Annette Robb - A Hired Jockey Kicking Butt and Taking No Names
Patti Smith for 1Tail, Wednesday, October 31, 2007
California, USA - Annette Robb aka "Bumble Bee", mother of two, has now been officially racing for the past 2.5 years. She used to crewchief for an old boyfriend, for 5 years and decided to take the leap and jump into the rider’s seat. She loves the sport and the camaraderie that comes along with it. She feels it’s a “great community and wanted to be directly involved.” Now, it’s a serious passion and, Robb`s doing everything in her power to become an NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle rider.
When asked how many other women raced around her area, her reply was “about 6.” Why it was still a 1-digit number, especially in California, she stated, “Women seem more intimidated by the machines and the guys. They lack the self-confidence to participate more actively. There are a few women rider groups in our area, such as Plush Racing and NorCal Chic Riders, that were formed to get more ladies involved in the motorcycle community from a hands-on perspective. They have track days to show these potential new riders safe practices in a safe environment. When a woman feels safe the intimidation subsides. With local companies like Go Moto, which caters specifically to women riders, the level of interest and confidence is bound to skyrocket.
When asked how she specifically felt about her sport, Robb emphatically stated, “It`s sooooo much fun, I LOVE IT. Regardless of what you do for a living, everyone needs an escape from the day-to-day drudgery and, I found mine. There’s nothing else out there like this. It’s you, your machine and the environment and, for those 8 seconds, nothing else matters. I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT I CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS INDUSTRY.
How was her first run? “It was exhilarating. I was racing my old street bike – an ‘03 Kawa ZX6. Having crewed for such a long time, I had no fear whatsoever I felt REALLY comfortable. I’m extremely competitive, which pushes me to perform better. My first run was a 12.78, in the ¼ mile on a 636cc bike. Every time I went out, for the first couple of weeks after that, I cut a .10 off of my times – eventually, reaching a time of 10.75, at 131 mph. At that point, you really start to push yourself, your skills and your machine.” Unfortunately, in June of 2005, she pushed herself a little too hard and flipped her bike at the track but, her desire to succeed healed her wounds and mended her spirit and, when asked by the ER tech if she’d race again, her instant reply was, “absolutely!” She was off the track long enough to repair her bike and, a month later she was out racing and riding like nothing had happened.
Due to financial reasons, in October 2006, she had to get rid of her street bike and was without a motorcycle for about 9 months. As Luck would have it, this put her in a position to be a “hired jockey” for her friends Eddy and Paula Palmer of the NorCal Dragrace Association. As she explained, “Instead of being a lone racer, I had the opportunity to ride for one person – one team.” When the offer came, she had to ask, “Why me?” "The response that I received was `because I know you can do it`", but, even with such an amazing opportunity, I had to discuss it with my family. One has to understand and accept the reality that all racers face, which is that every time you line up we intentionally put ourselves in harm’s way. If anything should happen to me, it would affect my family, permanently, and that’s something they need to understand, too.” What do her kids think of their mom’s racing? “My son is fairly removed rom it. It’s not something that he actively participates in or has an opinion about. My daughter, on the other hand, is very involved and, actually, races, also. There is a saying in racing circles which states, ‘The families that race together stay together’, and we are no exception.”
For those uninformed about drag-racing and, interested, Annette points out some differences between street bikes and drag bikes. Street bikes, for the most part, are stock and street legal, whereas, most drag bikes are not. The variances in bike set-up largely depend on the type of racing you do – i.e., Street E.T., Pro E.T., Super Comp, Super Gas, etc. Almost every event you race will have it’s own set of rules designed to make the class fun and competitive for all. Know your machine, your set-up and always have fun!”
Her latest time and personal best-to-date is an 8.90, with a top speed of 149.5mph. Thus far, her best 60’ time has been 1.28 seconds. She is currently racing an ’86 Suzuki GSX-R with a 1340cc motor and 13.5:1 compression. “It’s like riding a rocket but sooo much fun, In fact, we’ve made that the team’s motto – ‘LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!” she stated, laughingly. Robb credits the owner of her ride, Eddy, for being a huge part of her success, to date. “He is a phenomenal teacher – always very good about telling me what the bike should do after we make tuning changes which, ultimately, helps us perform better.”
Recently, the team participated in a local event, The West Coast Motorcycle Challenge at the Sacramento Raceway. “We were very excited and optimistic. Essentially, going into this event, we were the underdog but we managed to rise through the ranks and take home 1st Place in the Super Comp Category. For those that are learning about drag racing – a Super Comp is an 8.90 time index, which means you have to run as close to 8.90, without breaking out. We had a lot of fun and walked away with the win. Now, that’s a great way to end the day!” she stated. “We are working very hard to put together a strong, competitive season for 2008, and plan on bringing home 1st Place, as frequently as possible!”
Annette Robb, Eddy and Paula Palmer, and NorCal Dragbike would like to thank their sponsors: AEC Cycle (Sacramento, CA), AERIS-West (Sacramento, CA), Pac-West Trailers, (North Highlands, CA) and Natinal Down Syndrome Coalition (Roseville, CA)
The team is currently seeking additional sponsors for the 2008 season. Annette may be reached at bumblebeezx@yahoo.com. To check out what she’s been up to, visit: NORCAL DRAGBIKE ASSOCIATION AT http://www.norcaldragbikes.com/, http://bumblebeezx.blogspot.com/ and at www.myspace.com/bumblebeezx.
To check it out at the source go to: http://www.1tail.com/sa/news/s/default.htm?g={0BB984A8-7A2A-49D4-B38C-564A53347581}
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