Over 700 entries? Wow. A good problem to have for sure, but one that still needs to be addressed.

For example, Group 4 practice included motards and SOS-2 (450 singles and up), open 2 stroke (RG Gamma's TZ750's, modern tz250's), and BOT 3, 2, and 1 (SV650's through 2 valve Ducati's to 4 valve open class Ducati's). The speed differential was unbelievable. AHRMA accomodated me by allowing me to move my motard to Group 3, so I could practice the SV650 in Group 4. That certainly helped (1) even out number of riders, and (2) speed differential. But, the tremendous speed differential is a bad accident just waiting to happen.

An example was Race 7. BOT-2 in the first wave along with SOS, and Open 2 stroke and motard behind in the second wave. Shane Turrpin and Brad Phillips on their 2 valve Ducati's were hauling the mail - open class times and speeds. Likewise, the Open 2 strokes - Joe P on his formula machine (BTW, a nice piece of kit, Joe) and the Gamma's and TZ's were blisteringly fast. Those bikes had no business being on track with the motards. Pushed as fast as possible, there was still a 15 sec per lap differential. And starting the motards behind the Open 2 stroke was a questionable decision. Both days I (even with my patented bad starts) came through and around smokers at the start who were gridded ahead of me. It is simply far easier to launch a big dirt bike single than it is an open 2 stroke. Of course, they came back by, quickly, not to be seen again until the closing laps, when they blew past. I simply think a bit of tweaking to the race arrangement could greatly assist safety.

Race 7 Sunday was also a 3 red flag affair. Sighting lap, followed by a start and a crash in T2. Return and wait for clean up. Sighting lap no. 2, grid up, and 1st wave starts with a crash on the starting line. We all pull off and wait for clean up. Sighting lap no. 3, grid up. 1st wave gets away successfully. 2d wave gets away successfully. At the end of lap 1, I'm the third motard on the former Pikes Peak XR650R (stock motor, long gearing, built suspension, but a tad soft for road racing). I see an XR650R ahead of me and I recall the day before when I let my skirt get in my way and that bike inexorably pulled away from me. Not today I say to myself. I roll through T1, gas it up the hill to T2, back shift and settle in for the long T2 ride. I always tell myself a lot of folks crash in T2 because it is a slow corner with varying attitudes that folks simply try to go too fast through. With the motard, it is slightly too tall to have your knee on the deck and too low to get a foot out - you're cranked over, balanced in no man's land. As I begin to leave T2 heading down the hill, I pick up the gas slightly to get as good a drive as possible on the XR ahead of me. The front end washed suddenly and completely without any warning whatsoever. Given the balance-in-noman's-land, there was no hope of saving it on a knee, etc. I was down and sliding thinking "you dumass mo' fo' . . . ." Less than a second later I was hit by a beautiful RG 500 Gamma that was passing at a pretty good clip around the outside unbeknownst to me. His front wheel impacted my left side ribs and kidney at a pretty good clip (he had nowhere to go - a 6'-2" object was suddenly on the ground in front of him). It hurt. A lot. I continued to slide, while poor, innocent RG pilot and bike were launched.

I eventually slid to a stop. I knew my ribs were broken and breathing was a problem. The RG rider came over to check on me (thank you) while simultaneously trying to get the corner worker to put the fire on his bike out. His beautiful RG eventually burned up. I was loaded up in the ambulance and returned to my pit moving slowly and gingerly with the ribs in multiple pieces and the bruised kidney.

Many thanks to the unselfish, caring, concerned and wonderful folks who attened to me, packed my trailer and bikes, and drove me back to ATL. It is time and experiences like that which reaffirm what a truly special group of folks - band of brothers if you will - racers are. Among those I owe special thanks to are Ron Raven and his friend Dan Gillespie, David Matthews, Stu Carter, and the MSP Cycles Racing crew: Rodd Burr, Brian Iler, Mike____, and Gunny (Juan Santana). They packed my trailer, hooked it up to the truck, and Gunny drove me back to ATL where he proceeded to unload and unhitch the rig. I'd have been lost (in Alabam' no less!) without the help and I am deeply indebted to all for the kindness, unselfish assistance and help. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Oh yeah, and thanks to the stranger that gave me the 2 500 mg hydrocodene's . . . they made all the difference in the world getting back to ATL.

I am emabarassed and chagrined that I screwed up the RG pilot's race, his bike and his weekend. I cannot apologize enough for getting in his way in such a stupid fashion. My crash was due to a combination of factors: Even tho' I was careful in picking up the throttle, I did it too soon, in a bad spot, in a precarious situation, on shitty tires (I'll never use Shinko slicks again), after multiple starts, stops, cooling tires, etc. If you're going to get in a hurry, do it in a smarter way. Barber T2 is not the place ion a crowded race with big speed differentials.

I'll be OK - the ribs will heal, as always, slowly. And as you can see from the time of this post, it is difficult to sleep through the night right now. But, if this is as bad as it gets, I'm OK. I'm very fortunate, and a large portion of that fortune is attributable to the great racing community we enjoy. Thanks again to all, and apologies to those I adversely affected.

Cheers,