Bumble Bee Racing

Miss to Mrs.

2011-09-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

It has been far too long since I have been on here and no apology would ever make it right. So I will simply swallow my pride and apologize. Life has been a whirlwind for us over the past two years. Sara is now on the road to being a grown-up; moving out and living life independently. I got married to my best friend and continued my education prowess' as a student at the University of Phoenix. We continue to make efforts to remain involved in the racing world, by building our bike and slowly building on this little business of ours (Bumble Bee Motorsports).

Till next time ladies and gents!!! I will update with more information in the coming weeks!

Interviews

2010-09-28T16:21:00.001-07:00

Do you recall your first "real" interview? Well, I can't either really, but I do remember my first job. Who forgets there first job... even if it's fast food, it's an epic time in your life! I mention all this because my daughter (Sara) is interviewing as I type this. She is nervous and is recognizing that it's a competitive job market. She really is perfect for the position she is interviewing for; retail in a very teen popular store! When I went on my first interview, I aced the job (as the cliche goes... "in the bag"). Wow, the job market has changed, now there are tens of hundreds or even thousands of over-qualified people competing for one under-paid position. I am thankful to have a job...in every sense of the word. Just wish it were enough to live on...

Keep your fingers crossed for my daughter! Till next time... LIVE LOVE LAUGH!!! -AB

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.0

Bee in the News...

2009-09-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

Check out the article on dragbike.com (to see included photos) @ http://www.dragbike.com/dbnews/anmviewer.asp?a=5198&z=3. Huge thanks to my friend Paul Cavanaugh for writing the article about me and my company! :)

______________________________________________________________________________

Flight of the Bumble Bee
Tuesday, September 08, 2009 By Paul Cavanaugh

Flight of the Bumble Bee
By Paul Cavanaugh

I do not know how many of you have heard “Flight of the Bumble Bee” by Rimsky-Korsakov, to be quite frank, it completely drives me crazy.
Fortunately, this article has nothing to do with it.

What it does have to do with is a woman by the name of Annette Rob who I met through www.sponsorhouse.com back in 2005 when I first started racing and was trying to find sponsors. Annette had also newly started racing and was on the website doing the very same thing. Sponsorhouse is sort of a social networking site where racers of all types try to find sponsorship. You can have friends much like Facebook and all of us drag racers have a tendency to find each other like magnets.

The Bee learns to fly.
Annette learned to ride on a dirtbike as a child under the tutelage of her father. As she got older Annette learned to ride on the street with a friend’s early model GSXR1100 and finally bought her own 2005 Kawasaki ZX636R where she had her first taste of drag racing at Sacramento Raceway in California.

She managed to do well ET racing getting the bike to run 10.75s. Then she had a slight mishap, which resulted in her waking up under the timing tower answering a bunch of trivia questions like, “What is your name?” “What is the date?” “Who is the President?” “Where do you live?” Admittedly, Annette told me she did not answer the questions very well so the paramedics awarded her a trip to the hospital for losing their quiz show.

It took a few months after the “looptie off the line loop” incident to get back in the swing of things. As time passed she got back to the 10.7 range again only to have to sell the bike for financial reasons.

A friend had been bugging her to ride his wheelie bar drag bike and Annette asked him if he realized she had wrecked her own once on the track. He did not seem to mind and told her to give it a shot. At first Annette was a bit apprehensive about letting the clutch go, wheelie bars or not and her first runs were in the blistering 14 second range (The blisters were on her feet from pushing the bike down the ¼.). Three months later she became comfortable and started knocking out 8.80’s.

She entered in S/C at the NHRA West Coast Motorcycle Challenge and was running all over the board from 11’s to 9’s while somehow managing to make it to the finals. The bike she had to race looked like a Pro Stock bike and she feared the worst. Annette said the run felt good but nothing spectacular stood out about it. At the track she was racing you do not know whether you won or lost until you get your ticket, a white one for a win, a yellow for a loss. When the lady at the ticket booth gave her the white one and congratulated her, Annette thought the lady had made a mistake. It turns out Annette had run an 8.904 for the win.

The owner of this bike had run into financial issues of his own and sold the bike. This left Annette without a ride again. Next, it turns out the company she was working for had financial issues of its own and downsized Annette out the door in October of 08.

4 months and 220 applications later Annette had not one interview for a job and started seriously questioning her ability to be hired. She had been to job fairs where 7 employers would show up to hire and there would be anywhere from 300 to 1,500 people there trying to get these jobs.

Annette did some soul searching and thought about the things she was talented at; marketing, and the things she liked to do; motorcycle racing. Putting them together she came up with www.bumblebeemotorsports.com.

While Annette’s dream is to pick up a Pro Stock ride, for now she is content enjoying herself at the track using her creativity to market her fellow racers.

Now that is something to buzz about.

See ya on the track!

Highly recommended... from my family to yours!

2009-08-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

Now everyone has done the family photography sessions at JCPenney's or Sears or even maybe the Portrait People or something like that, right? And typically that is where we have taken our family photos. However, I am beyond delighted to share with you a recent experience I've had with an amazing photography company.

BMG Image is a very professional, personable and trustworthy company. Its hard to find a photographer that not only makes you feel comfortable but someone who you know has your best interest at heart! BMG Image is that someone... they are very attentive to your concerns and help you flourish in your images. Brett and Kathryn Gardenhire are beyond amazing people, I just love them. I could sit here and tell you a 100 reasons why they are amazing, the truth is their work simply speaks for itself!

Check them out and consider them if you need some photography services, whether those needs are family or professional! Check out the images below to get a taste of just some of their work...

I wouldnt trust just anyone to photograph my only Mother Daughter photos, I trust and love our photographer, BMG Image. And so should you!

CLIENT APPRECIATION

2009-07-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

I'm certain many companies enjoy the people they work with, but I get absolutely giddy when I can do or create something for one of my clients that they not only like but love. This appreciation is not only because my clients are all amazing at what they do, but they are genuinely great people!

I am very excited to have Sullivan Racing as a new client. Kalifornia Katie has been making history not only in her own right, but in NHRA. Katie has had a whirlwind year, including graduating from high school, attempting to qualify at Atlanta for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, taking runner-up at Dragbike Challenge/MDRA, qualifying and winning a round against her childhood hero, Karen Stoffer, at United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago, and attempting to qualify at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver all within the last 75 days. Now I don't know about you, but my last 75 days was no where near as busy or fun! We have been discussing ideas and tools to assist Katie in her quest to obtain sponsors and fulfill her goal of racing NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle full time. Out of those discussions came a sponsor packet, autograph cards, a website and T-Shirts (coming shortly).

For those of you who personally know Katie, you know she is a very dedicated and determined racer. Her heart is into the sport and her passion is just one of the things that fuels her to succeed. For those of you who do not know her, trust that the somewhat reserved happy girl you hear about or see at the track is more than just a petite sweet woman, she is a fierce competitor who will eat you up on the lights if you fail to be on your game in the slightest fraction. This is her dream and nothing will stand in her way.

So as the next week quickly comes upon on, join us at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals in Sonoma, July 24-26. And when Katie Sullivan "Kalifornia Katie" comes up to the staging lanes on her Pro Stock Motorcycle, put your hands together and root for her! If you can't make it to the races or just want to visit with her, stop by her new home on the world wide web at www.kaliforniakatie.com or on Twitter @KatiePSM745.

As the year progresses, Bumble Bee Motorsports will be attending more races, taking more photos and continuing to build relationships with the great competitors and companies involved in our sport/industry. If there is anything we can do for you, please let us know. Or if you have any questions or comments, we are always available. Visit us at http://www.bumblebeemotorsports.com/ or call me at 916-670-4349.

Special thanks to all my clients: Greg Means of Means Racing, PTS Xtreme Transmissions, Fields Performance, Portagee Racing, Modern OG Collective, Dragbike Promotions, Mike "Dragbike Mike" Scott and MMA.

It's been awhile...

2009-06-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

Well it's been awhile and I feel like my days run into my nights lately! Sorry for the long delay... They say for every opportunity that you exhaust that being open and flexible will bring new opportunity. Right? Anyway... things did not pan out with MDRA, I got to meet and know some great racers and I am thankful for that - in addition to the experience. But MDRA is a struggling organization and they still have a lot to learn about the sport. I wish them the best of luck if for no other reason than for us West Coast racers to have another place to lay down some rubber.

However, as a racer and business person... I can see how the line can get blurred. But in this sport it is extremely important for that line to be defined...to be CLEAR! Racers put a lot of money and time into a sport that they know will not show them the financial return. We do this because we LOVE it... it really is that simple! It is hard for a person who does not drag race to always think from a racers perspective and yes, I understand that there are times when thinking like a racer will not be beneficial. But it is critical to any race organization to be in the trenches and know the language... to walk the walk not just talk the talk. Having love and respect for your racers is a great start, but it is so much more than that! In the end... say what you mean and mean what you say!

But on to bigger and better things... I have a continued opportunity to work with Big Charlie again for the remainder of the 2009 season and to look at options for the 2010 season. The most important thing to me is to continue to stay involved in drag racing on multiple levels, because this is what I LOVE! I am fortunate enough that my family is always right there beside me!

In between all this craziness, a good friend of ours (you may have heard of her - Katie Sullivan) made the field at the NHRA Chicago race and made it past first round against Karen Stoffer. Miss Kalifornia Katie, she's had a whirlwind month, from winning runner-up at the MDRA May 31st race to graduating from High School to making another hit at the big times with Pro Stock Motorcycle all at the tender age of 18. I have so much pride and excitement for what she has achieved, it gives me goose bumps and she's not even my daughter. I have a lot of respect Katie and her family. Her father Charlie, is by far one of my favorite people. He's always so positive and fun loving! I will continue to root for Miss Katie and I look forward to seeing her obtain sponsorship and make a name for herself! MUCH LOVE and RESPECT!

If you haven't been by my website lately, check it out (www.bumblebeemotorsports.com). Drop by and leave us a comment, we'd love to hear from you or better yet help you out with your marketing needs!

Till next time...BEE safe!
BB

Ready...Set...LAUNCH

2009-04-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

Check me out...

MDRA Lost Wages Jackpot Race | Las Vegas, NV April 18-19, 2009

2009-04-21T18:09:00.001-07:00

LOST WAGES JACKPOT RACE MDRA April 18, 2009

What a great weekend, loonngg but great! We took off Friday for our weekend in sin city. Cuda, Big Rob hauled Joey's bike to the track (thanks guys), so he rode with them; while Sara and I drove my car. Its always fun to take a road trip, especially to a city you've never raced in! We've heard great things about the Vegas track and presume it to be everything everyone has stated. Besides it has to be awesome... the big boys were just there on April 5th.

The drive was boring but some parts were pretty! Despite its remote location Tehachapi is actually pretty. Sara: Te-Hay-Chapi (LOL...You're awesome)! Anway, it was a decent drive but we were all very happy to get to Vegas! Once we all got settled we headed to dinner and then went to do a little site seeing, as this was Sara's first trip to Vegas (not just the airport).

We arrived at the Las Vegas Strip about 7am on Saturday and it was cold. The wind was blowing and it did not feel anything close to Las Vegas weather! But the morning warmed up quickly! It was time to buckle down, test the track and endure the wind and sun! All of which we were elated to do. The track was everything everyone has said about it, awesome track prep, phenomenal traction and yes even the head wind we've heard about more then a few times! We had a great turn out, somewhere close to 70 bikes!

Joey shown above... Think he's happy to be racing in Vegas??? No way!

Big Rob below on a qualifying pass...

Joey on a qualifying pass...

Another qualifying pass...

We qualified number 1 (nice place to be) in Super Bike and paired against Racer Steve in first round eliminations on Sunday! We were excited and ready for another great day of racing!

Due to some unprofessional drama by another competitor, Cuda's class was eliminated Saturday. However, he was able to join the ranks of FUNNYBIKE to compete for the event. Now that has a nice ring, right... FUNNYBIKE MIKE!!! I like it! Mike is always spectacular to watch, always provides such showmanship and skill! Can't wait to see him race his street tire bike against the 12" tire/wheelie bar bikes tomorrow!

LOST WAGES JACKPOT RACE MDRA April 19, 2009 ELIMINATIONS

Big Rob paired againt Thad in first round eliminations and won! WooHoo Rob!

In the finals, Rob paired against Daryl Wiltz and unfortunately backed out of the beam and the official DQ'd him.

No your eyes are not decieving you, that is Mike Fields, Sr. paired up against Roy Sears in the Funnybike class.

Just a little rump difference! ;) Time to get down to business...

Cuda takes the win against Roy Sears and due to a racer experiencing mechanical failure, Cuda earns a bye into the Funnybike semi-finals. Unfortunately, the run against Sears also hurt his motor. Next round, Cuda knows his motor is not going to make a full run without full detonation so he chooses to stage and breaks the beams. Yet another racer experiences mechanical failure and this earns Cuda runner-up place in the Funnybike class!

We paired against Racer Steve in First Round eliminations and we took the win, which put us into the finals for Super Bike.

Finals paired us against Wil Kimbrough... and for the first time... WE TOOK HOME THE WIN!

We wrapped up our winning trip to Vegas with a quick bite to eat and then headed home! WooHoo, JOE FARIA winner winner of the Lost Wages SUPER BIKE class!

Launching a new website for my first client...

2009-02-25T18:12:00.000-08:00

www.portageeracing.com

Check it out...

Started out sunny...

2009-02-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

The week started and ended with a prayer to the "sun" gods, we wanted to test the new clutch set-up and of course break-in our new tire. So when today rolled around, we were excited to see the sun as we opened our sleepy eyes. We loaded the truck and headed off to the track. Not many cars or bikes out when we got there, in fact, no one really showed up till about noon or a bit after. So we settled in for a nice "anxious" wait... and hoped that they would do some track prep.

As the morning inched along, a few more bikes showed up. Including one of my favorite racers, Katie Sullivan. Recently, she's been a topic of discussion on dragbike.com/mdra. Some months back she purchased a look alike Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Her and Charlie (her father), attended Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School in Florida awhile ago. Their goal today was to obtain three passes under 7.90 in order for Katie to get her Pro Stock Motorcycle License. Honestly, I can't think of any other female that I would love to see get picked up in Pro Stock [except me, of course ;)]. Overall, they are working hard to try and get everything complete so Katie can play with the big boys and girls at Gator Nationals just a few weeks away. So I was very anxious to see her make some passes. Unfortunately, the conditions were marginal (at best) for what she needed. Plus they are still working out some bugs with a new motor as well as Katie getting used to the bike. Overall, I think she did great and can't wait to see her rock NHRA.

Katie wasn't the only one facing challenges today... so were we. It just wasn't coming all together. Our 60' times were off, our E.T. was off, our MPH was off, overall, the day was off. We didn't have traction problems, although the track is down to concrete in both lanes.

Time to bring in the fat tire cars...only they were slim today. But this one caught our attention, what a beautiful race car!

We LOVE it when Joe comes out, he's such a great person! After we were done fiddling around, we let Joe take his shot at the track with no promises of a good return for his time. He was happy to just not be pushing, towing or riding Rob's tow scooter. :) LOL!!!

Unfortunately, Joe didn't get much out of her either. Big Rob was out playin with his Fields Performance monster today too and he did pretty good! Ran a few 8 second passes and learned a little more!

We did see a guy go down after popping his oil pan. He came down from a wheelie and it got slick from there on out. He rode it out as best he could, before he couldn't control it anymore. He walked away from the accident, but he was experiencing some signs of head injury (concussion, etc.), so they were gonna take him to the hospital just to be safe! Good thinking! We wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you back at the track soon!

By the end of the day the sun had disappeared and it was cold. Now its time to head home, rest a bit and head off to watch the AMA Arenacross Series at Arco! ;)

Practice, Practice, Practice...

2009-02-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

We made some fine tuning adjustments and headed out for a day of testing. We headed 20 minutes from our house to Sacramento Raceway on January 31st for a day of fun! These are the days we love, when the air is crisp (which equals horsepower) and the sun is shining (which means a warmer track). We hit our personal best MPH at 155.61 and a half track MPH of 125.20. The half track 125 mph pass gave us a 9.28 ET and with those numbers we know there is more to tap into. Now back to the garage for some additional tuning...

Overall, we had a great day and got in about 9 passes! If the weather works with us, we'll head back out this coming weekend for some more testing! ;)

Jan. 17-18, 2009 | MDRA Race Season

2009-01-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

The new year started off rocky, lots of unknowns. Its difficult to be excited about racing when you have so many looming things on your mind. After much indecision, we finally took the leap and left for Fontana Saturday night. We couldn't leave any earlier, because I had an obligation to fulfill. And as usual I am USELESS when it comes to night driving. Really, its quite pathetic. My body is so programed to shut down at 9-10pm, by the time we hit the road (11:20pm) my eyes were already heavy. I give all the kudos to Joey for his impressive ability to stay awake and drive (no matter the hour).

We arrived at Auto Club Dragway at a bit after 5am. Surprisingly the track was open and since we had never been there before, we asked the guard at the gate if we were in the right place... he had jokes. However, due to the hour AND the long drive behind us... we didn't necessarily see him as "funny". We decided to end our day and start our morning with breakfast. So after finding a place that would not give us "dysentary" as we were advised... we settled in for a quick bite and a full day of racing!

Upon getting into the track, which is no joke, in the parking lot of California Speedway. Despite its location, it actually is a very well prepped track. So we settled into our home for the day near MDRA and got ready to have some fun. I met up with Brandy and made my official transition into Crew Chief/Media Director. We were pleased to see all the bikes that showed up, especially with it being January and a bad economy. It was turning out to be a nice day, warming up quickly!

There was one Pro Gas bike but since he was the only one, he decided to run an ET Class. And despite our Championship in Pro Gas in 2008, we decided to run the Super Bike class this year (9.50 Index). There were five bikes (including us) in our class, which gave us a chance to actually compete.

Unfortunately, Auto Club Dragway does not have lights for evening racing, so they were unable to complete qualifying on Saturday. They buttoned up qualifying for those that did not get to complete Saturdays session and started eliminations.

Our first run was spot on, against Wil Kimbrough, with a 9.51 @ 148.36 mph. Not bad for our first pass on a brand new track after driving all night. [Seems to be our thing...drive all night, race all day, to drive all night home... LOL!!!] Due the odd number of bikes registered in the class, our next pass produced a bye run for us. WooHoo! It was a great opportunity for us to see what we could get out of her without hesitation. She gave us a 9.40 @ 151.39, not bad!! Now we're in the finals and we pair up against Laverk Harper (2008 Super Bike Champion). What a great way to start the 2009 season, the 2008 Super Bike Champion and the 2008 Pro Gas Champion, running head to head (of course within the index) in this round. In the end, we rode away with runner-up! The race was such a great display of two racers, two bikes, that push each other to perform at the highest degree. We were happy with the day overall, the race was fun and the weather was phenomenal!

Photo by Hooliganunderground.com

We wrapped up our race at Fontana around 4pm, headed to an early dinner. Now compared to our drive to Arizona, it surely wasn't a "long" drive... But considering the drive less than 12 hours earlier and the 7 hours ahead, it was for all intensive purposes a long drive home. Again, with astonishing amazement, Joey pulled off the driving feat with little to no effort (sorta). He rocks, seriously! We pulled into the driveway around 11:30pm. So within 24 hours we drove to Los Angeles, raced all day, and drove home. WOW, we are crazy! ;)

Overall, we had a great time, with several bikes and great competition! We can't wait till Vegas in April.

For more information about rules, schedule, pics, and winners visit http://www.mdra4u.com/.

2009 MDRA Season starts January 17-18th

2009-01-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

Do you need new tires, sprockets, a chain or fuel... it's race time!

The first race of the MDRA season is January 17-18th!

For more information visit: http://www.mdra4u.com/ or contact Brandy at brandy@mdra4u.com.

CONGRATULATIONS to our 2008 Champions!
View the link below:
http://www.dragbike.com/dbnews/anmviewer.asp?a=4585&z=13

Resolute... not Resolutions!

2008-12-31T09:45:00.000-08:00

2009 is on the way...

So they say New Year's Eve/New Year's Day is the time to make your New Year's resolutions! Which really is just another way to say you didn't get to all the things you should have done or wanted to do in the previous year. Ultimately, those resolutions end up just being black ink on that white tablet. The idea of the resolution is to complete goals, to feel achieved. Which is a great concept, but nothing more if it is never completed. So this year I will not make resolutions, but instead plan to be resolute. Resolute in achieving my goals/objectives! I am learning to be more flexible, fluid, and open minded. So my goals and objectives will change with the year as needed.

So with that... I hope each of you finds what you need in the New Year! Remembering there is a vast difference between what one wants and what one needs! I hope 2009 brings many welcome changes for all!

Prelude to a new opportunity...

2008-12-13T19:57:00.000-08:00

The west coast has been patiently waiting (for lack of any other colorful terms) more racing opportunities. Over the past several years we have had the opportunity to race with great organizations such as Norcal Dragbike Association and Dragbike Promotions. In the coming years we hope to see those organizations grow and provide more race opportunities.

I am pleased and optimistic in saying, I believe MDRA can effectively replace NMRA and provide us with one more organization to race with!

After several meeting of the minds and discussions, I have graciously accepted a position with MDRA. My objective is to help from the racers perspective, to be the voice of and for the racing community! I am excited to be able to help out in an industry that I have so much passion for, not only as a fellow racer but as a spectator too. I have great respect for all the racers and hope to see the West Coast become even more competitve.

2009 MDRA Race Schedule

January 17-18th ~ Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA
April 18-19th ~ Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
May 31st ~ Sacramento Raceway Park, Sacramento, CA
June 20-21st ~ Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
August 8-9th ~ Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA
October 17-18th ~ Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
November 7-8th ~ Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA

We are trying to get a race scheduled at Auto Club Fomoso in Bakersfield, CA but that is currently a tentative location until we can finalize details. Stay tuned and we will let you know more as soon as we do!

I look forward to the 2009 season, should any of you have any questions please let me know! Until we speak again...

Bumble Bee signing off!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2008!

2008-11-27T19:41:00.001-08:00

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving; filled with family, love, great conversation, delicious food and sensational memories!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2008!

BA-HUM-BUG

2008-11-15T18:54:00.000-08:00

THE HOLIDAYS DON'T MEAN THE SAME ANYMORE, FOR SO MANY REASONS. :(

Speedworld Raceway, Wittman, AZ | 11-8-08

2008-11-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

'Cheers' to a long drive to the P/G Championship!

We left California Friday late afternoon for our long drive to Speedworld Raceway in Wittman, AZ. We've made the drive to Firebird Raceway a few years back and that was a race we'd rather chalk up to a... learning experience, but at least the track was nice. Speedworld has a striking resemblance to LACR in Palmdale, CA. Hhhmmm dirt next to the drag strip...

The facility itself has 13 different tracks; ranging from a RC Airplane track to Dirt Bike tracks to Mud Bog tracks to of course the Drag Strip. By and far, their best revenue opportunities are clearly dirt related. But overall, the track is not too bad.

We made the trip with excitement that we would at the very least get to visit one of our favorite restaurants, Cracker Barrel. Seriously, if you've never had the pleasure... you are missing out. They make the best pancakes in the whole wide world. And as amazing as the restaurant is, there are none in California - not sure how that's possible.

I feel bad that I wasn't able to drive more then the very short time that I did. Unfortunately, driving could never be a career for me. I get way too tired way too easy. Joey did amazing, he drove the whole way there (12 hours).

We were suppose to start racing at 10am but did not make our first pass until a bit after 11am. Now considering the number of bikes we had in attendance there was no plausible reason "why" we were not on-time. But we were there and ready to have some fun!

When it came time to make a pass, Joey was ready to rock. His first pass out produced a 9.32 @ 150 mph. We both agreed the clutch must be going, so we (ok he) made some adjustments and got ready for the next round.

Our next pass was a 9.29 @ 151 mph. After speaking with a few other racers, Joey found out others were off a bit on their mph but pretty close to what they normally run in ET. So we were more comfortable knowing that.

Joey did great, consistent and calm. We worked together throughout the season and won the Championship! WooHoo!

Pro Gas Champion! WooHoo! I am so proud of you!!! You remained dedicated and stuck it out... it was worth it! I can't wait to see what you get for your efforts! YOU ROCK, JOE!

CONGRATULATIONS JOE FARIA ON YOUR 2008 PRO GAS CHAMPIONSHIP!

After all his racing he still drove 99.5% of the way home (another 12 hours). I suck at driving, I'm so sorry.

So we bid farwell to Arizona...

+ CNTL

2008-10-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

My new mantra... POSITIVE CONTROL (+ CNTL). It feels good to say, the word itself "positive" makes you smile just saying it. Control referencing what I need to do with my life, stop doing what I hate which is being a victim and take control. I am making a new commitment to me, my daughter and my life.

+ CNTL

Reality Check

2008-10-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Reality has hit home HARD lately and I am officially scared about our future. Unfortunately, all I can do is wait and have faith that it will all work. They say everything happens for a reason and I have to believe things will work out.

I took some time out to honestly just escape from everything, all my worries and stresses. Just some time with nature and of course I brought the camera. I figured I'd take my chances and try to remember how to get to River Road, which for those of you who really know me... know I am terrible with directions (seriously). So I was very proud of myself when I was able to make it all the way to my destination without getting lost!

I drove for awhile and finally picked a place to pull over and just take in all the scenary. It just so happens the spot I pulled over had a little surprise. As I was snapping random shots, I looked over and saw a large "J" carved into the bark of a tree. It was an unexpected surprise to end up at a spot with a "J" carved into the bark of a tree considering a friend of mines name starts with that letter. Funny.

I was even able to find my way home, which is an event in itself for me. I get lost going everywhere! It was a nice escape now back to reality...

West Coast Challenge | September 27-28th, 2008

2008-10-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

We love racing and there is no better way for people like us (race freaks) to spend our weekends! We were very excited to have two full weekends of racing back-to-back! We started our weekend off with TNT on Friday night.

Joey had a few great runs against Auggie Herrera and then he paired up with Auggie's son Gage (I'm certain I spelled that wrong...sorry). Those two pushed each other and had fun all night! Gage is one heck of a racer and he's only 16! We were both very impressed with his skills. He was able to get a 1.44 60' time on a stock wheel base busa - WOW!

We were happy to be at our "home track" which is 20 minutes away from home, no long distance travels for this race!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH

You couldn't ask for a more beautiful morning, not too cold or warm. It just felt good! We stopped to get some grub and headed to the track! There were a hand full of people waiting to get in the gate when we arrived. Everyone was excited for a weekend of racing!

For the event being an all motorcycle event, it was a nice turn-out. We had some people who are new to racing and of course our race veterans (I think we fit into this category now - LOL)! We had a great pit area (thank you Charlie) which always makes me happy!

To make the event that much better, our great friend Joe Sisk was able to come out (just like old times). Joe moved to Georgia for a bit but missed us too much so moved back home (or something like that)! Either way... we are just happy to have you HOME Joe! We told him to bring his leathers, as we had every intention of throwing him on the bike. We think he was pretty happy... what do you think?

Joe did great, he got a 9.70 on his second time out! Great job, Joe! Can't wait till you can come back out!

We did great, achieving some of our personal best times. We got a great 1.52 60' time which landed us a 9.25 ET @ 152.16 mph, we got a low ET of 9.23 @ 152.45 mph and we got our best mph to-date of 153.89 which brought us a 9.26 ET. We had consistent 60' times and overall had a great day! The weather was cooperating and were one of several people who achieved their personal bests in one way or another! Saturday was used as a huge test-n-tune, which made for a fun relaxed day!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH

Another great start to a race day! Time to have some fun...

We qualified #1 in the Pro Gas with a 9.24! WooHoo!

Katie and Charlie qualified #1 in Super Comp with a 8.209 (on the button) with their Turbo Kawasaki! Great job!

If you've ever seen Mike "Cuda" Fields, Sr. ride his Turbo Busa, you understand the anticipation everyone feels when he lines up! We have seen him get pretty wicked out on the track, but today was a smooth beautiful ride. Cuda ran his personal best this weekend of a 7.48 @ 187 mph. Simply AMAZING!

The weather was a bit hotter today, but that didn't stop us from having a great time!

I am very proud of Joey, he made it to the semi-finals against Big Rob. It was a great race, the guys pulled out the exact same ET 9.302 but Rob got the hole shot win! Congrats Rob, it was a great race for them and the spectators! But next time, its all us! ;)

Many others did great this weekend too! Ray & Destiny keep it up, it will all come together for you. In the meantime, have fun and get comfortable!

We are super excited to have been there to see Mona get her first, second and third 9 second pass! You rock girl! Her best pass resulted in a 9.92 on a stock motor ZX6!

The next race we are looking at is MDRA in Vegas! WooHoo!

Till next time BEE safe and always have fun!

A full weekend of RACING...

2008-09-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

Our weekend started out at the famed Govenor's Cup on Saturday, September 20th. This is always an exciting event, usually lots of spectators and tons of quick/fast cars. There's always a nice turnout of amazing and beautiful cars, ranging from funny cars, pro-mod cars, dragsters and of course motorcycles. The morning appeared to bring some clouds and the feel of fall...

But that did not turn away anyones desire to race...

We even got started ON-TIME and that's where it stopped...

We made our two qualifying passes and then we SAT... seriously we sat from 11am until 9pm. A little after 9:15pm we made our 1st round elimination pass. This was a curse and a blessing all mixed in one for us, we wanted to go home with the win of course but we ended up going out 1st round. Mona Christiansen and Craig Holsey ended up in the finals. Craig took home the win! Congrats!

As for us we were both tired and needed to get ready for the next day...

MDRA - Bakersfield, CA September 21, 2008

Wow, it seems like I just layed down and the alarm was yelling to get up... OH that's because that's what happened. Our morning started with us out the door and on the road by 3:30am. It was early but we were both very excited to race at a new track in a new place. So on to Auto Club Famosa Raceway. The trip was right on 4 hours and 246 miles.

I have to say the track was really nice, really well prepped and when you stood at the line it looked like glass on the top end. So smooth and so ready to hold some horsepower.

Last time we ran MDRA we ran the Pro Gas class which is a 9.20 index. Unfortunately, there were no other 9.20 bikes that showed up on Sunday so we ended up running the Super Bike class (9.50 index). So our first pass turned out a 9.54 which was good enough for us to get #1 qualifier. Not bad after a full day of racing/sitting the day before and a 4 hour drive. We ended up being the #2 qualifier which is still awesome!

The track had some issues getting everyone paired up and we ended up getting a bye run on our first round pass. On the the second round we paired against another busa. Unfortunately, it did not turn out in our favor and we started our trip back home. But we are excited to go back to Famosa!

I took some random shots of many racers...

So we wrap up our full weekend and get ready for the next weekend West Coast Challenge September 27-28th at Sacramento Raceway. Another full weekend of racing and we can't wait...

Till next time... BEE safe!

Saying good-bye...

2008-09-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

It's hard to say good-bye sometimes, especially to those that have moved on. In years past I've had the pleasure and honor to get to know Joey's family. I love each and everyone of them dearly and consider them my own family. Recently we lost Uncle Gene, he was such a funny and stubborn old man. He will be missed dearly but we are happy he is not suffering or in pain any longer.

As we sat at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church where the Reverend Father David Dutra said many wonderful things about Uncle Gene. In his sermon he said something that made absolute sense to me, especially as years continue to pass since my mother passed. He said "we often grieve for those that have passed in fear that they suffered and mourn their pain, but in truth is us who are suffering and in pain. For the deceased have moved on and are now in a better place." I'd like to believe that is true, that my mom, Great Grandma Erma and Uncle Gene as well as all those who have passed before are all having one kick-ass party in heaven... Looking down and giving those left behind guidance to heal. It is true, those that are left behind are the ones suffering for those that have moved on. I still cry to this day and have a hard time dealing with my mom being gone and it has been over 10 years since her passing. I guess as a child that is something you never get over. I can't imagine nor do I ever want to know what it is like for a parent to have to bury their child. My heart aches for those who have lost. Nevertheless, we grieve and that is suppose to help us heal, right? I just wonder how long one is suppose to grieve before we are healed?

However unfortunate the day was, it is not often that I am able to capture a shot of the boys all dressed up and without any birdies in the shot (they sure look handsome)! Joey & Cody were pallbearers for Uncle Gene's funeral, Cody you did a great job! (Jordon tongue and all - LOL!)

I was also able to get a picture of Cody and Sara, they have grown so fast! It seems like yesterday that they were playing video games and running around in the sprinklers outside. Now they are in high school and trying to figure out who they are for themselves. We love you both tons and tons!

Till next time, remember to love like your hearts never been broken, laugh till your stomach aches and live like there's no tomorrow!

West Coast Challenge

2008-08-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Think you got what it takes to take home the win? If so, bring your ride to Sacramento Raceway Park, September 27-28th for a fun filled weekend of racing! There is a class no matter what you ride. So don’t punk out… bring your ride and pick a lane!

September 27-28th, 2008
Gates open at 8am
Weekend pass is $35.00 and tech card fee will depend on the class you choose!

Plagarism in the highest fashion...

2008-08-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

I was reading Angelle's blog today and read something that REALLY hit home for me. She wrote a list of things she believes in and after reading and sitting with what I had read, I came to realize I could not have sumed up my own beliefs any better. So without fail... I will share these beliefs!

Here are a few things that I believe ...

I believe that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe that you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I believe that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe that either you control your attitude or it will control you.

I believe that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe that sometimes the people that you expect to kick you when you are down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others, sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe that no matter how bad your heart is broken that the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe that the happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything!

and finally, I believe that with faith, all things are possible!

2008-07-06T18:46:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July 2008

2008-07-05T09:47:00.001-07:00

What a fun day! Once again, I got to spend a great day with my baby girl! We hung out, laughed and had a good time!

Neither one of us are really into fireworks, so doing something that included them was really not a concern for either of us. But we hope everyone else had a safe and wonderful 4th of July celebration!

Sara is getting ready to leave for summer visit with her brother and it always breaks my heart when she leaves (I go through this EVERY summer). Last year I cried and cried and cried (seriously) for what seemed like a week. I couldn't talk to her on the phone without crying, that's how bad it was. I was a mess, chances are I will be the same this year too. LOL! We have a few more days together and I'm going to make the very best of them!

I have no idea how I'm going to survive when she goes to college, especially if its far. Oi Vey! But on the positive side, I'm also so very excited when she comes home again!

We hope everyone had a wonderful and safe fourth of July! Until next time...

Pics from North-South Dragbike Challenge

2008-06-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

I will continue posting pics on here as I have time. But I know many of you want to see all the photos not just he ones I pick and choose. So here is a link to the Photobucket album. Enjoy!

http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc288/bumblebeezx/North%20South%20Dragbike/

North-South Dragbike Challenge - BIG EVENT DAY!

2008-06-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY, JUNE 15th: Finally, the big event we've been waiting for and working so hard to promote. We were at the track by a tad after 7am and to our dismay there was not a long line of racers/spectators waiting to get in as we had hoped. As we pitted we kept our fingers crossed that the attendance (racer & spectator) increased. Unfortunately, that did not really happen and they opened the track up to run time only passes. We opted not to do any, but watched several people do all but hot lap their bikes.

We decided to run the 9.20 Index (Pro Gas), which is pretty dam impressive for a stock wheel base, stock motor hayabusa with minor modifications. So as we got into the show Joey was on me about finding a good spot (because I'm still learning...HAHAHAHA). Unfortunately, I didn't do very good his first qualifying pass.

.099 R/T 2.29 60' time 12.39 ET 88.07 MPH (Oops, sorry babe...not a very sticky spot as she spun like a mofo)
.131 R/T 1.62 60' time 9.64 ET 146.61 MPH

Now we are in the first round of eliminations and we pair with Joe Cabral.

.128 R/T 1.60 60' time 9.29 ET 152.91 MPH (WooHoo, winner winner)

Now on to the next and last guy in our class Trace St. Germaine.

.081 R/T 1.62 60' time 9.36 ET 151.61 MPH

Unfortunately, this was one of those times that NO racer/spectator wants to experience or be witness to. As Joey and Trace got to top end, from those at that end they say they saw Trace sit up and it appeared as if he just grabbed too much front break. All I saw from the start line was Trace wash out and go down, hard. I was freaked out, from my perspective it looked like Trace went down right in front of Joey and I know at that speed there is no way to stop or avoid something like that. Fortunately, Joey had passed him moments before Trace went down. The track officials did their job in getting to top end to take care of Trace. From what I understand he broke is leg and ankle but will be ok and back! Trace did take the win on that run, but somehow I think he may have some other things on his mind right about now! Get Well SOON Trace!

Here are the results from the race for each class:

Top Alcohol

Win Mark Risseling .038 R/T 7.42 ET

R/U Scott Pollacheck .144 R/T 7.33 ET

Outlaw 1 Power Adder

Win Mike Fields Sr. .062 R/T 8.14 ET

R/U Chris Phipps .053 R/T 8.52 ET

Outlaw 2 N/A

Win Augustine Herrera .052 R/T 8.62 ET

R/U Lloyd Gilbreath .223 R/T 8.47 ET

Top Gas 8.20

Win Don Tanklage .034 R/T 8.17 ET

R/U Roger Pearce Broke

S/C 8.90

Win Jerry Stinson .084 R/T 8.99 ET

R/U Nate Brown .172 R/T 8.64 ET

Pro Gas 9.20

Win Trace St Germain .004 R/T 9.42 ET

R/U Joe Faria .081 R/T 9.36 ET

S/G 9.80

Win LaMarr Wallace .231 R/T 10.16 ET

R/U Joe Giribaldi DQ

Super Bike 9.50

Win Jacob Petzke .106 R/T 10.14 ET

R/U Michael Powell .182 R/T 13.00 ET

Pro E.T

Win Randy Monte .089 R/T Dial: 11.05 Ran: 11.08

R/U Kenneth Machost .055 R/T Dial: 10.47 Ran: 10.46

Street E.T

Win Red Collins .060 R/T Dial: 10.70 Ran: 10.82

R/U Steve Gold .068 R/T Dial: 11.00 Ran: 11.13

Ladies

Win Melody Kho .071 R/T Dial: 10.70 Ran: 10.84

R/U Katie Sullivan .109 R/T Dial: 9.64 Ran: 9.80

Pitbike/ATV

Win Hans Shulz .545 R/T Dial: 20.00 Ran: 20.27

R/U Jessica Watson Foul Dial: 12.70 Ran: Foul

CONGRATULATIONS to all our winners and runner-ups. Y'all did a great job!

Despite the lower then anticipated turnout, the weekend was wonderful. SO MUCH FUN! Thank you Big Charlie for organizing the event and giving us a venue on the West Coast to play in. Y'all missed it, it was a great weekend! No better way to spend Father's Day in my opinion!

I'll post pics in a separate post soon! Till next time BEE safe and have fun!

North-South Dragbike Challenge - Day 2

2008-06-19T06:46:00.000-07:00

SATURDAY, JUNE 14th: What a fun, full day! With some roll-over from Friday’s TNT, there were still plenty of people around to Test-N-Tune Saturday . The best part was TNT was not advertised as an open TNT, so the field was nearly all bikes. This allowed us to make as many passes as we wanted. Now for many this was exactly the time they needed to learn our track… while others (like us) used the time to dial in for Sunday’s event. It was the only real comparable we would have for our set-up (similar heat, track prep, etc.). We zero'd out the power commander and ran some MR11. We ran (once again) our best times on the bike:

.048 R/T 1.59 60' time 9.31 ET 151.67 MPH
.090 R/T 1.55 60' time 9.33 ET 151.46 MPH
.119 R/T 1.55 60' time 9.24 ET 152.71 MPH (AMAZING!)
.098 R/T 1.57 60' time 9.32 ET 151.87 MPH
.069 R/T 1.58 60' time 9.29 ET 152.33 MPH
.129 R/T 1.56 60' time 9.25 ET 153.08 MPH
.091 R/T 1.59 60' time 9.31 ET 152.55 MPH

Seriously, this bike is amazing and what makes it more impressive is how great of a rider Joey is on it, really brings out the best in BOTH of them! While you look at those numbers remember he is still foot shifting, that is dam good!

In addition to our own best times, we watched Russell Neidigh (Big Rob's son) finally get that elusive 8 second pass. Now most people when they are achieveing a number that they have long awaited, scratch the surface of that number and then gradually make big jumps... not Russ. He jumped in with both feet and a quick ass 8.76. WOW, nice work! Did I mention he is only 17. We got to see the next generation of racers in full swing this weekend, with Russ (17yo), Katie (17yo), and Auggie's son (just turned 16yo). Simply cool!

I had my opportunity to finally test on Katie’s bike. I have so much fun helping Joey and learning from him, he gives me the confidence to do well or at least try. He was great and jumped right in to help me line up and get ready for each of my passes. Thank you honey, it was beyond wonderful to have your help again!

After talking to Charlie Sullivan about the bike (details like: how hard does it launch, does she go straight, what size is the engine, what do you launch at, what tire pressure do you run...etc) I was ready (theoretically). I have to admit I was a little nervous on the first pass, new bike, little different set-up then what I ran with Eddy, but overall let's go have some fun!

.419 R/T 1.73 60' time 12.23 ET 126.94 MPH (I was in no hurry off the line, wanted to get a feel for the bike. Once I got out there I had to find the shift button and just overall get familar with the bike)
.138 R/T 1.40 60' time 9.52 ET 135.13 MPH (Alright, I got this now... let's go!)
.054 R/T 1.37 60' time 9.50 ET 136.89 MPH
-.012 R/T 1.60 60' time 10.03 ET 135.26 MPH (Don't even ask...total brain fart)

I am super happy with my passes, after talking with Katie she seemed pretty jazzed and said her best pass to-date was a 9.43 and she's had that bike for awhile. Not to take anything away from Katie, because she rides the heck out of that bike. I'm just happy to have gotten a 9.50 on my third pass ever out on the bike! Plus it felt so good to jump back on a bike and felt even better with Joey there by my side. Huge huge thanks to the Sullivan Family for giving me the opportunity to ride your bike, I had a blast!

Now we transition into Grudge Fest, things start coolin down including the track.

.074 R/T 1.60 60' time 9.34 ET 151.95 MPH
.099 R/T 2.13 60' time 10.01 ET 151.98 MPH
.144 R/T 1.63 60' time 9.45 ET 150.46 MPH

Throughout the day Russ continued to kick butt and pull out many 8 second passes, not sure his head would fit in his helmet anymore (HAHAHA) the bike humbled him out and threw in a few 9 second passes for good measure! Overall, there were lots of quick bikes out many with no wheelie bars putting down some crazy good numbers. I am always impressed to see these guys get out there and ride those monsters. Seriously they have balls of steel.

Now on to tomorrow for the BIG EVENT!

North-South Dragbike Challenge - Day 1

2008-06-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

Race ready… that is a good phrase to describe the weekend!

FRIDAY THE 13th: The “race” weekend started on the day that typically seizes the “bad luck” connotation, however, it was anything but. We were really excited to get out to the track and try out the new additions to the bike, some synthetic oil & a carbon fiber seat - allowing Joey to get 2” lower in the bike. We were confident this will allow him to achieve a low 1.5 60’ time. Sara even got to participate this weekend by working at the track, wow she's working...my baby is working. I feel so old! I'm glad she had the opportunity to learn and work in a place she is familar with, Thank you, Lisa! Next I want to get her more involved in racing, I want to teach her how to line Joey and I up. Show her what to look and feel for; she wants to race bikes so she needs to learn from the ground up (literally)!

When we arrived at the track there were several people there, mostly bikes (even better). We saw plenty of new faces along with some familiar ones too! We had a full evening of racing for a simple Test-N-Tune. It was great! We were not mistaken with our instincts on the new seat, although Joey did mention how incredibly uncomfortable it was (a few times). It was a wise investment. We ran the following:

.097 R/T 1.59 60' time 9.55 ET 124.02 MPH (First pass with new stuff)
.096 R/T 1.59 60' time 9.33 ET 152.42 MPH (Bogged out of the hole, adjusted shock to hard compression)
.128 R/T 1.56 60' time 9.30 ET 151.75 MPH
.140 R/T 1.55 60' time 9.43 ET 150.28 MPH (Wheelie)
.141 R/T 1.55 60' time 9.29 ET 151.67 MPH (Missed a shift and hit the rev limiter)
.102 R/T 1.59 60' time 9.36 ET 151.70 MPH (Wheelie)
.195 R/T 1.55 60' time 9.25 ET 152.42 MPH (Adjusted power commander)
.106 R/T 1.54 60' time 9.29 ET 151.10 MPH (Quick shift 1st to 2nd)
.167 R/T 1.58 60' time 9.34 ET 151.17 MPH
.097 R/T 1.53 60' time 9.30 ET 150.96 MPH
.191 R/T 1.58 60' time 9.73 ET 131.18 MPH
.119 R/T 1.59 60' time 9.34 ET 150.79 MPH (Adjusted power commander)
.146 R/T 1.57 60' time 9.36 ET 150.22 MPH (Adjusted power commander)

In addition to achieving that low 1.5 60' time as we had anticipated, we got to see some pretty cool passes from other racers.

As we were leaving Friday night, Katie Sullivan came by our pit and asked if I was still interested in testing on her bike. Well… OF COURSE! Now not only am I excited about racing with Joey all weekend; now I get to do a little racing of my own. I was very excited... I really am happy to that we can be there for/with each other again, to share in each other celebrations and help each other figure out our mistakes!

Reflection and Appreciation!

2008-06-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

These are both great things and its important to take time out sometimes to do both and be humble about it in the process. This last weekend (June 7th) was great on many levels. I had the chance to help Joey and get to know some of our fellow racers a little better. I was pleasantly surprised with an opportunity to potentially test on Katie Sullivan's bike for North-South Dragbike Challenge. Big thanks to the Sullivan family for the offer. In addition, I got to know Roxanne Webber (yet another girl who rocks on a dragbike - pictured at the bottom), her set-up is a little different then what Katie or I have been on but rocks it none the less. Eddy asked me to take care of the race for him (Nitro Night of Fire), since he couldn't be there and I was more then happy to do that. It really was the least I could do for the Palmer's considering all the opportunity they have given me. I have to say I was a little nervous that I was gonna forget something or someone was going to be unhappy, but overall it worked out well and the day was fun! Sara even had an opportunity to work at the track and even made a little money!

I LOVE THIS PIC

Nitro Night of Fire typically means a tons of people and a ton of cars. Joey had an opportunity to get in the show and compete for the $1,000 prize money. When we got to the track there were hardly any cars but most of our class (short of 2) were there. The track delayed things as much and as frequently as possible due to the low number of racers. We started time trials around 11:30am (mind you we were there by 8:30am)... We got to know Big Rob's son (Russell) and boy let me tell you this kid is a natural born racer. NO JOKE! He has a great attitude and really enjoys the sport. Big Rob has done a great job raising him!

Joey's first pass of the day was yet another "best". He ran a 9.26 @ 153mph. WooHOO! What's important to remember about that pass is he was running pump gas. Which means that there is a teen in that bike, he just has to find it.

Joey and Russ challenged each other ALL day short of actual eliminations. I think they both had a great time! Russ was really trying for his first 8 second pass and got close enough to ache for it, running a 9.05. As with any pair of racers that know how to have fun with it and be competitive, Joey and Russ pushed each other!

Joey paired against Charlie Sullivan first round and Charlie pulled out the win on that run. The great part about these races is if you go out you can still make time runs (all day). So that's just what the guys did. Mona qualified with two red-lights on the first two runs, then we got another qualifing pass and she ended up qualifing #1 (winning herself $100 for #1 qualifier). I am super excited to see Katie make it to finals (after being off for awhile from a knee injury) against Mark Riessling, she was running low 9's all day and Mark was running 7.30's all day (with two red-lights)! They put on a great show at the end of the day! Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to test but for a real great reason... Katie was in the finals!

CONGRATULATIONS to Mark Riessling

for taking home the win and $1,000 purse!

As slow as the day started at the end of the day, there were tons of spectators enjoying a night of GREAT racing!

We are very excited for this weekend - racing ALL weekend! With Test-N-Tune (Friday night and Saturday day), Grudge Fest (Saturday night) and then... North-South Dragbike Challenge on Sunday.

***

Don't miss it, it will be an event to remember!

Looking back over the past several months and the weekend, I have learned a lot about myself, the person I love and miss, I continue to learn and move forward daily and I appreciate the people in my life! Thank you and I love you!

Test-N-Tune - May 30th, 2008

2008-06-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

Test-N-Tune: $7.00
Tech Card: $50.00
Limited # of cars: Priceless!

We ran with pump gas and ran a 9.28 @ 153.1 with a 1.55 60' time! It was a great night! The bike loves the track and having a stock wheel base gives us an advantage when the track doesn't have the best traction. There were very few cars out, which makes for a great night of runs. I think we got 12 runs in all! WooHoo!

We will be out at the next big event Nitro Night of Fire on June 7th at Sacramento Raceway!
Overall, it was another night of great racing! Lots of bikes out including a couple Nitro Harley's getting ready for Charlie's big race on June 15th.

9.27 @ 153 mph

2008-05-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

It's hard to put the excitement into words, so for lack of a better word... AMAZING is what comes to mind! We are very very pleased to have pulled out a beautiful...

9.277 @ 153.308 mph

With minor mods - some nice smelling fuel and a power commander this baby wants to scream. She loves the track and luckily so does her owner. With big thanks to PCP Motorsports for sponsoring us, we can't wait to see more!

Overall it was a fun night, with lots of bikes out for a test-n-tune! Our friends Lloyd & Shelly were up from Fresno, Cuda brought the beast out and there were many other styles of bikes out... playin! It was a great night with FANTASTIC results! ;)

http://w217.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w217.photobucket.com/albums/cc288/bumblebeezx/TNT 5-23-08/68bf7d51.pbw" height="300" width="400">

Until next time... BEE safe and have fun!

NHRA Chassisworks ET Race - 5/3/08

2008-05-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

As the seasons change, the weather follows! It was beautiful outside! Lots of sun and a little breeze! The ET race was after the Junior Dragsters double elimination race, which means we waited and waited... but that's just the way it works.

Overall, it was a good day! Not too many cars so the wait between rounds was not crazy. It was a fun day, filled with good friends and racing!

CONGRATS Mona! You brought home the win! We are so proud of you! WooHoo!

The day ended in wondeful ways! Till next time...bee safe and have fun!

The first GRUDGE FEST of the season (4/26/08)!

2008-04-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

What an amazing day! The weather was truly Spring like, mid-to-high 80's with a slight breeze! It was gorgeous and that kinda weather brings great track conditions! It was the first Grudge Fest of the year and it was packed, they said there were over 200 cars in attendance and approx. 10 bikes! The down side to that many cars is the bikes sit for long periods between runs. Gotta take the good with the bad!

We had a GREAT night! We pulled some amazing numbers out of the bike! Babe, don't doubt your ability, I DON'T and NEVER have! You did GREAT! It seems like everytime we get her out there she just continues to shine more & more! Its no secret that Busa's were created with the drag strip in mind, but they outdid themselves this time! This bike continues to impress us each time we go out!

Here are the stats:

9.51 @ 150.4 mph (w/ a 1.61 60' time)
9.37 @ 151.3 mph (w/ a 1.59 60' time) Now that's what we are looking for, we knew she had in her!
They say its not a solid run (especially if its a great number until you back it up, well...) our next pass did just that!
9.36 @ 150.6 mph (w/ a 1.57 60' time) WOOHOO! Simply amazing!
9.49 @ 144.7 mph (w/ a 1.60 60' time)
9.53 @ 149.0 mph (w/ a 1.59 60' time)

Simply a PHENOMENAL evening of racing!

I'll keep y'all posted on the next time we're out! Until then...keep both wheels on the ground (at least for awhile) and BEE safe!

BB

Family Reunion - Redding 4/19/08

2008-04-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

What a GREAT weekend! We had the opportunity last weekend to go up to Redding and ride/race with family/friends. One of our great friends came down from Colorado, a few others came up from Modesto and we made the trip from Sacramento to go play in Redding! Once upon a time we used to all ride/race almost every weekend. Life takes a funny turn every now and then, people move and start new beginnings. Then without notice those that are so important to you come back front and center! We are so excited to be able to rekindle those friendships!

Redding Drag Strip: It was our first time to their track, and it was great; very well prepared and the people were friendly! We'll definitely be making a trip back up there! A few people that have raced Sacramento Raceway and Redding Drag Strip said we should expect to lose a tenth off our times. Fortuntely, we didn't lose anything! We maintained our mph (150mph) and obtained an ET of 9.49, keeping in mind we ran a 9.47 at Sacramento.

We also managed to beat "THE KING" on his turf and fair-n-square! We're not being arrogant or cocky! Joe is a phenominal rider as is Joey! Joey has always admired Joe's ability and attitude towards racing! One of the best things about racing someone who runs a little better #'s then you is they push you, push you to perform better! This was no exception! Joe and Joey got up there, paired up with the intention of simply having some fun! It was a GREAT race, from launch to finish! Joey got Joe out of the hole then Joe out sixty footed Joey, but Joey pulled around him at the top end! Joey's ET 9.49 to Joe's 9.51, it really was a sight to see!

The following day we all got up, went to breakfast (like old times) and then proceeded into the rest of the day by enjoying great company and great riding! We have huge respect & big love for the England family! Thank you for letting us stay with you and have such a fun/wonderful weekend! We can't wait to do it again!

Funny Car Fever | April 12th 2008

2008-04-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful weekend! The weather was beautiful, not too hot and definitely not too windy! It started off early and ended late, but we wouldn't have it any other way! There were many race day participants and tons of fans, which is very cool to see!

We have a full bike field (16 bikes) representing NorCal Dragbike Association. We also had two alternates (Joey and sorry I can't remember his name)! Fortunately and unfortunately, Joey & ? didn't get to compete but they did get to make time-only runs all day!

It was a super fun day! There were lots of people there enjoying the day! Lots of very fast cars, fast bikes and great people!

We are super proud of Mona Christiansen! She took out all but one dragbike, taking her all the way to the finals! You rock, girl! We are so happy to see you do so well, although we are disappointed in the finish (which had nothing to do with you). Keep smiling, you did great all day long!

Overall, it was a great day! Hopefully the final events of the day won't be an issue next event! Til next time...keep both wheels on the ground (at least for awhile) and BEE safe!

BB

Some additional photos!

2008-04-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

I'm super proud of you babe!

Back with AMAZING results!

2008-04-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful night!

It has been a long time coming… and I am SO happy to have been a part of last night!

A few years ago, a very important person to me lost something, something that at one time he was very passionate about. For those of you who know us, you know he is where my passion started. It devastated me to see him lose it… but I am elated to share with you that he FOUND it again! I’m speaking of the passion of DRAG RACING!

Joey recently purchased a brand new 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa and she’s a BEAUTY! She is a beautiful mix of black and charcoal. The color specs for the bike say its black black/gray, but it’s definitely not gray it’s a gorgeous deep tone of charcoal. When designing the new 08’ they seemed to have left nothing out. Joey took me for a ride not too long ago and it feels so good. It pulls hard and feels smooth through every gear. Equipped with a 1340 cc motor, 12.5:1 compression, 3 factory power settings (similar to the GSXR-1000) and a factory shift light to boot, Suzuki created a BEAST! When compared to the ZX-14, Cycle World Magazine reported “No word in the early press materials as to what kind of electronic hocus-pocus (if any) will be used to keep the new ’Busa from becoming a human fly-swatter at the dragstrip, but certainly the ZX-14’s production-record 9.78-second pass is in danger”. They were nothing less then accurate! This baby is BEAUTY and the BEAST all wrapped together in one killer package!

With nothing more then an aftermarket pipe, Joey’s first pass was a 9.80 @ 147 mph against a stretched ZX-14 who ran a 9.81. Quickly followed up by a 9.72 pass. His worst pass of the night (if you could call it that) was a 9.90 with MPH throughout the evening consistently between 147 - 150. After obtaining a strap from Alicia Karstens of GoMoto (www.gomotoriders.com), his best and final pass of the night was a 9.47 @ 150.9 mph. It was a BEAUTIFUL pass from launch to the ¼ mile mark. We got him in a fairly sticky patch at the line, he launched her good and she went straight as an arrow. Almost as if that was exactly what she had been waiting for. You could see her pulling hard the entire way, which is pretty impressive considering you typically don’t see that type of performance.

Keep in mind he hasn’t raced in a about a year-n-half and every rider questions if they remember “how to do this”. Without any more questions needed, he absolutely proved that this is in his blood to-stay. THANK GOD! We both feel VERY confident with the right day (good traction, good track prep, good air, sunny conditions, etc.) that we will see a .30 pass (low or high – that would kick ass for a bone stock Busa).

We are excited to just have fun with her and see what else she can do. I’ll keep you updated on her progress…

Till next time…watch out 14’s – no cryin’ because you bought an inferior machine! ;)

I LOVE YOU JOEY! Thank you for letting me be a part of your first night back!

Keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile) and bee safe!

Yet another TROPHY! WooHoo!

2008-03-07T08:32:00.000-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS SARA!

You ROCK! You pushed out the following:

Viper
Mustang
Corvette
and...a truck!

Congrats on a your SECOND WIN!

Wednesday Night Drags - March 5, 2008

I LOVE YOU! Mom!

This makes your second WIN with (2) runners-up! You're the bomb!

So wonderful...

2008-02-09T19:02:00.001-08:00

Every now and again, I get to spend a FABULOUS day with my daughter! It is ALWAYS so much fun and I always end up reflecting on how quickly she is growing. She just turned 16 and before I know it, she'll be off to college! She really is the most AMAZING person and I am just lucky enough to be able to call her my daughter! I LOVE YOU PRINCESS!

She is always there for me when I am racing and I'm just glad I can do the same for her!

NHRA Chassisworks ET Race #2 - 1/20/08

2008-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

North-South Dragbike Challenge - June 2008

2008-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Hey Racers and Fans:

There will be a big race in June for ALL motorcycles. Hopefully we can get a huge turnout and a ton of fans to attend. Let's make this the biggest race the west coast has seen!

If you have questions about the race, please contact Charlie @ cp20046@aol.com

Regards-
Annette aka Bumble Bee

http://bumblebeezx.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bumblebeezx

Keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile) and bee safe!

New Year's Day Drags 2008!

2008-01-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

The weather was COLD but the atmosphere was warm! We were cut down to a 1/8 mile all day due to the cold temps, but all-in-all it was a good day! We made it to second round and then I decided (apparently) to take a nap at the tree, I'll load the video soon. Its always a good day when you can race!

We are excited about the new season and ready to do what we do! Next race is scheduled for January 20th @ Sacramento Raceway!

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-21T16:10:00.000-08:00

I hope each of you has a wonderful and blessed Christmas as well as a safe and joyous New Year!

This year has brought many changes in my life; some bad and some phenomenal! I lost love and found love (in my daughters passion), discovered a twist on my old passion, and learned that I have a lot to reflect on and be humble about. Overall, it was a very educational year both personally and professionally! Each New Year is a great opportunity to evaluate the past to determine how we can be better, stronger people for ourselves, our families and our friends!

I hope to start the New Year off at the track, looking to bring home the win! But regardless of the outcome…HAVE FUN! We plan on being competitive this season and achieving many of the goals we set! See ya at the track… pick a lane!!!

I wish each of you the best the season has to offer! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Bumble Bee

The split second WRECK...

2007-12-04T17:12:00.000-08:00

So this weekend we went out for some more testing, despite what the weather people said. It started out slow, we spun off the line fairly hard but outside of that it was a decent run.

9.22 @ 143.9 mph with a -.220 reaction and a 1.66 60’ time (she was creeping hard as soon as I got on the two step and wasn’t waiting for no light… ah well)

Our next run was better, still spun but not nearly as bad as the first run. We talked about testing some new things, so I could know what it feels like (i.e., the bike bogging). We decided to see what she would do the next round and then make adjustments as needed.

8.84 @ 147.86 mph with a .141 reaction and a 1.300 60’ time (Great ET, good 60’ time…not so good reaction)

We discovered our launch was up WAY higher then we normally launch at so we adjusted for that and away we go…

8.82 @ 149.36 mph with a .091 reaction and a 1.307 60’ time (FANTASTIC! This is our best ET to-date)

We decided to adjust the launch to attempt to make the bike bog this next pass… UNFORTUNATELY, it didn’t quite turn out as we had envisioned…

I got out there did my burnout, my normal routine, staged and… HOLY CRAP…

Let’s just say the bike got seriously wicked on me and well the “rookie” in me let us down (literally). I couldn’t get out of it fast enough (or at all in this case) and it got out of control and I wrecked. The video is pretty narly too. L Good news is I AM OK…I did a brief slide, my leathers hooked on something and began a brief but significant tumble. When I came to a stop it was mere mili-seconds before Jason and Eddy were at my side to make sure I was ok. THANK YOU GUYS! There were several others at my side and tending to our now wounded bike…THANK YOU to them as well. I am so sorry Eddy. In the end, I walked away with minor bruising. my spirit is ready to ride (right now)… my body needs a week or so to recover. I want to extend a huge I’M SORRY to my daughter, she was really freaked out. Baby, know that I love you and this is a risk we both take when we decide to race. I LOVE YOU ALWAYS!

So we have some minor repairs to make and we’ll be back out testing in preparation for the new year and new season! Till next time…have fun, be safe and Happy Holidays!

BB

8.87 with a Top speed of 150.35 mph

2007-11-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

We went out to Saturdays Test N' Tune to see if we could back up our 8.90 from West Coast Motorcycle Challenge and to have a little fun on a beautiful day!

Here are our stats for Saturday:

9.26 @ 145.61 mph with a .406 reaction (CRAP) and a 1.51 60' time (this run was partially rider error & partial breaking the tire loose, we lowered the tire pressure a tad – no good)
8.92 @ 150.35 mph with a .182 reaction and a 1.31 60' time (we corrected the tire pressure and I got my head out of my dairy-ere) Our best MPH to date and back down to that 8.90 range!
9.29 @ 148.80 mph with a .028 reaction (FABULOUS!) and a 1.37 60' time (so our ET was not there but dam what a great reaction time, we spun a little off the line and got out of the groove a little)
8.87 @ 149.55 mph with a .173 reaction and a 1.30 60' time (WOOHOO! This is our best ET todate, but dam this means I'd break out of an 8.90 index…shoot)

Overall, it was a GREAT day, we accomplished three things…

Quickest ET (to-date)
Best reaction time (to-date)
Fastest MPH (to-date)

I'm very happy with our progress and look forward to learning more. I firmly believe in learning something from EVERY run and strive to do so every time we go out.

Till next time (probably when we go down to Infineon, November 25th…) keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile) and bee safe!

Article from 1tail.com - Thank you Patti!

2007-10-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

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}

To the finals - she went!

2007-10-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

Everytime my daughter gets out there and races, it brings me so much pride! She has found something that she enjoys, much like mom, but really for her own reasons!

She made it to the semi-finals the last two Wednesdays in a row and last night (10/24/07) she made it to the finals! WooHoo!

She ran good and had some luck thrown in there too but overall she kept the pedal down and her eyes on the prize!

She got one qualifying pass:

16.01 @ 84.45 mph with a .215 reaction and 2.49 60' time

As she entered eliminations she was cool, calm, collected and ready...

16.06 on a 16.00 dial-in WINNER
16.16 on a 15.97 (but she got a bye run) automatic WINNER (thank goodness on that run)
16.01 on a 15.97 dial-in WINNER (her opponent red-lit)
16.14 on a 15.97 dial-in (hole shot win) WINNER we are on to the FINALS
16.01 on a 15.97 dial-in had she cut a better light she would have walked away with the win

Overall, she got a great runner-up trophy (her first drag racing trophy at that)! I will post a pic soon! I am SUPER SUPER proud of her...it took me 2 years of racing to get a trophy! You rock princess! She ran her personal best reaction time of .033 and I believe her personal best 60' time of 2.45! WooHoo!

I love you baby, you rock!

Rock & Race @ Redding Dragstrip!

2007-10-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

Come one...come all! Let's have some fun at Redding Dragstrip this Saturday, October 27th. Gates open at 6pm!

Wednesday Night Drags – October 17, 2007 @ Sacramento Raceway

2007-10-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

Well Sara has found her element - Wednesday nights thus far! She admittedly said she likes racing in the evening better! I am so proud of her, she is doing so good!

§ 16.21 @ 84.63 mph with a .189 reaction and a 2.61 60’ time (qualifying pass)
§ 16.13 @ 84.13 mph with a .132 reaction and a 2.57 60’ time (1st rd) WINNER on a 16.15 dial in
§ 16.39 @ 80.03 mph with a .169 reaction and a 2.52 60’ time (2nd rd) WINNER on a 16.10 dial in {hole shot win}
§ 16.07 @ 84.26 mph with a .046 reaction and a 2.50 60’ time (SEMI-FINALS) on a 16.10 dial in {she broke out}

Regardless she made it to the SEMI-FINALS twice now! ROCK ON!!! She also learned a little more about bracket racing too! Its all about seat time and she is LOVING every minute of it!

I am so proud of her (WOOHOO!!!) and really appreciate Jason allowing her to beat on his truck week after week. THANK YOU!

In addition, I like to say CONGRATS to my girl Alicia of Go Moto for winning in the finals against her husband Ira! Good Job girl, display that Trophy you earned it! WooHoo!!!

TRUCK DRAGS – October 14, 2007 @ Sacramento Raceway

2007-10-19T13:02:00.000-07:00

My pride continues to grow as my daughter, Sara, continues to get better and better at her new adventure! Jason and I had been working with her in hopes of getting her ready to run Truck Drags on October 14th. It was a great weekend of racing, both Saturday and Sunday!

Big thanks to Fred for organizing this event, it was fun and a lot of trucks showed up to run. Even a few volkwagens and el camino’s came out…although I still haven’t figured out the correlation between them and the TRUCKS… It was a TRUCK drag, but whateva!

They gave them numerous practice runs, starting around 10 am. Giving her plenty time to get comfortable and ready to roll.

§ 15.38 @ 88.36 mph with a .257 reaction and a 2.38 60’ time
§ 15.78 @ 92.07 mph with a .247 reaction and a 2.54 60’ time
§ 15.56 @ 88.02 mph with a .195 reaction and a 2.44 60’ time
§ 15.98 @ 90.04 mph with a .264 reaction and a 2.57 60’ time
§ 16.03 @ 84.62 mph with a .209 reaction and a 2.50 60’ time
§ 16.02 @ 85.47 mph with a .127 reaction and a 2.52 60’ time
§ 15.99 @ 85.16 mph with a .137 reaction and a 2.50 60’ time
§ 16.03 @ 83.85 mph with a .174 reaction and a 2.50 60’ time

So lots and lots of practice passes! And she is pretty darn consistent….how does she do that? So now we break for a quick lunch and we’ll jump into the action a little after 1pm.

Unfortunately, she broke out 1st round and was eliminated with a:

§ 15.92 @ 85.24 mph on a 15.98 dial in

Yikes, so darn close. Her opponent was off by a lot on his run vs. dial time too! Oh well, that’s racing but she was hot when she went out. She cooled down a bit and we bought into Jackpot… let’s see how we do here!

Not so good…

§ 16.07 @ 84.82 mph on a 15.90 dial in

She needed that pass on the previous round, darn it! Ah well, it was all good fun and great practice… Not to mention her first competition! Good Job princess! She is excited for the next race…

Pics from West Coast MC Challenge!

2007-10-17T12:31:00.001-07:00

West Coast Motorcycle Challenge – SUPER COMP WINNER!

2007-10-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

We brought home 1st Place! What an amazing weekend (yet again)! I want to extend HUGE thanks to Charlie for putting on the event and having such a great turnout. Last but definitely not least… to my crew, without you this would not be possible in more ways then the obvious! I love you all (Eddy, Paula, Sara, Arianna & Lucas)!

Despite the weekend starting out wet and dreary, it ended with AMAZING glory! Friday I opted to stay home cuddled in a warm blanket with my buns firmly planted on the couch…NICE! ;) Saturday started with excitement and anticipation of a great day and it was nothing less then SPECTACULAR! It was cold and foggy when we got to the track at 8am, but the sun came out and blessed us with a beautiful day!

From what I understand each class was fairly well rounded out! Top alcohol had an exceptionally big class for the type of bike and amount of money/effort that goes into making these puppies run! Street ET/Pro ET were very big as well! Both Super Gas and Super Comp had a fair number of competitors!

We were VERY optimistic going into this competition and registered for Super Comp (which is an 8.90 index) which means we had to run as close to 8.90 as possible. We started the day out with two qualifying passes…

§ 9.29 @ 146.62 mph with a .283 reaction and a 1.53 60’ time
§ 9.01 @ 147.17 mph with a .343 reaction and a 1.41 60’ time

Our first pass lead to some mechanical issues, which we fixed! Now as usual my reaction SUCKED…and this was not a good time to have my 60’ times so crappy either BUT we did qualify 2nd in our index so I’m not going to complain!

At this point we talked about making some changes to help with reaction and my 60’ time. We opted to make some minor but significant adjustments. As usual, Eddy prepped me for the recourse and THANK GOODNESS he did! Now anyone who has drag raced a motorcycle/dragbike themselves will tell you many times a challenging run doesn’t feel as bad as it looks…well apparently that was the definition of this next run…which just so happened to be my 1st round elimination run…

§ 11.39 @ 134.56 mph with a .157 reaction and a 1.300 60’ time

Ok so reaction time was much better and 60’ time was where we need to be BUT… it hit SUPER hard off the line and all I can tell you is it headed for the cones, I got out of it long enough to straighten her out and get back in it. From what I’m told and from seeing my daughter’s reaction it must have been one heck of a scary thing to watch. Now let me follow that up with this… it didn’t feel that bad! I was pissed to say the least when I exited the track and said a few choice words as loud as I could in my helmet. But to my amazement when I got to the time slip booth the gal handed me the white slip! “WHAT? Are you sure???” I was shocked and at first thought “there is no way I drove around her…” (yes my competitor was a chic, Jessica from Utah). But apparently Jessica red-lit and I was so busy having fun on the track I never saw the win light come on. Anyway, I was excited! Then Eddy brought my poor baby girl to me and she was in tears, my run had scared her very badly. So it was time for me to have "the talk" with her, the one that reassures our loved ones that despite the danger we as riders take on every time we get on that track that she needed to trust my ability and my comfort zone. I felt terrible! I’m sorry I scared you Sar-bear, you know that is never my intention! But hey we won and I’m ok! After the run, several people came up to me including Eddy to ask if I was ok?!?! Again, it didn’t feel that bad, sorry for scaring everyone! From what I’m told you could read the bike number (which is on both sides of our wheelie bar) both sides clearly (at one point), I was leaned over VERY far and just all over the place. I’m told many people were ready to run to help me (even the EMTs), as they thought for sure I was gonna wreck. But we pulled it out and still won the round!!! ;) Now we are on to 2nd round and I’ve got the crazy/fun ride out of the way… (hahaha) let’s get down to business! We reversed and compensated for some of the changes we made on the previous run, so let’s have some fun…

§ 9.04 @ 148.92 mph with a .287 reaction and a 1.45 60’ time

So again, I was expecting the yellow slip and the gal gave me the white! What? Are you sure??? So not enough adjustment to get me in the 8.90’s, but enough to get us to the finals! YUP you read right… my opponent broke out (8.87 in an 8.90 index) now in these circumstances I always hope that was a best pass run for my opponent (it helps soften the blow…I know from experience)! The amazing part was he tree’d the crap out of me with a .003 light (BEAUTIFUL) but he broke out by… you guessed it .003!!!! We make a few more adjustments, some which were just hard to believe… like running 4.5 pounds of pressure in the back tire! But Eddy you’re a genius because it was everything we needed….

§ 8.904 @ 147.74 mph with a .225 reaction and a 1.28 60’ time

This run felt AMAZING from launch to finish, everything was in synch and it was truly amazing! As I came around to the time slip booth I see Eddy grab the time slip from the gal and wave me threw. All I can think at that time is “how sweet, he doesn’t want me to be disappointed” I mean the run felt great but I was running a bike that just looked like an 8 second bike (standing still)! So I get back to the pit, park the bike, begin to take my gear off and I hear Eddy clear his throat (enough to get my attention) and as I turn around he displays the WHITE time slip! Are you kidding me??? WOOHOO!!! Seriously I think people in Georgia could have heard me scream!!! What an amazing feeling! Then as if it can’t get any better, he shows me the time… an 8.904 on an 8.90 index. This was by far the sweetest, not only did it bring home the win for our crew but it was our best E.T. and best 60’ time! We are elated!!!!

In addition, my girl Alicia of Go Moto won first place in Pro E.T. category, I am so proud of her. She widdled down a huge class and kicked butt all the way to the Winners Circle! Sorry guys…sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! ;) CONGRATS Alicia, I love ya!

We received many, many CONGRATS and we appreciate every single one of them! THANK YOU! I will have pics soon!

For those that did not make it out, please mark your calendars for May 2008! I understand we are going to have this event twice next year, which will be great! It was SSSSSOOOOOO much fun and such a great turn out! In addition to the bike drags, there were pit bike races, ATV races, stunt bikes and as usual great fun! Thanks to everyone who made it possible! ;)

Till next time…keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile) and be safe!

Bumble Bee

She made it to the semi’s last night!

2007-10-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Sara, raced in the Wednesday Night Drags last night to get some much needed seat time in preparation for Sundays Truck Drags! As you may recall last week was her first time in the truck without a rider accompanying her. So as nervous as I was she did fantastic! Jason has been very patient in teaching her the do’s and don’ts of drag racing a truck/car, I have NO experience in that category. I’ll stick to two wheels, thank you very much! As soon as we got to the track, Jason threw her in the truck and she was off and running! Her first hit (qualifying pass) was:

15.92 @ 84.5 mph with a .176 reaction and a 2.47 60’ time

She patiently waited her turn till the next run which was her 1st round hit:

15.97 on a 15.92 dial in. 84.4 mph, 0.70 reaction and a 2.52 60’ time (WINNER, WINNER)

She must have intimidated her opponent because he red-lit! So now we are on to 2nd round… ROCK ON!!!

15.95 on a 15.95 dial in (NICE)!!! (WINNER, WINNER)

She actually ran a 15.959 that’s how close she got it… YOU ROCK GIRL! 85.13 mph, .042 reaction (killin’ em on the lights girl…) and a 2.56 60’ time. FANTASTIC! Her opponent (which was a mustang BTW) dialed a 13.20 and ran a 14.10. Now we are on to the SEMI’s….

16.13 on a 15.93 dial in…

OOPS she red-lit this time. Just a tad too anxious, watched her roll just enough as the last amber lit up. If she had held it a split second longer I’m positive her light would have been a teen or better. Her opponent was dead on his dial in; he ran a 15.052 on a 15.05 dial in. But if she would have tree’d him it would have made all the difference! Anyway, she ran 84.01 mph, -.064 reaction and a 2.58 60’ time.

It was a FABULOUS night, she learned a lot, had a good time, and went to the semi finals! I am a VERY proud mom and am tickled that she gets to experience this at such a great age!

Thanks to my friends Eric and Steve for letting me use your bikes for a quick spin. They are fun, but Steve you need a SUZUKI bro! ;)

Also HUGE CONGRATS to Ira for winning Wednesday Night Drags, don’t get too carried away with your cup now ya hear! ;) Alicia, send me a pic of Ira from last night, so I can post it!

Till next time… well you know how I roll! ;)

Another step to independence...

2007-10-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

Well we are trying to get Sara ready for the Truck Drags on October 14th @ Sacramento Raceway! As of lately she has been making passes in the truck with a passenger, but last night marks the first time she made a solo pass! WooHoo! YOU GO GIRL! She did very well and beat a Honda, even better! She's still learning all the do's and don'ts of drag racing but for the most part she knows a good more then some of the guys I've seen run out there! I'm very proud of her and look forward to her progressively getting more confident and getting better overall!

All you guys...look out. She's gonna kick your butt....one day! ;)

Pics from the Go Moto BBQ 9-29-07

2007-10-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

FINALLY...

2007-10-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

I am truly a blessed individual, I have a beautiful daughter who is amazing in so many ways and a great son who is charming and cool, I have amazing friends, I have a phenomenal desire to race and I have the support of a GREAT crew, and I also have a huge passion for bikes in general and get to enjoy that more and more, recently. All these things help me to be who I am and achieve the goals we set. Thank you to all who are a part of that!

I know I always take time out to thank Eddy and family, but I really can’t express how much I love and respect them. They had faith in me to do well and that in turned fueled my desire. Eddy you’re a FANTASTIC teacher and person. You’re always patient with me and always help me to perform better. Thank you! Paula I appreciate you allowing him to come out to the track so frequently! Thank you!

This weekend ranks up there with some of the best! My daughter had an opportunity to go out of town, which left mom with a free weekend! Friday night I went out to the track for no other reason then just to go. Watched some racing and then went and hung out with a friend. It was the start to a great weekend. Saturday, Go Moto had a BBQ at there shop, which seemed to have a great turnout. NorCal Dragbike Assoc. was out there representing our crew and what we do! Thank you Alicia, for letting NorCal Dragbike come out and share in your event, it was great fun! Alicia also had a dyno guy out there, so lots of people got their bikes dyno’d. That was cool to see and hear! Several riders came by (guy and girl) to check out the event and it seemed as though there was a fair amount of store purchases happening too! Hurray! Photos to come...

Saturday night was Grudge Fest @ Sacramento Raceway and we decided to go have some fun! We’ve been having some problems with the clutch slipping, but did not get the new clutches in on time so we went with some stiffer slightly longer springs. Eddy is ALWAYS really good about telling me what the changes will do, so I know what to expect. We knew the new springs would make it hit harder off the line…but I didn’t realize how hard till we got out there. The first two passes hit really hard, we made some adjustments through the night and got it down to what I call “Manageable Chaos”. All good…

11.29 @ 142.69 mph with a .270 reaction and 1.31 60’ time (shitty run, hitting super hard of the line, good 60’ time)
11.12 @ 141.25 mph with a .168 reaction and 1.38 60’ time (again still hitting hard, had to get out of it, but consistently good 60’ time) Thanks Dave for your tip, it really helped me!
9.35 @ 147.41 mph with a .263 reaction and a 1.38 60’ time (we made some adjustments and its manageable now. 60’ time still consistent – GREAT!)
8.97 @ 149.57 mph with a .271 reaction and a 1.39 60’ time (WOOHOO! Finally my 8 second pass! We again made some minor adjustments on this pass, we were still spinning and still doing a little dance but it was an overall great run. Again, consistent 60’ time)
9.09 @ 148.77 mph with a .170 reaction and a 1.30 60’ time (Best 60’ time yet, but the track just didn’t have the support we needed. This pass did a lot of dancing but ironically it was FUN, I wasn’t in the least bit intimidated or scared.)
9.35 @ 147.01 mph with a .318 reaction and a 1.49 60’ time ( I was cold as was the track. Again we were doing some dancing, although this time I'm fairly sure you could have set a beat to it, but it was FUN!)

Overall, we learned A LOT and had a phenomenal night! I learned a TON more about riding and improved my skills by a good amount! I LOVE RACING and with every pass that passion grows that much deeper!

There were several people who came by to give congrats and inquire about the bike/runs, etc. Thank you, your support is overwhelming! Eddy you looked like a kid in a candy store every time someone came by to say something, I’m so glad I could do this for you/for us… so glad I could pull out that 8 second pass! Thank you again for the opportunity!

Sunday was a completely lazy day for me which rounded out a fantastic weekend in the best way! Till next time… keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile) and be safe!

BB

Winner Winner!!!

2007-09-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Huge CONGRATS to my girl Stacy for winning her first Wednesday Night Drags! She beat out numerous other riders (mostly guys) to take the win! I am so proud of you girl! YOU ROCK! Keep up the good work, your doing great! Clearly she was possessed to win last night...look at those eyes! ;)

Lots O' Love - Annette

Pics from Governor's Cup 2007

2007-09-25T11:39:00.001-07:00

38th Annual Governor’s Cup

2007-09-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Sacramento Raceway Friday, September 21 @ 6pm – Sunday, September 23 @ 9pm

The weather predicted rain Friday night through Saturday. We thought we were perhaps gonna be in the good graces of mother nature as Saturday morning rolled around and there was no rain (yet). Yes, it was overcast, but as long as it wasn’t raining we are good to GO! We ended up getting two (2) qualifying passes done before the sky opened up and dumped on us. The track officials said if it rains they would call the race until Sunday (which was predicted to be nice & sunny)… Well that’s exactly what happened. Although it rained fairly steady for about an hour and then got beautiful again… Oh well, for many it was just what they needed (in order to fix or make last minute adjustments to their cars/bikes or equipment). Our crew did great, our two qualifying passes were consistent but we spun off the line both times… but we knew where we stood at the end of the day! :)

Another crew Wild Child Racing however was up against a dilemma… they had some problems with the belt that drives their transmission. Although many reasons could be deducted from the problems they were having, there was nothing specific that said “that’s the problem, for sure”. One of the best things that I love so much about drag racing is the camaraderie that is developed between teams and people. I don’t run with Wild Child Racing, but I know the guys and I know enough about bikes in general to be able to lend a hand (where needed), so that’s what I did. We worked on a few different things, while the rest of the crew tried to find another belt, unfortunately the alternate belt did not pan out. However, at the end of the day when all was said and done, it was decided to run the bike with the belt with some minor adjustments (not the ideal set-up but it would work)… Now it wasn’t all work and no play. These guys (Greg, Rogge, Steve, & Johnny) are nothing short of great, they all make you laugh and have a great relationship with one another, not to mention they are all easy on the eyes! They certainly made a drab rained out Saturday entertaining… thanks guys, you’re the best!

Sunday morning rolled around and everyone was ready to race! Now I’ve seen, heard and felt funny cars from attending NHRA Autolite Nationals the past 3 years, but I’ve never seen, heard, and felt them up close and personal. I had the opportunity to do that at this event. There were some amazing Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars, as well as Nostalgia Cars running some phenomenal numbers. I love the ET and speeds they are hitting, but still think I’ll stick to two wheels! There is nothing like the smell of nitro and the rumble these cars put down… it’s truly amazing! In addition, to all this good fun…

The Jelly Belly fire truck which does quarter mile wheelies. I didn’t get any pics of this bad boy but it’s cool to see. Haven’t figured out how the guy does it, but as he passes down the lane you get the hint of cinnamon (like a cinnamon jelly belly)! How does he do that? I gotta know!
The worlds largest motorcycle was there too, Thanks Greg & Kaleb for bringing out your beast. This thing is amazing and is always a crowd pleaser!

Tons of fun all wrapped around a great weekend of racing! I really have no idea who won in the different categories aside from motorcycles, sorry. However, motorcycles did great! Miss Katie made it to the semi finals against Michael O’Neil while Phil Nasca went against Eddy Palmer. Michael won against Katie, good job Michael and Phil won against Eddy, good job Phil! Then we moved on the finals and it was Phil against Michael… Now it was a good race, both left the line hard (so much so... that they both red-lit) and both were given it their all. The difference between the red lights was marginal but it comes down to who red-lit worse… and that ended up being Michael. Thereby making Phil Nasca the Governor’s Cup WINNER! WooHoo, Phil! I am so proud of you; you worked hard for it and raced good all weekend. Plus it was great that Mia got to be there and see her daddy win! I’m sorry I did not get any pics of the Governor’s Cup trophy, when it gets dark my camera is useless.

But there is more… Phil was not only in contention to win the Governor’s Cup; he was also striving for the NorCal Dragbike Association 2007 Championship. Which he accomplished! FANTASTIC! So the season finished out like this…

Phil Nasca – CHAMPION
Eddy Palmer – Runner Up
Diego Ortiz – 3rd place

Great job guys, I’m proud of each of you! In closing, I can’t encourage those who did not attend any more then by saying “get ya azz out there next year!” It’s always a ton of fun with great racing and fun people! Till next year peoples… Photos to come!

Eluded again...

2007-09-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

ADDICT: n. One who is addicted
ADDICTED: adj. Doing or using something as a habit or compulsively

Ok so we have defined the two… I’m fairly certain that mine, along with many of my friends and now my daughter faces appears next to these definitions in the dictionary. Because when it comes to drag racing there is NO OTHER option. I always say drag racing is black or white; you either LOVE it or you HATE it! Although, I really don’t know how anyone couldn’t love it but again, I think that falls under the broad definition of addict.

With that said, the weekend doesn’t get any better when you get to race and your daughter gets to race too! I posted her results and the evenings character previously, make sure you take a peek at Victory...so SWEET!

So it’s been awhile since the last time I ran, seriously feels like forever. In reality I think it’s been a tad over 4 weeks… YIKES, that’s too long – I’m going through withdrawals! So as usual I leave work, go grab the kid and my gear and we head to the track. We get there and there are a few street bikes playin’ along with a few dragbikes. Mark Topalinski (sorry if I killed your last name Mark) and another guy (so sorry, I always forget his name). Very nice guy and his wife is such a sweetheart! We get ready to run and go over a few details (bike set-up and minor changes)…

8-17-07 recap – best pass was a 9.27 @ 149.1 mph.

First pass, get up to do my burnout… can’t seem to find second, neutral, or first gear. Eventually I get it, line up and GO…

9.14 @ 149.3 mph with a .520 reaction and 1.56 60’ time

Next pass…the launch throws me off balance and the whole run feels like a dance to keep it in the groove. I drifted toward the cones then towards the guard rail till finally I get her going straight and dam its over… WOW, a low 9 second pass sure goes by quicker then a high 9 or low 10 second pass. Even with all the dancing we still ran…

9.11 @ 149.3 mph with a .355 reaction and 1.46 60’ time

This next pass marks the first time I’ve raced with someone in the opposite lane. Thank you, Brandon! I firmly believe having a competitor naturally pushes you to do better and this was no exception!

9.00 @ 149.5 mph with a .274 reaction and a 1.45 60’ time

Now, let me start by saying I thought for sure this was the 8 second pass that I’ve been craving for so long… But alas it was not. However, you don’t get much closer to an 8 then to run a 9 flat. At this point, I think I just over-amp’d myself and somehow wedged my head up my a$$. My next pass was straight out of the twilight zone, as if I just couldn’t get it together…stupid, stupid, stupid.

16.36 @ 105 mph with a .346 reaction and a 1.42 60’ time

Ultimately, it didn’t feel good when I got out there and I got out of it, which yes was the right thing to do but definitely threw my momentum off. I questioned…was it me or was it the bike? The bike died at the end of the track, but was that my fault, did I get out of the throttle too much??? Well clearly based off the reaction time and 60’ time (which was my best so far BTW) it was NOT the bike… 100% rider error! I let the fact that I wanted that 8 second pass so bad get in my head and it ultimately back fired. The irony in this was that Eddy was trying to teach me a lesson, but again “head up a$$” so hard to hear way up there… :) He asked if I wanted to go ahead of the Jr’s that were running, to which I replied “nah, I’m in no hurry”… now I have a better understanding of WHY he wanted me to go ahead of them. Sorry Eddy…

So the next and final pass (we were concerned about the track going away at this point, it was getting cooler and there were no big tire cars running anymore)…but we said “one more”…

9.39 @ 148.1 mph with a .256 reaction and a 1.66 60’ time

So we rebounded a bit but the track was just not able to support us. Its all good, as usual, I learned a lot and had a blast! My daughter got a couple of pictures (from my phone, despite having the camera with us)… Enjoy! Feel free to leave me any comments, I love to hear the feedback!

As I close out, please come out and join us on Saturday, September 22 at Sacramento Raceway for the 39th Annual Govenor’s Cup! Pit Adm. $25. General Adm. $20. All kids under 12 Admitted FREE. Racing 10am-10pm.

It is the final race of the season for Nor Cal Dragbike Association and we’d like to see as many fans out as possible! Come out & enjoy the weather, a great event and some kick-a$$ racing! For event details check out www.sacramentoraceway.com. If you want more info on Nor Cal Dragbike Association, visit http://myspace.com/norcaldragbikes. Hope to see you there!

Victory...so SWEET!

2007-09-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

Well my friend Jason officially created a monster! Thank you! Sara got to race his truck Friday night (9-14-07) and ran the best time he’s seen on it (14.90 @ 84 mph)! ROCK ON, girl! He swore she wasn’t racing it again, but then ended the night with…”she can race tomorrow night too, if she wants”…

So as soon as Saturday morning rolled around, I hear “Mom, when are we going to the track?” I couldn’t help but chuckle as I assured her we would be going later since Grudge Fest didn’t start till 6pm anyway! She was happy with that and happily rolled over and went back to sleep! We got ready as the evening came around and got to the track around 8pm… yeah I know a little late, but we both knew she wouldn’t get a ton of passes in. Or at least that’s what I kept telling myself. Now let me give you some back ground on this… I’ve raced motorcycles for a good number of years now and have progressively gotten quicker and faster! None of which scares me or makes me feel uncomfortable. However, I have NEVER raced a car and thereby am a little nervous especially because Jason said “you have to ride with her, since I have to work the tree”… YIKES! hhhmmmm, how can I get out of this…? Bottom line is I couldn’t and I really want her to feel like she is a part of drag racing on her own, not just because mom does it. So with that said… I sucked it up and we made our first pass. She does good; still creeps to the light a little far out, but overall is learning everything well. NOW with this pass, I get to experience a few new things too.

Wow, its different then being on a bike… well duh!
Everything seems so much slower… again duh! (do you see a pattern forming here?)

So the light is a bit different and I actually got to look around and see the track go by. WOW, now that is a new concept for me. I typically see the start and finish…the rest is a quick blur! Overall, she did great and above all else had a GREAT time!

So without further adue…here are her stats from Saturday night.

.739 reaction, 2.33 60’ = 15.20 @ 91.6 mph
.677 reaction, 2.30 60’ = 14.83 @ 94.6 mph – now this pass has significance for her…

She raced a newer mustang on this pass. It was actually VERY cool to see how close it was throughout the whole 1,320 feet of track we covered. In the end, she beat the mustang. Here are his stats…yes I said HIS…

.443 reaction, 2.35 60’ = 15.12 @ 93.8 mph

WooHoo! That’s my girl that just schooled you in a Dodge Truck! Can you tell I was a little excited for her!?! As was she… so much so that Sunday when we got up she said “Mom, I had a dream about racing last night…” she’s addicted! Till next time, keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile)!

Bumble Bee

Its genetic!

2007-09-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited to share a fun and exciting moment that took place this weekend. As you all know I live and breathe drag racing! Well I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree (now)! My daughter had her first experience with drag racing Friday (9/7/07). My friend Jason asked if it was ok to let her run his truck, he was in the truck with her during the runs. I was very clear if anything happened, it would be his ass! :) Well, she did great and now understands the addiction that comes along with the quarter mile! ;) Here are her stats...

16.94 ET @ 81.4 mph (1.398 reaction & 2.60 60' time)

16.15 ET @ 84.4 mph (.358 reaction & 2.49 60' time)

16.38 ET @ 84.4 mph (.231 reaction & 2.75 60' time)

16.25 ET @ 84.3 mph (.390 reaction & 2.53 60' time)

16.03 ET @ 85.1 mph (.094 reaction & 2.53 60' time)

Way to GO, princess! She now has a better understanding of why mom LOVES drag racing so much! :) I'm very proud of her! Big thanks to Jason for allowing her to run his truck, now once she gets comfortable doing it on her own... your in trouble! ;) She can't wait to get back out there, just like mom!!!

ET Summit Series @ Infineon Raceway

2007-09-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

I'd like to take a moment to hand some well deserved "KUDOS" to the crew! The guys did good Monday (Labor Day)! We went to Infineon Raceway for the guys to compete in the ET Summit Series. I'm very proud to announce that although they did not bring home the Wally, they did one hell of a job! Phil Nasca made it to the semi's taking a loss to Michael O'Neil, while Eddy Palmer had the by run. Then it came down to Eddy and Michael in the final round, due to unexpected challenges with the bike and breaking the tire loose all day, Michael walked away with the Wally! Congratulations Michael!

The crew did great! You both should be very proud of yourselves!

Till next time...keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile) and be safe!

Bumble Bee

An 8 is in sight...

2007-08-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a FABULOUS Friday (8.17.07)!

I got to run on Friday night and we ran fairly consistent and produced some really good numbers! :)

Before I post stats, let me remind you the best I ran last time (8.3.07) was 9.72 @ 146 mph...

9.50 @ 148.2 mph with a 1.68 (60') and a beautiful .031 reaction
9.29 @ 149.1 mph with a 1.61 (60') and an ugly .238 reaction (I might have been cat napping here...hee hee)
9.46 @ 147.4 mph with a 1.60 (60') and a ick .160 reaction (I got out of the groove on this run and had to do a little riding and still ended up running in the 9's)
9.27 @ 147.0 mph with a 1.49 (60') and a decent .066 reaction

Two VERY IMPORTANT things to point out. Pass #2 produced the best mph this bike has ever run and pass #4 produced the best E.T. this bike has ever run. Both of which are my personal bests (to-date). We ran into a minor complication on the 4th pass and honestly feel if we had not encountered the complication we would have seen a high 8 second pass.

I was able to get all my license passes done and now I just gotta come up with the $168 to pay for it! :) hee hee

I can't wait till next time! Thanks for all the support, until next time keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile)!

Finally in the 9's...

2007-08-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

So the whole intent Friday night was to get into the 9's and well I finally made it! I don't have any pictures to share but I am pretty proud of the stats. Let me preface this by saying I've already ran the best MPH that Eddy's bike has run and I'm knocking on the door of his best ET. As always HUGE thanks to the Palmer family for allowing me to do what I do! Thanks Paula for making the bump for the seat that really was a huge help (at least comfort wise) and for taking video. I continue to learn something on every pass and it continues to feel better and better each time! Also HUGE thanks to my friend Jason and he knows why! You've been a big part of this too! So without further adue here are the stats:

First pass: 9.98 @ 147.6 mph with a 1.91 60' (not a bad way to start the night considering the best I did before was a 10.33)
Next pass: 10.52 @ 143.3 mph with a 1.66 60' (started getting a little more aggressive with the clutch but the tire spun)
Next pass: 17.14 @ 62.1 mph with a 1.50 60' (again more aggressive but this time I had major issue finding the air shifter button)
Next pass: 9.72 @ 146.3 mph with a 1.79 60' (NOW that's what I'm talking about!)
Last pass: 11.73 @ 82.6mph with a 1.53 60' (Eddy asked me to run a 1/2 pass)... this would have been a great pass had I stayed in it! Next time...

On the very first pass, it was actually very comical as I figured the pass was a low 10 perhaps close to the 10.33 I ran last time. So I wasn't expecting much...as I entered our pit Eddy looks at me and says "you haven't looked at your time slip have you"...to say the least I was excited! Let's just say there was some screaming involved! :) hee hee (like I said very comical)!

I am also at the point now that I have to get my NHRA license, since I have every intention of continueing to run in the 9's and hopefully the 8's. Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement! Thank you again to the Palmer Family!

We are very excited about the progress we've made and look forward to a "quick" future! ;)

On the homefront: My daughter came home from her summer vacation with her brother and father! What a FANTASTIC topper to an already exciting weekend! I LOVE my kids more then anything (yes, including racing) and I am so happy to have her back home!

Keep the rubber side down (for awhile) and be safe out there!

NHRA Autolite Nationals 2007

2007-07-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic friday, it turned out to be! I got to hang out with a good friend of mine, Jason! He's a super sweet guy and available ladies! ;) Sorry I don't have any pics of him... (I'll have to work on that!)

This is the one time a year that I absolutely refuse to miss! I watch drag racing religiously and one time a year I really get to be in the thick of it, I get to see and meet a good percentage of the drivers/racers. This year I did not sit in the same section as I have in years past (that won't happen again), so unfortunately I did not get very many pictures. However, I did get a chance to really have some good race & bike discussion with Karen Stoffer (sponsored by Geico) & Matt Guidera (sponsored by Mohegan Sun & Rocklin Harley Davidson). I met Scott Lewis and got to see Peggy Llewellynn run her career best. It was a fantastic weekend!

Here are a few pics from the day!

Me and Ashley Force!

Ashley's Top Fuel Car

John Force's Top Fuel Car

Go Angelle, Go!

Go Matt, Go!

All in all, it was as always a fantastic day! The weather was beautiful and the fans were so excited to see all the action! Can't wait till next year...

7/20-7/21/07 - Making progress!

2007-07-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

First let me say HUGE THANKS to Eddy Palmer for teaching me how to ride his bike and allowing me to do what I do with patience and confidence! THANK YOU!

Friday, July 20th

Unfortunately, I do not have any photos to share with y'all this time, but I do have some good stats!

Friday night I got to run (Thank You, Eddy). I had a very good time and I'm learning more and more everytime I get on. There was a very nice couple at the track from Arkansas, the husband (young guy) who was also learning how to ride a dragbike. Much like me, he started on a streetbike and ventured his luck on a dragbike (courtesy of Mark Rissling). I really didn't get to watch too many of his runs, but from what I heard he got into the 9's. VERY COOL! :) I also heard he got a little loose on his last pass... ;)

The night started out good, my friend Jason introduced me to Matt Guidera (he rides a Prostock Bike sponsored by Mohegan Sun Buell) who happen to be doing a little testing @ his home track. Very nice guy, but he is much shorter then I thought. ;) LOL... you know I mean no harm, Matt. I got to talk to him and his crew about racing which was cool. Unfortunately, he did not really get to test all that much as he was having an "engineering problem"! ;) Hopefully, I'll get a chance to chat with him again at NHRA on Friday!

So on to my runs... I made 4 passes Friday night. As usual my first pass was decent:

11.27 @ 131.4 mph with 2.11 60' and .350 reaction
12.06 @ 120.3 mph with 2.00 60' and .282 reaction (this one my foot hit the shift lever and I couldn't find the air shifter button)
11.24 @ 133.2 mph with 2.02 60' time and .186 reaction
11.06 @ 130.4 mph with 1.79 60' time and .663 reaction

So overall, I am very pleased with my runs. As I stated earlier, I keep learning so much about what different things feel like on this bike and what I need to do or not do. I'm very excited about the progress I've made.

Saturday, July 21st

Grudge Fest! I inquired if Eddy wanted to run on Saturday and to my pleasant surprise he said sure. SWEET, I'm stoked!!! Grudge Fest starts at 6pm and there wasn't a large # of cars out and we were the only bike, except for my friend Dan (who was playin around). So I'm bound and determined to get some better numbers today. I know I can do this. I get all suited up and I'm ready to go... So we get up there do our burnout and prep to run:

10.33 @ 144.0 mph with 1.76 60' and .301 reaction (WOOHOO, I'm freakin' stoked... this is my personal best E.T. & MPH)
12.22 @ 134.6 mph with 2.11 60' and 1.24 reaction (tried something new and it didn't all work out, but I learned)
11.05 @ 141.2 mph with 1.97 60' and .537 reaction
11.08 @ 129.9 mph with 2.37 60' and .086 reaction (I was much more aggressive on the clutch but still managed to grab it again...dang it!)
10.84 @ 140.6 mph with 1.93 60' and .303 reaction (Again, more aggressive - only this time it was with the throttle)
11.55 @ 135.1 mph with 1.49 60' and .121 reaction (WOOHOO, again I'm stoked...my personal best 60' time) [This run was actually on the rev limiter (just a tad) and I finally dropped the clutch]
11.31 @ 136.4 mph with 1.77 60' and .259 reaction

So at this point I am elated and if you could have only seen me jumping around after my 10.33 run... it was very comedic! ;) Nonetheless, I was not consistent in the 10's nor did I hit the 9's but I did learn a great deal and feel I'm better prepared moving forward to achieve those numbers soon!

In addition, to me running my personal best this night, the bike shared in that victory. The pass that achieved the 144mph is the best mph the bike has achieved to date. I hope to lay down a better number as I get more comfortable out there, but recognize that number isn't going to change too much. :)

I'll be attending the NHRA Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, CA on Friday, July 27th. I'll try to post some pics and highlights from the day upon my return.

I hope to be back at the track soon!

Wednesday Drags

2007-07-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

So in my completely bias opinion there truly is nothing that compares to drag racing... I decided to go out to Wednesday Night Drags @ Sacramento Raceway! I had not been in awhile and have heard that there has been a fairly good turnout of bikes. So I went to investigate... (ok not really I just wanted to go) :)

It was a good turnout, too bad we can't get that at our events. I need to figure something out to help promote our events and get a bigger/better bike turnout. No offense to you car people, but frankly I'm a tad more focused on the bikes... So with that said, its always interesting to go out to the track on days when the newbies come out with ego's in tow! Now let me preface this by saying, KUDOS to all for bringing it to the track vs. taking the risk on the street. However, lets follow some simple yet effective track etiquette:

Wait your turn
If your prompted to enter a lane (water box or not) - don't be scared thats what your there for...
DON'T begin your burnout until prompted
Roll your windows up (car people) - windows down eqauls drag which equals bad ET (and no one cares what your stereo sounds like!)
When staging, roll into the beam until you see both amber lights lite up... if you deep stage go further until only the bottom amber is lit.
When your light turns GREEN, you should already be gone... it don't get any greener
IF something goes wrong with your vehicle during your run, PLEASE pull to the outside of the lane (as far as possible)... no one else wants to wait to run because your a dumb ass.
Thank you!

Now on to bigger and better things... the girlz did great last night and I am always stoked to see any girl out having fun on the track (car or bike)! No offense guys but your a dime a dozen! ;) So with that said... here's Stacy on her GSXR 750. She is running in the high 10's and has knowlingly figured out what works for her off the line! I personally think she'd have a blast with an air shifter.

Here is Alicia of GoMoto, both her and her husband Ira race. His bike is currently "not feeling well"... so he did not race this night, but he was there in support! :) Good job, Ira!

What a great night of racing! I left before the end of the final run, so I am not sure who won last night (if anyone would like to volunteer that info, I'll post it)! Overall, it was a great night of good racing, great company and a beautiful weather!!!

I LOVE DRAG RACING... I think you've all heard me say that a time or two! I love anything that has to do with motorcycles (streetbikes specifically) and I am always looking for ways to promote safe riding and racing! To get people involved! There is such a stigmata about riders and it really is about educating ourselves and the public. We are not a bad group of people, in fact I've never found a tighter community of people, but that is not to say there are not those out there that abuse the very foundation we try to maintain. I love that anyone wants to ride, but please do it responsibly!

Few more pics from Friday the 13th...

2007-07-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks Roni for the pics!

Helmet hair... not cute!

Back @ the Track...

2007-07-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

After a very long absence (at least it feels like it), I've finally made my way back to the track. Only this time I'm not racing a streetbike... this time I'm taking the next step and racing a dragbike. Which is the next step in my long term goals to go ProStock. So here is a few pics of the bike that I am now jockeying (is that a word???) :) hee hee!

I'm so excited and want to take this time to give HUGE THANKS to the Palmer family for giving me the opportunity to ride. Here's me and Eddy talking about what things I need to be aware of... Also big thanks to my friend Tom for coming out to give some moral support too!

So its a tad different to go from a 636cc bike to a 1340cc bike! Some of the differences between what I have raced and what I am racing now... air shifter (what a FABULOUS invention, seriously I LOVE IT), wheelie bar, 1340cc motor, leave on the rev limiter, drop the clutch, no tach to gauge rpms... all of these things are tad different from what I'm used too (too say the least) but I'm super excited to see how far I can take it!

So here are the stats (let me preface these #'s by saying my 60' times were not so good):

1st run - 14.45 @ 105.4 mph (60' = 2.28)

2nd run - 13.44 @ 107.7 mph (60' = 2.11)

3rd & final run - 12.0 @ 119.8 mph (60' = 2.06)

Now keep in mind we opted to start out slow and I launched the bike like a streetbike. I feathered the clutch and attempted to find a comfortable rpm (again within reason since there is no tach). I spun the tire off the line on the second run and on had a hard time finding the air shifter button for the first two runs. On the 3rd run however, everything felt like it was coming together. I was able to find the button easier and hit most of my shift points. NOW I have to work on the reaction and 60' times. I'm not even going to list my reaction times...too embarrassing!

What a GREAT weekend! I hope to be back out there Friday and will hopefully have some more stats to post for you! The goal is to take this bike into the 8's which would me a major rush!

Keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile) and be safe out there!

Summer Visitation

2007-07-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

We celebrated the 4th of July with some new friends, which was fun and low key!

We had expected to get to bed fairly early as we had an early morning ahead of us... [sara was scheduled for a 6am flight to Texas] **ICK** Unfortunately, our expectations were overrun by our desire to celebrate a little of the our Independence! We watched many fireworks, small and big; some which inspired a "aaahhhh" while others made us close our eyes (i.e., strobe light type fireworks...not so good). The air was filled with the smell of sulfar, thick and smokey. We ended up crawling into bed around 11pm. NOT GOOD. Especially, when we had to get up and out of the house by 4am. Haven't had to get up this early since...yikes...when I went to court back in November. Bygones...

The morning came VERY early! The alarm sounded at 2:45am and "oh gosh, its that time already" ran thru my mind. So I get up and get movin... when Sara says "its not that bad once you get in the shower"... [hee hee yeah OK] - I think. I hit the shower and do my absolute best to look the part, since once her flight leaves I have to head to work. No rest for the wiery. Well, the morning goes without a hitch. We get to the airport, get her checked in [to which they informed me I can't escort her up after today unless I have a ticket myself, she's not an unaccompanied minor anymore :(], so we get thru security and we head to Starbucks (my necessity this dam early) - Sara downed a Rockstar on the way to the airport [don't know how she drinks those things]. Then we wait patiently for her plane to board, all of which I was doing just fine. As they start boarding... Zone 1... then Zone 2... till finally they get to her [Zone 3]. I keep telling myself [be strong, don't cry]... yeah whatever. As soon as I hugged her, tears started streaming. She then starts to tease me... "are you crying, mom?"... Anyway, I cried and cried... Oh and cried some more. YES, I know she's only going to be gone for a few weeks, but it feels like forever and she's still within eye sight. This is gonna be ugly! So she boards and I finally stop streaming... sit down and settle in for the generally long transition from boarding to actual departing! I cry a little more and finally they push back from the terminal. I watch her plane taxie down to the runway, then it stops and turns around... [hhhmmmm that's odd - I think] and then because I'm in such a fragile state (weapy), I think maybe she had a fit and they are bringing her back. Like that would be a good scenario, right? "Ma'am your daughter was creating a scene on the plane and just out of control..." Yeah, I'm thinking that would not have been so good. So the plane taxie's all the way back to the terminal stopping just outside the terminal, and sits there for 25 minutes. All I can think is "if there is something wrong with the plane, get my baby girl off it"... But alas, it once agains taxies and this time...takes flight! As I watch her plane climb, tears again start streaming... I'm like a freakin water fountain at this point, definitely NOT cute. No woman crying is cute, don't care who she is. So now, my baby is off on summer visit and I am ALONE! Oh gosh, that's such a sharp sound... ALONE. I keep reassuring myself...[she'll be fine, she's going to have fun, she'll be back] all of which inevitably make me cry harder. Ironic huh?

So now I'm on my way to work and my lack of sleep is catching up with me, shit its 7am (now) and I've already been up almost 5 hours, while most people are just crawling out of bed. I get to the office and do what I do... I discover that my lack of sleep can have comical affects on ones speech and ability to function on all cylinders. My boss grants my request to leave a tad early so I can go home and recoop and of course...cry some more! Meanwhile, I'm anxiously waiting to hear from Sara, so I can put my motherly instincts to rest and know that she made her flight and connecting flight, safely. Finally, I can't take it and call her...[sigh] she is ok and made it safely! I feel better but yes during my conversation with her I did... you guessed it... cried! Seriously, ridiculous huh... Oh well, she is one of my prides of joy, so I reserve the right to boo hoo over her anytime. :) So she is safe in Texas and off to visit...

I can only imagine the amount of tissue I'm gonna need when I get home today when she's not there to greet me and inquire about my day... [oh goodness that's making me cry, now] I need to get a tissue! I'll journal some more when she returns...

Take em' OFF!!!

2007-06-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

Today is a GREAT day in our household. Sara got her braces OFF today and the transformation has been amazing to watch. In November 2005, she got braces on and was VERY self conscious about her smile. She hated to smile and was reluctant to show her teeth at all...

Wow, what a difference a year and a half makes... NOW she's ALL smiles and can't wait to show off her NEW smile!

Look at those BEAUTIFUL pearly whites! She is so excited and I am so proud of her! Lots of LOVE to ya princess!

LOVE MOM!!!

Motorcycle Expo, June 2, 2007

2007-06-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

So there was plenty of fun and amusement to be had this weekend. We attended the 2nd Annual Motorcycle Expo in Auburn, Ca this weekend. The weather was beautiful, a little toasty towards the latter part of the day but overall great. I went to represent and show some love for my girl Alicia's store, GoMoto. Although you can't see too much by the pic, GoMoto has a lot of GREAT apparel, helmets, etc. for women riders! She really has an impressive set-up! Her store is located at: 5739 Auburn Blvd., Sac., CA 916/339-3933. Stop by and see her crew, they will take care of you!

There were lots and lots of people and bikes there, although I hear not as many as last. However it seemed like a good weekend! Plush Racing and ChicRiders were there both representing their respective groups!

Alicia and Melody! Stacy is below (btw: Stacy where did you get your tank bag?)!

There were some stunt riders there as well, it always trips me out to see what these cats can do on their bikes. I still need to learn how to wheelie without looping! Think I'll just stick to straight line fun! ;)

Overall it was a great day and fun event! They even had a SUPER bike there... don't think I want to ride that bad boy! Could you imagine seeing that thing riding down the highway... LOL! It actually has a seat and steering wheel, that's how insanely huge it is! The specs on it said its top speed was 65 mph... HELLO!

I'm a big fan of Suzuki's and just couldn't resist taking a few shots of the girls bikes! Lookin' good girls, lookin good!

Such a beautiful bike... This is Stacy's 07' GSXR-750! GORGEOUS!

Here is Melody's GSXR, only I'm not sure what cc or what year... Melody fill in the blanks girl!

Through it all my daughter, was a trooper! Thanks for going princess!

That's all for now folks! PEACE!

So updates on me... Oh My….

2007-06-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

What an amazing year (2006 to present)! Lots of change and tribulations were encountered in the past 16 months.

My daughter started High School (Yikes!)

I won my first ET race (FANTASTIC!!!) :)

I got custody of my daughter (DOUBLE FANTASTIC!!!) :)

We (me and my ex) sold my bike (this was VERY sad for me) :(

We had a fabulous Christmas and a mellow New Years

Me and my ex broke up and went out separate ways after 8.5 years (long story) :(

I had to sell my truck due to the split (this has been HUGE for me too) :(

Me and my daughter are persevering (or at least trying)

My daughter will officially be a HS Sophmore as of 6/7/07 @ 12:03pm

By the end of the month she will get her braces OFF, that is huge in her world!

It would be huge in mom’s too, if the payments stopped when the braces came off (fat chance). :) Oh well, her teeth look beautiful! :)

Summer is within eye sight and she has plans to go see her father for a few weeks in July, I’m torn. I want her to have a great summer but don’t want her to go to her fathers [long story]! Bygones…

I started playing volleyball again, which has been so much fun and good exercise. Heck, the first night I played I could barely walk for the next two days. I could take that as a sign that I am getting older, however I prefer to think of it as “wow, I really played hard”…

Mother’s Day was nice, me and my daughter spent the day together (as most days) and went to play some vball at our local park. It was a good day, low key and fun! This Mother's Day was a big change from last year, as I was racing Mother's Day last year! That was great too!

I’ve also learned how important forgiveness is and how few friends I really have. That’s a sad realization. I have a hand-full of friends that I can always talk to or count on, but then I have found I have far more wayward friends who talk to you when its convenient for them. WHATEVER!

I’m taking one day at a time and living moment to moment right now. I’m trying to stay involved in the bike world, because when I get my next bike I’d like to have a network of people to ride/race with and for parts, accessories, etc. Not to mention, they are all around fun and good people!

I’m working very hard to better our lives and eventually buy my own home. This is a very slow process, as it is for most, just seems particularly slow for us. Although, I’ve never been good at the whole patience thing, but MUCH better then some. I am working hard at it! Overall, the past 16 months have been filled with many many celebratory moments and many moments of shear heartbreak. I'm learning how to be better person, to do what's right and not always what's easy. I'm learning who I am again and trying my darndest to establish my independence (seems to be a big thing for me, must be something lacking from my childhood... LOL!!!) All the while trying to be a good parent and provide the basics as well as the occassional luxury (this is MUCH harder to come by these days). It would be SO much easier if I could just win the lottery...

That’s all for now! Keep the rubber side down (at least for awhile) and be safe out there!

Life Changes....

2007-04-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it would be a far cry from reality if I said my life hasn't changed A LOT in the past 60 days. They say all good things must come to an end, unfortunately that has been true for me. I recently made a major life change that effected many many people in my life, not all in a good way. :( For those of you who know me, you know what that change has been and I thank you for your support and well wishes! Now its just a matter of getting back on my feet and rising from the ashes. I've heard the Phoenix does that as well, perhaps I should consider getting that as a tattoo! :) lol!!

I've learned many many things and experienced many wonderful and not so wonderful things over the past 8.5 years and I thank him for every minute of it. I'm sorry I can not be the person he needs and deserves. I will always love him and wish the best for him! I hope one day we can be friends again. Until then, he is always in my thoughts and loved. Take care!

Lots of love to my friends and lots of love to his family for all the support as well. I have every intention to once again race and ride, right now priorities still remain family but wanting to ride/race again is a great motivator!

We hope to go visit the Englands in the next few weeks and hopefully see my girl do some kick ass racing of her own! Summer is quickly approaching as are more changes... but we will persevere through it and do what we can to land on our feet! ;)

Talk to y'all soon!

Better late than never.....?

2007-02-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

Well a very Happy belated New Year to y'all! I hope your new year was eventful yet memorable!!

I wish I had great news to report, like I have a new bike... but nothing that exciting! In fact, I'm still without wheels and its killing me as riding/racing season spawns its beautiful head! I see more, more and more people riding as the days get warmer... :o(

However, some very good friends "The Englands" should have or should be preparing for the Grand Opening of their new bike shop ENGLAND'S PERFORMANCE, 13540 St. Marys Rd., Red Bluff, CA (530) 527-2928. If you want motor work done, this really is the place to do it. I've known them for 7 years and they are great people and phenominal when it comes to bikes/engines. When I say its in their blood, I wish it were an exaggeration, but its NOT. Even if you have questions, consider this a resource.

Another friend of ours (TB) is getting prepped for the season. His bike is looking fantastic, sits so low and just plain looks mean. He's about ready to rip up the track and I really can't wait to see it. I'll post pics when he goes out, really a great guy and is super excited about a new season with a new bike! Keep it up, Bingo!

Outside of that... all is pretty dam boring and uneventful on this end. No wheels, no racing and no riding! Ah, well... it is what it is and its great motivation to get a new bike, right?!

Keep both wheels on the ground (occassionally) and be safe out there!

Peace!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with love, laughter, great company, yummy food and of course lots of thanks for all our blessings! Gobble, Gobble!