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Wrecked, AFM round 6

GoGo

GoGo

New member
Joined
Apr 8, 2004
Location
Palo Alto
Moto(s)
KTM 1290 SDR
Wrecked
AFM round 6, 2010​

I’m sorry Jamie. I can feel your kidneys through my bars. It happened so quick and ever so slow. I thought a thousand things. In fifty feet at 120mph we went from drifting rear tires at full lean in a heated season-long championship run, to all that matters is lying just before us on the track. My plan was to run up Greg McCullough’s inside on our exit of turn eight for a pass into turn nine but suddenly he checked up and headed right - where I was aiming. I rolled out of my drive and chose left to avoid him, then there you were – sliding perpendicular to me. I broke hard as I could. “Don’t look at his head, let go of the brakes before your front tire touches his body, lift the bike hard as you can, then roll out of the throttle so you don’t tear him in half.” I aimed my best buddy, for where I would hurt you the least. Maybe those choices hurt you more, maybe they saved your life. You were bleeding when I got to you. I thought I failed miserably. Then there was the helicopter, and people calling my phone after a bad crash that you don’t want calling your phone after a bad crash. I fell down in the night, parts of me are still crashing. But I am good. I’ve got the messages by now, you’re gonna be ok. That right there is everything.

Thanks for the messages everyone. Means the world.

GoGo


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Dude .... i am at a loss for words, but good news about Jamie, though

--Simon
 
Its racing, its always there in the back of the head but the choice to start a race in anger and enjoy the fun and thrill of competing is very strong. No ones fault just bad luck, James hope you are doing ok man, you were in my first clubman race I think, back in 08, you kicked ass and have never looked back, get well and hope you have a full recovery. :| Eric, you are a true gentleman, I learn something from you everytime you post, hang in there man.
 
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GoGo, you are an incredible racer and your ability to control that bike is without a doubt what saved his life. Jamie is like a brother to me so from the bottom of my heart I thank you. I got a text from Jamie this morning and things seem to be going well. Best of luck racing brother and sleep well.
 
Eric,
You did everything you could do and you did it right. Jamie will be fine. Stay strong bro! I knew you were o.k. when you ran full speed to Jamie on the top of the wall. We need to talk about your wall dismount!
Jamie is on Face book and mybe you can drop him a message there! Take my brotha. You guys scared the shit outta me wathching such a great battle turn south.
 
Texwasabi said:
Eric, you are a true gentleman, I learn something from you everytime you post, hang in there man.
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This, mad respect. You do the best you can and that's always been an inspiration to me. I hope that one day I can be out there racing with you. :thumbup

Jamie, I hope the healing is fast and easy and you're back out soon.
 
Roger on that dismount. Jesus. It was hard to control my body. I don't even think my hands braced the fall. Total face plant. May have looked like I sprinted to Jamie, really it was a semi-controlled fall forward.
 
I had a pretty good view of the carnage and it was not pretty, glad your ok GoGo and I wish Jamie a speedy recovery! It has been impressive watching you pass me so easy in the last couple F-40 races, not very enjoyable but impressive heal quick!
 
Eric, I saw the whole long drawn out event. You, and everyone around the incident DID EVERYTHING YOU could have done to avoid a serious tragedy. Sincerely. I heard the engine whine and the bike hit the ground even before my eyes related what was happening. Then I saw swerving and the best efforts of everyone to avoid the certainly unavoidable. I saw you and your bike flipping end over end for so long that I had time to think, "This crash has got to be the longest and most violent I have ever witnessed." And then I witnessed something awesome. You standing on the wall regaining your senses and realizing that a buddy and fellow racer was not OK. You falling off the wall in your haste to assist Jamie, who writhed in pain beside the track. You falling to your knees and obviously trying your best to help.

GoGo - this is why I am happy to be a tiny part of this organization. Racing happens... but when it does, the good people move Hell and Creation to help those it happens to. You sir are firmly in that category!

I wasn't going to share these because I didn't know if you'd want to remember but since you have posted a similar picture I didn't figure showing people what you did would be bad. I'll take them down if you want me to.

Cheers
James

GOGOCRASH.jpg


GOGOCRASH-2.jpg


GOGOCRASH-3.jpg


After scrambling to the wall you looked back at the traffic...
GOGOCRASH-4.jpg


And then you acted like a good man.
GOGOCRASH-5.jpg


GOGOCRASH-6.jpg


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GOGOCRASH-8.jpg


Peace.
 
GoGo, you're an inspiration to all of us. Keep on keeping on, and I'm sure Jamie is glad that someone with your skills and heart was the one involved. Prayers and best wishes to both of you.
 
go go i did not know you were involved until i saw the crash truck pass by our garage. got that sick feeling when i saw your bike. talked to your crew later and they said you were ok. glad to hear that everyone looks like they will recover.

sorry about the lower case but i had my own get off in the oil laid down in the entrance of 11 during the 650 twins race. i am now the new proud owner of a broken left wrist.


hope to see you again next season


pedropat 758
 
Wow

Sounds very scary glad to see everyone is ok for the most part

This is racing so these things happen from time to time
 
I'm a WSMC'er who was visiting for the Ca State Championship round and happened to be sitting on the opposite side of the track with one hell of a panoramic view of the mess. Eric, it was clear that Jamie lost control in front of you and even from where we were sitting you could see that you did everything you could (in a very, very short period of time) to avoid him. Both crashes were UGLY but it's been a while since I've seen a bike cartwheel like your poor KTM. Watching you gather yourself up and then immediately sprint to the aid of your fallen competitor was really something to see. I sat on the other side of the track and said "Holy shit, Go-Go just won the race to check on that guy... that kicks ass!". :wow

Watching the fleet of ambulances that came out to work on the downed rider quickly overshadowed how impressive your response was and then seeing the Helicopter arrive was really a downer. I never get on this board but was curious to see how things ended up and it's great to see that Jamie is going to be ok. Bad stuff happens out there sometimes(despite all our attempts to keep things safe) and it's good that all appears to be ending well in this instance.

It was good racing with you AFM'ers this weekend. :teeth
 
GoGo said:
Roger on that dismount. Jesus. It was hard to control my body. I don't even think my hands braced the fall. Total face plant. May have looked like I sprinted to Jamie, really it was a semi-controlled fall forward.
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I know man! Thats what made it all that much more special! You rorck bro! We'll laugh about that dimount on another day! :thumbup
 
Thanks for posting those pics Daytona_Rider. It's part of racing. We can't always avoid this part, but maybe we can do better when forced to face it. The still pic standing on the wall I won't ever forget. Felt like that place just before sleep, then suddenly reality swept back into view from somewhere lost in... I don't even know where.


Sure is good to hear so many supporting one of those decisions you make in a fraction of a second, but live with forever. Thanks so much for the support.
 
NoCompromise said:
GoGo, you're an inspiration to all of us. Keep on keeping on, and I'm sure Jamie is glad that someone with your skills and heart was the one involved. Prayers and best wishes to both of you.
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Could not have said it better... :thumbup

Hang in there E. You are a solid man and I am proud to call you a friend.

:smoking
 
From everything I've heard, Eric, you did everything humanly possible to minimize the damage. I don't think there are many riders who would have been able to do what you did. Your thoughts were on Jaime the whole time back in the pits, and your worry for him was obvious. Don't start second-guessing yourself... you were in an impossible situation, and somehow managed to do exactly the right thing!
Best news of all, he is going to be OK! :)
 
This was rough to watch, but I'm glad to know that, though in pain now, Jamie's going to be ok. Thanks for the update.
 
GoGo said:
Thanks for posting those pics Daytona_Rider. It's part of racing. We can't always avoid this part, but maybe we can do better when forced to face it. The still pic standing on the wall I won't ever forget. Felt like that place just before sleep, then suddenly reality swept back into view from somewhere lost in... I don't even know where.


Sure is good to hear so many supporting one of those decisions you make in a fraction of a second, but live with forever. Thanks so much for the support.
Click to expand...

Your help on Saturday evening on the track walk was invaluable. I think the best thing I can say is you are a "Racers Racer" and I am happy to have you rail by me on the inside or outside of any corner, on any track, on any day :thumbup
 
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