I Found My Old Race Footage... I Still Can't Believe I Won This Race!

I Found My Old Race Footage... I Still Can't Believe I Won This Race!

I Found My Old Race Footage… and I Can't Stop Smiling

I completely forgot this race footage existed.

I started watching it, and within a few minutes, my face was locked in a smile. My cheeks were actually hurting.

Not just because I won the race, but because it brought back one of the greatest periods of my life. The competition, the friendships, the little things we did to get inside each other's heads, and the feeling of being out there pushing as hard as we could.

This particular race was special because of how I won it, and where I made the final pass.

So I wanted to sit down, watch it with you guys, and break down what was going through my head.

The Bike: My 2009 Yamaha R6

I was riding a 2009 Yamaha R6 that I had built after buying it from Rockwell Powersports, back when they were heavily involved in AMA racing.

That motorcycle was incredibly reliable.

It made around 116 horsepower, and we were running Pirelli tires with AKs in the front and Penske suspension in the rear.

The thing I loved about that setup was how predictable it felt.

I could put the front tire exactly where I wanted it, and the bike would do what I asked. I wasn't fighting it through the corners.

That's what you want from a motorcycle, especially when you're racing. You want to trust what it's going to do so you can focus on the guy in front of you, or, in this case, the guy trying to get around you.

The Grid Is Where the Nerves Start

If you've never raced before, the grid is a completely different feeling from just riding around the track.

You line up in your assigned position. The officials make sure everybody is where they're supposed to be. Then you wait for the flag.

That's when your nerves really start kicking in.

You don't want to make a mistake.

You want a good launch.

You want to get the holeshot and get yourself into the lead so you can see where you stand against the other riders.

Then the flag drops, and everything changes.

It's go time.

The Battle Starts Immediately

I got a decent start, but I didn't have the greatest entrance into turn one.

The rider behind me was right there, and he almost got me in turn two. I was able to brake late enough to keep him behind me, and from that point on, the race became a battle to maintain the lead.

Being in front sounds great, but it comes with a disadvantage.

The guy behind you has all the information.

He can see your lines. He can see where you're slow. He can watch where you get on the gas and start planning where he wants to make his move.

Meanwhile, I can't see anything behind me.

I'm listening.

If I can't hear him, I know I've probably got a little room. If I can hear that motorcycle right behind me, I know he's close.

And that's when your brain starts going, "Oh my God, where is he going to make the move?"

The problem is, if you start thinking about that too much, you can actually slow yourself down.

Every Corner Was a Fight

There were sections where I could pull 10 or 15 bike lengths on him, and then he would start reeling me right back in.

I'd get a great drive out of a corner, then make a mistake in the next section and give some of it away.

He'd run a little wide, and I'd gain ground.

Then I'd be a little slow getting on the gas, and suddenly he was right back on my butt.

That's racing.

It's not just about who has the fastest motorcycle. It's about who can put together the best lap, make the fewest mistakes, and use the parts of the track where they're strongest.

And one thing I want you guys to remember: when you're racing, focus on what's in front of you.

Don't keep looking behind you.

It's a waste of time, and it takes your attention away from where you need to be going.

One Mistake Could Have Taken Us Both Out

There was one moment where he got extremely close to my rear tire.

If he had clipped me, we probably both would have gone down.

He was able to stop and ran a little wide, which gave me some breathing room.

That's one of the decisions you constantly have to make in racing.

Do I make the pass right now?

Or do I wait, get closer, and set it up in a corner where I know I have a better opportunity?

Sometimes the smartest move is not the first move you see.

You have to think ahead.

Then He Finally Got Me

As the race went on, he started setting me up in a section where he was a little faster.

He knew where he had the advantage, and eventually he made the pass.

Now things got real.

We only had a couple of laps left, and suddenly I was the one who had to figure out how to get back in front.

But getting back in front isn't enough.

You have to make the pass in a place where you can actually maintain it to the finish line.

That's where a lot of newer racers make mistakes. They get passed, panic, and immediately try to force their way back around.

Sometimes that costs you time.

Sometimes it costs you the race.

And sometimes it puts you on the ground.

You have to stay focused and make the move count.

The Last Lap

This is where the footage gets really good.

We were coming through the lappers, and I got a little too impatient.

I went too deep into a corner, ran wide, and he was able to open up a gap.

Now I had a problem.

There was only one more corner where I realistically had a chance to make the pass.

And I knew exactly what he was going to do.

He was going to protect the inside.

So I had to get as close as possible, brake as deep as I could while staying on the track, and try to go around him on the outside.

The problem?

It was an off-camber corner.

And if you make a mistake in that corner, you're probably going to end up in the grass.

The Pass I Still Can't Believe I Made

I came in as deep as I could, stayed on the track, and went around the outside.

And somehow, I made it stick.

I'm watching this footage now, and I'm still going, "Holy moly."

Inside my helmet, I was going absolutely nuts.

I honestly didn't expect to make that turn.

But I did.

And that's what made the race so special to me.

It wasn't just winning.

It was the battle, the strategy, the mistakes, the comeback, and then making a pass in a place where I knew it was going to be incredibly difficult.

The finish was less than a second apart.

We had been pushing each other the entire race.

That's the kind of stuff I miss.

Why I Wanted to Share This With You

Watching this brought back so many good memories.

I had an amazing time during that period of my life, and I'm really glad I found this footage so I could share it with you guys.

It also reminds me why I love helping people get into track riding.

You don't have to be a racer.

You don't have to be fast.

And you definitely don't have to go out there and try to ride like we were riding in this video.

If you've ever thought about doing a trackday but you're intimidated by the idea of being out there with a big group of riders, come to MotoBros.

We can do a private day, get some video, and spend time showing you how everything works.

You can learn at your own pace without feeling like you have to keep up with anybody.

That's what I want people to experience.

The fun.

The learning.

The confidence you build.

And eventually, that feeling when you start putting everything together and realize how much better you've become.

More Trackdays and More MotoBros Content

We've got a new website coming where you'll be able to book your trackdays and find everything we're doing at MotoBros.

You can check us out at motobros.net, and if you need anything, just reach out.

I really appreciate you guys watching and letting me share a little piece of my racing history with you.

This one brought back some incredible memories.

Please ride safe, grow your skill, and I'll see you guys in the next one.

Craig, MotoBros