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JBall SV1000 racer - intro
The Race Story - Part
2 (Nashville)
The Race Story - Part
3 (Grattan Raceway)
The Race Story -
Part 4 (Finally got it painted!)
The Race Story - Part 5 (Race Report Nelson Ledges....and crash!)
The Race Story -
Part 6 (Finally got it back together)
The Race Story -
Part 7 (My Road Atlanta.......)
The Race Story -
Part 8 (Going to Daytona...2005 season is near)
Some facts and figures
(2004 season)
By JBall 12/07/2004
My last weekend event at Nelson Ledges started out fine but ended on
a down note which will have me out of competition for a while.
Saturday practice went fine and I ran the Heavyweight Solo 20 race
where I ended up 11th out of about 15 bikes (mostly GSXR 1000's R1's
etc). The lap times I was running were very good for the classes I
would run on Sunday and the bike was working fine.
A picture while it still looked good. By Motorsports Photo, all
rights reserved.
Times from the first practice on Sunday were equally as good.
However during the second practice a crash ended the weekend and put
a serious dent in the plans for the rest of the year. Going into
turn 3 on about the third lap I was wide off the race line about two
feet or so. I just pushed it down into the corner and although it
all happens very fast, I think the front wheel hit a small bump and
I low-sided at about 90 MPH. The bike hit a hole or something in the
grass and was launched in the air. It cartwheeled and slammed nose
down. The front forks were bent so far back that that the front
wheel hit the front cylinder of the motor and broke the valve cover
and the top of the cylinder head. The tail section was torn off and
the body work and controls were all torn up. The battery was ripped
out and found in the grass. Needless to say it will not be on the
track for quite a while if at all. A couple of different people saw
it and said the bike was at least ten feet in the air.
I was tumbling through the grass at the time and didn't see it. I
slammed down on the pavement pretty hard on the initial lowside and
when I got up I could tell something was wrong with my shoulder. I
went to the doctor today and it turns out my shoulder is separated.
There is nothing that can be done for it except pain relief and I
will be doing some rehabilitation therapy in starting in a week or
so. I had a few other bumps and bruises and skinned my elbow but am
otherwise fine. My leathers were torn up a bit and my helmet is now
a souvenir but it did its job. My permanent souvenir of the weekend
will be a funky bump on my shoulder, one of the true marks of a
racer. And the aftermath,
photos by JBall
A big thanks to all who helped out. Jeff Agnes and his brother and
their friend helped me get the bike off the track and load up for
the drive home. My family helped me unload and put everything into
the garage. The corner workers who helped out after the crash and
the officials who helped with getting my credit. All those who
offered to help or gave a kind word. Its this fellowship that is one
of the true rewards of racing. And especially my wife for being very
understanding and supportive despite my injuries and the pile of
junk in the garage.
I'm not sure when or on what machine I will be on, but I will return
at some point to give it another go.
Thanks again for everyone's help.
Rubber Side Down (usually)!
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