Jeff Gilbert

N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 20, 2000
2,969
2
Went camping Saturday night at the local track, it was a Tigger suggestion for fathers day and I was glad to oblige. All I had to do was get us there after she got back home that evening, setup camp, start the camp fire, unload the trailer, pour race fuel on the camp fire, get more wood and restart the camp fire, pour more race gas on the camp fire..you get the picture. Finally the fire was good enough for Tigger to prepare a fantastic trail / hobo meal for dear old dad. We ate around midnight and she passed out faster than I've ever seen her, must have been pressure of hoping we had enough race gas for Sunday. :)
Woke up Sunday to a nice campfire, dang thing finally got going. Signed up for 2 classes again this time to work out the soreness from swimming last week. 1st class was over 30 and 2nd was vet B. At the riders meeting all the over 30 & vet riders were asked to stay for another meeting. They dropped the over 30 and moved me from vet B to vet A. I said "NO WAY, I'M NOT AN A RIDER!" It was a loosing battle so I'm off to run with the fast guys.
The track was dry & slick over the hard pack surface, a fine powder and I managed to catch all tossed at me from the back of the pack once the gate dropped. I was the last off the line and followed closely for 2 laps. I know this track like the back of my hand and I still almost took a wrong turn in the woods section from all the dust. I finally caught up to a stalled rider and was ready to make my move but just as I went for the pass he took off again so I gave it to him. I figured he would just pass me anyway. How's that for a mental race?

2nd moto I managed a 2nd place start and held for half a lap before riders passing me on each side at the same time over a jump in a corner that I was seriously over jumping, these guys are not in the same ball park as me. I managed to hang for most of 3 laps before I thought I was gonna die. As soon as the race was over I made my way to the starting gate to cheat and ride with the vet B class that I had wanted to ride with. I sure got some funny looks. The gate drops and I let them go since I wasn't actually in that race. When they were gone I took off and surprisingly I caught up real quick. I rode on the back wheel of the 2nd place rider for 3 laps before pulling off the track; I'd had enough. Everyone asked me why I quit and I said I wasn't supposed to be in that race. They all thought I was nuts and then asked how I could run two races in a row. The good part was I could have won that race had I actually been in it, I had plenty enough in me to pass everyone and hold on to it but since I didn't enter I thought it not right to get in the way so I tried not to. I could tell I was really pushing the guy in front of me. After the races, the guy I was following asked one of the other guys in the race who the hell I was? He told him and the guy was cool with it so I guess all is well. Funny part is they scored me in that race and didn't even show me not finishing :clue:

Anyway, the track sucked, I ended up racing a class I had no business being in, missed out on a cool 1st place trophy, threw all the fan belts on the rv on the way home but all in all am probably the better for it. At any rate I had fun, ate a dinner specially made for me for fathers day by the sweetest kid in the world.

I do have a question, does it irritate any of you vet riders when someone does like I did and just jump in a race?
 

BSWIFT

Sponsoring Member
N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 25, 1999
7,926
43
You played it cool, Jeff. I wouldn't give it another thought. You bailed before the finish and gave the other guys a good run. Great report, btw.
 
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