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March
19-20 WSMC
Another day where I should have stayed home instead of getting up
at 4am to go practice. It absolutely poured rain on Friday and we
did not get onto the track at all. I was exhausted from staying up late
prepping bodywork in the garage and then getting up far too early, so
by 10:30 am I was incapable of doing any bike work. Fortunately, we
bought our friend Jim Gominsky a big cedar filled doggie bed, since his
three dogs fight until bleeding over the two beds he has for
them. We have two for our dogs, and they love them. And now
I know why. Two hours later, I clambored out of the back of the van,
completely moth free.
We left the track to do some people watching in Lancaster. We saw
incredible displays of white trash culture in the mall: blinking Nascar
hats, belt buckle stands, pregnant 16 year olds, cheap plastic fashion
shoes from China, and of course, backlit paintings with water that
moved! We are getting one for our van. After our shopping spree, we
took our tire sponsor, California Race Services, to dinner and turned
in
early.
Saturday it rained off and on. I took the 250 out for one practice
session and of course, it
spewed oil all over my foot as usual. I took the 125 out for one
practice session to test the engine changes from last month, then went
to work figuring out the 250 problem. We changed the float jet
and assembly. It still leaked under pressure at high speeds. We changed
the countershaft seal as per Vince Rolleri, so after begging one of
Curtis Adams, it still leaked. We used three cans of contact cleaner
and decided to fix it in the morning.
Saturday night dinner was at Ramons Mexican restaurant as usual. We sat
next to a drunken table of racers who couldn't stay in their own
booth nor could they control themselves from throwing wadded napkins at
our table. We wish we could say we weren't used to such behavior or
treatment, but, alas...
Sunday was clear and windy. Windy by 8am at Willow Springs is never a
good sign. I took the 250 out again in warm up to check where the
leak was coming from and then let it sit to deal with later. I
got one slow practice session on the 125, then waited for the 250 race
which I ran on the 125.
I did decent enough at the beginning of the 250 race but the wind just
killed me. A couple of heavier, but slower, Aprilia 250s passed me on
the last lap in turn 8, the windiest and fastest turn on the track. I
didn't pass aggressively enough either, so I ended midpack somewhere in
a field of 20+ 250s. JM locked me in the car afterwards and
wouldn't let me talk to anyone before my 125 race. For some reason
this seems to work for me, although I always fight him on it at the
time. He's long suffering and patient and I don't deserve someone so
self-less helping me (at least that is what he says).
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Our 2005 stable: Spews, old Bessie,
and the Gorilla
Ed and JM work on my 250 in the rain. At one point I had 6 men
working on my bike, a couple of them on their knees. Whats not to
enjoy?
Pfeifer practices in the pits
"Help me Phil Kenobi,
you're my only hope"
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The
125GP race runs behind F2 and is now 8 laps long. I was second on the
grid and got a pretty crappy start along with the rest of the field,
due to the wind. I wheelied a couple times trying to get into the power
band off the start which hurt me even more but I managed to be
second into turn one behind Kevin Murray. Jay Pilster passed me
on lap two and then got by Kevin. Kevin drafted Jay down the front but
didn't get by him, and I tried to draft Kevin but pulled out of the
draft too soon and the wind really pushed me back. I got a great
drive out of turn nine on lap 3 and passed Kevin. Jay had gapped us a
little so I chased him down, but he held a good lead and I couldn't
pull him. At the beginning of the last lap, he slowed down and I
smelled blood. He sped back up through turns 4,5, 6 and 7, but
then slowed again through 8 and 9, so I passed him on the straight to
take the win.
After the races, JM recruited Ed Sorbo to help work on the leaky 250
while I packed up the van. I was ready to sell it at that point
and already had a 2001 Honda RS250 lined up to buy. Ed Yamabond between
the countershaft bushing and sprocket, and it worked - no more leaks!
Big and special thanks as always to Jerry at CA Race Services and
Bridestone tires, and extra big and special thanks to Ed Sorbo for his
help with the TZ250, tools
and contact cleaner. You da man, Ed
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Yes, it was that cold
John Parsons from Devon,
England came out to watch the racing at Willow. He raced a MZ 125
back in the day
My estrogen levels soared holding this little chick magnet
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