June 28 - Cobb Wins 2 At Road Atlanta

We finally found the time to drive up to AB1 Motorsports in NC, and pick up a race bike. Team owner Aaron Brown thought it would be best to save the Aprilia SXV 550 for the GNF, so we loaded up a 450 and drove back home the following day.

After spending most of the next week getting the bike prepped, my wife and I headed to Road Atlanta for the WERA regional races Sunday morning. The Road A Summer races are usually really hot and this year was no exception, with highs fore casted in the mid 90's. We only get one round of practice on Sunday mornings because of the observed quiet time (county ordnance) so we needed to have everything ready, which we did. Practice went well and after 20 minuets I brought the bike back to the pits. The gearing was slightly tall so I went 1 tooth bigger on the rear sprocket. I also lowered the front end 7mm to help the bike turn in.

I had 2 races on the schedule and felt I had a pretty good chance of doing well in both. The 450 would be down on power compared to some of the 650s, but I figured I could make up some time on the brakes. Not having any points put me on the last row, and with the races being only 6 laps, I wouldn't have time to mess around.

For the 1st race, D Superbike, I got a decent start, clicked off 2nd gear, and saw a bike ahead that had stalled on the grid. Swerving to my right, I then passed 4 bikes up the inside going into turn 1. By lap 3, I caught the leader and made the pass for the lead going into turn 3. He then re passed me down the back straight, overshot turn 10a, but kept it upright through the grass. By the time he got back on the track, I had enough of a gap to hold onto for the win.

For the next race, I was once again on the last row. The same guy I had battled with in the 1st race was back on row 1 aboard his Honda Hawk 650. I again got a clean start, and was 3rd by turn 4, moving up to 2nd place by the end of lap one. The guy on the 650 was up ahead by 20 bike lengths or so, and I just kept reeling him in little by little. On lap 5, I  finally passed him when he checked up for a lapper going into turn 6. He of course re passed me again down the back straight, but ran it slightly wide in 10a, killing his drive up out of 10b. I stuck it back up the inside of him going into the new turn 12, and lead the start of the white flag lap. There was another lapper heading into turn 1, and the guy on the 650 tried to go up the inside of both of us, but didn't quite make it stick, losing the front and crashing out in the process.

Back in the pits, my friend Sam showed me a picture from his iphone of the crash. Turned out the guy was not hurt, just a little frustrated, but hey, That's racing!

See you at the track.

Ted "Cannonball" Cobb