truespode
Moderator / Wheelie King
- Jun 30, 1999
- 7,984
- 251
A new guy joined us this week, DRN's own James. James is a good guy who has only raced once before Saturday night. He and I signed up for the 250D and the +30c/d class. I figured it would be ok not to run +25c/d and give up my lapper award this week to someone else.
More on James later :)
Wrench signed up for 250D and his customary +35 class.
The 250D heat was the 3rd race and there was about 16 people on the line. It looked like a few new faces were there. "Sandbaggers" was my first thought. However, I then thought better about it and realized that the "sandbaggers wouldn't show up until the main."
I got a horrible start. I was one of the last 3 to the first turn. Later James told me he was up there with me on the start and he felt he was in last place off the start b/c he let everyone else go.
I passed a few people and was making some good time. In one spot I passed 2 guys who went high and I went inside. It was a really cool pass. I had the clutch working and the tire hooked up just right. It was the first time I felt like I actually carried a little momentum through the turn.
In the +30c/d class I had a lot of fun. I battled with a couple guys near the back of the pack and learned a little about carrying my speed as I tried to keep with them.
Now on to the main.
I ligned up in 250D about 5 spaces to the left of where I normally line up. I figured part of my starting problem is so many people are now going wide on the start that when everyone is to my left and I don't get out in front of them I end up being passed by the whole class on the inside. This time there were 19 of us on the gate. Yep, 3 sandbaggers had joined the fray.
The gate drops and I knew I had a decent start. I think I was 9th or 10th after the first turn. I wasn't any faster off the gate but my gate position was a much better one than the outside I usually take.
I passed a couple guys in the whoops. A couple of guys fell and I was whoopoing and hollering all the way around the track. I had 2 guys closing in on me on the 3rd lap and there was one guy who was just a tad faster than me who I was battling with. I took every line the faster guy did not take. I tried hard to match his speed but couldn't overall. He'd always gap me in the whoops but not enough to provide a line for a pass between us. By taking the opposite line of the faster rider he and I blocked the track and didn't have to worry about the pressure behind us.
I then tried to catch the faster guy on the last lap. I was exhausted but gave it a handful of throttle. I had no pre-loading going on at all but the bike doubled itself all the way through and it was the smoothest I've ever went through the whoops and the fastest b/c it brought me up to the rear tire of the faster guy.
He held me off and after a few more turns everyone settled into their finishing positions. I ended up with a hard fought 8th out of 19 and was really happy. Wrench got 13th and James finished 16th. They trophied 10 places.
In the +30c/d James and I took off the line side by side. We were hollering at each other and whooping it up. He then stalled on a corner and I was gone... for a little while.
I wanted to keep up with the pack so I decided I'd shift to third over the jump that is right after the start. I made the shift, landed and held on the gas. I went around the right hander and there is a small bump/table top/speed scrubber right after it.
My rear wheel stepped out on me as I went around the curve and up the speed scrubber. I then did a perfect low side slide in the middle of the track!
Luckily the bike didn't stall but James caught me and was hollering "pick it up, pick it up" as he passed me <g>
The bike didn't stall so I picked it up and tried to catch him but he was already too far ahead by the time I got going. James beat me and I took the final position over the line. However, even though I had a nice rug burn on my arm and shoulder with a good bump/bruise on the ball of my shoulder I really enjoyed that race.
I am happy for my knee braces today. When I went down my right leg was pinned under the bike as I slid and there are no abrasions or anything on my leg as the pants and braces did their job of protecting my leg.
In +35 Wrench got a bad start but battled hard and passed 2 guys on the first lap. He fought harder than I've ever seen him fight before and kept the two guys at bay until the last lap. He was a little slower through the whoops than the two behind him but he was making good line choices and was on the gas harder out of the turns.
He was also jumping a lot better than I've seen him do before.
On the last lap one of the guys behind him slid out where I did but hurt himself pretty good. Then 4 turns before the finish 2 other went down and Wrench was able to use them as a buffer for #12 who was right on him. He passed them and took the inside line so #12 couldn't get around. He finished the race on the gas and in 4th!! His first trophy at JMX.
Way to go Wrench!
Overall it was a fun night and James is a really cool guy who is fun to race and ride with. Next week is Top Gun and I am hoping he makes it.
Ivan
More on James later :)
Wrench signed up for 250D and his customary +35 class.
The 250D heat was the 3rd race and there was about 16 people on the line. It looked like a few new faces were there. "Sandbaggers" was my first thought. However, I then thought better about it and realized that the "sandbaggers wouldn't show up until the main."
I got a horrible start. I was one of the last 3 to the first turn. Later James told me he was up there with me on the start and he felt he was in last place off the start b/c he let everyone else go.
I passed a few people and was making some good time. In one spot I passed 2 guys who went high and I went inside. It was a really cool pass. I had the clutch working and the tire hooked up just right. It was the first time I felt like I actually carried a little momentum through the turn.
In the +30c/d class I had a lot of fun. I battled with a couple guys near the back of the pack and learned a little about carrying my speed as I tried to keep with them.
Now on to the main.
I ligned up in 250D about 5 spaces to the left of where I normally line up. I figured part of my starting problem is so many people are now going wide on the start that when everyone is to my left and I don't get out in front of them I end up being passed by the whole class on the inside. This time there were 19 of us on the gate. Yep, 3 sandbaggers had joined the fray.
The gate drops and I knew I had a decent start. I think I was 9th or 10th after the first turn. I wasn't any faster off the gate but my gate position was a much better one than the outside I usually take.
I passed a couple guys in the whoops. A couple of guys fell and I was whoopoing and hollering all the way around the track. I had 2 guys closing in on me on the 3rd lap and there was one guy who was just a tad faster than me who I was battling with. I took every line the faster guy did not take. I tried hard to match his speed but couldn't overall. He'd always gap me in the whoops but not enough to provide a line for a pass between us. By taking the opposite line of the faster rider he and I blocked the track and didn't have to worry about the pressure behind us.
I then tried to catch the faster guy on the last lap. I was exhausted but gave it a handful of throttle. I had no pre-loading going on at all but the bike doubled itself all the way through and it was the smoothest I've ever went through the whoops and the fastest b/c it brought me up to the rear tire of the faster guy.
He held me off and after a few more turns everyone settled into their finishing positions. I ended up with a hard fought 8th out of 19 and was really happy. Wrench got 13th and James finished 16th. They trophied 10 places.
In the +30c/d James and I took off the line side by side. We were hollering at each other and whooping it up. He then stalled on a corner and I was gone... for a little while.
I wanted to keep up with the pack so I decided I'd shift to third over the jump that is right after the start. I made the shift, landed and held on the gas. I went around the right hander and there is a small bump/table top/speed scrubber right after it.
My rear wheel stepped out on me as I went around the curve and up the speed scrubber. I then did a perfect low side slide in the middle of the track!
Luckily the bike didn't stall but James caught me and was hollering "pick it up, pick it up" as he passed me <g>
The bike didn't stall so I picked it up and tried to catch him but he was already too far ahead by the time I got going. James beat me and I took the final position over the line. However, even though I had a nice rug burn on my arm and shoulder with a good bump/bruise on the ball of my shoulder I really enjoyed that race.
I am happy for my knee braces today. When I went down my right leg was pinned under the bike as I slid and there are no abrasions or anything on my leg as the pants and braces did their job of protecting my leg.
In +35 Wrench got a bad start but battled hard and passed 2 guys on the first lap. He fought harder than I've ever seen him fight before and kept the two guys at bay until the last lap. He was a little slower through the whoops than the two behind him but he was making good line choices and was on the gas harder out of the turns.
He was also jumping a lot better than I've seen him do before.
On the last lap one of the guys behind him slid out where I did but hurt himself pretty good. Then 4 turns before the finish 2 other went down and Wrench was able to use them as a buffer for #12 who was right on him. He passed them and took the inside line so #12 couldn't get around. He finished the race on the gas and in 4th!! His first trophy at JMX.
Way to go Wrench!
Overall it was a fun night and James is a really cool guy who is fun to race and ride with. Next week is Top Gun and I am hoping he makes it.
Ivan
