Virginia International Raceway
Danville, VA
From Chris Edwards, 2006
The Suzuki was about 100 yards in front now, the fast kink on the main
straight coming up, hang the right knee out a bit to help the bike turn, the
Yamaha doesn't want to change direction with such a huge gyroscopic wheel
effect at triple digit speed. The sound of the bike bounces back from the
Armco as you blast past the big tree at the kink, it sends a tingle down my
spine. Select 5th for a few seconds and then its hard on the brakes for turn
one. The bike doesn't seem to be slowing quickly enough as it squirms down
from an indicated 162mph, but around 80mph it starts to decelerate more
rapidly. My corner speed is still a little too fast and I drift a little
wide at the turn one apex,. although I did manage to get the bike into
second gear just prior to turn in. I'm now 30 yards closer to the Suzuki
and getting a good drive out of turn two. I've spent three years working on
my turn three corner entry speed and it pays off as I get another 20 yards
closer to the Suzuki as I drag my left knee for what seems an eternity.
Corner entry speed into the left hand turn 4, the slowest turn on the track,
is critical if a good line is to be achieved through turns 5 and 6. Coming
out of turn 3, I grab a big handle of throttle but I'm a gear to high, the
R1 still drives hard and I make up a little more ground before being hard on
the brakes for turn 4. Turn in as late as possible and sacrifice a little
entry speed for a better line through turn 5. The Suzuki drifts a little too
deep out of 4 and has to back off a little to get through turn 5. My
patience at turn 4 now has me making up serious ground between the right
hand sweeper between turns 5 and 6. I overdue it and the Suzuki gets a
better drive out of turn 6 but I'm still only 20 yards behind as we brake
hard for turn 7. I enter a little deeper and the forks seem to compress
fully at the transition of where the North course splits from the chute to
the South course. There are several lines into turn 7, I choose to turn in
late and cross the tip of the dark patch at the seam of the two tracks. With
the climb up to the apex of turn 7, the bike sheds serious speed putting all
the load on the front tire. As you crest the top of the turn 7 the back end
is light and the track, past the apex, goes a little off camber which can
cause the back end to break loose if you get greedy with the throttle on the
drive out. I'm now less than two bike lengths behind the Suzuki, the rider
in front sports the term "Limey" on his back. Knowing he is a fellow
countryman and buddy, the urge to pass becomes even more pressing and he
doesn't know I'm here. We drive past the left right kinks of turns 8 and 9,
on full throttle, up to my favorite left hand turn, on any track, turn 10. I'm
now right behind the Limey, planning to pass on the inside through turn 11,
my favorite right hander on this track, as quite a few folks tend to drift
wide allowing a tighter inside line pass. I know if I can't get him on the
inside through turn 11 I'll out brake him into turn 14c, but. his pace is
too fast through this section and a pass going into 14c might see us both in
the grass if he doesn't see me on the inside. Turn 14c drops down into a
fast set of downhill turns which again can be a good place to pass just
before the fast left hand turn 16 which leads immediately into the fast
right hand turn 17 bringing you onto the main start finish straight. The
Limey runs right out to the edge of the track driving out of turn 17a, onto
the main straight, which opens up the door for me to get a stronger drive by
standing the bike up and accelerating harder. I know it's important to be
slightly ahead going into the kink on the front straight and manage to get
enough of a lead as we pass the entrance to the pit lane. I hold a steady
line waiting for the drafting pass as we rush towards turn one. I take a
slightly inside defensive line as I brake as late as possible for turn one.
Again I run a little deep and wide but this gives me a better opportunity to
get a stonking drive through turn two and put some daylight between me and
the Limey. The rear tire bites hard and then suddenly the engine screams
past the red line as the rear wheel comes off the ground, pivoting up from
my solid footpeg. I'm sliding across the track onto the grass, I glance up
to see where I'm going and the Limey passes by my feet between me and my
bike on the grass. As the dust settles, I see the Limey ride back onto the
track. For a split second I wonder if I can pick the bike up and go in
pursuit, then its back to reality that I just laid one of my pride and joys
down. Well if I was going to bin it in front of anybody, it might as well be
a "Limey".