KneeDraggers.com Blog

Westby Racing / KneeDraggers.com Yamaha wins AMA 8 Hour Endurance Race at Daytona

 

Josh Hayes, Jeff Wood, Dane Westby and Dustin Meador qualify on the pole for the 8 Hour Endurance Race aboard the Westby Racing / KneeDraggers.com Yamaha R6.

 

This weekend traditionally marks the end of the season for most racers in the US, culminating with the CCS Race of Champions weekend at Daytona.  This year’s event will also include the prestigious AMA 8 Hour Moto-GT Endurance Race at Daytona.  This 8 hour race will commence in daylight, and end with bikes circulating under a lit Daytona race track.

In 2009, KneeDraggers sponsored Westby Racing with rider Dane Westby in the AMA Daytona Sportbike class (600cc).   In addition to that class, Westby Racing also participated in several of the AMA Moto-GT endurance events with riders Westby, and his teammate and crew chief Dustin Meador. 

For this event, 2009 AMA multiple Superbike race winner, Yamaha Factory racer,  and previous FX champion Josh Hayes will be joining the team, along with perennial national champion Jeff Wood aboard the Westby Racing R6.

Reports from Thursday practice are that the team worked well together, and were able to set some good lap times.   Qualifying for the endurance race happens tomorrow night (Friday, 10/16) from 6-8pm, with pole position for the race determined by the single fastest lap by any of the teams.   It looks like we have a good shot at the pole!

8 hours is a long race, and I’m really hoping that our equipment can hold together.  I have the utmost faith in the preparedness of the team, and am excited to see what happens.   Please keep your fingers crossed, and I’ll keep you posted from the warm sunny skies of Daytona!

Thanks for reading, and check back soon for some pictures and updates….
–Sam

Here’s a great product for track day junkies like me, or wheelie addicts alike!   Though I have yet to test the item on track (looking forward to doing that this weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park), this item should appeal to a wide variety of sportbike riders.

What I’m talking about is a quick turn throttle, in this case, one manufactured by Motion Pro.   Renknowned for their wide range of cables, tools, and other motorcycle accessories, Motion Pro comes through again with a quality product that will help you get the most out of your sportbike.

The idea behind the quick turn throttle is that it allows you to get on the gas quicker and harder, by opening up your throttle faster.   The colored lobes in the picture above are interchangeable and are different sizes, allowing a rider to choose their preferred rate of ‘quick turn’.

In the real world, getting a better drive out of a turn is often hindered by one’s mind, and hand.   This throttle will help get you accelerating faster, even though your throttle hand will not have to turn as far to achieve the same amount of throttle opening.

As for me, I know that a few highsides driving out of turns on the race track has caused my mind to not allow me to open up the gas as hard, or as early as I’d like.   I think that by forcing the issue by changing the ratio at which the throttle opens will translate into real world results..which means I’ll be able to keep all my track day buddies behind me.   Or so I hope!

Will keep you posted after some testing with it this weekend, but at 130 bucks, it sure seems to offer a lot of potential, and bang for the buck.   Just hope there’s not another highside, and that my traction control works!

–Sam

AMA champions have been crowned, bikes put away for the winter, and the AMA season is over, right?    Well, not completely.   There is actually still one AMA event left in 2009.   Its the 8 Hour MotoGT Endurance Race at Daytona Oct. 16 – 18th.

In 2009, we sponsored Westby Racing / Dane Westby and Dustin Meador in the MotoGT class when they decided to run a few select events.   They had great results in the four races they entered, winning two of them by a large margin.  We will also be supporting them in the 8 hour race.   It should be a great time, I hope our equipment stays together (Chuck I know you’re reading this!).

There may be some superstar rider additions to the team.   Stay tuned here for more details as they develop…..