Pikes Peak Ducati Team – Test Session 4.22.11

The Spider Grips Ducati Race Team has been hard at work preparing the bikes for Pikes Peak. Only about 8 weeks out – I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas, but the adult side of me, knows that there is “more shopping to do” to get ready for the race.

Since Monster isn’t the only one doing “shake-downs” this week, I thought I would share a few photos from yesterdays test at California Speedway.

This photo is from the last test after I crashed. Paul Livingston, Spider Grips Ducati, took the photo and was glad to see me smiling after the incident. The paramedic is laughing at Paul making a comment, “you know that was an expensive helmet…”.

As many of you know, I had a huge crash about two months ago at the same track. This was my first day back on the bike since that crash. My teammate Alexander Smith , Paul and Becca Livingston, my Dad, and Alexander’s crew chief, Sip, spent the day together getting back up to speed. I felt a little rusty in the first session but after that started cranking out some decent laps.

Greg Tracy on course

It is a different experience for me on the traditional road race tracks, like California Speedway. My riding style for Pikes Peak is a combination of Super Moto, Road Race, and my own sit up, feet on the pegs cornering style. I have started to drag my knee on a few of the corners. Ultimately, a road race style would be quicker around this track, but since I am testing for the Peak, I continue to use my hybrid style. I am always amazed at how fast we can get around the high speed track on our Ducati Multistradas. I think I was consistently in the top 3 or 4 of the expert group.

Spider Grips Ducati Race Team

I am still in a fair amount of pain. I believe it is a combination of hitting the asphalt at a high speed, my already beat up old body, and the fact that I never stopped working after the crash. I worked on seven Dodge commercials, Nissan, Nascar (pushing the clutch in all day did not help out the leg much!), a couple of Acura commercials, Directed the Mike Ryan Size Matters spot, and some other top secret stuff!

But all in all a good day. Good times….for sure! A big thanks to all of the Mylifeatspeed.com viewers and new My Life at Speed contributors, Ken Stouffer and Andy DeVol. You two represent all of us. Thanks for the great articles, photos, videos and insight this past week. I think we really have something cool here! More contributors lined up…lots happening!

Happy Easter!

[doptg id=”50″]

6 time winner of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Professional Stuntman....