Thanks for the compliments and thanks to everyone who helped me out the past two years, I couldn't do what I did alone:
My Dad & his wife, Scott and Ellen Guthrie, Dave Owen, Richard Peppler, John Noonan, Joe & Diane Santos of JDS Cycles, Mike Shank, Rich Yancy, Todd & Debbie Dross, the SNART racing Team, Jody & Trillium, The FKAWI Racing Team, Mario Scollo, Ken Klein, Mike Goni, Tom Schaefer, Chris Bletsas, and especially all the volunteers at Maxton, and of course Keith & Tonya Turk, and Joe Timmney & Donna Pala, etc, etc. Sorry If I forgot anyone!
Without a unique community like the LSR community I would have never achieved this: Everyone helps everyone else out, it really is incredible. Rich Yancy provided critical help in the weeks before the meet with suggestions on how to tune my shock, tire choice, tire pressure, etc. He even offered to bring me another spring for my shock if I made the wrong choice, knowing full well we would be going head-to-head. He is a real gentleman. Scott, Dave and Richard Peppler really bear the brunt of my frequent panicked phone calls and have been truly invaluable with their patient advice. I finally learned to just listen to them and try what they say FIRST, and then modify if I need to! It only took 2 years. If Dave wasn't there this weekend, I know I wouldn't have done as well. He adjusted my datalogger, diagnosed my oil leak problem, and had me increase things GRADUALLY (for a change). Which let me have my best meet ever. "Baby steps, Walt!". Not that I wasn't fighting him (to myself) him all the way! But I listened, for a change, and it worked out. Todd also gave me great disc brake advice, and at one point when I thought I was going into the left cones, I remembered what Deb said about target fixation and I just looked to the inside edge of the right cone line and that's where I went.
But I have to say, seeing Josh get into the 200 Club, and seeing Dave's reaction and participation, that for me is a real close second for what I will remember the most about this meet. It was really emotional, and was actually the only time this weekend I was screaming and shouting and jumping for joy. A real special moment, for sure.
And Deb, you are right! Bad etiquette on my part! I got a little carried away since I only ran under 230 mph once the whole weekend, and that was on my warm up run. A reality check is indeed in order! I will correct my 200+LSR manners in the future. It was great for ALL of us to see you back there Deb an your Busa, and not taking it easy, either! 185+ the first time back is great.
Thanks again to everyone,
Walt