AFM Race Report - Infineon Raceway
- August 12/13, 2006

written October 9, 2006
Click on pictures for full size image

Bad Crash at Trackday

	My Flattened Bike
	Yes, brought off track in a backhoe
	Who is the real 926? © 2004 Gary Rather Photography
	Mark chasing down Richard Moore (766) © 2004 Gary Rather Photography

What a bad week. On Monday, my VFR was destroyed in an accident teaching at Thunderhill. A student high sided in front of me. Unable to evade his bike, I ran into it and flipped over the handle bars. Two other bikes were involved, one falling in the fork oil from our bikes, and the other going off track trying to avoid us. It was the worst non-injury accident I've been involved in, and the first time I have ever flown through the air due to a crash. Everyone walked away from the crash, but the bikes didn't fair so well.

The pictures tell the story. Yes, they brought the red Honda in off the track in a backhoe. My front wheel went into the V between the other bike's forks and engine. It broke the forks off his bike between the upper and lower triple clamps, and for my own bike, the wheel was smashed up into the engine, breaking one fork, and bending the other. My wheel and brake discs were destroyed, and my engine was punctured.

After the crash, my two concerns were, would I be able to ride a motorcycle for the up coming AFM race (4 days away), and would I be able to get a bike. Thankfully, both worked out. By Friday, I was walking reasonably well, and the ankle and toe injuries didn't hamper my ability to ride that much. Also, thanks to my pit mate, Mark Elrod, I had a bike to race.

The Races

For 450 Superbike, I raced Mark's RVF400 Production, a 400cc bike with a somewhat anemic engine. I have won every 450 Superbike race this year, but today's race would be a challenge, both because Mark would give good chase on his 450, but also because Richard Moore decided to come race today. Richard runs a well built FZR450, and he's a darn good rider too. The only way I would win was if I got a good hole shot and gapped Mark and Richard immediately.

It almost worked. Richard (#766) passed me on the last lap on the straight from turn 6 to turn 7, and as you can see in the picture to the right, Mark wasn't far behind. Mark is riding the white 926, and I'm on the black 926. Richard won, I got 2nd, and Mark was 3rd., brining my win streak to an end.

The week's pain wasn't over though. Later that afternoon, I  crashed my GSXR1000 in Open GP. The GSXR ran on it's side for 30 seconds, starving for oil. It still runs, but I decided to rebuilt the engine to make sure the bearings are OK rather than risk spinning a crank bearing and destroy the motor. So, I'm done with the GSXR for this season.