Courtesy of Dominic Colindres:

This past weekend was the AMA Pro Grand National at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa. Coming into this race I felt that I could do good because it is similar to my hometown track. I would also be heading into this event being sixth place in the overall points standings.

Qualifying did not go to good. I struggled with learning the track but got faster and faster every time I went out. The bike felt good and I felt comfortable heading into the heat races. We made a couple of big changes to the bike for the heat race.
I was late for my heat race and had to start on the fourth row. A couple of riders up front jumped the start so I was joined by a couple of more riders on the last row. I was fighting the bike the whole time in the heat race and ended up third to last.
For the semi we put the bike back to where it was and I started on the third row. I got a good start and passed a bunch of riders every lap. I ended up getting a second place finish.

Now for the main. I got a decent start from the third row and found my self battling my way into the top ten. I was stuck behind a couple of riders for the first 3/4 of the race. I ended up passing them around the outside. I saw places fifth through tenth a straight away in front of me and put my head down. I caught up to the group on the last lap and finished eleventh.

Overall I felt good because I found the fast line, put in some fast laps, and will be more prepared for next year.

This weekend was the AMA Pro Grand National double header in Springfield Illinois. Starting off the weekend was the short track on Saturday. I didn't expect to do to good because I tend to favor blue grooves over cushions.

After the short track would be mile on Sunday. I was ready to redeem myself on the mile since I didn't make the main the previous race.

To start things out I actually felt pretty good on the track during qualifying and got faster every time I went out. I ended up qualifying eleventh, which gave me a front row start for the heat race. We didn't make a single change from after qualifying to the heat race.
In the heat race I got a great start from the outside and found myself in second. Isennock led the whole race and I watched to try to pick up places to improve. I finished second in the heat and felt comfortable for the main.

In the main I got tangled with Maguire off the start and was fifth into the first turn. I passed three riders going into turn three and was riding around in second for a couple laps. I made a couple of mistakes and a few riders got around me. The red flag came out and the race was a single file restart. I tried to make the same pass going into turn three but found myself going into a high-side but somehow saved it. I got back onto the track in ninth and finished there. I felt comfortable with the way things went and definitely saw places to improve for next time.

Next was the mile. I felt really fast but my qualifying times just didn't show it. I qualified outside the top twenty and that put me on the second row for the heat race.
In the heat race I got a great start from the second row and was in about fourth place. I got into first place going into turn three. The whole race Isennock and I battled back and fourth. Then I got passed for the win by Andersen. I ended up with a second in the heat and was on the front row for the main.

In the main I was second of the start and battled the whole first part of the main with Isennock, Shoemaker, and Vanderkuur. We went back and fourth and I never found myself outside the top five. A red flag came out due to a blow up bike and a couple riders down. I was lined up second on the single file restart behind Vanderkuur. I got the whole shot and led the race until coming out of turn three, got drafted by at least ten riders. Vanderkuur and I found ourselves outside the top ten in just a straight away. I made a pass or two and ended up ninth. I'm happy with the result because I definitely had the speed but that's just how Springfield will play out sometimes.

I'd really like to thank my sponsors: Weirbach Racing, KDM Forrest Products, General Engineering, Barnett, Spectro, Dyno-Jet, K&N, Saddlemen, Motorcycle Superstore, White lightning Retrievers, PMP Sprockets, Motion Pro, Spider Grips, Evans Coolant, Cheney Engineering, G2 Ergonomics, All Balls Racing, Firecoat Custom Powderworks, CP Pistons and Carrillo Rods, Web Cams, Foudree's Graphics, Sunoco, Pro Wheel, Durelle Racing, Supertrapp, TNT Honda, Pingel Products, Regina Chain, Factory Backing, Hinson, MotoBatt, Pit Posse, Jet-Hot, Bell Helmets, Cosmetic Graphics, ProFactoryHoses.com , Rekluse, and Chicken Hawk Racing, my Mom and Dad, Mach 1, A&A Racing, Frankie Morris,, Works Connection, Michael King,

-Dominic Colindres 66Y -