bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
0
The Fall MX Series at the local track started this weekend.
I posted about my decision last Thursday to race this weekend. Well, the boy and I head to the track Saturday morning where we unload, sign up, gear up and I started to think "What in the heck am I DOING?" My pit crew/photo crew (lil_green_monster's family) showed up and I started thinking "WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING!!!!"

During my son's first practice I was hanging out watching him and chatting with lil_green_monster when one of the dad's from the 60 class wondered over. He asked if my daughter was racing, told him she would be out Sunday (everyone misses the wild little blonde on the KX60). He commented, "So you're racing?" "Yep, to get Randi to race." "What bike are you on?" "A CR500." His mouth dropped and he stammered out "That's a LOT of bike! I have a lot of bike for sale, a CRF250R."

"No thanks, I like my bike". With that Mr. lil_green_monster reached over and said "Here, let me get your jaw."

So the guys walks away shaking his head. My daughter and his son had battled the whole last season in the 60's so I think he figured out where she got her "ballz".

So practice felt good even with the roost from all the big bike guys they put out with us - roost isn't unfamiliar to me but the speed sure was! I was nervous for the race since I have never even tried a start on a concrete pad. They ran the 6 Beginner Women with the 3 Sportsmen Women and a split gate with the 30+ and 40+ C riders in the same moto.

I had a great start, about 5th off the line but the 5hunny quickly caught the smaller bikes by the first corner and I was in 3rd behind the Sportsmen Women. I soon got passed by 2 of the girls in my class but I held onto my 3rd place. Pretty much repeated it in the 2nd moto so I went home with my first MX trophy ever - 3rd overall.

Sunday, my daughter was ambivalent. We had loaded her bike up Saturday night and I told her she could decide if she wanted to ride when we got to the track. She was more and more apprehensive so I told her to just do the practice and if she wanted to skip racing she could. She asked if I would follow her in practice and I said of course. So we again had all the guys on big bikes in our practice (intimidating for a 10 yo that just moved to an 80) but she said it was fun and she would race.

She did comment that I'm probably faster than her because I was beating some of the women she hadn't been able to beat on her 60. I told her to just have fun and use it as practice. She was more enthusiastic when she saw that there was another 10 yo on an 80 in the class. She said she knew she could beat her.

So first moto, she lined up on the far left and I was on the far right. I had a good start, 3rd into the corner again but hanging with the top sportsmen gals for the first few turns. Got passed by the two speedy beginner girls but I could keep them in my sights. Then as I came around a corner to the rythym section I saw the #45 gal on the #45 Suzuk picking her bike up (she was the 1st place gal on Saturday). I got by her and saw the 2nd place gal in my sights. Too little too late though so I settled for 2nd place.

My daughter also got by the gal on #45 who was having trouble starting her bike. So my little one came in 5th out of 7 in that moto.

2nd Moto and my daughter picks the gate to my right which leads to the inside of the first corner. I told her to be sure she doesn’t get into the weeds and she tells me, well just don’t squeeze me out cause I’ll be ahead of you! Hmmmm what an attitude (I was so proud!). Gate drops and I’m a bit slow on the takeoff, coming into the first corner I find myself between my little girl and the other little girl so I let off to avoid bumping them. They split enough for me to squeeze through but I have my work cut out for me. I’m in 6th place! I catch up to two gals pretty quick but getting past them took some work. Another gal is hot on my butt as I’m trying to find a spot to pass the two in front of me. There is a corner before the finish line that has the option of a nice railable berm or an anthill. Almost everyone rails the berm which is what I have always (since last Thursday) done. I saw the two gals head to the berm so I went for the ant hill. I made up some time there but had to pass the first gal in the whoops (gotta love that steering stabilizer) funny part was that I came in a bit too hot for the whoops, braked too hard & stalled but had enough momentum that the 5hunny fired up on the next bump with a quick clutch dump, I had to let out a “WOOHOOOO!!!!”.

I was chasing the other older girl on a CR80 now but the gal on my butt was closing in on me. We came out of a corner into a flatstretch that I had been using as my passing point because the 5hunny was no match for the 80’s, 230’s and 125’s the 80 was flying so I hit 3rd WFO and HELD ON TIGHT. We came screaming up to the base of the anthill and I had just nosed in front enough to get over the anthill ahead of the 80. Then I realized that I was going WAY TOO fast for my comfort on the anthill. BRAKES!!! I made it over the anthill and I was still upright. The girl on my butt came by me on the next jump. I was right on her butt when she dumped her bike on the next corner. Got around her and held onto my 3rd place (for my class) to the finish line. Ended up 2nd overall with another trophy! My daughter ended up 6th in that moto and didn’t trophy but had fun and was happy to have beat the only other little girl in the class pretty well. My son’s buddies were cheering us both on the whole time and apparently they informed my son that his mother was nuts! Oh well, I had a blast and can finally see why my kids love it so much.

I felt bad that the only choice the little girls have is to race in the 80 class or the women’s class. They aren’t quite aggressive enough to compete in the 80 class and it just doesn’t seem fair to make them compete against the older girls and bigger bikes. So, I emailed the track to ask if they could set up a Girl’s Class, 12 yo and under 100cc and under. Might bring more little girls out to ride. It was great to see 9 women on Sat and 10 on Sunday. We finally have our own moto!

Lil_green_monster took some great photos Saturday so I'll post em when I get them. I also have some good shots of my son from Sunday and he took some good pics of my daughter and I in the first corner that we are getting developed (I know I need a digital camera).
 

dante

Member
Mar 24, 2004
555
0
That was a fun report to read... Next race you have to get the holeshot on that 500, their is no other place for a 500 to be :cool:
 

MXGirl230

Stupid tires and trees
~SPONSOR~
Mi. Trail Riders
Dec 19, 2002
2,358
0
Great read! So you hooked on racing yet? :)
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
AWESOME! You starting in 2nd gear? You could *probably* even do third if you hammered it. Concrete pads/gates are THE way to start. I wish all hare scrambles had a gated start. That would kick ass.
 

GETMETOCA

Can't Wait For Tuesdays
Mar 17, 2002
4,768
0
Yay bbbom!! I've only done one MX myself and figured out right quick I don't have the nerve for it. :)
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
0
It really was FUN. 1st gear starts so far FC22 but Pat (my coach) wants me to try 2nd next time we head out to the track.

I'm not ready to give up woods but it sure was better than just pitting for the kids all day!

Nat, I loved the adrenaline rush. Even though I had planned on just riding for fun, when someone passed me or I caught up to them I HAD to speed up!

Talked to my mom and she was laughing. She used to race snowmobiles back in the 70's and she said that when she raced on her old Puma, she always was out to win! Problem was, after winning in the Powderpuff Class back then, she had to run against the BIG sleds. Her brother told her she shouldn't have beat the other girls so bad & she wouldn't have had to move up but she said she couldn't help it, she HAD to win! Guess that's where my daughter and I get it!

I'm terrible, even out mountain biking with my friends from work (guys) I can't let them get ahead of me without a fight!

Hope we can get back in the woods before this gets to be too much of a habit!
 

MXGirl230

Stupid tires and trees
~SPONSOR~
Mi. Trail Riders
Dec 19, 2002
2,358
0
Bbbom I do 2nd gear cement starts, with my 125. Probably a little easier with that beast! :) Give it a try next time. Great job for your first race :cool:

I still struggle with starts :(
 
Last edited:

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Yeah, the two-hunney does 2nd gear starts easy. You'd be golden on that thing. Try it next time. Bet Pat can repeat Eric Waunch's start advice, which certainly helped me a bunch. Not that I'm good at it. But it did help.
 

Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
0
Yet another racehead developing ;) Sounds like you had fun (as always). Good to read a nice long ride report hahaha Hope you got pix of the trophies. (I guess I should say hello in the other thread).
 

bikepilot

Member
Nov 12, 2004
804
0
Sounds awsome:)

BTW when I was on a CR5, I used 2nd with stock gearing or third on my woods bike (which was geard lower) for starts. Makes it much more controllable off the gate, seems to hook up better and saves a shift. Often I'd use 3rd on the mx bike as well, especially if the conditions were a bit slick.
 

gwcrim

~SPONSOR~
Oct 3, 2002
1,881
0
A woman racing on a 500: :worship:

When I saw the title of the thread and who started it, I was hoping you were on the big bike. Congrats!!!
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
0
I did get a few looks of disbelief when I rolled my bike up to the line!

My son wanted me to put the stock tank back on the bike but I didn't want to. I told him I was also going to wear my tool pack on my cp and my fanny pack and my camelback. He would have died of embarrassment!

I'll have to try 2nd & 3rd gear starts next time out. Might even try to get both wheels off the ground at the same time!

Got the pics lil_green_monster took for me on Saturday up! Sunday's pics won't be up till later.

http://community.webshots.com/album/450355937CiGzdn

Michelle, about time we heard from you! Are you ready for our family to come invade NZ next year? :ride:
 

squeaky

Roosta's Princess
Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 28, 2003
2,561
0
That's AWESOME! I've raced once, at Dirtweek HAHA! But, I still trophied! What an adrenaline rush! It is SO fun. You've got nerves of steel, bbbom, to race on a CR500! I don't know how you do it! I rode one once, in a little loop, and gave it right back, I'm all set! I like my little bike!

I think I may look into local racing series' next season, see if I can get any good at it! Everyone makes it sound like so much fun!
 

nikki

Moto Junkie
Apr 21, 2000
5,802
1
Congrats on your first MX race bbbom! Great write-up and nice photos! Looks like you had fun! :ride:
 

Sawblade

Timmy Timmy Timmy!
Sep 24, 2000
1,491
0
Very cool report! Congratulations on bring home a trophy at your first race. :aj: Looks like a fun track with good moist dirt. Weres the trees?
 

Thumper151

~SPONSOR~
Nov 25, 2002
4
0
Sounds like you had fun. For those of us who haven't raced it really makes me want to get out and try it. Not sure I have the nerve though.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Ahhh, just go for it. I did my first race 2 months after I got my first bike and did not have ANY clue what I was doing, but it was a ton of fun.
 
Top Bottom