First off, I would like to give thanks to Ed Milich, Wayne Childs, Friends, Cretins Motorcycle Club, LA 2 Wheel Social Club, mostly The Alazzurra List and the Pantaheads Club for supporting my racing career. With out your support and help; I wouldn’t have been able to race at this weekend’s season opener.
Wayne and I took off Saturday morning toward Willow Springs, and showed up with a cold morning breeze. After registration, transponder registration, and tech, and getting some brand new Pirelli race tires; I took the bike out for a soft run in practice. We started to log tire psi before and after to try and get the tires to Pirelli’s recommended hot tire pressure readings to 32lbs in the front and 28lbs in the rear. We found that setting the tire pressure right after we got off the track the specified recommendations was the best way to achieve psi were tying set the tires too.
After a day of practice; we got the bike down to times in the 1.39, and even achieve a 1.389. We knew that there was some fast guys (three RZ 350’s) in our class and watched their practice times and felt like were closing in. I think the most important thing I was learning that day was where to shift and how to hold the rpm’s right at 8 grand. I also was having some issues with scrapping the foot pegs and pipe; therefore, I was working on different lines and riding styles to compensate with the scrapping effect. Haha
Saturday night, Wayne and I had a great dinner at a local Mexican place called “Golden Cantina” which was on a small air strip. After a couple of toasted Margaritas; we met up with a buddy, Elliot, who is a young Aeronautics engineer and works at Scale Composites which is in a town called Mojave 15 miles north of Rosamond.
Elliot took us to the Mojave airport and showed off his race plane that he built, and snuck us in to one of Scales Composites private hangers. We were amazed by a plane they are building that transports NASA’s shuttle up to high levels making it possible for it to travel into orbit.
Ok, Sunday morning, cold in the high 20’s, Wayne and I got there early because we knew that we would be in the 1st practice session; therefore, we wanted to be ready. I think we sat in the truck for a good 45 minutes, were it was warm, before we got out and started setting up. Even after setting up the canopy and getting the bike ready for tech; we still went back to the truck to warm up.
So I went out in practice one behind the yellow RZ 350; so that I could follow him, get used to his riding style, and see how fast he was. He and I diced a little, but without force with respects of it being practice and cold track conditions.
Into the next practice, I continued to dice with the RZ, passing him on different turns, and allowing him to take me as well. I followed him through the fast parts of the track to see if the Ducati could hang with the RZ on the top end. Just about the middle through 8 he would pull away, and I think that was because of my ongoing fear of turn 9 and the fact that the RZ is a light weight two stroke bike.
After the racer’s meeting we were stage in the 2nd wave of race 2 behind another 500cc class. I knew that the Ducati had more off the line torque than the three RZ’s I was line up with; therefore, my strategy was to try and pass the class ahead us before turn one. By doing this, I thought I could pull away from the RZ since they would have to battle traffic around turn two. Well, that wasn’t the case. For some reason the flag guy decided to stand right in front of me instead of behind me with the 3 wave. Well, everyone took off except me and another bike behind me. All three RZ were half way down the straight away before I decided to say screw it I’m going after them. I now know that I should have just sat there so that they would have had to meat ball the three RZ’s for taking off even though it was the flag guys fault for standing there. I took off with a upset frame of mind because I knew that I had no chance of winning this thing since the RZ’s had such a huge lead. I didn’t know what position I was; therefore, I just hauled ass trying to catch them the leaders passing the 500cc class racers that was in my way. I passed the third place RZ finally after a few laps and then came onto the second one which seemed to be having some engine issues. I pass him coming out one and around two, and he held on my ass all the way through the omega and finally passed me around 8. I tucked down the straight and railed into one again and made another pass. Stuck the bike right just over 8 grand and pulled away. Blasting into turn 3 shifting down only one gear instead of 2 like previous times to hold the momentum. I never saw that racer again, but I think he may have had some engine issues and pulled off the track eventually. I could see the yellow RZ in the distance, and thought that traffic may slow him down. Well, I never did catch Jim on the yellow RZ, but I did follow him off the track to his pits to wish him well. I asked him what happened on the line, but his he didn’t know. He did say that he was hoping that I would be up there with him to race, and I respond with saying “there’s next month”. J
Haha
I had now idea what place I got until the results were posted. We got a second place along with a nice trophy. I was very excited even though we didn’t win. 2nd place against 3 RZ’s and a late start was quit an accomplishment.
I learned a lot about the bike and the track this weekend. Before next month, I want to put on higher rear sets, and Ed thinks he knows how to get hp from 55 to 65. Ed thinks there might be an ignition problem, and he has a lightened flywheel to install. I would also like to put on a louder and higher muffler, but that might have to wait. I also had some issues with visibility with the blue wind screen; therefore, I might buy a clear one.
I also met a young racer who was racing a brand new Ducati 848 sponsored by Ducati of Santa Barbara named Carlin Dunne. He complimented the Cagiva’s paint job, and said that he knew Cook Nielson pretty well. He said that his dad raced with Cook, and even raced a Cagiva/ Alazzurra in the 80’s. He passed on his card, and he asked to send some pics of the bike. His card says he works for Ducati; therefore, maybe there is a possible sponsor. Haha
Thanks again to all that helped make this a great race weekend. Until next month,
Rick Carmody aka “Highside”
#394 1986 Ducati Cagiva/Alluzzurra/Pantah
Name still undecided. Haha J
Wayne and I took off Saturday morning toward Willow Springs, and showed up with a cold morning breeze. After registration, transponder registration, and tech, and getting some brand new Pirelli race tires; I took the bike out for a soft run in practice. We started to log tire psi before and after to try and get the tires to Pirelli’s recommended hot tire pressure readings to 32lbs in the front and 28lbs in the rear. We found that setting the tire pressure right after we got off the track the specified recommendations was the best way to achieve psi were tying set the tires too.
After a day of practice; we got the bike down to times in the 1.39, and even achieve a 1.389. We knew that there was some fast guys (three RZ 350’s) in our class and watched their practice times and felt like were closing in. I think the most important thing I was learning that day was where to shift and how to hold the rpm’s right at 8 grand. I also was having some issues with scrapping the foot pegs and pipe; therefore, I was working on different lines and riding styles to compensate with the scrapping effect. Haha
Saturday night, Wayne and I had a great dinner at a local Mexican place called “Golden Cantina” which was on a small air strip. After a couple of toasted Margaritas; we met up with a buddy, Elliot, who is a young Aeronautics engineer and works at Scale Composites which is in a town called Mojave 15 miles north of Rosamond.
Elliot took us to the Mojave airport and showed off his race plane that he built, and snuck us in to one of Scales Composites private hangers. We were amazed by a plane they are building that transports NASA’s shuttle up to high levels making it possible for it to travel into orbit.
Ok, Sunday morning, cold in the high 20’s, Wayne and I got there early because we knew that we would be in the 1st practice session; therefore, we wanted to be ready. I think we sat in the truck for a good 45 minutes, were it was warm, before we got out and started setting up. Even after setting up the canopy and getting the bike ready for tech; we still went back to the truck to warm up.
So I went out in practice one behind the yellow RZ 350; so that I could follow him, get used to his riding style, and see how fast he was. He and I diced a little, but without force with respects of it being practice and cold track conditions.
Into the next practice, I continued to dice with the RZ, passing him on different turns, and allowing him to take me as well. I followed him through the fast parts of the track to see if the Ducati could hang with the RZ on the top end. Just about the middle through 8 he would pull away, and I think that was because of my ongoing fear of turn 9 and the fact that the RZ is a light weight two stroke bike.
After the racer’s meeting we were stage in the 2nd wave of race 2 behind another 500cc class. I knew that the Ducati had more off the line torque than the three RZ’s I was line up with; therefore, my strategy was to try and pass the class ahead us before turn one. By doing this, I thought I could pull away from the RZ since they would have to battle traffic around turn two. Well, that wasn’t the case. For some reason the flag guy decided to stand right in front of me instead of behind me with the 3 wave. Well, everyone took off except me and another bike behind me. All three RZ were half way down the straight away before I decided to say screw it I’m going after them. I now know that I should have just sat there so that they would have had to meat ball the three RZ’s for taking off even though it was the flag guys fault for standing there. I took off with a upset frame of mind because I knew that I had no chance of winning this thing since the RZ’s had such a huge lead. I didn’t know what position I was; therefore, I just hauled ass trying to catch them the leaders passing the 500cc class racers that was in my way. I passed the third place RZ finally after a few laps and then came onto the second one which seemed to be having some engine issues. I pass him coming out one and around two, and he held on my ass all the way through the omega and finally passed me around 8. I tucked down the straight and railed into one again and made another pass. Stuck the bike right just over 8 grand and pulled away. Blasting into turn 3 shifting down only one gear instead of 2 like previous times to hold the momentum. I never saw that racer again, but I think he may have had some engine issues and pulled off the track eventually. I could see the yellow RZ in the distance, and thought that traffic may slow him down. Well, I never did catch Jim on the yellow RZ, but I did follow him off the track to his pits to wish him well. I asked him what happened on the line, but his he didn’t know. He did say that he was hoping that I would be up there with him to race, and I respond with saying “there’s next month”. J
Haha
I had now idea what place I got until the results were posted. We got a second place along with a nice trophy. I was very excited even though we didn’t win. 2nd place against 3 RZ’s and a late start was quit an accomplishment.
I learned a lot about the bike and the track this weekend. Before next month, I want to put on higher rear sets, and Ed thinks he knows how to get hp from 55 to 65. Ed thinks there might be an ignition problem, and he has a lightened flywheel to install. I would also like to put on a louder and higher muffler, but that might have to wait. I also had some issues with visibility with the blue wind screen; therefore, I might buy a clear one.
I also met a young racer who was racing a brand new Ducati 848 sponsored by Ducati of Santa Barbara named Carlin Dunne. He complimented the Cagiva’s paint job, and said that he knew Cook Nielson pretty well. He said that his dad raced with Cook, and even raced a Cagiva/ Alazzurra in the 80’s. He passed on his card, and he asked to send some pics of the bike. His card says he works for Ducati; therefore, maybe there is a possible sponsor. Haha
Thanks again to all that helped make this a great race weekend. Until next month,
Rick Carmody aka “Highside”
#394 1986 Ducati Cagiva/Alluzzurra/Pantah
Name still undecided. Haha J
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