Ed's Racing Log
last updated 1/1/08
2007 was a year with lots of good racing and lots of hard work.I took 5 championships between AHRMA and WSMC I ran around 90 races and never had a breakdown- no DNF's!
See you in 08!
 
Photos from  AHRMA at Barber Motorsports, Alabama, October 2006
As of the Barber Motorsports AHRMA races, I took the AHRMA championship and #1 plate in Vintage Superbike Middleweight on my Ducati Pantah 650! I was undefeated in my class for 2006. "It was a very good year..."
#1 Plate Wining Bike
NCR Milona Racer
Bruce Meyers!
Ken Pitts on the Grid
Tim Gundlach on the Grid
Mike Curtis Gets Gas
Barber Guzzi Racers
Jeff Bottrell Racer
Chris Conscentio's Rotacular Racer
Photos from  AHRMA at Miller Motorsports,UT and Sanida, NM September, 2006
Ed with Trophy Girls
Fast Guy Robbie Nigl
Hail Storm Rolling into Miller
Tim Keene's F1/SOT Bimota SB8 Racer
Post Crash Aprilia
Alazurra Racers
Ed LaCruz's Guzzi racer
Guzzis on the Podium at Sandia
Team Guzzipower at the Corsa Moto Classica 2006
The AHRMA Corsa Moto Classica has come and gone once again. Lemme say first that it was a lot of work.  Hint: Dont try to finish 5 race bike projects one month before the big race, or you will probably feel as burnt out as I do right now. I ended up winning my class (Vintage Superbike Middleweight) both days on my Ducati 650. After scrambling to get my '78 Guzzi Lemans together for the Heavyweight Superbike class, I ran it around the track three times, brought it back in to check it out and heard bad top end noises (sounded like it bent a valve...). It ended up sidelined for the rest of the weekend. I jumped my little Ducati 650 and won the two firsts, a 2nd in Superbike Heavyweight (after front runner Tom Marquardt's Honda CBX bowed out a few laps into racing) and a 3rd in Battle of the Twin F3. That little 60 hp Duc has been through a lot and always seems to start right up and chugg away- it's almost Guzzi-like in its reliability. I won VSM the first day on the last turn of the last lap. After spending significant effort to get past a bunch of traffic (why does AHRMA alwasy start a smaller displacement class before my 2nd wave VSM start?!?!?) I outbraked a guy on a Triumph Triple into turn 8 and zoomed off to the finish line. Vroom. I think I surprised him there...he had a few choice words for "the guy who came out of nowhere on the last lap" while receiving his 2nd place trophy at the awards ceremony. I was standing next to him at the time. :-) Yeah, it was a very hectic, but fun race! The second day was a wash- I got a good start, blazed into turn 1, looked back 3 laps later, and didnt see anyone even close.  My best time of the weekend was a 1:39.05 which is around a 90 MPH average at blazing fast Willow Springs.

  Guzitech sponsored rider Sean Fader finished first both days in Vintage Superbike Lightweight, dominating the class.Guzzitech.com rider Alice Sexton also debuted on her blazing 30hp Moto Guzzi V50 in Vintage Superbike Lightweight and ended up with a 2nd and a 3rd place trophy.  "Uncle" Pat Hayes brought tons of food, drinks and good cheer from Northern California. Mike Curtis and Pierre Pfeffer were both racing Ducati Alazzurras that I helped them with. Stand Friduss brought his two Guzzis and riders Will Harding and Andrew Cowell ended up with a few wins a piece. Lots of other Guzzi guys of note were in attendance. The otherwise unpredictable weather at Willow was perfect the entire weekend.

  This weekend was also the debut of the Guzzitech.com
MG Cup Racing Contingency Program, and we distributed over $500 to podium finishers who rode Guzzis to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place victories.

  It was fun. We'll do it again next year. All that's left to say is...GO GUZZI!
Viva Moto Guzzi!
What's your IQ, Andrew?
Willow Springs Raceway our pit
Iron Mike
Genius at Work
Winning V65
a Gurl and her V50
Uncle Pat
Sean and Pierre
Maggie
Big Orange
Guzzipower Wins  @ Daytona 2006, May 2005
I just got back from the AHRMA races in Daytona with two 1st place trophies in Vintage Superbike Middleweight on my Ducati 650. We got to see a bunch of friends, new and old. The MGS01 won some races. Charley Cole was there on his Formula 750 Guzzi. There was also an 850 Guzzi in my class that was piloted by Walt Beutte and built by Robert Bressler.
MGS-01!
Tony Foale with his Aermacchi Racebike
Alazzurra Nation
Our Crew Chief (my Dad) hard at work
1st Place Vintage Superbike Middleweight, Monday
1st Place Vintage Superbike Middleweight, Tuesday
Team Guzzi Wins Big Again @ Corsa Moto Classica, May 2005
The 2005 AHRMA Corsa Moto Classica at Willow Springs has come and gone.I took two 1st places in vintage superbike middleweight on the '78 Guzzi 850 Lemans and a bunch of 2nds and 3rds on the Cagiva Allazzura.

There were MANY Guzzis in attendance, including the #1 plate holding Sport1100 & tonti Lemans built by Stan "the Legend" Friduss and ridden by Andrew Cowell and Will Harding.  Stan had a great couple of days with trophies in V Superbike and BOTT classes (...and no crashes or flaming bikes!!!). Miles Carnahan raced his '49 Dondolino to a 3rd place victory. Sean Fader scored trophies in Sportsman 750 +Bears.

I finally got past my buddy, WSMC official Scott Fabbro who was on a stock GS750 kaw in V Superbike Heavyweight. Scott Routinely spanks me on the Guzzi in WSMC on his other 100+ HP 1000cc GS750. He also suffered a broken frame on the monster GS during practice. Check out the photo below. He said he didn't evenfeel it. Yow.

I dont know what to say, except : "You missed it".

An entire gallery of of photos can be found
here.

Lots of Guzzi notables showed up at the track to talk, help, and cheer. Thanks to all, including Mike Haven, Kelly Baker (Performance Unlimited),who changed a tire for me in record time, Price Sloan, Rich Rodriguez, Roger Garlick, and the
rest of the bunch.

MUCHOS GRACIAS to MG CYCLE, MOTO GUZZI CLASSICS, KELLY BAKER'S PERFORMANCE UNLIMITED, MPH CYCLES, and everyone else who SUPPORTS GUZZI RACING!!!!!!! THESE PEOPLE KEEP THE SPORT ALIVE! SUPPORT THEM AT ALL COSTS!!!!
Pretty fly for a white guy! Sean looking "GQ"
Sean scopes my competition
Ouch!
Miles on the '49 Dondolino
Victory!
10/04 Roadkill Racing Endurance Team @ Sears Point (Infineon) Raceway
I just had the opportunity to race with AFM for a San Francisco based endurance team on an FZR 400. A detailed account of the weekend can be found here under "October 2004".
Team Owner Karolyn Bachelor
Team Moto Guzzi Classics Wins Even Bigger @ AHRMA NorCal Classic August 14&15 2004
Another successful weekend resulted in 11 trophies coming home with our Guzzi Family. I ran four races each day in Vintage Superbike Heavy and Middleweight, and BOTT F2 and F3.I ended up with three 1st place finishes and five 2nd place finishes.I also rode the 650 Allazzurra in the lighter classes. The Guzzi handled well with the new 17" rims (110/60/17 front tire, 150/70/17 rear tire) and Metzeler Rennsport DOT approved race compounds. These wheels and tire transformed  the bike 15 years into the future from its1978 starting point.  Next on the agenda is the engine, which up to this point is stock 850 Lemans. Stay tuned...

Sean Fader (#426)ran Sportsman 750 on his mutant Loopframe. He ended up with a 1st and 2nd place finish for the weekend! Go Sean!

Miles Carnahan (#62)finished 3rd in Footshift Dinosaur on the 1949 Dondolino!!! That bike was the attention magnet of the weekend, as everyone stopped by to see the old girl. Miles rode it bravely and ended up with a trophy for his first racign effort. Oh...and he also took the
race school on the Dondolino. What a total Guzzi wacko! Go Miles!

"Uncle" Pat Hayes proved to be the best damn umbrella girl that a guy could ask for! He packed his air conditioned RV with tools and food and set up camp in support of the team. Wife Regina Hayes rode her EV down, helped in the pits, and cooked for us, too! This event was just another example of the incredible support that the Moto Guzzi family provides. Viva Guzzi!
Team Moto Guzzi Classics Wins Big @ Corsa Moto Classica June 5&6 2004
The clutch that I ran 4 races on...
GuzziTech Racing/Team Moto Guzzi Classics did pretty well last weekend at Willow Springs AHRMA on the '78 850 Lemans and ’86 Cagiva Allazurra. Over Saturday and Sunday, I got five (!) 1st places in BOT F2, F3, Vintage Superbike Mid, and a 3rd place in Vintage Superbike Heavyweight. It helps when you’re either the only person who showed up for the class, or the last man standing after everyone else crashes...

  I had some clutch problems Saturday, which cost me some racing time. The darn thing was either slipping or grabbing, and not when I wanted it to, either. Starting at about 2 or 3pm on Saturday, I managed to pull the bike apart to examine the clutch. I think my clutch pushrod was causing the clutch to stick, as it had some evidence of heat discoloration. I’ll probably pull it all apart before the next race. I got the bike back together that night and had it ready to race in time for Sunday practice. Then I went on to win two more firsts and the third. 

  The 3rd place finish was the only one that I deserved, for the aforementioned reasons…although I may have passed a few Nortons in one of those races…it’s all a blur.

  The Vintage Superbike Heavyweight 3rd place finish saw me dicing it up with a KZ1000 and a CBX (!)- yes a 6 cylinder CBX. I passed each of these guys once or twice in the turns only to get wasted in the straights. After the 4th lap of this race, I felt my rear tire drift more than normal coming up Willow’s carousel and decided to not risk a crash.  In any case, I’m not doing bad for a bike that I’ve sunk a grand total of about $500 into so far. THANKS to my other #1 Super Sponsor Nick Barton, who hasn’t even seen his bike since we turned it into the racer!

  Sean Fader was duking it out on his own 750 loopframe racer too- in 750 sportsman. He ended up with a 3rd place finish on Sunday. Not bad for a bike that was simply a pile of parts 3 weeks prior. We got to test out the super secret single plate clutch that I lightened for him. He reported that it worked well, and I may be the next person to use one. I’ll probably throw one in the Lemans next.

  Speaking of the Lemans, it needs a bunch of work. I definitely need more engine. I’m still cranking my steering damper all the way up to eliminate a high speed weave. 17” wheels with stiffer radial tires along with a stiffer chassis should eliminate some of that. Next on the list for improvements: lighter, spoked Borrianis, brace the swingarm, lose the 11 lb Bosch starter for a Valeo, brace the frame, and figure out what to do with the motor. I probably had no business taking this heap out in the high falootin’ BOT races, but I did anyway.

  Prior to this weekend, I finally broke down and spent the $130 for an EZ-UP. Well, it was a cheap Korean version of an EZ-UP, anyway. In true Guzzi cheapskate fashion, it took me 2 years of track days in the blistering sun at Willow Springs, Buttonwillow, etc. to cough up the cabbage for one. I probably wouldn’t have survived the 100-110 degree heat at Willow last weekend without this essential piece of equipment. Still, the Guzzi cheapskate in me gets misty eyed every time he drops a hundred dollar bill on the race effort.

  Alice is a godsend as Team Moto Guzzi Classics' race director. She streamlines the race routine, keeps me on schedule, and even brings me water when I’m buring up in my leathers while waiting to grid. I guess that comes from growing up at the races, as she did. She may also be the next team MGC rider if she decides to renew her race license.

  Some other folks who stopped by the pit and helped out this weekend were Bill Ross, Eric Hjeltness, Kev Seiler, Andy Gray, Rich Rodriguez, Mark Etheridge, Paul Montgomery, and Eldo Jon and his brother in law. I really appreciate the help that everyone provided! This event definitely became a Guzzi group effort.

  Very soon, there will be a few more Guzzis on the track at Willow. Kelly Baker promised to get his T3 out. Richard Rodriguez has been talking about buying the $1000 potential SP1000 racer from Guzzi Classics. Mark has another customer that wants to build a roundfin racer. Also, Mark and Andrew Gray were talking this past weekend about putting a bike together. There may be 5 or 6 roundfin Guzzis in WSMC vintage class very soon. Time to run a Guzzi cup race?

  I’m still trying to figure out what to do with 5000 AHRMA points. Can I trade them in for a purple stuffed elephant or something?