Hi everyone! Before I get going, I want to give a shout-out to both my mechanics, Dustin Say and Ryan Kelly. These guys and their wives, Lindsey and April, have been awesome. They have to be in order to put up with moto-heads in their homes 24/7. And, Lindsey is about to give birth to the Say family's first child in a few weeks, which is going to be an awesome event. I can tell you based on all the gear-head toys in the Say family household, I know I'll be training my future team rider soon, so watch out all you future racers out there—the Says are building a new team!
I also wanted to update you all on what is happening around here in Daytona Beach where I have been living all winter long. Moving down to Florida for the winter months was the best move I ever could have done. I have been staying at Ryan's house, where most of the post-Daytona bike work is being done. We have gathered most of the parts for our new GSXR 600s and we have been on a holding pattern waiting for bikes to actually arrive since Daytona.
It's been a challenge getting bikes due to the terrible tragedy in Japan causing factories to slow or stop deliveries in some cases. So in the meanwhile, Ryan has been painting body work, sorting through and organizing parts, talking to our engine builder, and getting prepared to accept the new bike when they arrive. The good news is that two brand-new 2011s showed up last week compliments of our sponsor STAR School!
Now the bikes are all torn down to bare frames, heads out for work, and everything cleaned up and ready to be put back together as race machines. Some additional Dyno work and tuning will occur over the next couple of weeks as well. I am so excited to get a handle on the new bikes. I talked with Vesrah's Cory West, and he loves the new bike over the older models. He said it was faster, handled quicker, and came off the corners like a rocket, a huge advantage over the older bikes. With 20 less pounds, five more horsepower, and better handling, what's not to like!
Another awesome advantage of living in Florida for the winter is my ability to train year round. There are so many places to ride and practice on a motorcycle, but I am also able to get out each and every day and peddle my bicycle as well. I was able to hook up with a great group of cyclists and train with them on a regular basis. I also was able to hook with #59 Jake Holden and together we have been able to train and push each other each and every day! It has been awesome. Prior to coming down to Florida, I would have normally just been doing inside training back in my home town of Attica, New York. It would have been snowy, cold, and wet and sometimes hard to keep motivated. Being here in Florida during the winter months has me pumped to be in the sunshine to work and play every day. It has been my "secret-weapon," for sure.
I want to close by making sure I send some great props out to all my sponsors. (Check out the fleet of new helmets from sponsor AGV with paint compliments Monster Energy.) Each and every one of them plays an important role in my and my team's success. We couldn't do it without them. It's not just the financial support that matters; it's each and every product, no matter how big or how small, that makes a significant impact on my ability to put my all into everything I do each and every day. For that I give them my heartfelt thanks. In return I hope to live up to expectations—that includes doing well on and off the track racing, providing the highest levels of integrity, honesty, and an example of the best of the best in all I do.Next up, I'm getting ready to head out to California to support my sponsor STAR School and NationalGuard.com in a multi-day motorcycle training program. I will be on track for several days and can't wait to be riding, training, and having a great time. So it's time for me to sign off. Remember, do what I always do—have FUN and GO FASTER....
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