Racing mirrors life

What a weekend it was. Round 4 of the ECTA's Speed Trials at Maxton, NC featured the Super Streetbike Magazine, Super Streetbike Shootout. Motorcycles from all over gathered to chase the numerous class titles. It was a weekend full of complications and adversity. Much like life itself. Highs and lows that you must decide how to deal with. They can crush you, or you can attack them with all you have to give.

The elements were not favorable as the air was very heavy. "Swamp Air" we call it. Couple that with a strong head wind and the conditions for big speeds are not there. The speeds were down for the weekend. For us in the normally aspirated class we are stuck with the air that is there. The nitrous guys can make their own atmosphere.

We lead off with a run of 174 mph. A full 7 mph slower than our best at Maxton. It put us on the board and in the lead of the 650cc class. We followed up with a 175 pass, but ran into trouble as we hit the traps. The drive chain broke and wedged into the rear sprocket carrier, momentarily locking the rear wheel. The wheel broke loose and locked again after the bike was slowed down. What a ride that was. From class leader to an almost catastrophic failure and damage to the new $2,000 rear wheel. We are also on the sideline needing repairs. We were loosing data as the weather was changing and we were sitting, not running and logging data. We could have let it beat us, but we attacked the problem. We repaired what we could. We put the stock wheel on and got back into the fight. We didn't go any faster on Saturday, but we logged data for the tune of the bike. We pushed hard. We learned on each pass. We founds a different line to run.

Just as in life, you have no control of the hand you are dealt. You can control how you play it, how you view what is happening. You control whether you fight or fold. We choose to fight. We chose to live, not exist and fall in line.

Sunday the air was better, but the wind much stronger. A new fuel map had our tune much closer to where it should be, but the wind had our speed down to 170. We continued to make adjustments and continued to make gains. We found a loose throttle grip that would let the throttle slip from 100% wide open. The bike picked up to 173. We adjusted fuel again and we were back to 174. Things were looking better and the confidence was rising. The next run and we were on a good one. The front wheel picked up in 1st through 4th gear. As we shifted into 5th the kill switch lanyard unplugged shutting off the engine. 159 through the traps. Frustrated and angry, we turned the emotions into determination. We hurried back into line pulling our 250 from it's spot in line. The next run was the Shootout winner. A 176.222 pass into a 10-12 mph head wind. An easy 182 without the wind. We were there, where we should be. We simply refused to loose. We did not let ourselves get down, nor did we ever let the thought of not winning enter our minds.

Racing, like life is full of the highest highs and the lowest of lows. Racing, in so many ways has shaped how I live. Life hits me and all of us very hard at times. It knocks us down and will keep us there, if we allow it. I, like everyone here at TLN Motorsports/Ace Performance, choose to get back up and attack, Attack ATTACK!!! You can't win if you are not in the game. You can't win by allowing circumstances to dictate to you. Take charge of how you react, of how you view what is happening. When things get hard, don't shy away. Stay into the fight and fight with all you have.

TLN Motorsports/Ace Performance is the 2009 Super Streetbike 650cc Class Champion. We have the normally aspirated 650cc Class track record on the Maxton mile at 181.712 mph. We have the normally aspirated 650cc & 750cc Class track record on the Loring 1.5 mile in Limestone, ME at 190.118 mph. That is the fastest normally aspirated 650cc Class run in the world. Take what is given to you, or take it and make something good happen. The choice is yours. While we may not always win, we will always be in the fight.