Great weekend for James Gang Racing at Blackhawk Farms this weekend. The weather was not so great, but we took advantage of the cool and rainy conditions to win 4 races, including the GT Lights class in the ASRA Pro Team Challenge on Sunday.

Jeff Johnson came down from Minneapolis for the race so we could test our new MOTO-ST bike and we had a great run. We started out just looking at the 75-lap race as a practice and test opprtunity, but at the halfway point, not only were we leading our class, we were leading the overall race as well! Ultimately, we slipped to second overall behind a team from the higher horsepower class, but we finished ahead of everyone else. Not a bad test. Thanks to Mike's hard work and long hours of preparation, the bike worked perfectly.

I also won CCS GT Lights, maintaining my points lead in that class, as well as Thunderbike and SuperTwins. Dan Bilansky and former AMA 600 Supersport Champion Mike Smith gave me a run in SuperTwins, but I got the holeshot, set the quickest lap and led every lap. Not bad!

Special thanks to Kevin Uttech for helping us out in the pits. And of course team regulars Nancy, Amy and Rita. Julian Soell kept an eye on the girls. And we even helped fellow H-D employee Krishna Pribadi do his Solo Team Challenge pit stops. Truly a team effort. Thanks all!

And happy birthday Jeff!

We had near perfect weather at Blackhawk this weekend, but the track conditions were far from perfection.

Seems the cars are really taking a toll on the 1.8-mile road course racing surface. There's a ragged line of ripped up pavement through T1 and T7. And they had to patch a huge section of T3a which was coned off on Friday. It was not cured properly and was slippery all weekend.

With plenty of practice on Friday, we had it figured out for the races. Mike and I spent most of the day testing the XBRR. We got it dialed in and then warmed up our sprint XB12R at the end of the day. The RR was working really well and we got it down into the 14s. It's still harder to ride than our own sprint bike, but I'm starting to get used to it.

The first race of the day was SuperTwins, and that meant it was time to unleash the RR. I got a terrible start. The bike has so much power, it wheelies like crazy! I slotted in behind Dave Rosno and Ed Key, both on Suzukis. At the end of the first lap, I could already see where I would pass both of them--anywhere I wanted! Dave passed Ed for the lead in the carousel but Ed balked me. But Dave blew the entrance to T6 and both Ed and I went by. I outbraked Ed into T1 and off I went. A string of consistent 14s allowed me to break away. But on the white flag lap, I felt a loss of power and then the bike started to sputter and pop. I couldn't believe it. I limped through the infield hoping to make it back to the checkered flag. Dave passed me between T5 and T6 and then Ed passed me before T7. I was still in third and heading for the checkered flag on the straight--slowly--when the engine quit entirely. Ouch. I pushed it down pit lane and watched as every other bike passed by.

Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! Mike later diagnosed the problem as a faulty (melted) wire on the voltage regulaor. Boo! But at least it was an easy fix.

GT Lights was next. Back to the sprint bike, which felt odd and slow by comparison. It took me awhile to get back up to speed on the bike, but I was able to hang with Ed and Gary Palmer. Then Gary crashed in T6 just as he was passing Ed for the lead. I had a ringside seat as he lowsided and hit the deck hard. When we came around again he was not moving. Then they brought in the ambulance and parked in on the outside of the track to protect him. It's always been my feeling that this is too dangerous for the other racers and that the race should just be stopped. But we kept going. I got close to Ed a few times. Traffic was a factor, but he seemed to get the better of it. I settled for second. Gary ended up with a separated shoulder and concussion.

In Thunderbike I was able to pass Ed for the lead in the opening lap, but couldn't keep him behind me on the straight. We stayed close, but I was never able to regain the lead. Another second.

After the races we hung around with the rest of the Buell crew. Nancy ordered Italian, and we gorged ourselves.

Nick Rotvold came out to play with his Ducati on Sunday morning and I went out with him in practice. His bike is faster than last year. I couldn't stay, though. We went into Chicago to see Amy's swim meet. She ended up taking 4 wins. Sweet!

Thanks to Mike, Nancy and PJ for all the help. Mike is amazing. He's done so much work and made such a difference in my racing.

We're back at Blackhawk in three weeks. There will be a 75-lap ASRA Team Challenge race there, so we'll use that as practice for MOTO-ST.

Buell Alley is open and ready for business at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, IL. At least 10 Buell racers are here pitted together on both sides of the main entrance road to the track.

I'm just racing today since Amy has a swim meet tomorrow in Chicago. SuperTwins, GT Lights and Thunderbike. Weather looks perfect and we are ready to rock.

PJ is here to help all the way from Indy. Nancy made a new sign marking our territory and Kelli is making awesome breakfasts!

More later.

I'm spending the weekend at the MotoGP race at Laguna Seca. I'm here for work--the official launch of the new Buell 1125R. Yeah, I know, it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it!

We hosted a launch party last night at Carbone's in Monterey. Today, I'm at Laguna and MotoGP free practice 3 is about to start.

I'm not staying for the race tomorrow. Gotta get back home!

My youngest daughter Grace turns 6 today. I can't believe how my little baby is growing up so fast. We'll have a special birthday for her in the coming weeks.

And I'm looking forward to having the girls with me next weekend at the Blackhawk Farms CCS race. Amy is competing in a swim meet in Chicago that weekend, so it will just be me and the girls.

Go Nicky! Go Colin! Go Hopper! Go Miguel! Go Kurtis! Go Roger! I just want to see an American (or Canadian) on top of the box this weekend...

Shawn Higbee has been upgraded to fair condition following surgery on his broken femur (compound/multiple fracture), pelvis and shoulder, according to his team owner, Richie Morris.

Brian Kcraget has also reportedly regained consciousness and is doing well.

Both racers are recovering at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

Please keep Shawn and Brian in your thoughts and prayers!