I’m behind on my posts and it’s time to get caught up.

At Mosport the 125’s raced on the main track and the kart track. My list of tracks I’ve ridden grew by one to 51.

My Canada trip ended after 26 days. I was home for two days before flying to Mid-Ohio for the AMA weekend working with Elena Myers. I made the wrong tire choice in Basic Q so we ended up only 9th on the grid. In Saturday’s race we took 9th after a poor start. In Sundays race we were 7th in the last turn when the bike cut out for a moment and we took 8th. I may have cut it to close on the amount of fuel as there was very little left after the cool down lap.

As I write this, I’m riding in a truck with John and Chris Ulrich on our way to Laguna for the Moto-GP and AMA races.

It rained for the first half of the day today. Most of the riders came up with reasons to not ride but 14 of us 125 riders went out in heavy rain and had a blast. None ran off and none fell down. I was still using full throttle in 6th gear in turn two.

In the afternoon we were a little down on power because of the water in the air but I had a great battle with two other riders.

After practice on the big track we moved to the Kart track for our first practice there. I did lead/follow in both groups with a best time of 1.14.759 in Group 1 and 1.14.760 in Group 2.

Mosport International Raceway, home of my 250 GP track record, 1.26.91. Greg White of Speed is riding a ZX-6 for the Factory Kawasaki team. His goal is to better my mark. Greg is also riding one of our Honda CBR125R’s in the Challenge.

I’ve been at the track since Monday riding in the Pro 6 track day, parking the PCSC trailers, placing hay bales, etc, etc.

Today we got to start making the donuts. 27 riders took to the track and while not the fastest today, Young, Leah, Milan, Shay and Chris all made important improvements and are on track (do you like that pun?) for personal best races.

Tomorrow we get to ride on the Mosport Kart track as well. Check out the Parts Canada Superbike Championship web site to see two laps of on board video from my bike on this tight hilly track.

You can tell from my posts that I like the Race City track. I’m back in Toronto now after driving the PMP trailer home and busy getting everything ready Mosport.

The race on Saturday was red flagged on lap six of ten for a crash in the Bus Stop. I was right behind with my on board camera. Check it out here: http://www.cdnsuperbike.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2280&Itemid=242

I’m sad to say that on Sunday Honda decided that I would no longer race in the Honda CBR125R Challenge. I’m still coaching but now I only ride in practice.

Pinned in 6th and fully tucked at the end of the front straight. Un-tuck as I lean into T-1, still full bunny. At the apex of T-2 start braking for T-3 and go down 3 to G3. Up to 4th out of T-3 and late apex T-4. Shift to 5th in T-5 and hold full bunny through T-6 and the tight esses where the puddle was. Still in 5th on the run to the Bus Stop. Tomorrow I’ll hold it open there too. Keep the throttle pinned over the bumps after the hill then brake and go down 2 for the Key Hole. Go outside the first patch and just inside the 2nd patch. Pin it and make a late apex. Get your bum off the seat on the bumps in the last turn and tuck in for the long run to T-1.

I Qed 5th, so will start from the 2nd row tomorrow.

After we were done on the big track we rode over to the Kart track and blasted around. Track number 50. We will race there on Monday.

Life is tough but someone has to do it.

Great name for a race track: Race City. Calgary, Canada. If you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes. Round two and three of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship. The teams are all parked and we got two practices today. This is a new track for me, number 49.

The track is a drag strip and road course combined. 14 turns including fast and slow esses, sweepers and a bus stop chicane.

The big news is that we have 29 racers in the Honda CBR125R Challenge so far and still may get more. Most of us are pitted under the Honda trucks awning, two rows deep.

Greg White of Speed TV is our guest rider on bike number 12.

One of the cool things that happened today is: Toni got her grove back! We know this because she passed me back!

Q is tomorrow, then racing on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
You should be here.

My friend Bruce Lind is showing off. This is his list of tracks he has ridden.

Pacific Raceways
Pacific w bus stop
Pacific w/o drag strip
Westwood
Westwood reverse
Portland
Vacaville
Daytona
VIR Full
VIR North
Summit Point
Bryar Park – Loudon
NHIS
Dallas
Ontario
Riverside
Orange County
Laguna original
Laguna GP
Sears Point 11 turn
Infineon 10 turn
Buttonwillow
Willow Springs
Edmonton
Shannonville
Mosport
Charlotte
Miller full
High Plains
Topeka
Road America
RA with Bus stop
Road Atlanta gravity
Road Atlanta
Putnam Park
Gateway
Brainerd
Indianaoplis raceway
Nelson Ledges
Pukekohe
Wanganui
Manfield
Ruapuna
Levels
Invercargil
New Jersey – Lightning
New Jersey – Thunderbolt
Barber
Monroe
Streets of Aberdeen

Bruce Lind
Bruce Lind Racing, LLC
TZ Parts & The BLRTC

Road America was a mixed bag for us. Some rain but mostly shine. We did well in practice and Q learning a new track and testing some set up stuff that worked well. But in both races different brake issues put us in the gravel outside of Canada Corner. Sometimes things just don’t go your way. See you at Mid-Ohio.

I got home on Monday around Noon and went to sleep. I have some repairs to do on a Ninja 250 and some megaphones to install on another. If you think a Totsubo pipe is loud don’t pit near Tony next month at Streets!

I wear two hats at the PCSC races, pit parking and 125 coach. The pits at ICAR are small and the club racers who join us are use to parking any way they want. I set up the pits in nice rows with wide fire lanes. This requires that all the extra cars park outside the pits, in P-1 parking. Each day I have to chase all the extra cars out. Everyone has a reason why they should get to keep their car in their pit but I make all of them move because that is the only why to remain fair. The best parking story this weekend was the guy who left his car in front of his pit in the fire lane for about an hour. I saw the car when he first pulled in and hoped he was just dropping stuff off. When I checked back he was on track for his 20 minute practice. The keys were in the car so I moved it. I was walking back to his pit with a note and his keys when he rode back from practice. The funny part came after the races on Sunday when he came to tech with his beer as we were loading. His complaint started with “my car was only there for 3 seconds.”

In the Honda CBR125R Challenge we had 21 racers including me. A few of the new parents made a stink about having the coach in the race. This resulted in me starting from the last row in Saturdays race. Order was restored on Sunday and I started from my Q spot of 3rd in race two. I finished 4th in both races but I don’t count in the points so I’m listed last in the results.

Check out the Parts Canada Superbike Championship web site, click on the CBR125R Challenge Series button on the left and watch the on board video from my bike.

Next stop is AMA at Road America where I’ll do my best to give Elena a winning set up.

Wow, 21 of us in the Honda CBR125R Challenge and I’m only 5th fastest.
I’ll need to brake out a little Something-Something tomorrow!