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Well I’m finally getting around to posting my first blog entry for the Laguna Seca AMA Pro Supersport race, coming up this weekend July 23-25th. I blame the Tour de France for being so exciting that I get home at night and watch the day’s stage recorded on the DVR, and then it’s midnight so I hit the hay without hitting the keyboard. Keeping my fingers crossed for Andy Schleck at this point after Contador failed to man-up and wait for him on the Port de Balès.

Anyway, as readers of my previous AMA race shenanigans at Infineon Raceway in May will know, the Ducati 848 I’m racing is borrowed from my friend Pat Blackburn – I picked it back up from him at Thunderhill Raceway at the last AFM round on July 10th/11th. It has been ridden and raced extensively by Pat’s friend Jason Butler amongst others, and it’s a testament to the 848 that it’s running strong and sweet.

* The two race bikes ready and waiting in the back of the Munroe Motors’ workshop

Last Thursday I took both the 848 and my Ducati 999 race bike up to Gerry Piazza in Napa to get the two chassis accurately measured – there are some handling differences between the two bikes and I wanted to see if we could measure them. I could see from the printouts that there some ride height differences, which suggested a coupla changes to try during the practice session on Friday 23rd. Over the next few evenings, Todd and I got stuck in to the bike here at the Munroe workshop…

Firstly we checked the valve clearances… and they were all in spec. I have to believe that’s the first check since the bike was purchased in 2008, and the bike’s been beaten like a rented mule, believe me!

Then we replaced the cam drive belts for prudence’s sake, and threw in some new spark plugs and a fresh airfilter for good measure.

Finally we fitted up the stock wheels and suspension, as Pro Supersport is a stock class and Pat has some fancy aftermarket parts on the bike – and with our own bodywork mounted, the 848 was ready to go.

I’m also taking the 999 to Laguna Seca because I’m entered in a run-what-you-brung race on Friday morning called “Jim Doyle’s Monterey Challenge”. For the Monterey Challenge we practice at 8am, qualify at 10:20am and race at 11:50am and that’s the end of it. Then, right after that race, is the 50 minute AMA Supersport practice session, so I hop off the 999 onto the 848 and go right back out. Gonna be tiring, glad I’ve been working on my cardio at the gym.

My master plan of course is to use the Monterey Challenge race to help drop my laptimes in order to kickstart my efforts for Supersport, so we’ll see…

* Picking up Pat’s Ducati 848 at Thunderhill Raceway, July 11th – a(nother) beautiful NorCal day!