I raced Ducatis for a decade, almost always with zero support from Ducati themselves. But the last few years of my Ducati career that turned completely around. I actually spent a lot of time there those last few years, in person, working out ways we could build a more effective program for everyone involved. It was pretty cool actually, but nothing lasts forever. After almost two years out of racing, I came back on a KTM. What a difference - the bikes, the brotherhood of KTM, the company themselves. Not better or worse, just completely different. Hardest part for me to embrace has been the disconnect. I tried but rarely got anywhere. Maybe they don't like my style, maybe I'm too slow, maybe I'm too broke. But I definitely tried. Then two months ago I finally hit a nerve. I don't know, maybe it was how I asked, maybe it was what I asked. I've been going through a lot of changes in the last year of my life. Good changes. Maybe that's starting to show. I asked the only contacts I have at KTM here in America, "Look guys, I want to do something good, but I have no idea what you want. What do you say you give me a heads up?" It took a couple of weeks, but finally they actually did.
Turns out it's different here. They haven't brought Superdukes into the US in years now. So asking KTM to help support our Superduke efforts here is a futile cause. That breaks my heart. I actually, sincerely, love the Superduke. I love racing them, I love developing them, I love pushing them through MotoGP crowds at Laguna Seca. That's probably the best of all - the looks you get. I remember wheelie-ing our Superduke last year from turn 3 to 4 at Laguna, I can still hear the horns. Or when the Paramic Ducati mechanics walked by all the AMA teams, and stopped at only one - ours. That was pretty cool too, seeing those guys look over a KTM Superduke and actually ask what it was like to race. They were sincerely intrigued.
I did a lot of poking around this winter, trying to build a better Superduke program for this year. I looked into motor-work, I had an idea to build a very special Superduke to get into the magazines, I even think we could have won on the Superduke. But shit, the deaf ears... As it turns out, at least here in the US, if you want the support of KTM, you need to race the RC8R. So, that's what we're gonna do.
BUT.....
Just because I love you guys, here is what "I" am gonna do. I have talked with Mike about my buying what remains of our race bike after that horrific wreck back in August. He is open to the idea. I'm not sure if I can do it sensibly, but I'd like to make it better than it's ever been. Better, stronger, and faster. In the mean time we'll be racing the RC8R, but when (if) I am done with our fallen hero, she's coming out of retirement to race again. Only this time for the win.
If you guys don't mind I plan to post some stories of our RC8R. I know it's not a Superduke, but it IS a KTM. Maybe that's close enough.
I had to submit a resume to KTM this year. Since the only thing I hate more than stabbing myself in the eye with broken glass is writing about myself, I actually spent a lot of time just staring at this computer. As the hours went by with absolutely no progress writing, I figured I'd work on a cover image for the resume. It didn't take long for me to totally lose myself in Superduke enthusiasm. In the end I spent two days creating the cover page, and only two hours writing about myself. It's funny I thought, if they say a picture says a thousand words, I wonder how many a poster says? A million?
I'm pretty happy with how it came out. When I showed it to my buddy MenloSD he said, "Dude, you've got to do something with this. I want it on my living room wall - but I might have to settle for the garage..." That stoked my fire a little more, so I took out all the resume title crap and replaced it with a graphic you all will appreciate much better. The native resolution of this image is big enough to go poster size - easy. The site I have it hosted on is where I put my photography work. I set it up to use the best print lab on this side of the planet - Bay Photo Lab. These guys print on just about anything you can imagine, including sheet aluminium. I just got a landscape image of mine printed on aluminium and it's absolutely stunning to look at.
Here is the link:
Stay tuned brothers, this story aint over yet.
Turns out it's different here. They haven't brought Superdukes into the US in years now. So asking KTM to help support our Superduke efforts here is a futile cause. That breaks my heart. I actually, sincerely, love the Superduke. I love racing them, I love developing them, I love pushing them through MotoGP crowds at Laguna Seca. That's probably the best of all - the looks you get. I remember wheelie-ing our Superduke last year from turn 3 to 4 at Laguna, I can still hear the horns. Or when the Paramic Ducati mechanics walked by all the AMA teams, and stopped at only one - ours. That was pretty cool too, seeing those guys look over a KTM Superduke and actually ask what it was like to race. They were sincerely intrigued.
I did a lot of poking around this winter, trying to build a better Superduke program for this year. I looked into motor-work, I had an idea to build a very special Superduke to get into the magazines, I even think we could have won on the Superduke. But shit, the deaf ears... As it turns out, at least here in the US, if you want the support of KTM, you need to race the RC8R. So, that's what we're gonna do.
BUT.....
Just because I love you guys, here is what "I" am gonna do. I have talked with Mike about my buying what remains of our race bike after that horrific wreck back in August. He is open to the idea. I'm not sure if I can do it sensibly, but I'd like to make it better than it's ever been. Better, stronger, and faster. In the mean time we'll be racing the RC8R, but when (if) I am done with our fallen hero, she's coming out of retirement to race again. Only this time for the win.
If you guys don't mind I plan to post some stories of our RC8R. I know it's not a Superduke, but it IS a KTM. Maybe that's close enough.
I had to submit a resume to KTM this year. Since the only thing I hate more than stabbing myself in the eye with broken glass is writing about myself, I actually spent a lot of time just staring at this computer. As the hours went by with absolutely no progress writing, I figured I'd work on a cover image for the resume. It didn't take long for me to totally lose myself in Superduke enthusiasm. In the end I spent two days creating the cover page, and only two hours writing about myself. It's funny I thought, if they say a picture says a thousand words, I wonder how many a poster says? A million?
I'm pretty happy with how it came out. When I showed it to my buddy MenloSD he said, "Dude, you've got to do something with this. I want it on my living room wall - but I might have to settle for the garage..." That stoked my fire a little more, so I took out all the resume title crap and replaced it with a graphic you all will appreciate much better. The native resolution of this image is big enough to go poster size - easy. The site I have it hosted on is where I put my photography work. I set it up to use the best print lab on this side of the planet - Bay Photo Lab. These guys print on just about anything you can imagine, including sheet aluminium. I just got a landscape image of mine printed on aluminium and it's absolutely stunning to look at.
Here is the link:
Stay tuned brothers, this story aint over yet.