I was excited to get back here, as I remember that I had a blast on this track that night, other that the flat tire part of it. This is probably the smallest 1/2 mile track that we race on, as it has some very steep banking and short straightaways. The lap times are right at 16 seconds, so that shows you just how small and fast it is. This year it was very hot and very humid, a perfect day to put on them leathers and sit around in them all day, hahaha Rob and Carl had the bikes ready, and during the first practice session I was kind of struggling trying to get the bike to turn like I wanted it too. It seemed that it was just taking too much effort to get it turned on this small track. I knew that with these sharp corners, that the turning is tough and happens fast, but I was just thinking I should be able to use the banking to help out with the turning part of it as banking always seems to help you make the turn. After trying that first bike again in the second session, I was still feeling uncomfortable more than anything. So in the last and third session, we switched to the other bike, and right away I felt much better, but still a little bit on the edge of being in the comfort zone I wanted. I always say that it is much easier to go fast on a slow bike that you feel comfortable on that a fast bike that doesn't feel just right. Not that my other bike was slow, just that I knew I felt a little more comfortable on it. So after the last session, I moved up a couple spots to the 6th spot in qualifying. In my heat race I had Jake Johnson, Weidman, Murray, Taylor, myself and others. At the start, I got a decent start as I entered turn one in third place. Right away I got by one rider and moved into second with Murray up front. I was still just having a hard time pushing the bike as hard as I wanted to, as it just seemed I was riding on the ragged edge of crashing or not, and I'm not a guy that pushes it too hard when I or the bike feels like that. I guess that is why I have been pretty fortunate throughout my career with not too many injuries or crashes over the years. Then on the second lap as we entered turn three, here came Don Taylor, underneath us all on a very low line trying to pass us all at once it seemed. Well, turn three was pretty slick, and just as he entered underneath us, I seen he got in there too hot, and instantly he goes down, lowsiding it right in front of us all. I was low enough that he slid right across in front of me and out of my way, but Murray and Johnson were both to my right, and I was kind of watching out of the corner of my eye as I went by, and it looked like they were both gonna get taken out by Taylor and his bike as we were running pretty high up on the banking, and there was not too much room left up here. Right then the red lights come on as I knew that was gonna happen, as Murray had somehow squeezed between Taylors bike and the wall, but Johnson was not as lucky as he went down pretty hard too I guess.

    At this track today we had the Air Fence, which the IMDA (Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association) owns. The Air Fence takes the place of haybales on the outside of the race tracks, and it is just big air bags that are very tough and are strapped to the outside walls on a track and they make it much safer if you are involved in a crash and you are gonna hit the wall or haybales. We don't get to use this Air Fence very often, (like 3 times a year) because of it's expense. I guess it costs $5,000.00 to rent it for the weekend which is kind of a shame, as I think they could lower that price to keep us a little safer and let more race tracks be able to afford it.  I mean safety should be our sanctioning bodies (AMA) biggest concern, but unfortunately it is not. I asked the AMA about using the Air Fence at all of our races recently, and the answer was no because of the cost factor, and the individual track promoters usually donot have the extra money for something like that. I mean the AMA charges around $80,000.00 to a promoter to put on a Grand National event, and they can't work the cost of the Air Fence into that equation somewhere? An Air Fence is way, way better to hit than a haybale or wall, trust me, as I've tested haybales, walls and the air fence over the years along with many of my fellow racers, and the air fence wins my vote for sure.  I just wish someone from the AMA had done the same test we had, and I am sure we would probably be using AirFence everywhere. Just a little complaint that I hope the AMA can think more about in the near future. This promoter at the Bull's Gap was nice enough to pay the extra expense and give us that safety. Thank you Mr. Promoter!

    Anyway, Jake and Donny both walked away from that crash, so we would have a total restart. I nailed the light this time and got the holeshot but I knew I had to try and make myself more comfortable on the bike. I was feeling pretty good, but just not what I needed. I moved around the track, as there were quite a few lines available tonight, trying to find one that suited me best. Then around half way, Matt Weidman got by me, and I tried my best to run with him, but like I said earlier, I was on the edge of crashing if I pushed it much harder. I came home second, which gave me the front row start in the final.

    I already knew that I was kind of fighting it tonight, and I just could not work past my problems. I mean the last thing that I want to do is crash and get hurt or hurt someone else, and when you feel like you are riding on the edge, but still not going fast enough to run up front, then yah, ya need to figure that out real quick. We changed around a couple of things for the final, and I was hoping that it was going to give me the comfort level I was looking for. At the start of the final, the light went green and off we were. I got a decent start, but not the holeshot, as I was probably third going into turn one. For the first corner or two I was trying to see just what the bike felt like now after our changes. At the same time, these guys are charging very hard, as obviously they felt way more comfortable than me tonight. But I could tell that my bike was little better maybe, but still not what I needed. Maybe it was just me and not the bike I'm thinking? Who knows, but I just never could really get it going tonight as I came home in 11th place at the end. My main event I just kind of went backwards, so I was pretty disappointed in myself, but 11th was what I got.

    Next week we have the Lima, Ohio 1/2 mile, and I feel that is just what I need, a nice fun CUSHION 1/2 mile. I won Lima last year so I'm pumped to get back there.

    Until next time, G'Day! Joe