Great Lakes Grand Prix - 10/10, 11 Gaylord Mich

[09oneL]

4MX,

What can you tell us about the option(s) stuff???

How are they going to pick the riders for the Big Wheel race and is it OK if I have been drinking allot prior to the start??

The Bull Shat stops when the green flag drops

BIG WHEEL BOMB sign up. $5.00. This is a first time sketchy race that consists of a group of lucky racers that will race down the 200' half pipe on a plastic big wheel tricycle. The first one across the finish line gets $500.00 cash. 2nd & 3rd prizes TBA. Full gear is recommended, a helmet is absolutely required. Ages 16 & up.

 

[Tom Dixon]

Well I'm home from the race. It was EPIC. If you weren't there you don't know what you missed. The track was gnarly as all get out. Huge hill climbs, deep sand, mud, and tons of rocks. Being my first race like this, I ran the open C, which come to find out was the largest class on both days. Saturday's race brought me a 6th out of 37, and Sunday was a 5th out of 23.

I just want to give a huge thanks to Baja and all of those involved for putting on this amazing event and hope they can do it again next year!

I did see a hand full of DRNer's out there, but didn't hear how all of them ended up.

 

[ChrisKring]

I agree that it was an awesome race. I raced on Saturday in the "over 2 bills" class and Vet Sport. The hills were huge. It was probably the best track I have ever been on. I wish I could have raced Sunday too.

 

[KTM Mike]

Tom - great seeing you there. It took me a minute to figure out who the it was yelling my name when we were waiting for our moto to come up.

I had a blast. I rode "D" and "Enduro" on Saturday. The only type of racing I have ever done before is enduros - so this was 100% new to me. I hung way back at the start to avoid any pile ups - and to make sure I stayed out of everyone elses way. D I felt like crap through the whole thing - never got comfy at all. When I was done was not really sure if I had any fun or not. Still got 11/21 - I would of sworn I was dead last! Enduro I felt dramatically better about it all and had a rip roaring good time. Did not place as well (enduro guys must have been tougher competition) - I glanced at results, but they yanked them due to a protest going on - think it was like 13 out of 19 or some such thing. Magoo passed me not long before the finish - I assumed he had lapped me as I dont recall passing him - but I must have? Kurncz was 1 spot ahead of Magoo.

I will dig up some pics so people can see what they missed. Epic event indeed. I will be back next year.

 

[KTM Mike]

Some pics...

I went through all the pics my wife and son took - following are shots that give a good idea of a few different sections of the course. There were oh, 4 or 5? BIG a$$ hills - two particularly long ones - one rocky one, a few DEEP sand uphills with tighter, momentum sapping corners at the bottom. Plenty of deep sand with ruts that formed...a bit of mud..some built up, but mild jumps - nothing gnarly. And a log section that served essentially as a short cut on the inside of the corner of the main course - if you didnt mind logs, you could get through them quicker (at least I could) than other riders on the main course - good for us enduro guys! If you were a MXer you could stay the main course and try to beat the woodsie rider through the logs. Cool stuff.

 

[KTM Mike]

more pics

 

[KTM Mike]

and a few more.....

 

[KTM Mike]

and the last two...

The last one doesnt show anything of the course...I just got a kick out of the graphics on the trailer.. :)

 

[TJC510]

i had a blast, raced open C on my 500 and enduro on my KTM.
I was doing great the first two laps of open C, then i had problems with people crashing. they made me change my line on one particular hill and when i gave it some gas the rear tire started sinking. it was either turn around or push it up the hill. ive always had a problem when ive raced open C in motocross. i get a bad start and have to deal with in experienced riders. im gonna start riding open B or something else, maybe i can get away from them.
Enduro Class, 5th out of the first corner and passed one shortly after. never seen the guy ahead of me after that. i had more fun on my KTM than on my honda. the 3 tenths hill, my 300 wouldn't pull 4th up it, had to rev it out in 3rd, once it flattened out i could shift into 4th. 5th wasn't gonna happen, (don't even think about 6th lol) my 500 pulled great in 5th up that, never passed more 450s at once faster in my life.
I finished 22nd in open C and 4th in enduro. I didn't get one of the cool log trophies, a plaque.

we went to jays afterword, then came back to watch the bigwheel bomb, it wasn't as any one expected. no one crashed, just a clean race.
i did the water balloon bomb and got a direct hit on someone which was a drawing, which i drew a MSR helmet from Supersports. I was aiming for the pickle mobile, which won a free jar of pickles, a hit to the dozer got a t shirt.

It was a great time and will be back if they have it again.

 

[fatherandson]

Cool pics of the guys I missed on Saturday. I arrived on Sunday morning and saw Magoo and Nick. I was shocked to run into DD and watch TD race the C class. Nice riding Tommy!!
This track was set up for the MXers, but the facility has a lot of potential. It has a great staging area and excellent spectator spot (the log cabin was very nice). I spent some time with Jason, but need to make a return trip to see the enduro trail possibilities for a future FES event.

 

[CR250R@WINTERS]

Wow! Great event! Even if you were not a rider, this event was one to watch as well. Mike M, sorry I missed you on Sunday. I had a fun ride on saturday, looking back I wish I would have rode a second class. Mike S., you know, looking at that pic of you jumping, I don't think I have ever seen you get that much air! :)

It was great seeing quite a few familiar faces over the weekend and finding out that they were all enjoying the event. Be sure and let the promoters know, because this is one awesome place to stage a race. And oh so much potential for a place to stage an enduro--a real race!

Great job Jason B, Baja, Otsego Club, etc. etc. :cool:

 

[MuddyBuddy]

Wow, what a day it was! As a 46 year old chick who has been a casual trail rider for about 10 years and who’s only competition has been a couple Family Enduros, I was just slightly unprepared for what was in store Saturday. I think my first clue that I was in trouble was the fact that I was the only orange bike with bark busters and a kickstand in the classes running at 10:50 am…and the only one wearing a Camelbak.

On the site lap I stalled half way up one of the steepest hills and wasted about 80% of my energy just getting started and going again. Was so winded and going so slow that by the time I made it around to the start, my class was just taking off for the first race lap and the flagman was waiving me to keep going. I was seeing black dots swimming before my eyes, my motor skills and coordination was shaky, and I thought about quitting, but knew I would obsess about it for years if I let myself do that. I went into survival mode and limped through the three lapse and completed them. Passed three of the girls in my class who had crashed, but they all passed me back at some point due to my awesome MX skills.

I hate sand with a passion and am lucky enough to live and ride on the Tomahawk trails which probably have the least amount of sand in the LP, so my sand riding skills stink and those tight lefthand corners that go straight up the sandy ski hills were a killer for me but I decided I’d rather be run over dead by a herd of quadtards than stall on those GD hills again and managed to get up all of them without stalling/crashing. It’s amazing what a healthy dose of fear can do for your motivation!!!

Started getting lapped by the faster kids and after letting them by me I would tuck in behind them and follow their lines. This actually helped me a lot. Got roosted several times and ate several sand sandwiches with a few sides of sand and a sand milkshake…even found sand in my ears later on.

Saw the flagman waiving the checkered flag and asked if we were done and when he nodded yes I was excited…I had survived! Rode the golf cart path back to the parking lot, got off my bike, got down on my hands and knees and kissed the pavement!

I’ve been riding my husband’s KTM200 for about a month and a half and aside from it being just a little too tall, the bike performed awesome and all the mistakes made were rider related, not due to the bike. I liked the 200 before, but I really, really like it now. Rode the piss out of it and blew all the spooge out that has been accumulating from me putting around on it while I’ve slowly gotten used to it this past month or so. I’m sold on these orange bikes and when this 200 is too old to fix will get another and another…

Grabbed the camera and went down to the River Cabin to get pictures of my husband and his friend, David V, and TJ Cousinaw. Saw KTM Mike go by several times, but didn’t know it was him until after the fact so didn’t take any pictures of you Mike, sorry about that. David V was kicking butt in all his classes and I hope to get some pictures posted of the guys later this week (pictures are on a friend’s camera as ours sucks). My husband got 7th in the Open D and our friend was kind of like me; glad to have survived and complete all the lapse. He also got down on his hands and knees and kissed the pavement!!!

So what did I learn? I don’t think much of MX, but have a newfound respect for the endurance these riders have, the woods are much more comfortable to me and I think enduros are much more my style. I still hate sand with a passion, but had to face my demons in the worst possible way so it was kind of like shock therapy and got me over my paranoia lol! When it was all said and done, I had a blast and the whole environment was so cool and so picturesque. Riding up and down a ski hill on your dirt bike is not something you get to do very often. I would do this event again in a heartbeat!!!

 

[MuddyBuddy]

 

[fatherandson]

I also saw the Rivard rig at this event. Each time I walked by nobody was there. I knew Grant was in Portland. I guess I will meet the rest of the family at Trailfest.

 

[Smit-Dog]

Write up in RacerX about the GLGP:

http://www.racerxonline.com/article/great-lakes-grand-prix-report.aspx

Check out the helmet cam footage.

KTM Mike also has a ton of great picture from the event on his Facebook page.

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[Rivard809]

I also saw the Rivard rig at this event. Each time I walked by nobody was there. I knew Grant was in Portland. I guess I will meet the rest of the family at Trailfest.

Yeah my little brother was there on the maiden voyage of his new 450. He just turned 16 and got a real eye opener to a open bike class. He needs to gain some muscle. :nod: He'll be up at JP on his 250 AND my dad will be there on the 450. Should be awesome. Fred and I are going to try to get Blake to cry by the end of the day. :)

 

[MuddyBuddy]

Write up in RacerX: http://www.racerxonline.com/article/great-lakes-grand-prix-report.aspx

 

[TCTrailrider]

Fred and I are going to try to get Blake to cry by the end of the day. :)

Be nice to little brother. Remember your first woods ride this spring with Freddy and I? You hit half of the trees in the woods. :laugh:

 

[Fred T]

Be nice to little brother. Remember your first woods ride this spring with Freddy and I? You hit half of the trees in the woods. :laugh:

Yeah I remember him raking a lot of leaves with that fo-fiddy.

 

[Rivard809]

Yeah I remember him raking a lot of leaves with that fo-fiddy.

yeah... the good 'ol days when here was no such thing as keeping the bark buster where they started each day. And we'll go easy.... they just dont appreciate woods riding..... yet ;)

 

[09oneL]

I was searching for 2010 dates and found that this event is indeed being held again in Gaylord on Oct 2nd and 3rd.

It does not conflict with any Hare Scrambles events but does conflict with an Enduro (Muddobbers).

It looks like it will be run by Dutch this year rather than Baja. I road it last year and it was a blast.

 

[Yam7M]

Road Trip!! Thanks Fred! :cool:

 

[Fred T]

I will be in Upland, that was an awesome enduro last year, my favorite one.

 

[TJC510]

i wonder if i can make the trek from upland to gaylord to ride this on sunday...
6 hours trip, less than marquette. thats a lot of road miles but im sure it can be done.

 

[MuddyBuddy]

Where did you read that it will be October 2-3, 2010? The trauma is slowly subsiding and I'm sure we will do this again!