This was my first ever trip to Grand National Finals down at Road Atlanta and IT WAS AMAZING!!! Let’s just say I was able to get some pre-race prep time in on the drive down. With gates scheduled to close at 9pm Wednesday evening I literally raced, with trailer and 3 motorcycles in tow, to the gates of Road Atlanta and arrived with 4 minutes to spare. Phew!!! Thinking I was traveling south from Michigan to the warm humid air of Atlanta was not even close to being accurate. Thinking I can save some cash and camp in the trailer, temperatures plummeting down to 32F making the first night in Atlanta just a bit chilly. Thanks for the heads up southerners. ; ) Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Thursday morning was our first day of practice and boy was I stoked. The last time I was at Road Atlanta was 2 years ago for Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School. Technically, this is where racing all began for me. I attended Schwantz Suzuki School back in 2008 in hopes to someday race and here I was, hitting the grid as an actual racer. What an amazing feeling. With WERA running a different configuration through T2-T4 then Schwantz School, I was having some difficulties mastering that section of the 2.54-mile track. I constantly felt like I was going against the natural flow of the track. Ugh!!!! Can we say frustrating? That evening I decided to walk that stubborn portion of the track forwards and backwards in hopes of getting the line engrained in my head.
Friday morning came and went, almost as if I slept right through it. Wait, I really did! You see, I am odd when it comes to getting on the bike. Some people feel that every little bit of seat time helps, but for me, getting on the motorcycle for only 2 practice sessions is just a waste of energy. Yes, I could use some practice through T2-T3, but two sessions wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I had another plan. Remembering that Women’s Superstock grids up with the Lightweight Twins class I took the opportunity to re-tech my bike so that I could practice with both the 600cc and Lightweight Twins on Saturday morning. This would give me 4 practice sessions instead of 2. The plan worked.
Saturday morning practice went amazingly well. What issue I was having through T2-T3 was a distant thought. I felt refreshed, awake and it was evident in my lap times as I dropped a whole 5 seconds.
GO TIME
Saturday afternoon was go time for me. Before I knew it, it was time to grid up. I felt nervous but confident. I WANTED THIS! It was the Women’s National Sportsman race, winner takes all. Flag went green and we were off. I was a little hesitant off the start but managed to pull out in front of both the Expert and Novice pack to take T1. I was shocked. Lap after lap I looked for my spotter on the front straight and watched his arms drift farther and farther apart informing me of my gap. Finally, 1 lap to go. I eased off the pace some knowing I had the win and not wanting to push it. Crossing the finish line was the greatest feeling I have had in a long time. I was literally screaming in my helmet “YOU DID IT, YOU DID IT JANE!!!!” WOW, such an amazing feeling. A moment I will never forget.
Sunday was a little more exhausting for me. I was scheduled for Race 9, which meant having to sit for a few hours waiting and waiting and waiting. Always the worst thing for someone who has race anxiety. Finally, 3rd call for Women’s Superstock. I took off my tire warmers and took a deep breath, this was it. This was the race that mattered. I rolled through the pits and out onto my warm up lap. My heart was racing. I rolled up to my grid spot and gave a good luck handshake to the fellow racer to my right. Armed with the outside line into T1 I knew I could carry whatever speed I had at the start. Out came the green as I took the lead into T1. Lap after lap I could hear the faint sound of an sv650 behind me. Knowing that one of my competitors was on an sv650, I picked up the pace, but little did I know, it was the sv650 competing in the lightweight twins class not the women’s class. Hello, where was my spotter????? I guess my lead was great enough that he gave up on our agreed upon hand signals. BUT OMG, this was the longest race in my life. Lap after lap after lap I was looking for that white flag. “Hello, are they not counting, I feel like I am on lap 15” and finally, it was out. 1 lap to go and I had it. I crossed the finish line to take the title.
Crossing the finish line was surreal. I had accomplished so much this season and my ultimate goal was to take home Nationals. I achieved not only a goal but also a dream that weekend. 2 National Championships in one weekend, it couldn’t get any better then that.
All in all, this season has been absolutely amazing! I can't give enough thanks to all that supported my efforts: Cher Bell and Rebel Girl for sponsoring and supporting my race efforts this season. My friends and family for all of their support especially my husband, Chris Holmes. Woodcraft, Pit Bull, LP Racing, Michelin, Heroic Racing Apparel, Shoei, Sportbike Track Gear and Vortex. Thank you for all of your support for 2010.
