Eagles Canyon Raceway March 14-15 marked the second round of the
CMRA racing series. The first round at Oak hill Raceway didn’t go how I would
have like so I was coming into the weekend hoping to make up some lost ground on
the competition. The weekend didn’t start out so great, since there was an 80%
chance of rain all day Saturday we decided to just stay home so I could go to
school considering I can only miss nine days per semester. So that was fine but
we had just redone the suspension on my 750 so I needed to get in some set up
time for the weekend. So we got out there Saturday morning and the track was
very wet and slick. This was our first time to race the new Suzuki 1000 our
endurance team just purchased. For the endurance practice we put on rains to go
out to see what the track was like and so we could all get a little time on the
new bike. Right before the race we decided to put on DOT’s thinking that it
would dry out pretty quickly considering it has stopped raining. That ended up
not being a good decision. The DOT’s we put on were a hard compound endurance
tire so we were fighting for traction all day but ended up with a fifth overall
and third in our class (A Super bike), which we were very happy with considering
the situation and track conditions.
Sunday morning the track was very green and still had water running across the
track in a couple places during practice so again I didn’t get any good practice
or set up time. So my first two races were super and unlimited Motard, which I
ended up with a third in both races. My first race on my 750 was race number
nine which was B Super bike. By then the track was pretty good and dry
considering the sun had been out for a while. I was pretty nervous about it
since I didn’t get any practice on a dry track and wasn’t able to get all my
braking markers set. I was gridded on the third row but got a really good start
and was third going into the first corner. I was able to move into second on the
first lap and then had to spend the rest of the race catching first. With it
only being a five-lap race I didn’t have much time so I had to push pretty hard.
On the last lap I was able to pass for the win under the brakes going into the
last corner! It was an awesome and exciting race. With that finished it moved me
into second overall for the year in B Super bike. The second race of the day was
A Superbike; I was gridded on the second row but didn’t get such a great start
this time, I believe I was around 7th or 8th going into the first turn. I had to
put my head down and work my way up as much as I could. Since all the red flags
and incidents during the day the race had been shortened to four laps. I was
able to work my way up the fifth and right behind third and fourth but ran out
of time so I came away with a fifth. Also that finish moved me into 5th overall
all for the year so far in A Super bike. Considering every thing I was very
happy with how the weekend went! I have to say thanks to Komodo Gear for keeping
me safe in the best gear and making me look good! Then Lone Star Track Days for
getting me plenty of practice time to help me get up to speed. Also Bridgestone
tires and South Central Race Center for putting some sticky tires on my bike!
Then I also have to thank Phillip Minton for helping me make it to my first AMA
race and also GB Racing! Now my next race will be at Road Atlanta for the AMA
Super sport race! Wish me Luck!
Derek Wagnon #111 (#17 AMA)
