2024 WMRRA Round 3
Track:
The Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA
Date:
June 22-23, 2024
Results:
| Class | Result | Video |
|---|---|---|
| 600 SS | 6th | Video |
| Formula 600 (Saturday) | 4th | Video |
| 600 SBK | 1st | Video |
| Formula 600 (Sunday) | 2nd | Video |
Report:
I had an outstanding weekend with WMRRA at the Ridge. I produced my best ever laps, my highest ever finishes. I had to focus on my morning program to get better qualifying and it paid off. I started all 4 of my races this weekend from the front row.
My first race of the weekend, 600SS, I had a great launch and found myself in the lead. I wasn’t quite sure what to do, this isn’t where I usually find myself on the start, and I ended up overslowing. This forced me from 1st into turn 1, to 4th before we got to turn 2. I vowed to fix this problem before the next race. I’d finish the race in 6th.
Formula 600 (Saturday) came along and I again got a solid launch. Cory West was to my left and I knew he was going to be flying. I was able to leave him plenty of room, signaling a rather strong “after you” vibe, and then I hitched a ride for lap 1. He pulled me and a few other folks away from most of the pack. I’d spend the rest of the race in the top 5. In the end I finished 4th!
I went to bed feeling that I had a good day, but I’d not capitalized. I messed up a start in the first race. In the second race, I got separated from some riders in front of me that I think I could have pushed to fight with for 2nd.
Sunday morning qualifying came and I got right into my programming, again qualifying for the front row. The weather decided post qualifying to mist and really make us all wonder what the race conditions would be. Luckily for me, by the time 600SBK came around the track was pretty dry. I got an outstanding launch again and built on what I learned on Saturday. I found a new challenge; how do I pace myself without a rider in front to consider? Lucky for me a very helpful parent of a fellow racer started signaling for me. This turned out to be the father of the 2nd place finisher. Thanks to Garret and Dad. I lead the race, flag to flag, taking my first ever 1st place in an expert race. I had a 4-5 second gap by race end.
Formula 600 would have Cory again who really was in a league of his own this weekend. I figured 2nd place was the most I could achieve and that was my target. I got an alright start but Emerson Lau came out of nowhere. He was in front of me into turn 1 and caught me off guard. I’ve not raced much with Emerson and spent a few laps seeing where he was strong and where he was not. I decided the best available move was going to be to get a good exit to Turn 12, and setup a block pass into Turn 13 on the final lap. I figured I had one shot at this because if I did it earlier, Emerson would fight me back down the straight and pull the same move on me into the chicane. I made the move stick and ended up with a P2.
I need to thank so many people.
- My wife Anna for always supporting my riding and improvement. When I told her this winter I wanted to attend YCRS she immediately said I should do it. Today is the result of this investment in my riding.
- Track Time Track Days for providing a great instruction environment and providing me a place to hone my craft
- StevensonFoto, Louis Stevenson, for always being at the track to make us all look fast.
- CTRacing/Pirelli for providing me some of the stickiest tires around
- KYT Americas for the awesome helmets. They look great and I feel safe in ‘em.
- And Short Fuse Racing. This group has supported my riding over the last few years as we all work to be faster. We had 4 podiums within our team this weekend, not a bad result.
