Springfield TT

Springfield TT was the first race of the weekend and I was determined to take it one step at a time with qualifying the first line of business. Last year at Springfield was my first race with my new mechanic Rich Hanson and we figured out the set up just a session to late on qualifying for the 32 rider cut. This year at Springfield there were even more riders then last year with just about 70 riders showing up to try and make the cut. First session I went out I was 48th. I felt ok, but I was struggling off of the short track turn and I couldn’t get the bike where I wanted it to go. We made some changes, but I felt like we went the wrong way on the track. I was fighting the bike even more now and I couldn’t get through really any of the turns and it was just an animal to ride. So my dad came over to the pits and Rich and him put their heads together to come up with a plan. They made some huge changes that we like to call radical because when I am fighting the bike like this its either going to work or its going to be even worse. I went out in the last session and rode as hard as I could. The first turn it was like a miracle for me, the bike was doing anything and everything for me. I could turn and stop on the track where ever I wanted to. I came off the session happy and amazed at how hard I was fighting the bike before and how much easier the track was to ride. I ended the session in 30th. When the times were all combined I ended up missing the cut landing in 36th and I was only .1 out of qualifying. It was really hard for me to take because I fought all the way back up and fell that short of making it. After the main event I compared my times and I was running same times as some of the riders that even made the main event. Overall I was pleased at how close I was to everyone’s time in the end because TT’s are defiantly a road block in the schedule for me right now.

Springfield Mile

Springfield Mile was the next day and I was ready for revenge. I had third group on the track and was scheduled to go out on the track right in front of last year’s winner. The first session and the second session I went out and left last year’s winner Mike Toon ahead of me to try and chase him. His bike was a rocket ship on the straightway and I was happy to be sticking with him because of the draft. In the turns however I felt like he was holding me back and I didn’t have the motor to draft by him in the straightway. After being 16th and 20th in the first two sessions, I was bumming. So my mechanic told me to go out in the back and get away from Toon and that’s exactly what I did. I went out and put down sixth overall times and had a front row start for the heat. In the heat race I got an awesome start and just tried to put in some smooth fast laps and not lose the lead draft. I finished third in my heat behind Jeffrey Carver and Mikey Avila. Next up was the main event. I knew the main was going to be just as crazy as last year because at Springfield anyone can win with the draft. I got the holeshot, but I quickly was getting shuffled all around with the draft. This year we were running a good six feet or more up from the guard rail and I really couldn’t get traction off of the turns running that line. Riders were also bouncy off each other and the wall, which lead onto a really good show for the fans, but a scary race for all of the riders. I finished the race in 9th. I was a happy with how I was running because anywhere from at least 12th on forward could have won the race if they got the draft right. Next up is Gas City, Indiana.

-Shayna Texter