Uncle Punk

Yes, the picture is from the races last year. No, I will not be going to Nashville; I wrecked my track bike in May and haven't had the funds to put it back together this year. If work stays steady this winter I will try to do some track days next year.

Guys, I really enjoyed reading Brian's ride report about the races this year. I wasn't a member here last year when they had these races but here is a copy of the post I made on another forum about the races last year. I though some might enjoy reading. Guys, I had a great weekend at Mid-Ohio this weekend and thought I’d share. The AMA and CCS had a racing weekend there that in the past had been a large event when WERA ran it for the AMA but for several reasons this year entries were down. I go there for Friday practice because it has been over a year since I had been there and I started racing this year so I wanted to get to know the track with the bike I’m running this year at what I hoped to be a decent race pace. First morning session only two of us go out, the other guy was a young kid who got I got behind to follow for a while, well the track was just stupid slippery at 8:00 AM so it was useless to have gone out there I even went off the track but didn’t go down until I tried to accelerate to get back on track, no big deal just spun the bike around me at 2 mph in the grass. The next practice session was a little better but traction was still not good went off the track again in the same turn but didn’t lay the bike down this time, this was the last time all weekend I went off track. The third session they combined all the amateurs into one practice group so there were more people out there, I get behind this kid again and we start going around, damn this kid is fast he pulled me along to my fastest time on the track for the whole weekend but I still could see him when the session was over. We talked at lunch and I met his parent’s really nice people from Texas, didn’t meet by name just hi, how are you and exchanged pleasantries, the kid is polite and respectful and is only 17. The next session out the kid is gone, out of site in four laps and I’m left by myself running lap times between 1:39 to 1:41 with a few 1:43 to 1:46 when I come up on traffic, I need to learn how to pass. We go over to tech to check out our lap times and the kid is running 1:36 which I congratulated him on he thanked me and said his goal was for 1:32 which I thought was a bit optimistic but offered him good luck. By the end of the day he was running 1:33 all by himself as the fastest amateur there, I was the second fastest running 1:39, I might have a good weekend if nobody shows up to race tomorrow. Saturday schedule is two morning practices then qualifying for grid positions for the races Sunday. The kid and I don’t go out for the first session but all the new people who showed up go out, we talked about how stupid slippery the track is early in the morning and laughed about me leaving grass on the track the day before. We go out for the next practice session and now we have a few more people and the group is all amateurs. Now I have someone pushing me into turn one but he doesn’t get around me all session but I know he is there. The kid is gone and is obviously the fastest amateur there. I check lap times and the guy who was running with me ran a 1:38 the lap before he got up to me but I slowed him down to my pace 1:39’s still but he couldn’t seem to get around me. Time to qualify for the races tomorrow; I’m only doing two races because I’m trying to get by on one set of tires which are takeoffs from a guy that runs AMA F/X. The first qualifying session is for amateur heavyweight supersport, the kid is entered in this race and so is the guy that ran with me in the last practice session all three of us are running middleweight supersport 600s. There are announcers now for the spectators and they are announcing the riders who are entered in this qualifying race, when they announce the kid they say he is the son of someone so I guess his dad is famous but can’t quite remember where or when I had heard the name before. The other rider gets right behind the kid and is on his ass for three or four laps then the kid starts to pull away. Times were 1:32 for the kid and 1:35 for the other guy, well now I’m sure not to place any better than 3rd. I asked the kid if he knew to other guy was back there and he said he didn’t and his dad asked him why he let that guy run with him for so long. We talked for a while about it and the kid says he has more if the guy wants to challenge him, not cocky but sure that he was up for a challenge. The first race all three of us are in is middleweight superstock; I qualify third with a 1:39 but had my tire slide out coming down thunder valley, so I slow down, I don’t know if I was just too heavy on the throttle or if my tire is going away. The next race qualifying is middleweight superbike; I qualify fourth with a 1:40 and now there is another guy I haven’t seen yet who runs a high 1:39 slower than my best time but only six tenths off, I am going slower because I’m worried about my tire. I’ll do practice tomorrow and see if I need a new rear. I go home for the night and Google the kid’s dad, no shit his dad is famous but now I’m a little depressed as I see in dad’s bio that we were both born in the same year, damn I’m old. During the first practice session Sunday me and the kid don’t go out so I go to talk to him and his parents and tell them that I found out who he was and was sorry for not knowing who he was and that we are the same age so his kid is making me feel old. We laughed about it and his dad says “Shoot, I had him late too”. I have friends from high school that have twenty five year old kids and one with a twenty eight year old. We talked about what we had done the first decade after high school and had a nice talk. First race on Sunday is with the kid and the other fast guy. The other guy gets to turn one first and keeps the kid behind him for two or three laps, once the kid gets by him he checks out and wins by a large margin. I talk to the kid and asked him what happened the first couple of laps and he said he just couldn’t get around him at first, I asked him if his dad was mad at him for not making it to turn one first, he said his dad wasn’t mad just don’t let it happen again jokingly. My first race middleweight supersport went just like qualifying and I took third. I haven’t changed my tire and I ran a low 1:39 in morning practice trying to see if the tire was going away, no sliding but I’m worried about it, I didn’t need to push it in the first race because I was a couple seconds faster than the people behind me, I ran a 1:40 as my best race lap time. I decide not to change it and hope for the best. The track had a podium presentation with trophies and interviews just like the big boys for the first four races at the lunch break. Kind of funny for me to think of myself being up there and was a little nervous. I thank the experts for lapping me because I was running out of steam, I am not in the shape I should be in to run eight hard laps and I was dreading having to try and do another lap at pace. I thanked my girlfriend Paula for giving me the inspiration, opportunity and support to do this and Michelin. This was the first time I have been eligible for contingency money. I am normally a mid pack racer but not a lot of people showed up. I do fine in the formula 40 races or as they are also referred to as formula fatty. The next race is middleweight superbike and I am gridded fourth the guy who qualified third is running slicks and I’m on these old DOT racing tires, I better make it to turn one first and hold him off. Yes, I made it into turn one third just hold him off and I will podium twice this weekend, are you kidding me. The third lap the kid goes down into turn one, I hope he is alright, no red flag, the next time around no yellow flag he must be good, now I have second this can’t be I have never placed top three before except formula 40 and now two in one weekend. I look behind me lap four on the back straight expecting to see the guy right on my ass and he is not there I have this thing, now don’t push it, stay relaxed and bring it home. Fuck, the bike dies. Half a lap earlier I’m feeling great and this piece of shit fucking bike dies going down thunder valley. I pull off the track and try to start the bike, nothing, just sweat dripping down my nose; I can’t think straight, I am mad as all hell. I remember the guy I got the bike from telling me that it does vapor lock some times. I have had the bike all season and it hasn’t happen yet and it picks now to do it, my last race of the year, mother fucker. I unscrew the gas cap, screw it back on and the bike fires right up, son of a bitch. I drive back to the pits and my weekend is done. I go to check on the kid to see how he made out and he was okay not hurt at all, his front just tucked on him and he didn’t know why as he wasn’t pushing it. I tell them what happened to me and his dad Bubba tells me that the same thing happened to him once on a race warm up lap at Daytona, he pushes it back to hot pit, one of the mechanics takes the cap of and the bike fires right up. He starts the race a lap down and still takes third. Cool story to hear straight from Bubba Shobert himself. Clint Shobert won the top amateur award and I sure we will see him in the top level of the AMA in two to three years. Short story, I ran in the AMA Sports Road Race Grand Championships this weekend at Mid-Ohio, took a third in one race, meet Bubba Shobert and his son Clint, have an autograph to prove it.

Always being kept down by the man.

That's funny!!! At this time I am having major financial difficulties. I was on unemployment for five months and lost a renter on one side of a duplex I own. That should be no big deal but I just got an estimate for damages yesterday at $16,100. I can't rent it the way it is so I'm fucked bike wise this year.

Oh yea, we rode with jbctown until we got to Millersburg. Wise choice not to stay with us, what a cluster fuck it turned out to be. Once a rider is with the group they get the full support and safety that it can offer. No one is left behind; I will even go home to get my trailer if needed. I will leave your ass if you don't make the start time though. There are a whole lot of other things going on with the OSP that I can't post until I'm sure it's resolved or dropped but I am not impressed with their detective skills.

I need instrument cluster, fairing stay, sub frame with tray.

I don't know if your Buell has a slipper clutch but that Kawi does. You can't get rid of the Buell, I think it's kind of cool that you ride it well enough to surprise people that a Buell can actually act like a sport bike.

Not the same guy, our guy was in an older red Dodge diesel with two of them in the truck. Jinx figures he was a frustrated want to be biker whose credit is jacked so he couldn't buy a bike and is now taking it out on the rest of us.

That Ducati sounds awesome, the guy can ride too and so can his wife. I wish the group would have stayed in the order it ended up after we got to 800. Everyone was being polite and the guy on the Buell pulled out fourth when he was farther back earlier. This allowed the bikes in front of him to disappear which left him to figure out the turns on his own. Mistake on his part, he is a decent rider, he has ridden to the gap a few times so he is no poser but should have had a few more bikes in front of him. I texted Adam from the gas station when the sheriff was there but he wasn't working. I think he might have seen a reference to the report later. It was a nine bike conga line that would have made it past him in 20 seconds and been a total non event; instead the dumbass turns it into a scene from mad max. Then he calls the sheriff for protection. Other than the 30 bike ride leaving late you Coshocton guys group rides rock with being organized. That's why we put a guy in back sweeping. I now wish we wouldn't have deviated from our original plan because some of the stupid things that happened wouldn't have.

I had a very interesting Sunday that didn't turn out at all like I would have hoped it would, at least I have a story to tell. This was not my ride, I didn't plan the start time or route. I didn't even know I would be going on the ride until about 8:00 PM Saturday night. Some of you know my bike blew the engine a few weeks ago so I ended up renting a bike from the mechanic at Kennedys. He needs money, has only ridden it a couple of times this summer and is taking the bike to a dealer auction this week. Ride is supposed to start at 82 & 83 at 10:00 AM Sunday morning. Same route Jinx and I took the weekend my bike broke down with a possible addition of about 60 miles. The weekend we did this ride including the breakdown I was home at 4:30 PM so I should be home no later than 5:30, wrong. I'm at the meeting spot a quarter till by myself waiting, ten till a Buell 1125R pulls in, and five till Jinx shows up, 10:00 Matt shows up on 09 R1. That's it time to roll, nope; we are waiting for some other riders. I had heard that a couple Ducatis were going to be on the ride including a 1098S and the mythical 1098R, this is one of the reasons I'm on this ride I think it's cool that someone will buy a 40K bike and actually ride it. So we wait and then wait, then wait some more. Finally they are here let’s roll, not so fast they all need gas. Shit you know it's not my ride I would have left their asses. We don't leave from the meeting spot until 11:00 AM, strike one. We have nine bikes total with what I'm guessing to be about 120K worth of bikes. 3 09 R1s (one of the riders is a woman) 2 08 ZX10s 1 XX 1125R 1 XX 1098S 1 XX 1098R 1 05 ZX6R (Me on borrowed bike, Metzler tires.) I'll be sucking hind tit with all these big bikes so Jinx takes point & I'm bringing up the rear, first gas stop is Coshocton. Somewhere south of Millersburg a few of the group go past a pickup truck, then he speeds up, a few more go by, he speeds up even more, now he just looks stupid because he is jerking all over the place and doesn't appear in control. A few more bikes get by him and now it’s down to the last three of us, the woman on her R1, the guy on the 1098S and me. She pulls over to go around and he swerves over into the left hand lane, okay there is a car pulling a trailer up ahead so he wants to pass. He doesn't pass so she goes out to pass again and he swerves over again, he is not trying to pass he is being an asshole and doesn't want anyone else to pass him. She does get by eventually, now it's 1098Ss turn to go around, but this guy has stepped up his game and is swerving over farther so I pass the Ducati to see if I can get around, he comes over farther now almost touching me and pushing me off the road, I'm talking inches from being pushed off the road to the left. I'm really pissed but am not going to win this pissing match with a pickup truck. I get by when he decides to not swerve over approaching a blind crest, unless someone was coming the other way at over 100 MPH I would make it around him safely. I catch up with the rest of the group expecting to have a discussion with the pickup driver at the light where 83 runs into 16. The Ducati makes it to us just before we get to the intersection. There is a Coshocton county sheriffs car parked facing north as we are approach the intersection. She turns her lights on, makes a u-turn in behind me then turns her lights off. We had planned to get gas at the Marathon just past the 541 exit so we pulled in there; the sheriff’s car follows us in and turns her lights on again. She gets out and tells us to turn our bikes off, then says they have received complaints of racing on 83, even though we were all wearing gear we should be careful and if it was us this is our last warning. Then another sheriff’s car pulls in followed by the asshole pickup driver. I guess no one will get the chance to talk to him now. He leaves, sheriffs leave a few minutes later, we gas up and leave, incident over, strike two. We continue down 83 to 78, this is a good group of riders, very polite to each other and no one is jockeying for position, we make good time to the next gas stop. At that stop the Ducati guys want to get lunch, shit, strike three. We usually don't get lunch & now have decided to take the extra excursion down to the river and back along 555. I'm going to lead and Jinx goes to the rear. Down to the river without incident but there were some complaints about gravel so an alternate route home was suggested. This route was agreed upon by all, we are now going to go across 7 to 26 to 800. I don't have my bike so no GPS, I'm not sure of where or how 26 meets 7 and since this is 1098Rs new route he takes point, I'm riding second, Jinx third, big mistake since no one is watching the rear. We make it a ways along 7 when we realize a few bikes were missing. It's 1098S and his son riding ZX10R, crap we pull over to wait for them, waiting, waiting, finally we make contact with the ZX10R, he is lost in West Virginia but without 1098S. We make contact with 1098S and he is getting a ticket from OSP for 73 in a 55 trying to get to us. We get ZX10R on the right track tell him to meet us where 7 & 26 meet, we go on to that point and get gas. Strike four. We head across 26 with me on point, Jinx sweeping. 26 is in great shape and we make good time to 800 where the road opens up so Jinx & I swap so the big bikes can run up 800. Prior to this somewhere along 26 the group settles itself into a more appropriate skill line. We are heading up 26 when the 1125R goes down a few miles from Barnesville. Strike five. Damn this is going to be a long day. Buell rider is okay just bruised a little and his calf is swollen. We cobble his bike back together, I take it for a quick shakedown run and we are off to get gas in Barnesville. It's starting to get dark and cooler now. I don't have my bike so I don't have my mesh jacket liner, we weren't going to be gone all day I won't need it. We decide at the gas stop to get on 70 west to 77 north & slab it home. I'm following the Buell to make sure he and the bike are okay. By the time we get to 70 we can't see the other bikes and they aren't waiting for us. We are riding slower because the guy on the Buell is rightfully spooked. Now it is dark the Buell’s lights aren't aimed quite right so I get in front with him close in behind me. I can't see shit because I have a tinted visor on without a clear one with me because we aren't going to be gone all day. We are cruising along 70 at an indicated 85 so I'm guessing about 75 to 78 actual because the bike I'm on has had it's gearing changed, the Buell’s instruments don't work so he is relying on me. Every time I speed up to see if we can catch the group he falls back. I can’t leave him so he is deciding our pace. We don't see any bikes though, I wonder where they are, maybe they stayed on 800 accidently, we should see them up ahead or they will be coming up behind us once they realize they missed the entrance ramp. We see blue lights up ahead, it's the 1098S pulled over again, damn is he unlucky today. About two miles up ahead we see more blue lights, this time it's the rest of the bikes from our group except one. Apparently someone ran and the OSP was more concerned about that bike than jamming up the others so they let everyone go, they just detained them for a while to see if they could get one of them to tell on the bike that ran. Meanwhile the Buell and I go strolling by with the flow of traffic. We stop at the first exit so I could contact the two guys in the group that I knew. I couldn't get in contact with them so I left both of them a message saying I was going to escort the Buell to LaGrange. The Buell and I go up 77 to 224 west. Just past Lodi 224 turns into a two lane with no street lights. I can't see shit because of the tinted visor plus I think it's fogging up but I really can't tell, plus I'm freezing. I flip up my visor the rest of the way home, my eyes are watering, my nose is running, I'm freezing what a great day. I drop the Buell in LaGrange; head home to Elyria and get in about 11:30 PM. A good time was had by all. Here is a video shot from the helmet from one of the R1s going south on 555 from 78 and a little on 26. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUhJpGsfyCQ

How badly was the bike totaled? I need instrument cluster, fairing stay, sub frame with tray.

R.I.P. Tragic for all involved regardless of fault. To be 19 and involved in an accident with deaths is something that can mess you up for a long time.

Sounds like you had fun. AJ and his dad are good people I pitted next to them last year. I went off the track twice last year in the first session but rode them both out and couldn't learn a thing because the track is so slick. I ran with CCS last year with a yoyodyne slipper clutch and double bubble windshield in supersport. Almost anything is legal in supersport except slicks and motor work that increases your CCs. Being in the podium ceremonies is kind of a kick, just like the pros do it. Congratulations.

For those not able to make the 8:00 AM start time for the M&G there is a ride leaving the same starting location at 10:00 AM. So far there are five liter bikes, two 1098's and one 636. (I hope the 636 can keep up.) Route will be the same as the route that started this thread with the possible exception of going to the river and back on 555 when at the 78 & 555 intersection then continuing on north on 555. This possible additional side excursion adds about an hour to the ride and will be determined by the group at the last gas stop prior to the 78 & 555 intersection.

R.I.P. Sorry to hear about your friend, if it’s any consolation it appears he truly lived.

If anyone is coming from north of the meeting spot 83 has a detour between 10 and 82 that you cannot get through. Plan accordingly to arrive at meeting spot for departure time.

http://www.ohio-riders.net/showpost.php?p=312725&postcount=1 http://www.ohio-riders.net/showpost.php?p=314519&postcount=76 Running with Jinx or anyone, beating them or not still doesn't make a difference. Acting like a fool is acting like a fool.

You might want to scratch the 666 option since the last time I was down there it was closed. It might be open now check with the locals. Fabio, you made Kathy’s night by telling her that she hadn’t aged since the last time you had seen her. Wasn't that like you telling Jinx that he hadn't aged so well?

When we met him at the gas station coming back from Coshocton the first time this year I thought I would make it down to New Philadelphia some Sunday this summer to ride with the guys. They all seemed cool enough and I thought it would be nice to learn some new roads from them. He seemed to have the respect and support from the other guys at the gas station as best I could tell from our brief meeting. The thread he was involved in that took a shit was really regrettable and he could have survived it had he gotten the lay of the land a little better. When he purposefully comes in to shit in our sandbox is what pisses me off and then people who know him stick up for his nonsense. If any of you guys who I consider friends act like him do not expect me to come to your defense. I am somewhat loyal to a fault as most people with prior military experience are but it has limits. He may be faster than all of us here and ride twenty thousand miles a year but that doesn't insulate him from being an asshole. I could understand some of his frustration when he rode with a few people from here that he thought the ride could have gone faster. So what you could have gone faster that doesn't make you king shit where you feel superior to everyone so you can belittle them. I have been on rides with people that were both slower and faster than me and both groups get my respect. If he would learn that lesson maybe he could have faired better. Don't come into someone else’s yard slinging mud and not expect to have some heaved back in your direction.

Fabio, I missed you at Kennedys by about 15 minutes, oh well see you next time. I'm sure I can speak for Jinx on this issue. He will not be going to the M&G. I will be available if anyone needs a trailer ride home.

Shhhhh... The other kid on Bikestyles tried to register here but hasen't been approved yet I don't think. I saw him posting in the shout box. Twizzy or something like that.

I have no control over this ride I just thought I would give Quik advanced notice so he can get his cameras ready. Jinx works six days a week so Sundays are his only day for riding. I just know Jinx would love for as many people as possible to show up because he likes leading large groups. Cruisers are welcome too.

I hear the same ride route, start time and location is going to be happening again this Sunday. I will not be there and this is a group of guys not on this site but you never know if you will get caught on film by Quik. I say show up just in case, could be entertaining.

R.i.p.

That was our little secret. Hey, now I'm getting signed Fuck You reps! Love you too guys. (Good rep.)