I am really happy about the performance of the Spider Grips Ducati Racing Team Mulitstrada and the testing session we had last weekend at Pikes Peak. I am also really happy with the performance of our camera partner, CONTOUR. We ran the new CONTOUR + HD camera and you can see the results in the video. GREAT quality, super affordable and you will soon be able to buy them on My Life at Speed.

Pikes Peak – what can I say.  This place was a race I read about in a magazine years ago and, decided to go. It became part of my history, my family’s history – our annual pursuit and family vacation. It is the event that is like Christmas to me and my family, that we wait anxiously to happen on only 1 day a year.  It is special. It is unique. I am proud to be apart of the history that Spencer Penrose started almost 100 years ago.

This past weekend we tested at Pikes Peak. My brother, Gary Trachy, goes out to the mountain to test as well as my dad, Terry, who has always supported both us of us as we raced. To reiterate – Pikes Peak – is a family affair.

The test was different this year.  I think that all of us had in our brains that this was the LAST year of dirt.  Most of us in the pits have raced this as a dirt race, with some asphalt. I think that we all tricked our minds into thinking over the past few years, that even as the paving continued, it still was primarily a DIRT race. This year, well, that was for sure not the case.

Very little dirt remains and I am one of the optimists.  I believe that the change is going to allow Pikes Peak to attract new racers, new opportunities, new people to the mountain.  The course is FAST.  I believe that in all divisions, records will be broken. Of course, “the mountain” will determine if records get broken. We don’t determine the outcome, for sure. There is a mystique to what happens up there – and we cannot even anticipate and absolutely cannot dictate the results. It is some karmic law that happens and that adds to why we go, why we race and literally sit in awe of such an amazing mountain.  You can’t explain until you have been there. Once there, you just understand.

The overall groove of the track is narrower and we heard of  speeds  of 126 MPH+.  I know that even on a test situation, Gary and I easily hit speeds of 120+ and now that the course is paved through “bottemless pit” that part is crazy fast – seriously huge, fast numbers will be had there if they don’t go over. I know I have said it once, but worth saying again, Bobby Unser was once quoted as saying, “if you go over at Bottomless Pit, you would certainly starve before you hit the bottom!” For those that have stopped and gone to the edge outside and looked over that very small wall (what they call a wall…) it is a LONGGG… way down.

Here is what Gary put on facebook about the test and speeds:

“Good test at Pikes Peak for this years race on June 26th. I was the fastest on the first half of the hill. My brother had the fastest time on the top. He is in the 1200cc class and I am on a 750cc class. We will both be going for the overall motorcycle record. New pavement on top is extremely fast and the 1200 has the advantage up top, but at the start we have a few miles of dirt which is better for me.” Gary Trachy

The Ducati Multistrada is better than ever and just dialed in. I have to thank Ducati for consistently giving us GREAT bikes to race in very unknown conditions and of course, to Paul and Becca Livingston, Spider Grips Ducati Race Team principals. We have all spent time, money and effort getting to Pikes Peak – and this year, we aim to have our 7th Championship Title at America’s Mountain, Pikes Peak.

Check out the photos from my buddy, Dave Philip. He has been apart of our team for a few years now. Dave – we are so glad that you are with us, great photos!. If you have raced Pikes Peak, check out his photo site at www.davephilipphoto.com

Thanks for following “My Life at Speed“. I hope the site has become what all of you want to see, read and talk about. Hope you enjoy the video – Oh, and watch it twice – once to see the action and the second time to watch the odometer. GT

Stay tuned – I plan on keeping you all up to date during Pikes Peak. In fact, we will be starting a “ask Greg Tracy” next week – any question you want answered, will be answered!

Thanks again.

GT.

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