Milk
Looking for Mr. Right
- Jun 28, 2002
- 1,452
- 0
Friday night brought many storms to OKC, and we weren't quite sure if any tracks were going to be open Saturday to ride. The local track we ride (MotorCycle Raceway) has a series every year called the Gold Cup, and Squid Nasty and I decided to try our hands this year.
The weather seemed to be cooperating so we loaded our bikes and gear and headed out to the track at 430 for 530 practice. The parking lot was a mess from the rain the night before, but the track was in awesome shape. After unloading and getting setup we paid our fees and got back to the truck to get ready for practice.
The first practice was pretty exciting. There large chunks of mud all over the track and the roost was flying everywhere. Squid passed me, got directly in front of me, and roosted me so bad my googles were covered with thick mud. I think I need to learn to use tear-offs. :) On the second lap of the 4 lap practice, some guy in orange army fatigues decided that he wanted to take me out I guess. I was in the low line around a big bowl turn, and he came from the top line, and T-Boned me. I was suprised this happened because I had just entered the turn, and was nowhere near the meeting meet coming out of the turn. This happened in the first few feet of the turn. We both went down, and I suffered a broken clutch lever and had to pull off.
Somehow, the 2nd practice moto went off without a hitch. I got a nice, hard moto in and felt pretty good.
The first race moto was VERY eventful. I came out of the gate somewhere near 8 of 14 riders. I didnt stall it or wheelie!! We had completed one lap and I was riding much better and was passing a few people. Over the step-up, into the corner, over the table, into the left-hander, and onto the first double. As I hit the face of the jump (in 3rd) the yellow flag came up. As I was in the air, and had nowhere to go, I couldnt slow down for the flag. It seems a young man had gone nose high off the jump and landed on his rear wheel, having the bike flip over on him. I couldnt see any of this and when I landed, he was right in the middle to left-hand side of the track. As soon as I landed, there he was. This guy must have been around 6'1, and weighed probably 260 pounds. Im coming at him with 235 and 3rd gear. It was ugly. As I landed, I hit him with the left side of the bike and my knee and the left shoulder as he was facing me. The impact almost knocked me off of my bike, and I had one foot on the right peg, and one arm on the throttle (read WFO) trying to keep my balance. After that double, there's a big sweeping left-handed, bowl turn. I was headed at thing WFO in 3rd with no balance. The result was not pretty. I hit that berm and went over it, and dropped about 5 feet. My bike nosed dived into the backside straight that was about 3 feet high of dirt. I took the bars across my right arm pit and to my left ribs, went over the bars and face planted, then I had the luxury of the bike falling on me. It took about 2 minutes for me to catch my breath and get composed, and then I rode out the rest of the track, taking the checkered. I ended up 11 out of 14 with 3 guys mangled in that same wreck getting DNF's. :)
The 2nd moto was a good one for me. I rode around in the pits a bit to see how I was feeling and if I wanted to ride it or not, and decided I was good to go. I came out of the gate 6th out of 11 riders. For me, thats an awesome start. I normally wheelie or stall it, and I did neither of these things. Throughout the race, I held 6th until one guy passed me on the third lap. I was riding well, clearing all of the jumps (even a double I havent done out there) and ended up with a 7.
11-7=9! I am now in 9th place in the Gold Cup series!
Im not quite sure how that kid that got ran over survived. I was the second person to hit him, and after I did, he was struck again. I was told he was disoreinted and was crawling BACK on the track when I hit him. THe 3rd guy to hit him blew the yellow and passed 2 guys when this all happened. The track director came out at the starting gate and yelled at us all, but explained he knew who hit the guy under yellow.
Damage report: The right should and arm pit are sore. My knee that hit the kid must have hit the kids helmet because it is cut and swollen. It feels like I hyperextended it, but Im not sure because Ive never done it. Hurts mostly behind my knee. The left, bottom rib is super-sore, but not cracked or anything. Somehow, my left foot feels broken.
All in all, I had a great time. Ive gotten to where I dont crash on my own now :eek: but all these people are trying to sabotage me! Through all of this, I now now my bad femur is now a "good" femur and it wont break on me again. ;)
I saw the kid that was hit in a sling, going to the hospital shortly after the moto...I hope hes OK.
I have video of my crash that Squid took and Im going to try and post it soon. It makes us laugh. It reminds us of Americas Funniest Home videos or something..
The weather seemed to be cooperating so we loaded our bikes and gear and headed out to the track at 430 for 530 practice. The parking lot was a mess from the rain the night before, but the track was in awesome shape. After unloading and getting setup we paid our fees and got back to the truck to get ready for practice.
The first practice was pretty exciting. There large chunks of mud all over the track and the roost was flying everywhere. Squid passed me, got directly in front of me, and roosted me so bad my googles were covered with thick mud. I think I need to learn to use tear-offs. :) On the second lap of the 4 lap practice, some guy in orange army fatigues decided that he wanted to take me out I guess. I was in the low line around a big bowl turn, and he came from the top line, and T-Boned me. I was suprised this happened because I had just entered the turn, and was nowhere near the meeting meet coming out of the turn. This happened in the first few feet of the turn. We both went down, and I suffered a broken clutch lever and had to pull off.
Somehow, the 2nd practice moto went off without a hitch. I got a nice, hard moto in and felt pretty good.
The first race moto was VERY eventful. I came out of the gate somewhere near 8 of 14 riders. I didnt stall it or wheelie!! We had completed one lap and I was riding much better and was passing a few people. Over the step-up, into the corner, over the table, into the left-hander, and onto the first double. As I hit the face of the jump (in 3rd) the yellow flag came up. As I was in the air, and had nowhere to go, I couldnt slow down for the flag. It seems a young man had gone nose high off the jump and landed on his rear wheel, having the bike flip over on him. I couldnt see any of this and when I landed, he was right in the middle to left-hand side of the track. As soon as I landed, there he was. This guy must have been around 6'1, and weighed probably 260 pounds. Im coming at him with 235 and 3rd gear. It was ugly. As I landed, I hit him with the left side of the bike and my knee and the left shoulder as he was facing me. The impact almost knocked me off of my bike, and I had one foot on the right peg, and one arm on the throttle (read WFO) trying to keep my balance. After that double, there's a big sweeping left-handed, bowl turn. I was headed at thing WFO in 3rd with no balance. The result was not pretty. I hit that berm and went over it, and dropped about 5 feet. My bike nosed dived into the backside straight that was about 3 feet high of dirt. I took the bars across my right arm pit and to my left ribs, went over the bars and face planted, then I had the luxury of the bike falling on me. It took about 2 minutes for me to catch my breath and get composed, and then I rode out the rest of the track, taking the checkered. I ended up 11 out of 14 with 3 guys mangled in that same wreck getting DNF's. :)
The 2nd moto was a good one for me. I rode around in the pits a bit to see how I was feeling and if I wanted to ride it or not, and decided I was good to go. I came out of the gate 6th out of 11 riders. For me, thats an awesome start. I normally wheelie or stall it, and I did neither of these things. Throughout the race, I held 6th until one guy passed me on the third lap. I was riding well, clearing all of the jumps (even a double I havent done out there) and ended up with a 7.
11-7=9! I am now in 9th place in the Gold Cup series!
Im not quite sure how that kid that got ran over survived. I was the second person to hit him, and after I did, he was struck again. I was told he was disoreinted and was crawling BACK on the track when I hit him. THe 3rd guy to hit him blew the yellow and passed 2 guys when this all happened. The track director came out at the starting gate and yelled at us all, but explained he knew who hit the guy under yellow.
Damage report: The right should and arm pit are sore. My knee that hit the kid must have hit the kids helmet because it is cut and swollen. It feels like I hyperextended it, but Im not sure because Ive never done it. Hurts mostly behind my knee. The left, bottom rib is super-sore, but not cracked or anything. Somehow, my left foot feels broken.
All in all, I had a great time. Ive gotten to where I dont crash on my own now :eek: but all these people are trying to sabotage me! Through all of this, I now now my bad femur is now a "good" femur and it wont break on me again. ;)
I saw the kid that was hit in a sling, going to the hospital shortly after the moto...I hope hes OK.
I have video of my crash that Squid took and Im going to try and post it soon. It makes us laugh. It reminds us of Americas Funniest Home videos or something..
