Howdy,
On Wed, 20 Dec 2000, Jeff Cawthorne wrote:
> I think I will go out on a limb and say I have one of the wildest wrecks.
:-) Yeah, you definately are in the lead in my book.
I, on the other hand, have had some of the wierdest wrecks.
Probably the most predictable:
'97 We were late getting everthing ready and I drove to Road Atlanta with
the bodywork for my '94 RS125 handing by wires in the back of the van to
dry (ventilation was pretty important for that trip). Morning practice on
Friday, I did one lap keeping it under 10k to break the new top end in and
was nearing the end of my second break in lap. Saw my teammate up ahead
and decided to wick it up a bit coming up to the bridge after the gravity
cavity. Of course, the last place on the track to get any temperature /
dry off the morning dew was under the bridge. The bike never even tried
to turn, instant lowside and the bike & I were tumbling into the haybales.
Only fairing piece that wasn't damaged was the front fender. You shoulda
seen my buddies face when I came back from that trip and showed him the
bodywork he'd spent a day on... :-)
Probably the most "red haze induced":
'94 Nelson Ledges. I was 2nd in the season points on an FZR400 running up
a class in Formula 2 behind a buddy with a TZ250. He'd wrecked earlier in
the day and if I won the race and finished second to him in the remaining
couple races, I'd beat him for the season. Only problem was a guy also on
an FZR400 who was fast, but at his first event at Nelson. He jumped me at
the start and we went around the track never more than 10' apart at any
time. I was faster but couldn't get by. On the 2nd to last lap, I
'decided' to turn off my brain and try to outbrake him going into
lefthander 12 despite knowing he was better on the brakes than me. I got
my front wheel up to perhaps his leg before realizing this wasn't gonna
work, but by that point we were already tipping the bikes in and his rear
wheel came across my front. I was launched I dunno how far into the air
(good enough that I got a pretty big cheer when I was able to get back
up... :-), bike endo'd etc. Just a blatently stupid move. The bike was
gone by the time I got my wind back and was able to get up and I went back
to pits prepared to see a wreck. Only damage was some scuffs on the
tailsection. The bike apparently endo'd and came down on the tail
section, slowed down, and then gently flopped over in the grass. I, on
the other hand, re-seperated my shoulder and busted a rib :-)
Finally the most embarrassing crash:
'94 on the FZR again. I needed to scuff some slicks on Sunday before my
race and wheedled my way into going out in front of the Rider's School
Mock Race warm up lap. I was going 80%, just feeling things out. Going
into the carosal (long bumpy righthander) the bike just flopped down onto
its side and we slid off the track. Crashing on the warm up lap is bad
enough, but crashing on the warm up lap of the _rider's school race_ was
worse. I _still_ get teased about that one! :-) (it turned out the
steering damper had failed, btw.)
Mark
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