Springfield ST and Mile
Matt Weidman Race Report
Was looking forward to an exciting weekend with George Mack on Saturday and Carl Patrick on Sunday. I was privileged to have two of the best tuners working with me at this famed Springfield weekend. I started off at the Short track by qualifying well, ending up 7th overall. Chris Carr and I got out front early in the heat and put a good distance on the pack. I was excited to have made the dash again and we decided to try a change in gearing, which didn’t work. We quickly went back to my original gearing and I was on the front row of the main. It’s been a long time since I felt I could actually podium one of these races, but I felt fast. I got the initial holeshot and halfway down the back straight saw the red lights. I have never had the best of luck with restarts and tonight was no different. I actually got a pretty good start again, but as the pack went into turn one, I got pushed high and was in about 7th. I worked my way to 4th and Coolbeth stalled trying to pass Cose coming off turn two. I was alongside Coolbeth and had to steer off the track to miss him. I lost several spots and once again worked my way up to 6th when I had to go wide off the track again to miss Cose, who had fallen. I went back a few spots again and once again tried to charge forward. This was probably one of the most frustrating races of my life. I was so much faster and passed everyone on the outside, but got taken off the track 3 times throughout the main. I ended up 10th and after finishing 6th here last year and knowing I was fast enough to podium, I was definitely not happy with my night.
Got to bed at a decent time and started early the next morning at the mile. The weather was perfect, not too hot and bright blue skies. I have to admit I was more excited than I had ever been coming into this mile because I was racing one of Carl’s bikes. When I went out for the first practice, I could immediately tell I was on a rocket that handled like a dream. Towards the end of the session, the bike felt like it lost power, so I pulled off the track. Carl felt bad and so did I that something had gone wrong and we decided to go to my back up bike. I have to give a big thanks to Carl as I learned a lot from him in the few hours we worked together. He helped tremendously on my own bike set-up and I hung right in there with some fast guys in my heat race that I couldn’t even run close to in the spring. He was patient, encouraging, and a lot of fun to be around. I was leading my semi going into turn one early in the race when I felt my bike lose power and I quickly through my hand up and got up off the groove; I was done for the day. I actually felt a lot better at the end of this Springfield mile day as I had learned so much within such a short time, that I was encouraged for the next mile race. I know Carl was disappointed, but I hope we can work together again someday. A big thanks for a great year with George Mack and Team Mack Daddy Racing, he is a generous, fun, mentor and I appreciate all he has done. Also, thanks to Carl and my mechanic, Dad, who worked really hard all week to get a bike ready on such short notice. Last but not least, I want to take time to thank Shawn Doner, mechanic for MDR, and Rob, “set up man” for all they do in the pits for our team. Next year, I hope to take George for a victory lap or two!
My sponsors are great people and without them I really couldn’t afford to race the whole National series: Mack Daddy Racing, White’s HD, SNIP, Silkolene, Shoei, Tsubaki, K&N, Moose Racing, EBC, Motion Pro, Tuff Plates, Weiss Racing, Boughner Suspension, R&D Spring, Webcam, Millenium Technologies, Mikuni, Saddlemen, CP Pistons, Works Connection, Cometic, Chicken Hawk Racing, Vortex, Mr Sign and SuperTrapp, Hot shoes by George, and Larry Wormuth