- Nov 24, 2000
- 4,787
- 103
saturday night, every track within three hours was racing so i thought i'd put in a couple motos. two of the tracks were within an hour of me so i chose the one that runs an over 40 class (for some reason, the closer one doesn't). it was river valley mx in watts, oklahoma.
turnout was fairly light which was okay with me, i just wanted to get some track time. i had run practice night at this track on thursday and there were some sections that i didn't care for. luckily for me, they had made some track changes, took out the parts i didn't like, and put in some that were perfectly suited to my style. i was glad that i chose that track.
there were eight of us on the gate-four in over 30 and four in over 40. just the right size for some good racing without it getting dangerous. we were all joking around on the gate (that's what vets do), talking about how old and hot we were-it was 94 degrees. at 46, i was the oldest one on the gate. i was also the only two-stroke. i told them that they had to give me a head start because i was on a two-stroke. the starting area is deep loam and i figured all the 450's would kill me. as the starter signaled us to get ready, i noticed everybody was lined right up against the gate. i backed up about four feet to get a running start. i timed it perfectly and jumped out in front. one of the four-strokes pulled me but he went wide in the first turn. i cut under him and had the lead. i couldn't believe it. i was in front! i rode just about as hard as i could to try to gap them. i could hear one of the four-strokes right on my tail. he got me after about a lap and a half. he was an over 30 rider so i just let him go. a couple of the over 40 guys closed up on me but i held them off by a couple seconds. i finished first over 40, second overall. i was thrilled! i hadn't even expected to be competitive.
i tried the same start tactic for the second moto. it didn't work as well this time as i wheelied out of the gate and had to slip the clutch a little. it was just enough to let two bikes get by. we came to the first turn and once again, they went wide. i cut inside again and took the lead. just like the first moto, i held the lead for just over a lap and a half before the same over 30 rider got me. i knew which guy i had to beat to get the overall in over 40, a number 44 honda, so i rode a little over my head to stay ahead of him. i could hear him right behind me, pressuring me, causing me to make mistakes. the ground had become very wet with a heavy dew and it made a few of the hard corners very slick. i almost went down two or three times. he finally passed me on the fourth lap. wait! it wasn't him, it was a kawasaki! i knew that if i held my position, i would still get the overall with a 1/2. i finished the race third overall, happy but slightly bummed that i gave up the moto win in my class.
later, i went to get my trophy. the scoring sheet had me with a 1/1. the kawasaki that passed me was an over 30 rider! i felt much better. in fact, i was thrilled. i had a great time. i rode well, got some much-needed track time, made a few new friends, and got a killer trophy.
racing is good. you guys should try it.
turnout was fairly light which was okay with me, i just wanted to get some track time. i had run practice night at this track on thursday and there were some sections that i didn't care for. luckily for me, they had made some track changes, took out the parts i didn't like, and put in some that were perfectly suited to my style. i was glad that i chose that track.
there were eight of us on the gate-four in over 30 and four in over 40. just the right size for some good racing without it getting dangerous. we were all joking around on the gate (that's what vets do), talking about how old and hot we were-it was 94 degrees. at 46, i was the oldest one on the gate. i was also the only two-stroke. i told them that they had to give me a head start because i was on a two-stroke. the starting area is deep loam and i figured all the 450's would kill me. as the starter signaled us to get ready, i noticed everybody was lined right up against the gate. i backed up about four feet to get a running start. i timed it perfectly and jumped out in front. one of the four-strokes pulled me but he went wide in the first turn. i cut under him and had the lead. i couldn't believe it. i was in front! i rode just about as hard as i could to try to gap them. i could hear one of the four-strokes right on my tail. he got me after about a lap and a half. he was an over 30 rider so i just let him go. a couple of the over 40 guys closed up on me but i held them off by a couple seconds. i finished first over 40, second overall. i was thrilled! i hadn't even expected to be competitive.
i tried the same start tactic for the second moto. it didn't work as well this time as i wheelied out of the gate and had to slip the clutch a little. it was just enough to let two bikes get by. we came to the first turn and once again, they went wide. i cut inside again and took the lead. just like the first moto, i held the lead for just over a lap and a half before the same over 30 rider got me. i knew which guy i had to beat to get the overall in over 40, a number 44 honda, so i rode a little over my head to stay ahead of him. i could hear him right behind me, pressuring me, causing me to make mistakes. the ground had become very wet with a heavy dew and it made a few of the hard corners very slick. i almost went down two or three times. he finally passed me on the fourth lap. wait! it wasn't him, it was a kawasaki! i knew that if i held my position, i would still get the overall with a 1/2. i finished the race third overall, happy but slightly bummed that i gave up the moto win in my class.
later, i went to get my trophy. the scoring sheet had me with a 1/1. the kawasaki that passed me was an over 30 rider! i felt much better. in fact, i was thrilled. i had a great time. i rode well, got some much-needed track time, made a few new friends, and got a killer trophy.
racing is good. you guys should try it.
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