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Mid-Ohio Tire Testing

Gina and I were at Mid-Ohio yesterday for a trackday, or what used to be called "Promoter Practice". This was the prelude to the AMA event happening this weekend. Due to monetary restraints, we aren't doing the race this year. It was depressing to be leaving the track while all the factory rigs were setting up and getting ready for a big weekend - especially as we were a part of it last year.

With Mid-Ohio always being tough on tires and this being my first time at Mid-O this year, I went through three takeoff tires before getting the suspension somewhat dialed in. It's difficult to tell 100% without a brand new set, but the front tire (different than we used last year) wore great all day. There are a few more things to work out, but the rear setup should hopefully be good if we can get back to the track again this year. A special thanks to Tim and his buddy who had a tire changer on-hand and swapped a tire for us when we ran out of wheels. They saved the day, so thanks again guys.

Times were very promising which made leaving yesterday all the more difficult. It was definitely a help that I had just ridden last weekend. Getting on the bike only a few days later was nice, in that I felt up to speed right away. I was able to go faster than I did all of last year during the AMA event, and was only a second off my best overall time from 2007. For a trackday and old tires, I was real happy with the results. What was also cool was that Santiago Villa was watching (Roadracing World AMA rider) and came over and asked if I was racing this weekend. When I said that I wasn't, he replied, "well you should be". I'll definitely be watching the timing sheets and races all weekend, wishing we were there again ..

Friday, July 17th, 2009 | POSTED AT: 4:08 PM
FILED UNDER: General

7 Comments on “Mid-Ohio Tire Testing”

doug wrote on 18 July, 2009, 7:41 AM
I wonder how a green would have handled the “spinning up” you were doing?
Eddie wrote on 18 July, 2009, 7:52 AM
We’ve used blue rears the past two years successfully. We’ll see once we put a new set of tires on, as I’m sure we’ll be able to make that tire work ..
doug wrote on 19 July, 2009, 6:04 AM
Good idea riding around M-O on used tires…seriously. You got used to sliding and spinning. Cagey and wise dood.
Eddie wrote on 20 July, 2009, 7:59 AM
I thought it was cost efficient. :) Nonetheless, I’m pretty sure we’d have been competitive there. Even having to run a different brand tires, I think we’d have been good. Just in watching the DSB race yesterday, I saw a couple spots I could have gone better in. I’d say 29′s would have easily been doable ..
doug wrote on 20 July, 2009, 10:49 AM
I wonder what the set-up differences would be on the Dunflops? Who could we ask? Didn’t Emgo M4 run Pirellis last season and are now on Dunlop? Any teams run R6′s on Pirelli like us? I know…too many questions.
Eddie wrote on 20 July, 2009, 12:29 PM
Garry would know .. I’m supposed to be getting together with him later this week, so I’ll pick his brain about that ..