nikki
Moto Junkie
- Apr 21, 2000
- 5,802
- 1
Well... we went to Casey this weekend for their big Holloween bash/Rider's Appreciation weekend. It rained all day Friday... so needless to say, the track was sticky, deep, rutted slop on Saturday.
Classes like 65cc went from 40+ bikes signed up in the morning to only 10 even attempting to line up for moto 1. But sure enough - we had 10 girls line the gate in moto 1 ready to take on the Casey mud. I was second in the start then I went down in the second turn. I got back up, wiped off my goggles, kicked off the 10 lbs. of mud on my boots, and started in last. I passed up to 2nd or 3rd, then went down again a half a lap later. I got going again and managed a little over a lap without falling and I was in a solid second. Then I came around a turn and she just wouldn't go any more. Clutch was dead and the radiator fluid was a little low. So, a handful of turns from the finish line I had to shut it off and watch the smoke come out of the radiator overflow tube. It took 4 of us just to push the bike a few feet because of the mud.
I must have broke a clutch plate early in the moto but couldn't really tell because of the mud. I had it pinned everywhere thinking I was just stuck in the mud when really I wasn't going hardly anywhere because of the clutch not being able to hold together. I had the clutch plates to throw in it... but it just wasn't worth it, so... for the first time ever, I had to sit out the second moto and watch :(
So Sunday I decided to race Red's 450. We had 14 girls sign up and I wasn't gonna watch again. I just wanted to race. I went out in the 125 practice (track still muddy/rutty/and rough) and I did the best I could to avoid the A and B riders. I couldn't really control where I went with the 450, but somehow I managed to stay up and do 3 laps of practice. But my arms were shot after about 2 laps because of the rough track, stiffer suspension, CR double high bars, vibration, and everything else.
So I decided that I'd shoot for 4th or 5th place being that I had only ridden the 450 on two tracks ever and never a track as tight as Casey. First moto the gate dropped and I got out a little slow but jumped into the front. Then the left handed sweeper came and I watched as I missed one rut, two ruts, three ruts... TURN BIKE TURN! So I managed to hug the fence line and get around the first turn as a girl cut inside for the lead. I stayed close to the leader and had a pretty good lead over third. I couldn't believe I was running in second. So I did what I could, fought my way around the outside lines as I watched the leader carve the faster tight inside lines, and I managed to stay in second to the finish.
Second moto I wanted to try to run out front. The gate dropped again and I fought to keep the front wheel down as I got the holesot with the first moto winner right on my butt. I lead a little over a lap but couldn't hold her off much longer as she cut inside and passed me. I stayed close again, but this time had another girl move up and put the pressure on me. I don't know if it was the 450 roost or what, but I somehow I held onto the second spot for second overall.
I was really happy beacuse I did much better than I expected. And the girl who finished third both motos was all over me last time I raced a Casey weekend and was on my 125. So it was a fun time. I had a blast doubling into the uphill whoops... on my 125 you have to hit the corner good to do it... on the 450 - you just give the throttle a little twist whenever you get a chance. Good fun! :yeehaw:
I also rode on Sunday in my jailbird monster costume and Red rode as a cowboy/farmer so we looked a little silly but ya gotta keep it fun! And it looks like after racing nearly every weekend since February that we're now officially done for a few months. So it was a nice end to a great season. :thumb: No one got hurt, I'll finish the district first again in Womens and Red will finish second again in Open A. This is also our last year we plan to chase after district points... so it's kinda nice and a little sad all at the same time. Oh well... it's been a lot of fun.
Classes like 65cc went from 40+ bikes signed up in the morning to only 10 even attempting to line up for moto 1. But sure enough - we had 10 girls line the gate in moto 1 ready to take on the Casey mud. I was second in the start then I went down in the second turn. I got back up, wiped off my goggles, kicked off the 10 lbs. of mud on my boots, and started in last. I passed up to 2nd or 3rd, then went down again a half a lap later. I got going again and managed a little over a lap without falling and I was in a solid second. Then I came around a turn and she just wouldn't go any more. Clutch was dead and the radiator fluid was a little low. So, a handful of turns from the finish line I had to shut it off and watch the smoke come out of the radiator overflow tube. It took 4 of us just to push the bike a few feet because of the mud.
I must have broke a clutch plate early in the moto but couldn't really tell because of the mud. I had it pinned everywhere thinking I was just stuck in the mud when really I wasn't going hardly anywhere because of the clutch not being able to hold together. I had the clutch plates to throw in it... but it just wasn't worth it, so... for the first time ever, I had to sit out the second moto and watch :(
So Sunday I decided to race Red's 450. We had 14 girls sign up and I wasn't gonna watch again. I just wanted to race. I went out in the 125 practice (track still muddy/rutty/and rough) and I did the best I could to avoid the A and B riders. I couldn't really control where I went with the 450, but somehow I managed to stay up and do 3 laps of practice. But my arms were shot after about 2 laps because of the rough track, stiffer suspension, CR double high bars, vibration, and everything else.
So I decided that I'd shoot for 4th or 5th place being that I had only ridden the 450 on two tracks ever and never a track as tight as Casey. First moto the gate dropped and I got out a little slow but jumped into the front. Then the left handed sweeper came and I watched as I missed one rut, two ruts, three ruts... TURN BIKE TURN! So I managed to hug the fence line and get around the first turn as a girl cut inside for the lead. I stayed close to the leader and had a pretty good lead over third. I couldn't believe I was running in second. So I did what I could, fought my way around the outside lines as I watched the leader carve the faster tight inside lines, and I managed to stay in second to the finish.
Second moto I wanted to try to run out front. The gate dropped again and I fought to keep the front wheel down as I got the holesot with the first moto winner right on my butt. I lead a little over a lap but couldn't hold her off much longer as she cut inside and passed me. I stayed close again, but this time had another girl move up and put the pressure on me. I don't know if it was the 450 roost or what, but I somehow I held onto the second spot for second overall.
I was really happy beacuse I did much better than I expected. And the girl who finished third both motos was all over me last time I raced a Casey weekend and was on my 125. So it was a fun time. I had a blast doubling into the uphill whoops... on my 125 you have to hit the corner good to do it... on the 450 - you just give the throttle a little twist whenever you get a chance. Good fun! :yeehaw:
I also rode on Sunday in my jailbird monster costume and Red rode as a cowboy/farmer so we looked a little silly but ya gotta keep it fun! And it looks like after racing nearly every weekend since February that we're now officially done for a few months. So it was a nice end to a great season. :thumb: No one got hurt, I'll finish the district first again in Womens and Red will finish second again in Open A. This is also our last year we plan to chase after district points... so it's kinda nice and a little sad all at the same time. Oh well... it's been a lot of fun.