Just returned from a 2 week motorcycle racing extravaganza. Started
out by driving down to Atlanta for the WERA Grand National Final.
From Atlanta, I drove down to Miami for the final round of the AMA Pro
Series.
  WERA holds the Vintage final on thursday and since they were offering
wednesday as an optional ($50 extra) practice day, I took it. I should
have known it was going to be a long day when I got to tech inspection
and I found my ignition turned on. On returning to my pit area, I
immediately put the bike on the battery charger until I left for
practice. I was able to make one and a half laps of before the bike
died totally. After towing the bike back to the pits, I replaced the
battery with my backup and also put my regular carbs back on the bike.
I was trying for the first time on my bike a pair of borrowed Malossi
carbs. Since the last time I used those carbs (on a borrowed bike) I
had an unidentifiable high rpm miss, I didn't want to miss another
practice session, by leaving them on, if they were the cause of the
problem. With the bike running right for the next session, I was able
to identify suspension adjustments to be made for the third session. I
like the quick steering the short swing arm imparts to the bike, but
not the harshness over bumps under throttle. That plus the annoying
habit to wheelie caused me to return to the long swing arm for the
third session. I also fitted a Michelin Hi-Sport Radial to the front as
I knew it would chatter less than the Dunlop bias ply 591 that I had.
During that third session, I really began to blast around the track.
Unfortunately near the end of that session, I felt the bike begin to
lose power, and then as I was riding back to the pits, it began to
knock loudly. Knowing it had to be a major problem, and since practice
for the day was over, I decided to install my spare motor that evening.
The 850 I would be installing was in a much milder state of tune than
the 1000 I was removing, but I had no choice.  I completed the
installation by 10:30 that evening.
  The next day, I was able to break in the 850 (zero hours on it) and
make some crude jetting adjustments. By racetime, I was still unable to
totally cure a bothersome mid range hiccup, but I don't believe it was
a factor in the race. The 850 was fast, but simply didn't have the
grunt off the corners that my 1000 did. I was able to lead the first
lap of the Vintage IV race, and as I passed over start finish at the
end of the first lap, Brad Morrison on a Suzuki 3 cylinder watercooled
2 stroke stuffed into a Sealey frame, blasted by.  Brad pulled away at
the rate of about 2 seconds a lap, and I finished the race an
unchallenged 2nd.  That was also my finishing position in the National
Series as Brad had more points going into the final race than I did. I
protested the Suzuki and at the time, the judges ruled against me, an
appeal is pending. It seems the Suzuki had a 3.5" rear wheel on the
bike and the rules state 3" max unless larger as original equipment
before 12/31/72. Brads team owner produced some photostats which the
WERA officials deemed sufficient at the time. Subsequent investigation
by me has turned up evidence that the team owner doctored that
documentation. Time will tell.
  Since the bike had developed a rear main seal oil leak during the
course of that race, I decided to sit out the Vintage V race rather
than risk taking myself or someone else out. I availed myself of the
facilities at John Hoffman's Cycle Specialties of Athens/Bogart
Georgia, and replaced all the gaskets, seals and crush washers that are
contained within the bell housing on a Guzzi. John has a ton of Italian
bike parts as well as a full compliment of new bikes on the floor. I
started the bike while at his shop and it showed no leaks, but only
running the bike hard on a track would tell me if I had done everything
right. My next opportunity to do that would be a week later in Miami.
  I had arranged to pick my wife up at an airport in northern Florida
on my way down to Miami. She couldn't take the 2 weeks off and since
she doesn't like riding in the race van for long periods, having her
fly in and out of Jacksonville was perfect. We got to Miami with 2
almost free days before the races and were able to spend time on Miami
beach once we were done administrative and logistical duties at the
"track".  I quote that because, before 7:30 on friday evening, those
parts of the track outside bicentenial park were still being used by
commuters.  On thursday we were able to claim our paddock space. We got
one of the few grassy spots under a tree available. This would be
important as the other paved areas got stifling hot and lacked a
breeze. On friday I was able to register and get through tech
inspection. Thus I was able to relax and just show up saturday morning
ready for practice.
  My first practice session almost ended up as productive as my first at
Atlanta. We were called up to pit out for our session and at the same
time late arrivers were allowed to enter the track and drive around to
the paddock.  This plus other delays had us sitting with our motors
running for 10 minutes.  We were livid. Finally someone offered to push
start me, so I turned my badly smoking motor off. Within 20 seconds, we
were released onto the track and of course my bike would not start. We
pushed it down the track and ended up on the end of pit road. Then we
pushed the wrong way up pit road and I realized I was only going to
make this session if I got it back to my starting rollers on the
other side of the track under my van. I pushed my bike across the track
while the session was green.  I got the bike started and entered the
track. Before I had completed a lap, a rider on an 883 Harley ran his
front wheel into my right foot and tail section causing a minor twitch
in the Guzzi and (unknown to me at the time) causing himself to go
down.  I missed seeing the checkered flag for the practice session and
came around to start finish to see the starter holding a red flag. I
sheepishly walked my bike into pit out and the referee said we needed
to have a talk.  He arrived at my pit and I admitted my error of
crossing the track. He reminded me of my error of going the wrong way
down pit road. I explained the situation and he suggested letting the
bike cool before trying to push start (missing more practice). I
promised it would never happen again and he left. A short while later a
certain harley racer came up to me, asking me where I learned my
lines for this track, and blaming me for his crash. I explained that I
was on my first lap of practice and that I came in 3rd in the Pro Twins
GP2 race here last year and that I have been studying video tapes of the
CBS and local PBS coverage of this race from last year for the last 2
months. What I didn't say was his crash was his own fault, figuring he
probably felt bad enough.
  The bike was still having a mid range hiccup and since this was a
short track, I decided to go with a set of long velocity stacks.  The
long stacks made the bike feel like it had flat slide carbs.  However,
I had to start jetting the midrange all over again. The afternoon
session went much smoother, and I was feeling good about the track. I
made some more jetting changes after the last session saturday, and
realized, I only had one more session sunday morning. The bike ran
worse sunday morning and I was forced to roll the dice and change
needles and guess on a setting for the race.
  I had decided to run GP1 rather than GP2 this year because the grids
were usually smaller and since the purse was bigger, I could realize
more winnings from a lower finishing position. Also the thrill of
beating an 851 Ducati on the old Goose was too much to pass up. At the
previous 2 pro races (which I didn't attend) about 6 guys finished in
the GP1 class. For Miami, everyone must have come out of the woodwork,
as there were 19 entries. I originally was hoping for a good finish
for some heavy purse dollars and wasn't worried about finishing a 
minimum of 14th for the 2 points I needed to end up in the top 10 
overall for the year (worth $500). After seeing the grid sheet, and
realizing there were only three people that I felt sure I could
beat given the present state of my motor, I was worried that I might
not even get 14th. 
  Come racetime, I used the electric starter of Stan Friduss of Stans
BMW/Moto Guzzi of Gainsville Florida to fire me up on the pre-grid.
Stan was there to run GP2 on a bike he borrowed from Dave Fine.  Stan
pulled out after 2 laps. I got a good hole shot, but realizing there
were plenty of fast guys behind me, for the first lap or two I let
anyone by that appeared to have more motor than me. I found myself
following a Honda Hawk and was hoping to put a late race move on him
when a Harley decided to put a mid race move on me. I got back by the
Harley, and by then 2 GP2 guys had put themselves between me and the
GP1 Hawk ahead.  I was unable to move up any further and finished 13th
for the day in GP1. Since the purse is paid to 12th, I was out of luck
on that reguard, but the 3 points for 13th was enough to give me 28
points (and 10th overall) for the year. The $500 for that position will
more than cover my fuel and hotel bill for this 2 week trip (judicious
use of family members and racer discounts).
  All in all a fun two weeks.