Pittsburgh Internationa Race Complex: June 15-17, 2018

Pittsburgh International Race Complex:

June 15-17, 2018,

N2 Racing/WERA Endurance

Pic 1: New livery on the #3MR ZX6.

With some big life changes and a move in the future, the N2/WERA 4 hour endurance race at Pittsburgh will be my last race in the US for a few years. Ironically, 3 Marines Racing was formed 2 years ago at this very track, so it’s great to be able to help the team here. We have had more than our fair share of issues at this track the last couple of years for the endurance races, so #3MR was looking for some redemption.

ETR crew started the journey to PIRC early on Thursday with a scooter, some gear, car seats, and kids in the truck. This trip was substantially lighter than any other trip we’ve made to the track, which felt really strange. We arrived around 3pm and were the first ones through the gate around 430pm. Since we weren’t able to secure power before the weekend, we wanted to be sure to get the whole team set up together, so we scurried to the paddock when they let us through and claimed as much space as we could.

Pic 2: Travelling light!

Pic 3: First ones in the paddock!

On Friday, the team took turns taking the #3MR ZX6R out for practice. We changed tire brands this year from Pirelli to Dunlop, so we knew there’d be some setup changes to be made. Since I didn’t have my own bike here, I also took out Tim’s 636 when Tim took the team bike out for practice. I hadn’t ridden since the GNF last year, so I needed as much seat time as I could get to loosen up on a bike.

Pic 4: Wheelie out of T2 in practice. Photo by Marty Matuszak.

After a day of practice with almost no issues on the track, the team was ready for the race on Saturday. We sat down Friday evening before dinner to go over strategy and practice pit stops. Things went pretty smoothly for once, so we called it a day early and grabbed dinner. After dinner, John got everyone’s attention, which never leads to anything good. He made a really nice speech about how much Denise and I meant to the team and presented me with a flag he had made as a parting gift. We have a lot of fun at each other’s expense, but in all seriousness, being a part of this team has been one of the most rewarding experiences I could have ever asked for. When Randy Chabot asked me to ride with them for the first N2/WERA endurance race, I thought it could be really fun. I was right about that, but I could have never known the kind of friendships that would be cultivated because of it.

Pic 5: John handing me the awesome flag he had made.

Saturday was race day. The weather was warming up, you could tell early that it was going to be hotter than Friday, but it still looked like a clear day for some close racing. We decided our strategy from past races was working fine, so Tim would go out to take the green flag.

Pic 6: Tim rolling out for the start on some fresh Dunlops. Photo by Marty Matuszak.

We started on the 3rd row, but right away off the start, Tim was running up in 5th place, turning laps right beside Scott Covington from Mi Scusi. Tim’s first stint put us in a great spot, as he had us up in 3rd place overall and 1st in Mediumweight by the time he came in on lap 35. Tim would have the fastest lap for #3MR on lap 11 with a 1:49.4, and no fewer than 10 laps in the 49’s. Tim did what we have come to expect, he rode fast and consistent for over an hour.

Pic 7: Start of the race! Photo by Marty Matuszak.

After Tim came in for fuel, I jumped on the bike for my hour stint. From lap 36 when I got on the bike all the way until lap 68 when I got off, we stayed in 3rd overall and 1st in class. I ran a handful of 51’s on a bike that was developing some of the worst shaking I had ever felt on a race bike, which I was certainly happy with since my fastest time during the endurance last year was in the 52’s. During the 2 hours it was mounted, the rear tire had spun 180 degrees from where it started on the rim. When it started, the bike was nice and stable, but as the tire rotated around the rim, the shake got worse and worse as the tire got out of balance. Even though I was only on the bike for about an hour, it felt like an eternity due to the shaking. With that said, although the tire spun on the rim, it stuck great the entire time I was on the bike.

Pic 8: Taking the #3MR ZX6 through the bowl. Photo by Marty Matuszak.

After I pitted in, the crew filled the bike with fuel and changed the tire, which fixed all of the shaking for Will’s stint. We dropped to 4th overall during our 28 second pit stop, but Will got that spot right back after about 3 laps. Will ran about 18 laps before the first red flag came out due to a crash. After 20 minutes or so, Will went back out to finish his hour on the bike. Will lost a spot in the overall on the restart because one of the heavyweights we were in front of got a great start, but he maintained our Mediumweight lead. After 15 or so laps, the red flag came out again, which ended the race and gave us our victory in Mediumweight. Unfortunately, John never even got his chance to ride this time around due to the red flags.

Pic 9: How the chips fell on the last red flag.

This was a pretty emotional win for us since this is kind of the birth place of #3MR. We had valve stem issues our first year, and last year was a disaster with the transmission taking a dump on our practice day, forcing us to ride a bike only 1 rider had even ridden prior to the race and finishing 6th in class. There’s a little redemption with this win, but it’s more than that. We’ve gone from a team of misfits that had no clue, to a serious contender on any given race day. My only regret is that Randy wasn’t there to see it. On second thought, though, I’m sure he had front row seats.

I can’t thank this team enough for everything, it has been an absolute pleasure to be a part of this team from the beginning. To John specifically, thank you for the unbelievably thoughtful gift and being a true brother.

Pic 10: #3MR riders at the end of the race.

Pic 11: The podium, Mi Scusi in 3rd, Bobblehead Moto in 2nd, and #3MR in 1st.

Pic 12: L to R: Mi Scusi, #3MR, and Bobblehead.

Since I didn’t have a bike to race on Sunday, I got to watch the rest of the #3MR crew kick some tail in their races. John won his V8 Heavyweight race by a mile. Will put down the fastest lap of the weekend for the team with a 1:48.0, I can’t express how proud I am of him and how he’s progressed. Tim and Will both had great races, a couple of which were with each other. Everyone on #3MR that raced on Sunday came home with a podium finish.

Thank you to all of my sponsors. Shoei Helmets, thanks for the peace of mind. Knowing my head is in the best helmet on the market gives me one less thing to worry about while on the track. Sidi Boots and Motonation, same goes for you. The Mag-1’s are so light and comfortable, yet so rigid and solid where they need to be. PopShadow Decals keeps my bike looking amazing. BD Racing and Vesrah brake pads are the absolute best in the industry. BD Racing has the best customer service and tons of knowledge about the pads they sell, and Vesrah pads just don’t quit. We use nothing but Vesrah pads on the endurance bike because they do their job with no fuss and no fade. Sportbike Leather Service took my beat up suit at the end of the year and made it look brand new. Dan is a miracle worker and I’m so proud to have such a great guy on our team. Sportbike Tire Service is full of racing info. For our endurance racing, I want to thank Dunlop for the race winning tires. Sharkskinz Racing Bodies are #1 when it comes to ease of mounting and durability of race bodies. Vortex Racing is last, but certainly not least. Their products are top notch race products for a very reasonable price. Best of all, their customer service is fantastic.