As usual let me get my Thank you's out of the way.

Mike Gray...thanks for your help in the pits Friday and Saturday. Of all the weekends I don't think I would've gotten through this one without you.

Amy...thanks for help on Saturday. Packing up everything single handed while I was off dealing with Referee duties was above and beyond.

Thanks to Pinkstaff's, Zlock Racing, Oliver Jervis awesome to see everyone doing well out of the box.

Thanks to Mark, Elaine, Dave & Laurie, Dustin, Jeff Brooks, Amber, Jed, Do, Maurice, Amy...and eventually Tom Young...others in the pits for stopping by and seeing if I was OK. (Everyone else keep reading).

Geoff Ford...Thank you for being an unbelievable sportsman and friend. Every incident and issue I've ever been involved with or seen...you are generally one of the first in pit to see if the rider was OK...and then offer whatever help you can (including a replacement engine) to get someone back on track. Thank you.

Well...onto the story. I'm promised pictures from Amber so stay tuned for those.

This season start 'snuck' up on me in a way. Without a preceding track day...'all of a sudden' it was practice day. I was expecting to be rusty so I did not have any expectations for practice other than ensuring bikes worked. First session on the SV500 was 'OK'. The brakes were a little squishy so I didn't push hard at all. During lunch Mike Gray and I changed pads, new set of tires, and we bled the brakes. They felt rock solid as I headed out to the first session after lunch.

At this point its important to note that the morning included a conversation where Dan Zlock and I were discussing how reliable and great the SV500 was. And how we were both really happy with what a great bike it turned out to be. OK...back to the story.

So first session after lunch...I head out with the intent of putting down some decent laps. Checking lap time I did...first session I turned 1:30. This session I was turning a 1:24...which was practice time on this bike last year. On lap 9 or 10 as I was going into 7 (fastest turn on the track) I was just releasing the clutch on my 2nd downshift and the rear end locked up. The rear end of the bike came around on my right...caught...then I went over the bike on high side. It is interesting what runs through you mind at these moments.."Oh Shit"..."This could be bad"...as I was tumbling alongside the concrete wall...I distinctly remember as my helmet hit the wall the first time..."Ooooh..this is going to be bad." I felt my pressure on my left knee and I remember reaching up with my hand to stabilize it (I've dislocated it before). I continue tumbling and the helmet scrapes again "Yah...not good". Eventually I come to a rest facing the sky.

The corner worker is there and asks if I'm OK...I say yes...he asks if I want help up. I say..give me a minute. They decide to roll the ambulance. I get up under my own power but obviously a shaken. I get my gloves and helmet off. I lean against the wall and look back at what is an impressive black mark on the track and my trashed bike.

The ambulance team gets there...gives me an initial check out. I get the short ride to 'point' where they continue to check me out. Nothing is broken...but my shoulder, legs, neck and inner thigh are sore. ASIT gets there and gets me back to my pit. (Tom Young...NOTE I'm not publishing your part of this story)

I get back to the pit...drink water..and eventually my bike comes back. The right side is trashed...the left side looks almost like nothing happened. We set about trying to figure out what happened...eventually pulling the side cover off we figure out the motor seized and some fashion...at which point it decided violently that it didn't like me on it anymore. We pull the motor so Dan Zlock can take it back for further analysis and possible repair...but due to finances I am undecided on if it will be repaired this season...if ever.

Initially after the incident...I wasn't going to race the rest of the weekend. But after sleeping on it...I decided that it would probably be best for my psyche to get back out there...which I do. My times, my confidence, and assertiveness were definitely off...I haven't really checked how I finished. Frankly I don't really care at this point...it was about survival and getting back out there.

In conclusion...I'll be racing different classes this year on the SV650 only. For now I have a lot of work to come back from this incident in my head...which I'll do. Quite honestly after scraping the wall with my head I'm glad I can remember my name much less be able to ride a bike again. So thanks to Arai for that.