Fat Lazy Bastard Racing

Remembering My Brother – Brian “B” Joseph McLane

Today would mark the 37th Birthday of my Brother. Brian “B” Joseph McLane

I seldom talk about the events that shadow that cold morning in January of this year. In fact, I don’t think, I have ever spoke of it at all outside the small circle of friends.  Sometimes I forget, it will slip out, and people will stare at me, not really knowing what to say, or if what I said was some sick morbid joke.

However, for what it is worth, it is not.

Today, August 11th, 2009 would have been the 37th birthday of my Brother.  I am not sure why I don’t speak of it, maybe it is still something I try to believe never happened.

Maybe, even for a moment, I don’t want to believe it.  Sitting there, in the passenger seat of my pickup, was a photo book I had just had made, and picked up the day before, to be delivered to my brother that very Saturday.

It was a photo book of my year chronicled of my racing. He always wanted a few photo’s, and I had decided to instead have this book made for him.  I never got the chance to give it to him. Instead, that day when I made my trip down to his home, I instead gave it to my parents.

Their is, rarely a day that goes by, that I do not think of my brother. Sometimes, I still think he is here, and I forget. I catch myself mid sentence of sometimes speaking.  He was a mechanic, someone I would pick the brain of once in awhile when I had problems with my pickup, or a friend had problems.  I have caught myself, even still, reaching for the phone to make a call. It pulls at me, still.

Today is your day, however. And although I am late in writing this, know, I always will miss you.

Happy Birthday B

Hard Decisions – Calling it a year

After much time sitting around, deliberating over it, and putting the scenarios in my head, while staring into the nothingness, I have decided to wrap things up and call it a year.

We all know track day and race attendances are down this year, due to the sluggish “economy”. Some good friends of mine decided to take the year off, others lost their jobs early on, and were not able to make it out this year. Myself? Everything seemed fine, and I had put aside a bit of play money for this year, enough to last a few months, knowing I could make up the rest of what was needed by the time I ran out of that.

But, like more times than not, things didn’t go as planned.

Earlier this year, I was hit with a pay decrease, but I still had my job. I realized at that point, I was going to have to really cut back in order to continue to enjoy this sport.

So I moved out of my place I was living in, got a roommate, and figured all would be good.

A couple miscalculations here, a couple of blunders there, and here I am.

It has been an amazing season for me really. I enjoyed every day of it, even the slight “mishap” I had during round 4.

Along with this, I have decided to sale the track bike, which is a “very” hard decision for me as I had originally planned on keeping it for eternity.

The Bike that Ebay Built, a name that it was coined by some friends of mine, after I had made the decision to build it piece by piece from ebay auctions. It started with a frame, than a swing-arm and rear shock. Next came front forks, and a front wheel, than a rear wheel,  finally an engine. It went together, it roared to life, and it put a smile on my face knowing I accomplished everything I set out to do. The first day I took it out on the track I was filled with fear. Fear that I may have “Missed” something, after spending 8 months of scouring ebay, and piecing it together.

That first lap went by, than another, than another. The day went on, and I had the biggest smile on my face.

Just over a year later, I never would have dreamed I’d be making this decision, but there are more important things financially I must tend to now.

My ultimate goal is to be back out next year. I hope that I can get everything squared away, and feel comfortable that I can purchase, or who knows, build another bike to be out for the first race of 2010. Or who knows, maybe be back out on an 07 R6, as my Street Bike is just that. I just don’t know at this stage.

For those interested in the track bike who may read this, feel free to email me at memclane at gmail dot com.

07 R6 – Stock Engine, Stock Exhaust, Armour Bodies Body Work,  ASV Levers, Motobits Rear Sets, SBS Dual Carbon Front Pads, an extra set of wheels, spare frame, spare swingarm, spare subframe, spare triple clamp, spare radiator, spare airbox, spare throttle bodies, pitbull front and rear stands, yade yade Too much to continue listing. I’ll have a For Sale up soon :p

I would like to thank everyone who came out and supported me this last year, as well as Troy of Pennell Powersports/Bridgestone. Also a big thanks to Mark of 2-Fast and his crew, as well as Mario with Adrenaline Freaks and his crew. Both these local guys put on amazing track days for us, and we are fortunate to have them.

Until Next Year,

Michael McLane #812 (The Fat Lazy Bastard)