back to fixing the bike ... twisted front end, missing foot peg and, LO AND BEHOLD, a totally wasted sprocket carrier. I had apparently reassembled it without the internal spacer which caused the bearing to disintegrate and the wheel to drift left and right on the axle. No wonder I was sliding around. MUCHO, MUCHO thanks go to Matt Lai, Bj Worsham and Jeff Wood from Penguin Road Racing School for helping me find replacement parts sos I could play on Sunday. Also thanks to Matt, a true and fair competitior, for loaning me a wheel with a fresh tire on it. I have not doubt that it contributed to the PTWNS finish.
Sunday. July 18th, 1999
After much running around on Sunday morning to fix all of the above, I make it out for the 2nd practice session again. The bike is running well. Everything seems straight (thanks to Matt and Adam) and I just concentrate on my lines. With 4 laps left, I see Bruce coming out of the pits so I tap my tail and take him for a tow. I think it was good for both of us. It caused me to slow a bit and be more consistent and it seems to have helped Bruce clean-up his lines some more. I think we should do it again next time.
Race#2 -Jr/Ex Production Twins
Gridded 15D which is the last row again with 8 entries. Matt Lai, the kind soul who has beaten me the last 2 times out, was gridded on the front row. The flag drops. I get a good start and head up the outside into T1 and find myself in the front 4 with Matt right on my right side. I was thinking - okay, who's going to brake first and let the other in. It had not even occurred to me that gassing it was an option. Well, Matt gassed it and stuffed me back 3 places. I was caught off guard for a second. I was like Man, that took BALLS to do that in that pack. NICE MOVE.
Okay back to the race. The pack funnels out of 2 and there are 6 JR's right in front of me. I stayed to the right as we entered T3 and managed to get 3 (including Matt) on the brakes. I passed one more in T6 and then 2 with what Paul said was a great move around the outside in T9 and down through T10. At this point I was leading the JR PTWINS group and I just wanted to concentrate on staying out front. As we pass start/finish I see a +2 on the pit board, cool! I pass two experts in the next lap and come around to see a +3. Replay +4. Lap 6 and the board shows me a +5. WOW, I can see a group of experts within striking distance but I decide to pace it at this point. After all. Crashing out of first is still dead last..that and the temp gauge is real close to the red. White flag lap and the bike is overheating. The guage isn't in the red but coolant is blowing in my face from the catch bottle. I'm still +5 so I decide to dial it back and let the experts go. Checker!
And the illustrious Mr. Kornfeld (our starter and a very good friend) gives me a little extra special wave to tell me congratulations. Now that felt good. Much celebrating back in the pits. Time to pack and go home.
Kevin Glick
The Isle O'Manhattan--NYC
CCS Jr#431 Team Daemon Racing
Team Daemon Racing
