Weekend Race Report

November 10^th and 11^th 2007

What a GREAT weekend!

I haven't ridden much this year at all so I was really worried how I would perform but I knew I had to race because this was the first year I had not raced at all so if I didn't do it now I would be setting a precedent I didn't want to set.

Saturday:

First up was the JMX series finale at Parker Valley MX (PVMX).  Not only was it the series finally but it was also the last JMX race there ever.  I have heard rumors that there will be other races like with the AMA and Mid-East but nothing confirmed.

I signed up for Unlimited Rookie and +30c/d.  I was second guessing myself the whole day because I know I had the harescramble the next day.  But what the hell, you only live once, right?

I thought I was going to be alone at the race but Paul and Kate showed up.  I really enjoyed spending the day with them.  They are such a great couple and watching them interact was awesome.  Paul didn't have a great day and blew off his final race but he looked good out there despite riding with a worn out 773 Dunlop on the rear that had looked more like a street slick than a mx tire :)

On my way down to practice I noticed the rear brake was fading.  I didn't understand it.  I stopped and put it on the stand and it was working.  I bled a little fluid and went back down and did not have a problem at all the rest of the weekend.  I *think* that it was just WD 40 that had gotten on there from when I changed the tire.

In my first Unlimited Rookie heat I did ok.  The bike felt odd but I think that is b/c I went to new tires and the rear is the standard 100/90-19 (I was running a 110-90-19).  I got a horrible start but ended up 5^th out of 9 for the heat race.

In the main I got 6^th out of 9.  I had a good start, I was 4^th out of 8 but had bad hand cramps and got passed.

In the +30/cd I got a bad start in my heat but passed one guy and was chasing down another.  Ended up 8^th out of 10.

In the main I got a horrible start but passed two guys and was chasing down another when I made a few mistakes in the bottom corner before the big step up.  He gapped me and I ended up pushing the entire race and my hands cramped up really bad.  Got 8^th out of 10 overall.

The highlight of the day was Joe racing.  Joe is the promoter for JMX Racing and has treated me fairly over the years. I have always appreciated the way he has helped me when I was first getting started and how welcome my, my father and all my friends were made to feel at the races.

Joe lined up for the +40 class and got a horrible start.  He then passed 2 guys quickly on the first lap and then a 3^rd guy on the second.  He was gunning for 5^th place and was really close to a few guys battling for that position but then he ran out of gas.  On the last lap he dropped it in the corner but got up and finished.  They had an oxygen tank waiting for him at the end as a joke :)

I am going to miss PVMX but Joe said he is going to be doing some stuff with Revolution MX so we will see what that has next year.  One thing is for certain… the only thing you can count on in this life is change.

Sunday:

Driving into the parking area for the Denver race was nostalgic.  I never understood why but Harescrambles have the worst parking.  People just park anywhere and everywhere and trying to find your way is tough.  I did find a decent spot but I had to park in a place that had me blocking others.  I moved immediately after the race since a lot of the early morning racers had left and the place was more open.

I was pretty concerned with the turnout.  The normal classes seemed to have their regular 10-15 people in it but the Unlimited / Non-Member class had over 100 people in it!!  They broke us into 4 rows for that class.  I started on the 3^rd row but should have tried to started on the first Unlimited Row.

My first lap felt good.  I had one stall out but got started quick.  It was a freight train of sorts and there was not a lot of room for passing.  Especially in the single track.  They had about 300-400 yards total of stupid single track that was so tight people with cut down bars were having a lot of trouble.  Fortunately it wasn't 400 yards in a row.  You'd have 100 yards here, 50 yards there, etc.  The course itself was about 8 miles long and most of it was tight but there was about 4 miles of good open trail where you could pass.

I had full length bars and bark busters so it was a pain in the ass for me.  My hands cramped up immediately on the first lap but I pushed through it and was passing a lot of people.  I almost got off the bike to see who was riding it because I am not used to passing people like that :D

I went through scoring on the first lap in 46^th place in the Unlimited Class.

On the second lap I made a lot of mistakes but was going a lot faster.  I had two stalls and lost a lot of position but caught and passed most of the people who got by me when I was stalled out.  I felt really good and the sun had gone down enough so I felt I could see without getting blinded in some spots.  This lap was my favorite and I was moving.  I still hated the single track but that seemed to be where I was catching people the easiest.  Then I'd pass them when it opened up again.

My endurance was feeling good and I felt like I was in a zone.

Then on the third lap I went to hell in a hand basket.  My hands started cramping, I had 5 stalls and got thrown to the ground twice.  I lost a ton of positions.  I think 20 or so people passed me on my first trip over the bars. 

I was moving good and went around a corner and gassed it up a straight, clipped the left side of the handlebars on one tree but that didn't affect me.  The second one did.  It threw me good and about 10 feet away from the bike.  I got up and scrambled and put the bike in neutral and started it but then a few guys came and passed and then when I went to go I stalled.  By the time I got it lit again a freight train of riders passed me.

I stalled a few more times the rest of the lap only to get passed, catch who passed me, stall, catch, stall, repeat.

My hands were killing me.  The rest of me was fine but I could not pull the clutch or front brake in without pain.

Then I came around a corner, caught a glimpse of a guy and pinned it.  Boom. Dirt rollup.  I sigh and look up and then the bike lands on me.

Ouch!!

Bruised my left arm, right hip and right knee.  I can walk ok but the knee is swollen.

I roll through scoring in 60^th place out of 106 in Unlimited :(  Not bad but I have the speed and endurance to do better.  I will work on my hand strength and will not do a double header weekend again :) 

Back at the truck I loaded up, looked at my swollen knee and smiled!  It was such a great time even with the hands that still hurt today and the banged up knee.  I had a blast in the woods and would love to go out there again.

I definitely enjoyed the Harescramble more than I did the MX.  I had fun at both but felt more at home in the woods.  That type of riding suits me the most.

Today my hands and bruises are sore.  I'm a bit stiff everywhere else but not too bad.  I have to get in better shape overall but I think if I do I can have a lot of fun next year in the Mid-East stuff.  I will say this if the NCHSA had more tracks like the Denver race this past weekend I would definitely race with them again.

My lap times were ok.  I'm glad I was faster on my last lap than on my first considering all the mistakes I made. My times were… 35:59, 33:11 and 34:36 on the last lap where I spent more time on the ground than on the bike.  . 

If I improve my condition, ride a bit more and push hard next year in Mid-East I have a chance at a trophy position in a race or two.