My 1st race....EVER

[Jeff Gilbert]

I finally did it. It only took me 42 years but I raced for the 1st time ever this weekend. I started riding about 1 1/2 years ago after a 25-year break from motorcycles. Even at that my last bike was a Yamaha 80 enduro I got in 1973. I've always been fascinated with dirtbikes but never gave it much thought until my daughter (at the time 8) wanted to get a bike and ride like McGrath. My first reaction was "who's McGrath?" Eager to please I immediately went out and picked up a couple of dirtbikes before she changed our minds. :silly:

At any rate, I raced today in the over 40 class (less riders + more responsibilities = less carnage) and placed 6th over all. Though there were only 8 riders in my class, I was the only one on a 125. I had no problem passing in the corners and on the jumps but it's tough to keep up with those V-8 diesels (426's) on the straights'.
It was cool to hear the announcer comment that Gilbert was ripping up dirt and taking names. I could get use to this.
I think that racing this class my first time was the best choice for me even if I was out machined and ridden, at least I didn't have to worry about getting landed on.:cool:

Can't wait to do it again! I think I can place better next time even if I'm the only one on a 125.

 

[mx547]

cool, way to go. what track did you race at?

 

[JuliusPleaser]

Congrats!

As a fellow old fart, I commend you on your success. I practiced at the local track today, and watched a guy smoke everyone there. Turned out to be the guy who won last week's 40+ class. He was so much faster than everyone else that I was convinced he was on a YZ426, but...he rides a 250F. :cool:

 

[SirThumper]

Way to go Jeff.

I know a couple of 40+ guys that can kick my butt around here. I am kind of fast for my age of 33 ( at least in this state ). Like you, I started racing only a couple of years ago and have taken to it myself. There is hope, I took a sixth over all my first race, and have progressed since then. Just keep up the good work and have a blast.

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Thanks, It's been a whole day and I'm still pumped.

I know I don't have to describe the feeling you get from the 1st race to you guys but it's tough not to get pumped up about it. My only goal at the time was to finish the race and imurge unscaved.

The guys I raced with were all pretty fast I thought and very good guys to be on the track with especially for my 1st time out. I really impressed myself (don't mean to sound the way it may come accross) when I got on the track. I felt good though I wore myself out trying to make that 125 keep up with all those big 250's, 400's and 426's. I was the only one on a 125.

Though I couldn't really see what the guys up front were doing I felt like I was really doing well and perhaps even out manouvering some of the other riders but I just didn't have the speed in the fast spots. I was really doing good in the corners, whoops and jumps. I found myself staying on the gas longer going into the turns than the bigger bikes just to try and stay in the race. I found myself on the brakes a lot more than I needed to be to keep from running into the back of some of the guys because they slowed more in the corners and jumps than me.

I think I'll run in the same class next time and try to get the 125 closer to the front (hole shot stuff) so I'll have a better chance on staying there. These guys were real clean riders and didn't try to take me out they are hard to pass. I found myself using a different line at every obsticle which in turn will help me become a better rider.

BTW the track is Waco Eagles in Waco TX

 

[NdKxRacer]

Glad to here about your weekend. I post under my son's name, but I think now that I have gotten so fired up about racing, I will have to start posting under my own name. I am 38 and raced 4 races late this summer. I was racing with the kids in the 125C class on an old 83 CR125. I still could whoop some of them. So now I hope to get a 250 and race with the Vets, because it's safer. But I know I would have the same problem as you if I stick with a 125. They all ride 250's. not really a fair race when there are long straights. I guess you are only as old as you want to be. and I don't feel 38.

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Originally posted by NdKxRacer
I guess you are only as old as you want to be. and I don't feel 38.

It's funny you should bring this up. If someone were to ask me if I felt that old Sunday I would have said no but after riding today I'm beginning to wonder:eek: I felt great during the race but a little more sore, in a good kind of way, Monday & Tuesday but I went riding this evening and I'm not fairing as well. It's not the soreness that's getting to me it's the stiffness. My body may not react or respond the way it did when I was younger but my brain still thinks it does. I didn't get much rest last night and that's got to be the reason :confused: How much you wanna bet I'm back out there again in a day or two?

 

[SirThumper]

This may sound strange, but the only time I feel old is when I am not riding. It's like when I'm on the bike with all my gear on, noone knows how old I am. They can't see the thinning hair or the gray in the beard.

A couple of races ago, a friend of mine let me race his 250F, well I was real worried that the bigger bikes would walk off and leave me on the start...they did. Our local track has a long sweeper before the first turn and I got smoked up to that point, but I actually had a 4 second lead by the half way point. I ended up stalling the 250F and one guy got around me and I took second. The second moto I got smoked again in the first turn and had to play catchup from further back. The same guy that beat me the first moto was long gone and I could not catch up to him. I was racing a bunch of guys on the big bikes cause I stayed in my class. It was cool to pass the guys on the bigger bikes.

 

[KDX Racer]

Glad to hear that more over 40 guys are racing. Way to go. I got into riding/racing because of my three sons and I thought it would be a good workout. Man was I ever right. Stay with it. Maybe you could come up and race at Badlands in the GERITOL (0ver 38) class soon. We have a lot of fun and last Saturday night there were 8 guys in the class. Hope to see ya at the races.

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Originally posted by KDX Racer
Maybe you could come up and race at Badlands in the GERITOL (0ver 38) class soon.

That would be great. Not sure exactly where Badlands is but I bet I could find it. How big of bikes are most of the old farts running up there?

 

[KDX Racer]

Mostly 250's. You can go to Badlandsmx.com for directions and info about the track.

 

[Tony Williams]

I feel your pain

Jeff,

I know how ya feel... after 5 years of semi-regular riding, I still get grossly sore after a race (at age 39).

My local track has very few entries in the +30 and +40 classes, so I think I'm going to start racing with the punks in the 250 class.

In California, we have several clubs devoted exclusively to racers over 30. No waiting for the 80cc beginners to finish before your next moto !

 

[mp4798]

good job

good job partner! ive been thinkin of finally doing it myself. let us know how # 2 goes.

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Re: good job

Originally posted by mp4798
good job partner! ive been thinkin of finally doing it myself.

Go for it! It's something I bet you'll be glad you did. One thing I noticed is how dry my mouth got toward the end of the race, my tongue actually stuck to the top of my mouth. Don't forget to breathe.:D