From: tiberio@seismo.CSS.GOV (Michael Tiberio)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles.racing
Subject: tiberio race report, nelson ledges
Date: 8 Sep 92 16:08:36 GMT


Just returned from Nelson Ledges for what should be the first of two
visits I make there this year.  The track has a great layout, it is
intermediate in length, with a lot of fast (4th gear) corners. The only
problem is that the surface is bumpy in spots. Having been there at
least once a year for the last three years, I knew what setup to use.
Whenever I can I like to run the short swingarm due to the better
flickability of the short wheelbase setup. On long tracks where I might
experience high speed instability I use the long swingarm to lengthen
the wheelbase and give extra stability. Another reason to use the long
swingarm is shaft effect. Shaft effect is not usually a problem on the
race Guzzi unless one finds oneself at a bumpy track.  Any tendency to
top out while under power makes it impossible to hold full throttle
over bumps. Nelson has a very bumpy exit to the turn that leads onto
the back (longest) straight and it is imperative that I minimize the
shaft effect over those bumps so that I can get a good drive down said
straight. Thus I used my long swing arm and interestingly enough the
shocks best suited for bumpy conditions, a set of stock Lemans IV
Konis.  In the pits, I had the help of Danny Meisner who once again
ably played the role of pit grunt. Danny has done quite a few events
with me this year and its great having someone there that knows what I
want and when. At Pocono, I took over the points lead in the WERA
Unlimited Twins class in the Mid-Atlantic Region from Tom Benidict. Tom
lives about 1 hour from Nelson and as it is his home track I knew that
if I wanted the title, with 2 of the 3 remaining races here at Nelson,
I would have to beat him here.  I was able to get down to a lap time of
1:20 on Saturday. I wasn't satisfied with that time and knew I would
have to go faster to win.  After the first practice session on Sunday
morning, I was able to push that down to 1:18, this made me quite
relieved, the crack I discovered in my frame after that session did
little to make me feel relieved.  The crack was through one of the
downtubes just above where it meets the bracket for the front lower
motor mount. The crack didn't go all the way around, but I could only
drill (this technique stops a cracks propagation) one end of it as the
other end was facing the engine. Since there was rust dust coming out
of the crack, I surmised that it had been forming for a while and
wasn't going to let go catastrophically.  Thus I was going to run the
race broken frame or not. There was one more practice session before
the race and I didn't want anymore time on the frame than necessary,
however I did want to test a jetting change I had just made, so I made
3 laps of the next session and pulled in. The setup of the bike was the
best it could be and from the front row of the grid, I got the hole
shot with the front wheel just skimming the pavement for the first 30
or 40 feet. I was never challenged, as I turned a number of 1:18's,
finally slowing to 1:19's and 1:20's near the races end.  Near the end
of the race, I was disastrously balked by a backmarker through a number
of turns and was later told I turned a 1:22 that lap.  This gave Tom a
chance to catch up and while he never showed me a wheel, Danny said he
was holding his breath during the last lap, hoping I would hold on. I
did and in doing so took my first 1st place in a twins race this year.
Right now I have a week to fix my frame problem (either weld or
replacement) before my next scheduled event at Summit.