Weekend Report
Decided to race this weekend. James has helped sell some of my old Honda stuff on e-bay so I had enough for a couple classes.
I signed up for +30c/d, 250D and Unlimited Rookie.
Practice was a mud-fest. They overwatered the track as normal.
The race order came out and I had races 7, 11 and 13.
The heats were pretty uneventful except I realized quickly that I miss the 450 off the line. I was last to the first turn in every start.
Also, in my last heat I jumped the pit jump and came up short. The front end bottomed hard and next thing I knew I didn't have any front brake.
Luckily Pat had some brake fluid and James had some tools. We went to work and was able to get it bled enough to use but it was far from good. Best guess is the master cylinder took a dump.
In my first main, 250D, I thought I would line up on the inside and try to undercut those that went wide.
Mistake!
I was last coming out of the first turn. I decided to put my head down and go. This is where I love the 250F... it is so much easier to corner than the 450. I did not have any issues on the straights since I could maintain more speed through the corners.
I got past a few and kept going at it until I saw James. I tried to catch him and he seemed a little tired so I thought I had a chance. Unfortunately, it was a no go and I couldn't catch him. He was moving really fast!
I ended up 14th out of 19 in 250D.
Keith on the other hand got 1st! He was moving out there. Joe came up to him after the race and told him he can stay in 250D but he was thinking of bumping him up out of Unlimited Rookie. After a conversation Joe seemed happy and let Keith line up for Unlimited Rookie when it came around.
Keith has only raced a little more than a handful of times and has really increased his speed over the past year and a half. In my opinion, he deserved the opportunity to win.
In the +30c/d main I got another horrible start. I tried to keep up with the guys for as long as I could but they were all faster than me.
I ended up using the last 2 laps looking for good lines to use in my next race.
As the checkered flag came out I crossed the finish line and went directly to the gate.
I was feeling good but there was an issue with the 65 class before me and they cut it into two races instead of just one so I got more rest than I was expecting. That was a good thing.
As the gate dropped I got a decent start. I passed a couple of people and was chasing a group of 3.
By lap 3 it seemed that one of the guys was getting away but the other two (James was one of them) were close enough for me to strike.
As we come out of a corner I saw them go to the inside of the corner before the barrel. I took the outside line and it was a lot smoother so I was able to stay on the gas and brake a lot later.
I went right by both of them and went after the third rider. I caught him and passed him too.
I felt good and saw one other guy I thought I could at least catch up to. On the last lap as I came to the same straight I passed James at I decided to go to the inside but as I got into the corner my front tire took the inside part of the berm but my rear tire stepped out over the berm and I went sliding into home plate!
By the time I got the bike up and started I lost at least 4 positions and was about to be passed by a guy on a CRF230. Fortunately, I got it running and went after the guys who passed me.
I got past one and kept moving but I could not get closer to anyone else.
I ended up 15 out of 25 so I should be really happy but if I wouldn't have went down I would have been in a tropny position and I like the trophies when there is such a full gate. To me a 12th place plaque out of 25 is more impressive than 5th out of 7 or 8.
Afterwards we watched the remaining races and got to see Pat put a schoolin on a couple of guys. He looked really good and went faster than I have ever seen him. He was haulin!
He had a great pass on a couple of guys.
Then came the race of the night.
Paul got a poor start and had to fight to try and move up from 4th after the first lap. The two guys ahead of him were slower than him but between the two they were taking the best lines. Also, the 3 of them were pressuring the leader so passing was tough.
At one point they were so bunched up that any of them could have fallen and taken all of them out.
Paul did try to pass a few times and he got by a couple times but couldn't make it stick because he did not have the better lines.
By lap 3 Paul got around the 3rd place guy and then quickly got by 2nd with some beautiful passing.
He was moving and catching the leader but just ran out of laps.
It was a helluva race and one I would have paid to see.
Overall the night was a great one, except for the busted brake.
I also was thinking that I may need a sprocket change. 2nd was good in turns but revved out a little quick. 3rd was great but lugged too low in the corners and needed clutch work.
The next morning I put a CR master cylinder on the bike and went from a 13/48 sprocket combo to a 13/50 combo and headed to meet up with James at TNT.
We hit the woods and did about 90 minutes total in the trees. The gearing change made a big difference. I wish I would have done it earlier. I am sure it would have helped me at the Harescramble last week.
We ended the day on the woods track where James grazed a girl who was going backwards on the track with her XR50. Fortunately, she was not seriously hurt but both her and James seemed scared.
After that we called it a day... we also noticed I had a leaking fork seal.
Boy, I broke a lot of hydraulics this weekend :)