• The name of my newsletter has changed; Pictures with Words. As a kid my dad would always tease that I only read the captions of pictures in a magazine. He was wrong, I also read the Headlines and the Advertisements, LOL.

• All of the AWESOME pictures in this newsletter are from Gavin Powers at G. Powers Photography.

• If you get anything out of this newsletter, pay attention to the Goals part of it. 

2025 Season

Remember that at the beginning of the season I was down 30 lbs from the previous year (2024) and roughly 55 lbs from Dec. 2023. My main goal was to make use of all the laps available within the season’s pass of Track Time’s track days. It doesn’t seem like I would need more track days than a season’s pass if I couldn’t ride all the laps within a season.

Memorial Day Event

May 25th & 26th

I had three goals set for this event and the rest of the season. The main goal was to ride at a pace that allows myself to ride the whole session, every session. I signed up for the Relaxed (slow) Group because of the weight loss (and possibly strength), I wasn’t sure if I would have enough strength to ride at a fast pace (Advanced Group) and the whole session, every session. It was clear that I had enough strength and endurance to move up to the Intermediate Group the following day. And the following day, it was clear I had enough strength and endurance to move back to the Advanced Group for the next track day event. Goal accomplished.

June Event

June 18th and 19th

Not only did I ride at a pace that allowed me to ride the whole session, every session in the Advanced Group. I set a personal best laptime on both bikes; the R1 and the RC51. I thought that if I could ride the whole session, every session at a pace that was fast enough to break personal records. It would happen at the end of the season, not the second event of the year!

Goal accomplished and broke personal records.

A 1:56.8 laptime on Bridgestone’s S23. The S23 is a hypersport tire leaning more towards the street than the track. This still blows my mind! Of course, more skilled riders could achieve a lower lap time; but under a two minute lap on street tires is proof that modern street tires are SO GOOD. Modern street tires can do amazing things. By the way, the personal best set on the RC51 was on Bridgestone’s RS11’s, the hypersport tire leaning more toward the track, than street. Why did the more street focused tires get a lower lap time than the more track focused tires? Because they were mounted on a more capable machine (a lot more horsepower with better brakes). See the personal best laps on each bike below:

July Event

July 27th & 28th

This is where the results stopped. Why? Because I already surpassed where I thought I might be at the end of the season. And yet, I hadn’t even reached the midpoint of the season. I failed to reset my goals, so the results stopped. This is the hardest part. Sometimes you feel like you achieved your goals, so you assume results will just come automatically. I was resting on my laurels. For two months

August Event

August 6th & 7th (Birthday)

Same as the previous month, no goals, no results. However, August 7th, 2025 was the first time I rode the track on my birthday! I only told one person. Mistake. Because you only have one person to celebrate your day with. I also rode a 2020’s Yamaha R7 on my birthday, they are a good looking and have a nice sound. However, it’s quite a boring bike. The guy letting me ride it for a session laughed at me. He said, when you already have an R1, no other bike is going to be more exciting to ride. Point fully understood. LOL

Labor Day Event

August 31st - September 2nd

I was tired of not progressing for two months and remembered that in March of this year, I wanted to see if I could get my knee down in Turn 9 by the end of this year. Turn 9 is the scariest corner; for me. The temps were forecasted to be moderately high and I installed some cheater tires (slicks). So, why am I calling them cheater tires? Remember Scott, they are designed for the racetrack! When you come from riding street tires for the past two seasons, slicks just feel like cheating. There is so much grip. So much confidence. On street tires my knee would touch at or near the slow point (coming off the brakes). On racing slicks, my knee would touch well before the slow point (still moderately on the brakes).

This event was the best ever! I was pitted next to some really cool people (remember environment?). I got my knee down in Turn 9. Goal Accomplished. And set another personal best on the R1. A 1:54.5. See the lap below:

I have three rewards for my achievement this year. One, YouTube videos of my personal best set this year. Two, I have the rear tires my personal bests were set on, in my garage (with the lap time written on them); trophies. Three, you are reading it.

Questions:

1. What is your current goal? If you don’t have any, put down the distraction and start dreaming…

2. Most Importantly: What is your next goal after you achieve your current goal?

Let’s (including me) stay at number 2.