When: Sep 24 - 26, 2004
Where: VIR

Wednesday 9/22
Dane showed up around 7pm, we loaded the trailer and headed south.  we did the traditional stop at Rein's deli in Vernon CT and drove until we hit Scranton.  We found a cheap motel and quit for the night.

Thursday 9/23
The cockroaches got us up around 6:30am, we had some breakfast and continued the drive.  We got to the track after fighting traffic around Baltimore and D.C. around 6:30pm.  We hooked up with Deb and Thomas and planned out the pit area.  We parked the trailer, unloaded and went off to dinner.  Steve and Sean had just gotten to the track when we got back and we unloaded that trailer and set up shop.

Friday 9/24
First practice was on the 125 and it was slow.  Dane lowsided on his third lap in turn 5 and took an ambulance ride to the hospital.  I tried to get the 250 running, but to no avail.  I ended up practicing on the 125 while the 250 sat the day out.   It turned out to be that the battery needed charging.  After practice was over, we checked on Dane.  3 broken ribs, a cracked scapula and a small lung puncture.  He had to stay in the hospital to make sure his lung was OK, so we went to visit him, then had dinner.

Saturday 9/25
I had put the 250 battery on the charger, so it was ready to go for first practice.   Unfortunately, I neglected to re-jet the bike, and it seized on the brakes into Turn 1 as I was clicking down through 4th gear.  I managed to get it slowed down and hit the grass at a slow speed.  I pushed the bike to the side, then rode the crash truck back.  Since 250 and 125 practice were back to back, I missed 125 practice.   I spent the rest of the morning putting a new piston in the bottom cylinder, and Steve helped me pull the transmission apart to fix a bearing retainer that was backing out.  A million thanks to him and Sean for all their help wrenching.

Qualifying
I took the 125 out for qualifying and was running 2 seconds off my pace.  I gridded 29th out of 48 riders.  For 250 qualifying, I took both bikes out.  First, I took the 125 and then I took the 250.  Unfortunately, I forgot to switch the transponder over, so my 125 time stood, which put me at 26th out of 38 people.  The 250 was running fine, but I wasn't yet comfortable on it at VIR.

In evening, I went and picked up Dane from the hospital.  We grabbed a bite to eat on the way back, then hung out with some people and went to bed.

Sunday 9/26
I didn't take the 250 out for practice, as I didn't want to have to re-jet it, and the 125 race was first (plus I didn't think the laps were going to do me any good).   I took out the 125, but couldn't really get it (or the tires) warm, so I took it easy.

125 GP
I had an average start.  Nothing too special.  The first 3 turns were pretty packed in and it made for some elbow to elbow riding.  Exciting, to say the least!   We had a red flag during the first lap, so we pulled in.  On the restart, I had a horrible start.  I put my head down to catch up with the pack I should have been running with, but after the first couple laps, the bike started having troubles.   It was sputtering above 12k rpm, so I had to short shift it down the straights, and had little to no power out of the corners.  I went down quite a few positions, but managed to get the bike over the line and hold 30th spot.  I was very disappointed, as I know I was capable of finishing in the top 15.

250GP
I got a bad start, but we got red flagged on the first lap.  I pulled in and Steve helped me out in the pits.  We got back out for the restart, and I got a better jump off the line.  We got another red flag on the first lap, so it was back to pit road again.  The third time I got a much better start and powered through the crowd towards T1.  I spent the first 4 or 5 laps as practice, trying to figure out braking markers, turn-in points etc since I had little to no seat time on the 250 at VIR.  I put my head down and worked on one corner at a time, trying to be smooth and feeling out the power on the bike.  Sometime before the halfway flag I caught up to a group of five riders that were all moving the about the same speed, but a tad slower than me. One by one I passed them all.  I put a lone rider behind me as well, and ended up going a lap down on the white flag lap.  I came across the finish line to friends cheering me on (Deb, Thomas, Dane, Steve) and placed 11th. 

We went to the USGPRU and Can-Am125gp championship presentations, collected my $100 for the 250 race, and then packed up to head home.  This was the last national for the season, so we said our good-byes to everyone and hit the road.

Special thanks go out to Steve Scott and Sean Wray, for helping me get the 250 up and running.  Also, a get well to Dane, who vows to come back to VIR next year and slay the T5 dragon.