Giddy as a Schoolboy

My wife and I had the privilege of attending this past weekend's AMA round at Mid-Ohio, a track I had only previously experienced from the inside of the fence. I surprised my wife (the most wonderful woman in the world) with tickets and paddock passes Friday night, and we made the trip up early Saturday morning. It's rather odd, but despite my consuming passion for motorcycle roadracing, I had never previously attended a sanctioned motorcycle racing event of any kind. But the wait was well worth it, I assure you, as we picked one of the best racing weekends in recent memory to attend.

The weather was perfect, the people were friendly, and the racing was spectacular. From our vantage point in the grandstands at the end of the back straight, we witnessed some of the closest and most exciting racing the AMA has seen in some time. The seats (despite their state of disrepair) provided views of the entire back straight, through the Esses, and past where the riders shoot under the Honda bridge. It was an eye opening experience for me as a rider to watch the fastest riders in the country navigate the same course on which I have turned numerous laps, and I was able to pick up a few pointers that will certainly help me the next time I'm on track there. Not the least of which is that I need to stop being such a wuss going through turn 1!

The overwhelming highlight of the weekend for me, though, was our time in the paddock. Though I was pretty much star struck and dumbfounded on Saturday, I eventually got up the nerve and talked to several of my favorite riders, which was simply an amazing experience. I spoke to Josh Hayes (who ended up winning both Superbike races that weekend) twice for a short chat, as well as Ben Bostrom, Neil Hodgson, Josh Herrin (who was actually staying at our hotel!), and a slew of others. After getting hosed down with champagne by Tommy Hayden after race 2, I congratulated Hayes on his double victory, and he actually took the time to stop, give me a heartfelt thanks, and shake my hand. Truly a class act, that guy. I've always liked him, but after meeting him this weekend, he's made a lifetime fan of me.

Two days later, I'm still buzzing and grinning like an idiot from the experience. I was amazed at how friendly and approachable most of the riders were, and I'm grateful to have met them. True to common perception, it seemed to me that the factory Yamaha guys (riders and crew alike) were the happiest in the paddock. I have to say thanks to Josh Herrin in particular, who took the time to personally address the autograph on his poster to my wife and I. Great kid, and I hope he continues to excel. He and his teammate Tommy Aquino put on a great show in both Daytona Sportbike races. Meeting and speaking with the somewhat controversial but undeniably likable Johnny Rock Page was great as well, and I was sorry to hear of the penalties levied against him by the AMA.

The overall experience for this first-time attendee was incredibly positive. I enjoyed every minute of the weekend (minus all the walking, of course), and can't wait to do it again next season. We will be attending the Indianapolis GP next month, but even the MotoGP circus will have a hard time topping our AMA weekend.

Stay tuned for further commentary on the state of AMA racing in general, as well as a long-overdue update on my race bike build!

~Cephas
THE FREE RADICAL