Smitty
Alowishus Devadander
- Nov 10, 1999
- 707
- 0
Rode the 4th Annual Buddy Race at Woodland Hills in Anadarko, OK on Sunday. This was the first competition outing on the CRF so I was pretty pumped to find out what the big dog could do at race speed. I race the Pro expert class and was still not sure if I was up to speed with my class since all of my competitor/riding buddy had not been riding with me on the new scoot. I teamed up with a buddy I raced against two years ago, Josh Rogers, who is a fast intermediate cross country racer. The course is one we use at least twice every year for our cross country series and features a great outdoor style mx track with long straights and soft, loamy sand. The rest of the course is fast woods with sweeping turns and two grasstracks that we have run for 4 or 5 years that feel like used mine fields. All told I believe it is six miles around including a 1/3+ mile straightaway out of the pits.
Since Josh was late to practice I started the race, another test for the CRF, dead engine as always. We were team #79 of 85 or so and started 4th row, there were no classes besides team and ironman. The bike started first kick in gear, but I gave it a second to get running before I dropped the hammer. I got pinched off heading into a ski jump before the first turn and had to back off and switch lines. My new, brilliant line floated me into a dangling tree branch which broke free and took a ride, as it clung to my chest and right arm, through the first two turns before I did a one hander off the next jump to shake it. After that came a sweeper into some sandwhoops in which the thumper wasted several people with the outside line. Too easy! Then we bottlenecked into the trees before popping onto the super long straightaway. At this point I was in about 6th in a gaggle of riders at the front of our row, so I stretched the throttle cable and to my amazement, promptly disposed of the lead 5 with an impressive blast cone behind me. Too easy!
By the time I reached the grasstracks in the back I was catching and passing the third row. I have ridden these grasstracks for 5 years now and I always do okay, but never set the world on fire with my KX and 200lbs. This time I was flattracking the outside in 4th and 5th gear and passing plenty of good riders. Too easy! I finished the mx track out and cleared everything without any heroic use of throttle or clutch and passed the arm band to Josh who tore off a great lap. Too easy! The rest of the race followed the same pattern and Josh had an excellent ride with no mistakes. We new we had rode well and waited around for the scores. 1st went to the obvious team of Tony Joiner and Sam Wash the 2001 and 2000 Pro/expert champs, 2nd to a couple of quick MX’ers Cox and Massey, and 3rd to ……………................ Mion Hill and Josh Rogers! Cool!
No prize money though (Dang it!)
Overall the CRF was awesome. I could stand to gear it up a few teeth for a track this fast and I am anxiously awaiting the low and back pegs I ordered. It was also my first ride in new AXO gear and boots. Bright Red, Yellow, and White no less, a big departure for someone who always wears blue/black. The weather was great at race time and the concession stand had some good polish sausage.
Anyone else ride this one?
Since Josh was late to practice I started the race, another test for the CRF, dead engine as always. We were team #79 of 85 or so and started 4th row, there were no classes besides team and ironman. The bike started first kick in gear, but I gave it a second to get running before I dropped the hammer. I got pinched off heading into a ski jump before the first turn and had to back off and switch lines. My new, brilliant line floated me into a dangling tree branch which broke free and took a ride, as it clung to my chest and right arm, through the first two turns before I did a one hander off the next jump to shake it. After that came a sweeper into some sandwhoops in which the thumper wasted several people with the outside line. Too easy! Then we bottlenecked into the trees before popping onto the super long straightaway. At this point I was in about 6th in a gaggle of riders at the front of our row, so I stretched the throttle cable and to my amazement, promptly disposed of the lead 5 with an impressive blast cone behind me. Too easy!
By the time I reached the grasstracks in the back I was catching and passing the third row. I have ridden these grasstracks for 5 years now and I always do okay, but never set the world on fire with my KX and 200lbs. This time I was flattracking the outside in 4th and 5th gear and passing plenty of good riders. Too easy! I finished the mx track out and cleared everything without any heroic use of throttle or clutch and passed the arm band to Josh who tore off a great lap. Too easy! The rest of the race followed the same pattern and Josh had an excellent ride with no mistakes. We new we had rode well and waited around for the scores. 1st went to the obvious team of Tony Joiner and Sam Wash the 2001 and 2000 Pro/expert champs, 2nd to a couple of quick MX’ers Cox and Massey, and 3rd to ……………................ Mion Hill and Josh Rogers! Cool!
No prize money though (Dang it!)
Overall the CRF was awesome. I could stand to gear it up a few teeth for a track this fast and I am anxiously awaiting the low and back pegs I ordered. It was also my first ride in new AXO gear and boots. Bright Red, Yellow, and White no less, a big departure for someone who always wears blue/black. The weather was great at race time and the concession stand had some good polish sausage.
Anyone else ride this one?
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