When: Aug 30, 2003
Where: NHIS

Friday 8/29
My engine melted itself at Mosport for no apparent reason, so I spent all week building my new '00 spec engine.  I finished getting it together by Wed night, so I had a full day of work figuring out jetting on Saturday.  I left work Fri and made it through traffic, stopped at the food store and got to the track in time to do my registration.  Exciting, eh?

Saturday 8/30
Since Frank and I went out Fri eve and stayed out late, I wasn't all that awake first thing in the morning.  I put in some generic jetting and went out to break in the new engine.  First practice was slow, but that's OK.  Second practice was more in line with my normal practice times, and I managed to get a plug chop in to see that I was pretty close to where I needed to be for jetting.  the new engine is completely different.. has a different power delivery than the '96 powerplant.

GP Singles
I had a so-so start.  The new engine has less torque, so I think the days of riding wheelies off the start line are over :D.  I went into T1 in the clump but managed to pick up a bunch of positions into T3.  I battled a bit with Bob Demetrius, and we had fun swapping spots.  I managed to pull off 4th place and a few low 1:23 lap times.  Worth 9 points.

LWGP
Went into T1 near the back of the pack.. I just don't stand a chance against the SV650s off the line.  After a lap or so, I came up on a big clump of riders coming out of the bowl.  As I was trying to figure out how to weed between them, the pack came up on someone with tire problems going into T9.  Everyone checked up to see what was going to happen, but I managed to keep the throttle open and went around the whole pack of them on the outside.  I think I managed to pass 5 or so in one quick motion.   Turu was sandbagging behind me for a while and we caught up to an SV650.  I tried to get him on the outside of T11, but couldn't make the pass stick.  I had to get on the brakes hard to avoid hitting him, which completely blew my drive out of T12.   Turu got me coming out onto the straightaway and made quick work of the SV650 in the next lap.  After getting right on the SVs tail out of T10, I pulled off the pass on the outside of T11.  I expected him to pass me back on the straight, but he didn't.  I held the spot for 9th place with a best lap in the high 1:22s.

Since I had to go to Jersey for a wedding on sun night, I left the track after everything was packed.  A fun weekend!