- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
- 2
It's been a mess here this week. I went ahead and did a complete top-end on my bike this week after just throwing ring in at DW. I cleaned up everything and was itching to ride. Had plans to race in the DFW metromess but as luck would have it, everything was rained out.
While sitting on my duff at the computer about midnight last night I stumbled accross a new track about 100 miles from me. They said it was a sand track and the rain didn't do anything but make it better. I called and YES, they were running. I got the bikes and gear loaded up about 1:30am and hit the sack. Couldn't sleep for thinking about riding a new track today. 6am came around quick as I dragged Tigger out of bed and we hit the road. It rained all the way there and temp was right at 48. Not much wind thankfully!
The track is located behind the owners house, he must have several hundred acres. As we pulled in the drive and proceeded into the field behind the house I caught my 1st glimps of the place. For east Texas the track was awfull flat I thought. There were plenty of terrain changes around the track but the track area had been carved out of the field.
I signed up for the over 30 & 125 novice classes before looking at the track. 1st practice was already under way as I unloaded and got my gear on. It was over before I hit the track so I made my way over to what looked like a kiddie track. My gawd the sand was deep! It was the light colored sugar looking sand and even wet it was very loose.
It was time for my 2nd practice and my 1st time on the track. Dang there were a lot of jumps. 28 to be exact. 14 bermed turns and 3 huge sweepers. Since it had been raining and still was misting rain the sprinkler system that surrounded didn;t need to be run today. My 1st impression was "I'm gonna suck at this". The main problem I had was trying to remember which jumps were safe to come up short on and which ones I had to make dang sure I cleared, they all looked the same. I spent the rest of practice and practically the 1st 2 motos trying to remember all that. As I pulled on for the 2nd heats I happen to notice a sign that said "red numbered jumps were doubles and tripples, black numbered jumps were rollers and tabletops." Each jump had a number on it. After that it was a lot easier.
On to the races. I guess being a new track not many people are aware it's there because turnout was pretty small. My 1st race was the over 30 and there were only 3 of us. A vet A/B rider on a CR250, another vet on a 450CRF and me on my 125. As the gate drops I give it all she's got and while the other 2 guys blasted out of the gate I was as if in neutral, I sat there and spun. When I finally started moving I almost caught up as we were entering the 1st big sweeper. Just as I got on the back wheel of the 450, down he went. I've never seen such a violent crash and for what looked like no apparent reason. I almost stopped to check on him but already the masses were headed his direction. Back on the gas I was and more spinning and sliding. I hit the 1st jump about as fast as Elk did at DW on his fiddy. The next sweeper had already developed some nasty ruts that I wasn't sure about as I entered so at that point I had already blown the chances of catching up with the guy in front of me. The track is 1 1/4 mile long and laid out similar to a SX track but it seemed to take forever to complete only one lap. As I made my way around for the 2nd lap the downed rider was just pulling back on the track. I ended up with a 2nd close to a 1/4 lap down behind 1st.
2nd race was 125 & 250 novice, the other 125's were not what I consider novices but I've come to expect that. There were 5 in my gate and I came in 3rd (last) in my class.
By this time I was thinking of only doing the 2nd race in the over 30 classs and going home. I was sure I could get at least a 2nd place but I got so tired. I followed that 450 around for 4 laps and never could pass. I caught him in every turn and took an inside but just couldn't make it stick. Ended up a 2-3 for 3rd overall. I was talked in to doing the 2nd 125 novice race and even thought I was no match for the others I went for it. To my surprize I stayed right with them all for the 1st half lap. I actually got to slam into the sweeper at WFO and even pulled even with one of the other guys, of coarse it didn't last long. I spent the rest of the race working on hitting corners and actually started feeling pretty good. The bad part was my hands felt like they had "arm pump" (could've been from the wet gear in the cold weather I suppose). Finished up about half a lap behind the others but I had a blast doing it.
This was my 1st time to ride a track this deep in sand and it's totally different from what I'm used to. I can't stop thinking about it and can't wait to go back next month and do it again. I hope I do better next time but what ever the case, I hope I have as much fun as I did this time.
I now return control of this forum back over to Ivan ;)
While sitting on my duff at the computer about midnight last night I stumbled accross a new track about 100 miles from me. They said it was a sand track and the rain didn't do anything but make it better. I called and YES, they were running. I got the bikes and gear loaded up about 1:30am and hit the sack. Couldn't sleep for thinking about riding a new track today. 6am came around quick as I dragged Tigger out of bed and we hit the road. It rained all the way there and temp was right at 48. Not much wind thankfully!
The track is located behind the owners house, he must have several hundred acres. As we pulled in the drive and proceeded into the field behind the house I caught my 1st glimps of the place. For east Texas the track was awfull flat I thought. There were plenty of terrain changes around the track but the track area had been carved out of the field.
I signed up for the over 30 & 125 novice classes before looking at the track. 1st practice was already under way as I unloaded and got my gear on. It was over before I hit the track so I made my way over to what looked like a kiddie track. My gawd the sand was deep! It was the light colored sugar looking sand and even wet it was very loose.
It was time for my 2nd practice and my 1st time on the track. Dang there were a lot of jumps. 28 to be exact. 14 bermed turns and 3 huge sweepers. Since it had been raining and still was misting rain the sprinkler system that surrounded didn;t need to be run today. My 1st impression was "I'm gonna suck at this". The main problem I had was trying to remember which jumps were safe to come up short on and which ones I had to make dang sure I cleared, they all looked the same. I spent the rest of practice and practically the 1st 2 motos trying to remember all that. As I pulled on for the 2nd heats I happen to notice a sign that said "red numbered jumps were doubles and tripples, black numbered jumps were rollers and tabletops." Each jump had a number on it. After that it was a lot easier.
On to the races. I guess being a new track not many people are aware it's there because turnout was pretty small. My 1st race was the over 30 and there were only 3 of us. A vet A/B rider on a CR250, another vet on a 450CRF and me on my 125. As the gate drops I give it all she's got and while the other 2 guys blasted out of the gate I was as if in neutral, I sat there and spun. When I finally started moving I almost caught up as we were entering the 1st big sweeper. Just as I got on the back wheel of the 450, down he went. I've never seen such a violent crash and for what looked like no apparent reason. I almost stopped to check on him but already the masses were headed his direction. Back on the gas I was and more spinning and sliding. I hit the 1st jump about as fast as Elk did at DW on his fiddy. The next sweeper had already developed some nasty ruts that I wasn't sure about as I entered so at that point I had already blown the chances of catching up with the guy in front of me. The track is 1 1/4 mile long and laid out similar to a SX track but it seemed to take forever to complete only one lap. As I made my way around for the 2nd lap the downed rider was just pulling back on the track. I ended up with a 2nd close to a 1/4 lap down behind 1st.
2nd race was 125 & 250 novice, the other 125's were not what I consider novices but I've come to expect that. There were 5 in my gate and I came in 3rd (last) in my class.
By this time I was thinking of only doing the 2nd race in the over 30 classs and going home. I was sure I could get at least a 2nd place but I got so tired. I followed that 450 around for 4 laps and never could pass. I caught him in every turn and took an inside but just couldn't make it stick. Ended up a 2-3 for 3rd overall. I was talked in to doing the 2nd 125 novice race and even thought I was no match for the others I went for it. To my surprize I stayed right with them all for the 1st half lap. I actually got to slam into the sweeper at WFO and even pulled even with one of the other guys, of coarse it didn't last long. I spent the rest of the race working on hitting corners and actually started feeling pretty good. The bad part was my hands felt like they had "arm pump" (could've been from the wet gear in the cold weather I suppose). Finished up about half a lap behind the others but I had a blast doing it.
This was my 1st time to ride a track this deep in sand and it's totally different from what I'm used to. I can't stop thinking about it and can't wait to go back next month and do it again. I hope I do better next time but what ever the case, I hope I have as much fun as I did this time.
I now return control of this forum back over to Ivan ;)
