2006 Season Wrap-up

Well, the need for continued paychecks won out and the #859 SV650 stayed in the garage while the rest of the AFM ran their last round of 2006 down at Buttonwillow Raceway. I was bummed to miss it, because it was a new track configuration so I would have been on equal footing with everyone else. But there's always next year!

I have to say the 2006 season has been one of ups and downs, with the theft and replacement of my entire race kit, some discouragement with my early results and a late-season rally to start taking some positions back, and a fairly steady improvement in lap times and confidence.

Having only made 4 of the 8 AFM rounds this year, I'm pretty happy with the final results. 12 starts, 12 finishes (yeah!), including a 5th place in Lightweight Clubman and 37 laps in the endurance race. I finished the season 77th out of 88 in Formula 4 with 7 points and 53rd out of 76 with 24 points in 650 Twins. My best lap time at Thunderhill went from a 2:21.6 to 2:15.6, and at Sears from 1:59.4 to 1:54.6.

I'm already putting together the off-season checklist and establishing some goals for next year. Some conditioning work, a little more track time, maybe a refresh of the motor and a paint job and we'll be ready to stage a serious campaign in 2007. Keep checking the blog at http://rustycamaro.blogspot.com for updates throughout the offseason and keep in touch. Only 5 months till the first race!

Even with no race action this time out, let me thank once again those who provide encouragement and support for this back-of-the-packer. Tom and Jim and the crew at Heritage Service Centre, the rest of the Michigan and Virginia folks who stand by waiting for results, Nate and Roger, who for some reason continue to come out to the races and cheer me on, my pitmate Dave Canzano, who is poised for a breakthrough season of his own, and of course the lovely and long-suffering Michele, without whose support none of this would be possible.

Cheers...