Formula USA 2002
Round 1 - TWA Dome, St. Louis
Weerrrreeee baaaack... That's right! It's that time again where the adrenalin junkies get together and rub plastic. Round 1 of Clear Channel Entertainment's ProQuads (formerly PACE and then SFX) was held January 13, at the TWA Dome in St. Louis. After a direct flight, as opposed to a non-stop flight, from California to St Louis (don't get me started on the flight), we settled in to the Marriott hotel in downtown St. Louis with a million dollar view of the Arch. It was fantastic to see this national monument in person. I was not aware (dummy me) that the Arch was made out of stainless steel. It positively glows.
Friday morning ib Racing was the first team into the pits. ib Racing? ib Racing is the brainchild of Derek Adams and Dana Creech. As most of you are aware, Dana chose to step away from Team Nacs Racing this year. Derek and Dana had become close friends over the past season and both had similar interests, beyond the continual practical jokes they play on each other and any other hapless victim that wanders into their web. Derek had raced for a number of years and dreamed of organizing a top notch race team. He had just finished at Motorcycle Mechanic Institute in Arizona and was interested in putting his education to work. Dana and Derek simply clicked from the start. In fact Derek's parents, Jim and Kim, and I have discussed this on a number of occasions. It is kind of scary how alike the guys are. Oh, and one other minor detail, Dana is dating a very special lady, Jamie Adams (Derek's sister). The Adams Family (no relation to the TV show), and the Creech Camp decided that between our two families we could put together a stellar program to campaign the 2002 series. Both the Colorado based Adams, and the California based Creechs went into high gear prepping for this first race. No member of our family was spared work detail. At the races we decided that we would be the best pit crew with everyone contributing their own special skills to make the program work, including Kim, Jamie and Carli (Dana's sister), as well as both Dads, Jim and Skip.
Dana and Derek's choice this year was to step up with some serious power. Specifically the choice was the YZF 426 powered TC Racing tuned Laeger for racing and a 330cc LRD Laeger for freestyle. The race engine has been tuned by Tom Carlson of TC Racing; the freestyle engine is tuned by Arlan Lehman of LRD Performance; suspension by Wayne Mooradian of PEP; all Hinson Racing components; AC Racing customized nerf bars, bumpers, and many other little specialty items; white Fullbore plastic; HiPer Technology's 2002 carbon fiber wheels; RPM's titanium axles, anti-fade nuts, and wheel hubs; Motion Pro cables and components; Braking USA rotors; K& N Engineering performance air filters; Rath Racing sway bars; ITP tires; Outerwears shock covers and air-cleaner covers; Clarke tanks; Tag T1000 handle bars; TM Designworks customized chain sliders, rollers, and other specialty items; Pro Design kill switches and gear shifts; Quad Tech carbon fiber radiator shrouds, nose cones and customized seat covers; Sentry Siren powdercoated the Laeger frames with all chrome or polished aluminum components; and a customized graphics kit designed by Derek Adams for ib Racing. The bikes are show quality to say the least.
Ok you say, enough about a pretty bike. Does it work? Are you kidding??? This thing is incredible. After a minor set back, a broken tie-rod before practice even started, ib's program went off without a hitch. Friday night, track officials needed a couple of riders to test the track and see what modifications if any needed to happen. Tim Farr, Zac Willett and Dana (on a MX bike - not a TT set-up) went out and slung dirt for a hour or so to see what was working and what wasn't. The big dilemma was where to put the start. No matter where the start would be, it would be serious speed into turn one and faster into turn two. The track consisted of a big sweeper along 2/3 of the floor of the TWA Dome, with a low double jump dead center of the floor. A switchback after the doubles led to the option area. The option was either a high speed heavily banked corner, or a table top with a hard left switchback. The option emptied out to the start area and back into the high speed sweeper. At first, the option seemed best to take the outside banked corner. This proved true for nearly every race unless there was some kind of a backup in the corner.
Saturday morning practice was brand new for Dana. He was riding the YZF for the first time with a total TT set up. Brian Mader, tech support-hauler driver-and tire groover extraordinaire, had spent hours cutting the Hoosier tires so that the best grip possible would happen. Evidently Brian did a good job, and Dana was 'on' because Dana went out to pull three consecutive holeshots for the evening (in TT!). Most of you know that TT is a brand new thing for the Creech family. Dana had no experience with TT before the 2000 nationals.
Greg Little blew his engine in practice and was done for the day until Jim Adams offered one of the back-up bikes for Greg to use. The only hitch was that it would take a near miracle to set it up and change a swingarm before Greg's heat race. Luckily the ib crew stepped in and went into high gear for our friend. Greg made his heat with seconds to spare.
The nearly 50 riders signed up to take a chance on winning a spot in the main event were broken down into 6 qualifying heats. The top riders from the 2001 series were given their separate qualifying heats. It was like Class Reunion time for many of the riders. Jimmy Elza made it back into the swing of things after a persistent back ache from the 2001 SFX series haunted him all through the SFX and National series. Jeremy Schell is once again a factor to consider on his brand new Cannondale. Tim Farr led the first heat, Kory Ellis led the second, and Dana had the third qualifier. Johnny Hale, Josh Frederick, and Greg Little also headed a qualifying heat race. The top two riders from each qualifier would advance to the main, and the top four riders from the LCQ would advance. I didn't take extensive notes on who was in what heat, but I can tell you honestly I would not have wanted to be in qualifier one. Dana's qualifier included Jason Dunkelberger, Keith Little, and Zac Willett. Definitely a fast heat. Dana took the holeshot and proceeded to literally cruise away from the pack to snag the checkers. In fact, it turned out that Dana and Kory's qualifiers tied with fast moto times of 2:52:00. Tim Farr's came in a fraction of a second behind at 2:52:13. Tim, Kory, and Dana all comfortably won their qualifier. Johnny Hale had a nasty get off in his qualifier forcing him to go to the LCQ. Every qualifier was a hard fought battle, but none more than Johnny Hale's. Johnny wiped out on the first corner (hard I might add - see pics here: 1, 2,3, 4, 5,6, 7). But Hale didn't take a bad start and accept it. He hop/limped over to his quad with the now bent axle and handlebars; kicked it over and turned on the gas. Johnny very nearly qualified in this race by the end. Nice ride Johnny, even Grandpa thought so. Although Greg Little took the holeshot in his qualifier, he and Nate Leverenz also had mechanicals that doomed them to join Hale in the LCQ. I would like to mention one interesting rider at this event. Julie LeMay and I were trying to decide who this rider in blue pants was. The rider was very fast and neither of us recognized the rider. It turns out that the rider was Bethany Clayton, who is a very talented young woman. Bethany narrowly missed making the main event finishing 5th in her LCQ. At least Bethany finished the heat, Jared Cochran didn't fare as well.
The pit party was a great time for us. We had the opportunity to connect with people that we hadn't seen for a long time, including John Forman (Banshee9) and his girlfriend Jamie (hmmmm.... coincidence with the g/f names or what?), Kyle Strepp (akquad) and his girlfriend Lori, Justin (justin310R) and Bob to name a few. Actually Kyle did a great job of crashing the pits. Pretty fast talking for a guy to get into the pits at these things. Security is very, very tight and I for one am impressed at how he managed to get in. The St Louis fans were awesome. We met some great people and the neatest kids you ever want to see (here are some of the kids we got to chill with during the pit party 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8. It was a big event for Carli was when Brian Steele and his camp let her play around in the mini-Gravedigger in the pits.
Saturday night heat races were set up with Tim, on his Mark Baldwin tuned YZF, and Kory, on his Cannondale from John Burr Motorcycle, in the first heat and Dana in the second heat, all looking for first choice on the starting line in the main event. TT racing has a lot to do with starting position. Last year we didn't start but one or two TTs in the GNC in any row besides the third row. Dana took the holeshot in his heat and ended up turning fast time for the night. This put him in pole position for the main event; right next to Tim Farr. Julie LeMay (Tim's fiancee) and I were on the track documenting every move of the race and let me tell you, we were both biting our nails. Prior to the main event there was a great pyrotechnic show with the top five riders being introduced on the table top and nearly 50,000 fans screaming while fireworks blew around them. Miss Monster Madness-St Louis, turned out to be our own Melissa Gary who was drafted for the event. Her brother Chris Gary was one of the competitors for the evening. Melissa told me that I should take pictures of her beginning and ending reign as a trophy girl. She vows that it will never happen again. Good job Melissa.
While waiting for the main event, many of the riders took their starting positions for the foot race. Fooled you! Actually they passed the time watching the Monster Trucks abuse the track. Just before the main, Jimmy White called the competitors over for a meeting. They had slightly changed the option to encourage more riders to use it. A pole that marked the edge of the option had been removed. Jimmy said it might be a faster line now, but no one had had a chance to try it so it was an unknown. Main event time was nerve wracking. The first start found Greg Little taking a very hard hit along with another rider who I couldn't identify (see the pics here: 1,2, 3,4). Track officials had to restart the race since Greg was still laying in the middle of the track when the pack came back around with a mere 22 seconds after his face met the dirt. Greg rung his bell pretty hard and had some shoulder pain but expects to be back in action by Round 5 in Atlanta. At first glance Ben Bettis had the holeshot with the first start. But the powers that be determined that while Ben's head was working at exact time, his reflexes were a split second ahead of the clock. With the restart track officials, Jimmy and Cary, sent Ben to the back row (a TT rule) with the restart. If the race had not have been restarted, the rule was that anyone who jumped the line would be penalized at least two positions in the final outcome.
The second start of the main found Dana with a holeshot. Tim Farr was in second with Kory Ellis just ahead of the pack into turn one. Near the end of lap two, Kory Ellis took the newly changed option and made up over four bike lengths on Tim Farr. Tim saw this happen and took the option near the end of the fourth lap and passed Dana. Since Dana was out front he didn't know what Kory had done to catch up, but he was fighting mad when Tim got around him. When I think of Tim Farr, I always think of a professional who is always cool, calm and collected. He did something in the middle of the big sweeper that I had never seen Tim do: he turned around to see who was pushing him around the corner. Dana was glued to his bumper and Kory Ellis was right behind. All three riders turned on the power and went for it. My poor old heart nearly gave way a couple of times over the next two laps. I know I took pictures because they showed up when I had my film developed, but I honestly don't remember it. I was so nervous. Kory took the option one more time after Tim got around Dana and Dana took the banked corner. Dana held off Kory for the next lap until Kory once again took the option and got around Dana. Kory settled into second place and Dana slid into third. Now that Dana knew how they were making up all that time, he started taking the option, but absolutely could not find a way around Kory. He held his line tight so that there would be no way anyone could dive underneath him. His line was so tight in fact that he took out one of the boxes that represented hay bales. Unfortunately,Jimmy White had left his clipboard on top of the box and it literally rained papers for the rest of the race. After the race was over, Dana cruised over to either make fun of Jimmy picking up the pieces or apologize for making such a mess. In the end, Tim, Kory and Dana took podium finishes. Keith Little and Josh Starrett rounded out the top five. After a quick interview with TNN and trophy presentation from Miss Monster Madness Melissa Gary, the champagne war began. Poor Tim didn't have a chance since the other four guys had theirs first while Tim was being interviewed and had their bottles well primed and ready for Tim. Tim's mom was on hand to give her son a big hug for his hard work.
Dana's bike had taken a thrashing from Tim at the beginning of the race, but Dana gave it back to Tim. The top five bikes went into impound to make sure all were legal. While the bikes were in impound we celebrated! We celebrated the birth of a new team, a great pit crew and the beginning of what we feel is going to be a time to remember from all involved.
That's it for now. Be safe, play hard and call your Mom.
Mom.
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