Attack Kawasaki's Chaz Davies image by jim mcdermott

After a mid season run of disappointing finishes in both the Formula Xtreme and Supersport classes, Chas Davies is looking to end his season on an upnote, starting this weekend at VIR. "At the last few races, we've had our fair share of bad luck, particularly Miller, where I expected big things," said Davies. "Didn't happen, we went good there last year but just couldn't get thigns completely right this year. At Road America, we made the wrong tire choice, I thought I had the pace to win there or at least go with Steve (Rapp), Laguna we qualifed 3rd, but first corner, first lap, we got t-boned, and that was that."

Part of Davies' challenge is the amount of time it takes him to dial his Attack Kawasaki ZX6R into a place that works for him. "I'm still figuring out a lot of things about this motorcycle....there's certain things I find it does really well, and others that I really have to search for on the weekends. Obviously Steve's been riding good, so it's there to be found, it's just taking me a little longer than I want."

"The bike turns really well, it drops into the corners nicely, but I sometimes struggle to hold a line, so we play with geometry a lot. To be honest, I think it's a size issue with me. When I'm on the side of the tire, I'm all legs, so I don't lean very far and I'm already on the deck. Someone a bit smaller, like Steve Rapp, is on the side of the tire, he's got to get all the way off the bike, so I think his lean angles can be a little bit more than mine. So we've had to raise my bike quite a bit, which was a bit of a breakthrough, especially at Laguna. It's a style thing really, because I'm quite tall and it's a reasonably low bike."

A small issue in every corner quickly adds up over the course of a lap. "The Supersport class is very tight - all you need to have is one problem out on the track to multiply, multiply, and you're a second off the pace." So does Chas think that his lankier size would better suit him for the Superbike class? "It's probably about time for me to start thinking about that, but it's a difficult situation with the rules for next year, i don't know where I stand. I'm 6'1", but it's a good bike, and I should be able to get some good results for for the end of the season."

In regards to his 2008 Daytona win, Davies doesn't seem to assign it much gravity. "I try 110% every weekend - it's not as if I'm sitting back on my Daytona results, like that changed me forever - it hasn't, because I didn't even win it, really."

Chaz Davies currently sits 6th in the points in both Formula Xtreme Supersport.