The return to Ascot

[BSWIFT]

Round 7 of Saturday Night Thunder was a perfect evening for MX at Ascot. Sawblade(the Mrs. and Sawtooth) were down from Bentonville, MX757 was ready, MX547 was in attendance with his daughter Kendall. I got a late start but got there in time for 1 practice. I haven't been on a track since the Cooperland crash in July.
I was just going for points. MX547 would beat me out of 5th place with a broken leg if I didn't show so there I was. The gate dropped in the first moto and I was going to let everyone go and just roll the track. Funny thing is, after hesitating on the line, I ended up 8th into the first turn. :cool: I was quickly passed by the entire field of over 30 and 40 riders. My moto was uneventful and I got lapped by the moto winner with 150 yards left. :whiner:
The second moto rolled around and I figured I might as well hit it hard at the gate. With the series leader to my left(KTM400) and David(CR450F) on my right I was looking at a lot of roost if I didn't get a good start. When the gate fell, I hammered the Mamba. Hit the first turn in third, got a good drive out of the first corner and pulled even with the number two rider. I was quickly back in the pack holding off MX757 for 3 laps. I was trying to "ride wide" but at 142 lbs.(Official BSWIFT scale for DW02) it is hard to be that wide. I finished 7th OA(last) but had a blast and didn't get lapped in the 2nd Moto.
Ascot is a fun track, very safe but challenging. It sits in the river valley and cools down nicely towards race time. Come on Dirtweek! :thumb:

 

[justql]

Good report. Glad you didn't hurt yourself.

 

[mx547]

where was justql? is he ever going to race with us?

i'm still injured and obviously didn't ride. bswift was so late in getting there that i didn't expect him to show (btw, nice trailer). i had decided that i would ride a lap in the last round to take fifth place in the series since i had scored some pretty good points before i got hurt. well, he showed up and raced so i'll go ahead and sit out the last round. i think he'll have enough points to take fifth-good for extra goodies at the series banquet. my daughter kendall raced womens open. there was only one other girl entered. kendall won the first moto. the other girl was leading the second moto when kendall's bike died. it took awhile to get it going and she ended up a lap down. i had turned her gas on just before she went to the line and apparently she turned "turned it on" again, thinking it was off, in effect turning it off. she denies it, of course but there is no other explanation. since points are awarded by moto, she and the other girl tied and kendall should have the series championship wrapped up now. i told her i was going to sell her bike and get her an 80. she had a fit because she wants to wait for the ktm 80's (which don't seem to be coming around). she looks goofy on her 65. she's 5'2" and 96 pounds now and way too big for it. my nephew raced 80 beginner on his xr100 and was way outclassed by the "real" race bikes. he finished last out of 10 but still had fun. my daughter and niece and her friends were heartless, yelling sarcastically at him to go faster every time he went by. :debil: kids...

i did have a "first" at the track. i've been racing there since '96 and last nite was the first time i've ever had one of their moto-burgers. it wasn't bad. (see how boring life is when you're injured). :ugg:

 

[justql]

I guess by the trailer comment that swift was pulling your trailer? I was not about race my first mx a week before DW. No way do I want to screw up and not be able to ride at DW.

 

[Sawblade]

Man, what a great time I had at Ascot! The weather was great and the track was even better. To bad I'm bike less at the moment, :( as the track was moist and looked like it would be fun to ride/race on. Bswift had a smile on his face as usual, MX547 seemed to be taking the broken leg in stride and mx757 was all smiles and we even talked shop about work for a few minutes even though this was to be a night away from work. ;) His company does architectural work for my company. Its funny to met someone on DRN that you create work for when I go changing designs. :)

All in all, it was a good night, no one got hurt, eveyone enjoyed the racing and rubbing elbows with their fellow DRN members. MX547 and I talked at length about 2 stoke verses 4 stroke purchases. Neither one of use has made up or minds, and probably will change them many times before we make our respective purchases. But, after last nights conversation on pros and cons, I'm leaning to stay in the 2 stoke camp.

See everyone at Dirtweek! :aj:

 

[BSWIFT]

With all the things that happened to me this year, I had to attempt to beat a guy with a broken leg sitting in the stands!:) It may be my only triumph over MX547. ;) Great time guys.

 

[motox757]

Saturday Night Thunder Series, round 7 Ascot Park

Ditto what Sawblade said! It was a great time! The only thing that would have it better for me is if my son (#44) had come along. He was asked to sleep over at his friends house on Saturday night. He was waffling between racing and the sleep-over. The sleep-over won... :(

In the over 40 race we had some new faces. mx547's friend came out on his CRF450 and led both motos for a while. I think he finished 3rd overall. I did not get off the start line well in either moto and finished with a 6/6 for a 6th OA...

It was great to see some of the DRN'ers out at Ascot. I am really looking forward to DW'02!

Note (for Bswift): "Elvis" is about ready to leave the building...