2025 OMRRA Round 1
Track:
Portland International Raceway, Portland, OR
Date:
May 3-4, 2025
Results:
| Class | Result | Video |
|---|---|---|
| 450 SBK (Saturday) | 4th | Video |
| MW SBK (Saturday) | 7th | Video |
| MW GP (Saturday) | 4th | Video |
| MW GP (Sunday) | 4th | Video |
| MW SBK (Sunday) | 5th | Video |
| 450 SBK (Sunday) | 5th | Video |
Summary
It was a solid weekend down in Portland. I’m not a regular at the track, it’s easily the track on our calendar I am least good at. It was also my first time here on a twin; all previous rounds have been aboard an R6. So I had to figure out all new markers for brakes. Luckily the track was still the same, so the ramp up wasn’t entirely from scratch. Leaving the round I know I could use some practice and may find a way to do a track day to hone things in without the added pressure of a race weekend.
Saturday
450 SBK (Saturday)
I started the weekend with a solid enough start, but Hannah Johnson is excellent on the brakes. I ended up in P3 for a bit, before I got pipped and ended up in 4th. This was the race I’d find out my pace is a bit off the front 3. They’d stretch away from me making this a bit ofa lonely race. It was obvious I don’t have as many laps here as some of the other racers.
MW SBK (Saturday)
I felt better about MW SBK. I’d log my best laps of the weekend (at the point and overall). This class is unique in that it has some custom machinery gridded up including a sleeved ZX6R from Zlock Racing. Combine that with the outstanding pilot (Oliver Jervis) and you know it’s going to be a tough race. I managed 7th in the end, which is a bit further back than I wanted to be, but I’m learning.
MW GP (Saturday)
This race was a bit interesting. At OMRRA events, MW GP is a 15 lap event. I was super excited. Unfortunately a rider had a crash a bit before halfway and we got sent to the pits so they could clean up. The race that counted turned into a 6 lap sprint after. I managed to race alright, but it wasn’t super remarkable.
Sunday
I had the evening to unpack Saturday a bit and was hoping to put some of my thinking to the test.
MW GP (Sunday) 15 Lap Event!
Gridded on the second row, I got a ripping start and was drag racing Hannah to turn 1. I knew she’d be able to outbrake me so I planned to just slot on to her rear wheel. I figured I could try and use this as an opportunity to learn a thing or two. What I learned is Hannah is a demon on a few exits that I need to clean up. What saved me was one of the best slip streams I have ever experienced. There was a headwind to turn 1, so whoever was in front was punching a hole for the rider behind. This would result in me fighting back to the lead from 2nd and 3rd place more than once. My pace was pretty consistent, but once Hannah, Joe got in front, they were able to show their true pace which was faster than mine.
This race was in the end a 5 way battle for the podium and the lead. I slotted into 5th and was ‘gifted’ 4th place when a fellow racer crashed on entry to turn 3.
I look forward to these long races when I come to Portland in the future. It’s a unique challenge and it was awesome learning.
MW SBK (Sunday)
MW GP was a race at 10:30 AM, and MW SBK was scheduled for nearly 4 hours later. It’s hard to stay “in the zone” with gaps like that. I thought I’d be able to find some improvements but that turned out to be incorrect. Sometimes with racing, it’s hard to do on the same day, it takes time to “bake” in your brain. I tried a few new things in places, particularly out of T4 and out of T9 to get better direction. They didn’t make much difference on the lap timer, but I did feel like I had better vision, which should allow me to find more time down the road.
450 SBK (Sunday)
My final race, 450 SBK, was the final event of the weekend. It turned out to have the most eventful first lap of my weekend. A racer on the front row had a terrible launch, wheelied and then came towards my path which made me hesitate. Then, into turn 9 another rider had a gearbox issue and sat up, causing some confusion. I got my head down after that, spent the race with a kramer just off my backside occasionally showing me a wheel. It was a bit of pressure for me to keep turning the laps and keep focused.
Reflecting
It was a fun weekend with the Oregon friends, and I know I need to find a way to put some practice time in at Portland International. While I was able to quickly get to a pace to put me towards the front, it wasn’t enough for the podium. The riders in front of me, despite my battles in MW GP, had a laptime that was 2 seconds quicker than what I was turning. I’m glad I was “best of the rest” but I want to be fighting for those podium spots. I am close, but I need to unlock the next stage.
Thanks to all y’all
Thanks to all of those that sponsor me. KYT makes amazing helmets. The new model has a simply outstanding eyeport, it’s low noise, light, and comfortable. Sage at CT Racing Services for KTech and Pirelli support. Track Time track days for giving me a place to hone my own craft and instruct others. StevensonFoto makes me and my bike, even when rashed, look sharp. And Short Circuit Racing for the support trackside.
