AMA Superbike Championship, Laguna Seca

[motorrad]

I enjoyed a fun weekend at Laguna Seca race track to work and watch the AMA Superbike, Supersport, Superstock, and Formula Extreme championship racing. The weather in Monterey was absolutely perfect at the track, temps in the upper 70's, with clear skies on Saturday for qualifying, and a slight sea breeze on Sunday. Really good time with lighter crowds than GP, getting up close to the bikes in the paddock, umbrella girls, and watching from open viewpoints. My camera for the weekend was a small Optio, so I could not zoom in for bikes on the track very well. Mostly my pics are from around the paddock and lakebed areas.

The real excitement of the weekend was only three points separated point's leader Mat Mladin from the reigning champ and teammate Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies. Spies had qualified on pole with a new lap record of 1:23.105, pushing Mladin back to second position on Row 1 and racking up an additional point to bring the gap between them down to just two scant points. I will not post the result in case others have recorded and anticipate seeing the outcome. All I will say is it was one of the most awesome races I have seen, great drama, great racing. The earlier Superstock and Supersport races were marred by a few red flags, some serious.

Was great visiting and hanging out at the track with John (M0t0-ryder). My work location was at turn 5 near the Lakebed. Thoroughly enjoyed the weekend.

Here are some pics from the weekend.

[Scarman]

Great pics Tom.... Although I didn't see any Umbrella Girls in any of them.

[m0t0-ryder]

It was a great weekend of racing.
It was also nice to see Tom again as he so graciously offered up a place for me to stay Saturday evening.
Even BBQ'ing burgers Saturday eve and cooking breakfast Sunday morning!
Then he lead a Sunday morning loop ride out Carmel Valley Road to Cachagua Rd (a very fun, very twisty & goaty road) which ends on Tassajara Rd where as left takes you back onto Carmel Valley Rd. Then it was back to Laureles Grade Rd and LAguna Seca South entrance.
Great hospitality!
Thanks Tom.

I had a blast of a weekend!


However I did stop once for directions in Seaside and got the stone cold treatment from this citizen...


After Saturdays events and before heading to Tom's place I went to the western most part of Monterey's Ocean View Blvd/Sunset Dr for this wonderful sunset pic...

Originally Posted by Scarman

Great pics Tom.... Although I didn't see any Umbrella Girls in any of them.

Umbrella's?
OK!







Here's a pretty cool shot taken under the foot bridge of a rider leaning into the somewhat blind turn 1.


Thanks again Tom!

[Bluesjammer]

John, That sunset photo is spectactular!!!!!!!! How many blondes does it take to hold the umbrella??? Not complaining, just wondering.
Bluesjammer

[Strega 51]

Tom, watched the races on the tele, some great racing from the TV looked like a very small attendence, in the 600 supersport race a banner and sandbag blew onto track surface and was hit by some riders

[m0t0-ryder]

Originally Posted by Strega 51

Tom, watched the races on the tele, some great racing from the TV looked like a very small attendence, in the 600 supersport race a banner and sandbag blew onto track surface and was hit by some riders

I remember the announcers commenting on that (over the track PA) when it happened. Guy said that a banner has blown onto the track but it caused no problems. Then he came back on and said... "Well, it was hit by some riders but it didn't cause a crash."
Not sure where on the track it occured tho.

The attendance was somewhat light.
(I won't even go into comparing it with MotoGP attendance)
I saw no crowding on any bridge... which was kinda nice.
It made it pretty easy to get around adn to get good vantage points.

I was able to walk right up to the fence at the corkscrew for pictures.
Got the opening and second lap on digicam video.
Maybe I should figure out how to post it.

[Strega 51]

John, staying over at Tom's for Laguna with a little eats, drinks, and a little riding thrown in is some of the best..

[torags]

Beautiful sunset.pic... Thanks for posting.

[motorrad]

Originally Posted by m0t0-ryder

Then a Sunday morning loop ride out Carmel Valley Road to Cachagua Rd (a very fun, very twisty & goaty road) which ends on Tassajara Rd where as left takes you back onto Carmel Valley Rd. Then it was back to Laureles Grade Rd and Laguna Seca South entrance.

Hey John, really enjoyed the weekend at the track, visiting over BBQ, watching ski porn, and the morning ride on one of my favorite close to home loops. Good times.

Originally Posted by Strega 51

Tom, watched the races on the tele, some great racing from the TV looked like a very small attendence, in the 600 supersport race a banner and sandbag blew onto track surface and was hit by some riders

Hi Phil, I was working near turn 5 and saw the banner incident (plus others). The wind was fairly light, think a few earlier off track excursions coming out of this turn or response crew may have loosened the banner a bit. Scary. Was a great Superbike championship race for sure.

[bosozoku]

Originally Posted by Bluesjammer

John...How many blondes does it take to hold the umbrella??? Not complaining, just wondering.
Bluesjammer

It all depends on which blonde we're talking about- the platinum blonde in this group can do it with magic.