Well - Here I am again writing about the last race. What can I say?
The TORO guys put together a very challenging track that was somewhere between 8-9 miles (closer to 9) that was rocky, hard pack, loamy, lined with those wonderful mesquite trees, whooped-out, with up-hills and down-hills - basically everything.
Saturday - Twinspar and his 2 sons, Taraker, me and my twins all headed out to the 4L ranch on Saturday morning. We got there with just enough time to unload the bikes, sign up, and make practice. My neighbor Pearce would show up later with his 2 kiddos as well.
During Saturday's practice I wasn't too enthused about the track, but that would change the more I rode it. The weather was great, but the wind was kicking up and there was a bit of dust. I got in 2 laps during practice (and managed to get by Taraker 2 times as he stalled his tractor - err, 426):confused:
After practice it was time for my sons to practice and race. They are in the PW65C class and they got 7th and 10th.
After the kid's race I headed back to camp where Taraker was cussin' up a storm because he flatted his front tire. Twinspar made the wise decision to burn up 80 gallons of gas driving back and forth instead of staying nearby or camping. :confused:
We all set up camp near Dennis' trailer (darnjr) and got fires and stoves going. Taraker was nice enough to bring some steaks so we ate well. Pearce (my neighbor) also had some bratts from Muenster and they were good eating as well. It got cold in a hurry and a few of us started out trying to sleep in a tent. Bad idea. It didn't take long for my sons and me to high tail it to the Suburban. Basically we got almost no sleep that night.
Sunday - race day. I went to the line with some trepidation since the track was pretty gnarly and for once I was wishin' my l'il 125 mini-bike was a thumper since the track was so strewn with rocks and loose stuff.
Twinspar made it back in time (some 40 gallons later) and he, Taraker, and I all lined up next to each other. The lights go green and we are off.
I had a pretty uneventful race until the last part of the 4th (and final) lap. I was dog tired and not really wanting to put up much of a fight at this point when I hear a thumper behind me. I am spent, so I give the rider the lane.
DANG! It was Twinspar. No way am I letting him by me. The race is back on. I fan the clutch and start to catch back up. I am closing in. 1 or 2 more turns and I am back where I was (no where near the lead, but not last either!).
Here comes a left handed berm where I can nail it and make more ground - come in to the turn, leg out, lean it, and BANG come out hard. Oh crap! What is this? Why is my back tire suddenly popping up and going wider? I hit a rock (or something) and all of a sudden I was WFO headed straight into a mesquite tree. Clutch it and grab both brakes - not enough - WHAM! I am lodged in the tree with a branch under the back of my helmet keeping me from touching the ground or my pegs. I had to put my leg on my seat and lift my head out of the tree to get loose. Now there is a big branch stuck under my visor as big around as a quarter that I broke off with my head. I yank it out and watch 2 racers go by. Dang it again!
I got going again and finished out the race. I never caught Twinspar, but I didn't get passed anymore either. I finished 23rd out of 34 finishers. Twinspar was 2 ahead of me as he came in 21st.
As for the rest of the crew, I'll let them tell their own tales.
On a side note - I just put my new DRN stickers on my front fender. My little run-in with the tree boogered 'em up pretty good.
Twinspar told me if I wrote a good post and didn't mention how he actually block-passed me and kicked me as he went by that I might get a new set for free. How did I do, Twinspar? :p (JK!)
All in all it was brutal, but fun!
-jeffd
The TORO guys put together a very challenging track that was somewhere between 8-9 miles (closer to 9) that was rocky, hard pack, loamy, lined with those wonderful mesquite trees, whooped-out, with up-hills and down-hills - basically everything.
Saturday - Twinspar and his 2 sons, Taraker, me and my twins all headed out to the 4L ranch on Saturday morning. We got there with just enough time to unload the bikes, sign up, and make practice. My neighbor Pearce would show up later with his 2 kiddos as well.
During Saturday's practice I wasn't too enthused about the track, but that would change the more I rode it. The weather was great, but the wind was kicking up and there was a bit of dust. I got in 2 laps during practice (and managed to get by Taraker 2 times as he stalled his tractor - err, 426):confused:
After practice it was time for my sons to practice and race. They are in the PW65C class and they got 7th and 10th.
After the kid's race I headed back to camp where Taraker was cussin' up a storm because he flatted his front tire. Twinspar made the wise decision to burn up 80 gallons of gas driving back and forth instead of staying nearby or camping. :confused:
We all set up camp near Dennis' trailer (darnjr) and got fires and stoves going. Taraker was nice enough to bring some steaks so we ate well. Pearce (my neighbor) also had some bratts from Muenster and they were good eating as well. It got cold in a hurry and a few of us started out trying to sleep in a tent. Bad idea. It didn't take long for my sons and me to high tail it to the Suburban. Basically we got almost no sleep that night.
Sunday - race day. I went to the line with some trepidation since the track was pretty gnarly and for once I was wishin' my l'il 125 mini-bike was a thumper since the track was so strewn with rocks and loose stuff.
Twinspar made it back in time (some 40 gallons later) and he, Taraker, and I all lined up next to each other. The lights go green and we are off.
I had a pretty uneventful race until the last part of the 4th (and final) lap. I was dog tired and not really wanting to put up much of a fight at this point when I hear a thumper behind me. I am spent, so I give the rider the lane.
DANG! It was Twinspar. No way am I letting him by me. The race is back on. I fan the clutch and start to catch back up. I am closing in. 1 or 2 more turns and I am back where I was (no where near the lead, but not last either!).
Here comes a left handed berm where I can nail it and make more ground - come in to the turn, leg out, lean it, and BANG come out hard. Oh crap! What is this? Why is my back tire suddenly popping up and going wider? I hit a rock (or something) and all of a sudden I was WFO headed straight into a mesquite tree. Clutch it and grab both brakes - not enough - WHAM! I am lodged in the tree with a branch under the back of my helmet keeping me from touching the ground or my pegs. I had to put my leg on my seat and lift my head out of the tree to get loose. Now there is a big branch stuck under my visor as big around as a quarter that I broke off with my head. I yank it out and watch 2 racers go by. Dang it again!
I got going again and finished out the race. I never caught Twinspar, but I didn't get passed anymore either. I finished 23rd out of 34 finishers. Twinspar was 2 ahead of me as he came in 21st.
As for the rest of the crew, I'll let them tell their own tales.
On a side note - I just put my new DRN stickers on my front fender. My little run-in with the tree boogered 'em up pretty good.
Twinspar told me if I wrote a good post and didn't mention how he actually block-passed me and kicked me as he went by that I might get a new set for free. How did I do, Twinspar? :p (JK!)
All in all it was brutal, but fun!
-jeffd
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