Bigwood Racing

05/20/2021

Another educational race weekend! It rained most of Saturday so I parked it. I tend to crash a lot in the rain so I played it safe (hahahaa...). I spent a lot of time changing things on the bike, didn't like it, then changed most of it back... For the life of me i couldn't get used to the quickshifter and auto blipper so I just disconnected it and ran it as a dumb bike. Tried a new gearing option, didn't like it, changed it back. Rode around on a set of Michelin tires, loved 'em, sticking with 'em.

Once again it took me a bit to get comfortable on the bike, but I eventually did. Until the last race that is. I think I chopped the throttle mid turn and I lost the front. thought I could save it until I felt the rear tire pass me.

This whole "Expert" thing has been frustrating so far. I'm still 2 seconds off last years pace and I'm finishing last in every race. I know that's what I signed up for, but it's hard being a back marker. I remember before I ever started doing track days thinking "I wonder what it's like being that guy in last place. He's got to be having a blast." I am, but it's still frustrating.

Lap times this weekend were falling (uhg, so many puns), and I know I'll get back into a faster rhythm.

Thanks to Thomas Austin and Josh Braapp Van Dinter for another great weekend under the Michelin banners. Thanks Nick Dos for letting me borrow your spare visor. Maybe one of these days I'll plan properly. And always, thanks to the CCS staff, corner marshals, and safety crew for another great weekend!

05/13/2021

Adjusting foot and hand controls to get more comfortable on the bike. Friday is practice day at Blackhawk Farms Raceway and I'm looking forward to working the kinks out on a track I'm familiar with.

04/29/2021

This the season! The 2021 CCS race season to be specific... To say I was a little apprehensive about my first showing as an "expert" racer was an understatement.

GTU: 13/16
SSMW: 17/18
SBMW: 13/14
GPMW: 12/13

Results were dismal despite being anticipated. Still set some personal bests for times on the R6. I had plenty of new things to get used to and still wasn't super comfortable on the bike. I knew I was going to be one of the slow kids in the pack, it was just difficult seeing it happen...

Tom and Josh hooked me up with some fantastic Michelin tires, suspension tuning, gear, and great advice. I'm really looking forward to riding the rest of the year with Track Support Specialists and Braapp Werx.

Farrell Performance Pirelli Racers had my bike over the winter and put a great tune on it along with a quick shifter and auto blipper, now it's just a matter of figuring out how to use it right. I managed to mess up the shift rods twice during practice and they did a great job of getting me sorted out and ready for Sunday.

Capital City Motorsports hooked me up short notice with a Shoei X14. My Bell Star helmet finally got old enough I couldn't race with it anymore. I've had visibly issues in the tuck with both the Bell and my old Shoei RF1200's. Not anymore! After a few easy adjustments, even while leaned off the bike and looking past the turns, I had zero issues. At speed my head doesn't bobble around anymore. If you're thinking of a helmet upgrade, I gotta recommend the X14.

May 14-15 is the next round at Blackhawk Farms Raceway. Looking forward to being on a track I know well. Also looking forward to some suspension goodies from P501 Suspension.

Keep the shiny side up!

10/26/2020

Saying farewell to a VERY interesting 2020 race season.

Things started with turning down an advancement to expert. I had made enough points last year on the DRZ to advance, but just didn't feel that my skills had progressed enough to be competitive in the middleweight classes again.

So the supermoto began the year as the ride of choice. Midway through the season I picked up a new R6 to ride at Road America. Hadn't been on a sportbike in over a year.

Set new personal bests at Road America, Autobahn Country Club north course, and Blackhawk Farms Raceway. Finally earned some podiums with some actual competition.

Crashed the new bike, took it off roading a few times, put some dollars into suspension, didn't sleep, drank a lot, crashed the old bike, put a ton of miles on the truck, missed a round due to army, didn't sleep some more, met new people, rode with some old people, and had a blast.

For the year, having only ridden half a season on each bike:
5th Grand Prix Middleweight
4th GTU
13th SuperBike Middleweight
15th SuperSport Middleweight
5th GT 500
11th Moto 3
4th SuperBike 500
6th SuperSport 500
And due to a clerical error:
4th ThunderBike, a class I've never raced

I've thanked people before, so copy paste.

Excited for next year. Might actually be able to get in a full season!

09/21/2020

Sunday race update!

GTU: 2nd
SSMW: 6th
GPMW: 3rd
SBMW: 5th

What a weekend! We haven't been at Blackhawk Farms Raceway on a middleweight in a year. It showed during practice on Friday, but we showed it on Sunday!

GTU was exhausting, demoralizing, and thrilling all in one. Got lapped by the expert leader, twice... second to last lap was passed and put in 4th. Said f**k it, I'm crashing or getting a podium, got 3rd back and then set my fastest lap time ever at BFR.

I don't even remember the SS or GP race, but evidently we did well...

Last lap of SB tying to make a pass on the outside of 7 clipped the guy in 4th. Both of us stayed upright and kept our positions, but man was that some sketchy s**t...

List of people to thank:

Joe from Turnone Racing for the help getting suspension right.

Josh from Braap Werx for the coaching and confidence boost (maybe next year you can get me on Michelin's again, drop 2 seconds ;) )

Ferrel Performance for the Pirelli stickies that lasted waaaaay longer than I thought they should.

Joe Tichy again for the tow in practice, guidance throughout the day, and help on bike setup.

Most of all, gotta thank my pops. Every race weekend helping me in the pits, bringing food, doing corner worker duty when needed. He helps make the weekend happen for everyone else (you try racing without corner workers...) but he makes the weekend happen for me the most. Thanks dad.

We finally earned a podium spot this weekend with a grid of more than 4 bikes, and did it while laying down consistently faster lap times. Couldn't be happier. Well, might be pretty happy for my fellow competitors that saw their own times improve to beat pr's, oooor might be pretty happy to have seen racer friends come back after a year's absence, oooor might be pretty happy for fellow riders getting the chance to put on their big boy pants and ride Moto America, but mostly I'm happiest to have finally EARNED the shiny things this time.

I love this sport.

09/20/2020

Saturday race report:

MWSB: 5th
MWGP: 6th
MWSS: 8th

Started the day around the 1:20's but finally set a 1:17 pr during the day. Still plenty of space to pick up time.

Took a shortcut in the bus stop during MWGP and still got 6th, so I got no complaints there!

Got a tow this morning to eyeball some new lines. Along with some suspension tuning, it should be an interesting Sunday!

07/27/2020

Does the last race of the day feel the most comfortable for anyone else? Still plenty if room to pick up time, but somehow managed to set a track PR by 8 seconds.

CCS/ASRA 600cc sportbike racing at Road America. Yamaha R6. 19 July 2020

07/26/2020

A weekend of learning during 8 races all crammed into 7:41 of highlights. Road America is hands down my favorite track, and a great place to reintroduce myself to the thunderdome of middleweight racing.

Favorite place to pass? The carousel. Being learned in for that long and making it stick faster than the other guy, priceless.

Favorite place to get passed? The front straight... couldn't figure out how to get a decent drive out of 14 and it cost me 9/10 times.

Highlights from Road America, Elkhart Lake WI from CCS/ASRA 18-19 July 2020. 08 Yamaha R6.

07/22/2020

What a fantastic weekend with CCS!

Enjoy my fastest lap around Road America and I'll hand you the details of yet another really interesting race weekend.

GPMW 7th
SBMW 14th
SSMW 9th (after 2 DQ'ed)
ASRA SB 4th (lost 3rd by a wheel)
GTU 8th
SSMW 14th
GPMW 7th
SBMW 8th

Being back in the middleweight meat grinder was a blast!

11/29/2019

Crashing in the dirt is so much nicer than crashing on asphalt.

Not crashing on either would be best, but that wouldn't be my style...

Highlights from the annual Texana Ranch trip.

05/19/2019

What an adventurous weekend!
1st, 2nd, and a 3rd place finish on the supermoto!
5th place finish on the R6.
No sleep, rain, sketchy track conditions, none of it was a match for consistently putting in work.

05/07/2019

Some great photos from Gerard Anton!