HP Topeka Race Report

[Iamdanjohnson]

One small bit I would throw in is that often that "fast guy" turns out to actually be someone who signed up in too low of a class and then caught up to the class ahead of them and starts yelling, cussing and generally frustrated they can't get through. The real fast guys usually only resort to that behavior when someone clearly knows they are there and are truly not getting out of the way! I am certainly not standing up for the behavior and I wish I had a number or a name so I could have a talk with any rider that does that.

[gcat7]

May just need some simple passing rules for the series. At any speed Its difficult to turn around and see what's behind you without getting a face full of maple. Most of us work on Monday and eating from a straw while watching cartoons the rest of my life is not part of the race prep. Fast guys have a completely different sound when coming up on you ...can't really describe it but you know they're coming. You can hear it and feel it but that comes with experience to recognize I guess. If I'm in a spot where passing just isn't possible, l'll acknowledge they're there with a quick left hand wave, then I'll find a safe spot to pull to the RIGHT side of the trail but i DO NOT stop, point left so they know it's clear and they're gone in a blip. Just a Rule of the road, passing someone the right is never a good idea

As a passer, if the passee is in my class, it my responsibility to make a clean pass after all it is a race. Rev a classmate and you'll just piss them off.

For Non-class passes a quick rev, rev and say "different class" usually does the trick they'll move when they can find a safe spot. Not a fan of the rev myself but most peeps know what it means

[flipstick357]

A rev is not a valid for of notification to me. I ride a 4 stroke and it always sounds like I am reving it. Plus a 2t directly behind me reving all the way out I may never hear over my own bike. Even Stock the 4 strokes are loud.


You are very correct about the "Feeling" you can sense it well before you hear them coming. Most of the "Fast guys" don't need you to do anything. I usual throw up an elbow on the side I will lean away from and the are by and gone without either of us being slowed. Getting lapped is not something you would ever practice but experience defiantly make the process smoother. Plus if you can latch on for a few corners to the "Fast Guy" you may learn something, or end up in a tree which is what normally happens to me.

BTW Greg, Welcome to the 500 Class

[gcat7]

I hear ya flipstick on the 4 stroke noise - Salmans came up to me after BRE and said why you revving me? I laughed and said it ain’t me its the bike they’re loud and my 270 set up has a very distinct sound. After melvern Ryan said he getting a four stroke ha ha

Looking forward to the 500s appreciate the welcome! I’ll be lucky if I can hang mid-pack with you guys. Advanced is a whole different ball game for sure. The series has made me a better rider no doubt but I’ll try to keep up. Weimer and I had big jumps in percentile from the years before and he’s just rocket fast now. I’ll need a new plan next year lol hopefully some of the top guys will move up and give this fat kid a chance ha ha ha

[flipstick357]

I was mid pack all year, It is a super competitive class, anyone can win on any day, just look at the results all this year. If I have one piece of advice that has helped me most it would be this. The race starts on Thursday not on Sunday, It starts Thursday with your eating plan/diet. Ask me some time and I will fill you in on what I do, it makes a huge difference that you will feel on Sunday.

[gcat7]

So drinking beer all weekend and downing a 5 hr energy on race day won't work anymore? hummm going to need to ponder that j/k yes sir hook me up with your regimen, I'll have to get your mobile #. Hopefully we'll get a ride in soon with everyone before year end .

[shredder]

I haven't been on in quite sometime but it's good to see Flipstick is back.

It was AWESOME to read Tom's report, I've cussed Tom for not letting me pass more than once or twice but it was usually on account of him being 1/2 a lap or two ahead of me not cause he was hogging up the track (hee hee hee...hoggin up the track, you all caught that right?)

Good refreshing advice on the same o - same o. I was always one to fight my comrades all day, heck that's why we came! I always gave a quick hand wave and/or a point to one side or the other to acknowledge them and I would give clean passage for a pass. Any "fast" guy or gal is going to get by you - period, no doubt about that but you can do it the easy way or the hard way. The easy way you might get a thank you (I usually did), and if you choose the hard way ....well lot's of different outcomes here depending on terrain, bodies of water, hills, jumps, cliffs, trees and various vegetation but your probably not going to like it.

Sometimes you might get a talking to after the race is over in the pits and your probably not going to like that either.




My take on this is thus -
Purposely riding as a blocker to hold ANYONE back over a period of time, even in your own class is not good sportsmanship-like racing. If my pace is blocking someone else I'll always give em space to pass. I was surprised over the years on how many times a guy behind me was just happy to be tailing me.

My two cents. Fact is that I haven't raced in more than a couple of years and most of the time I don't really know what I'm talking about anyway. Shoot, fact is I was surfing around and looked in the FMHSC threads and felt like typing. Now that I think about it, I'm not even sure the keys I'm hitting even make words to make up intelligible conversation. Heck I didn't even proof this before submitting it....just felt like typing a little, well I'm done now.


That was nice.


Seriously, do yourself a favor, don't even read this.