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I was a mess of nerves. 3rd race total. 1st one my wife and 2 boys were able to attend, plus first race on the KTM. Starting method was fun. Had a decent start, 3rd behind 1051 and 1055. Cruised along well for a while keeping up with 2nd place rider and decided to challenge for the place. Going way too fast, for me, and in the dust I hit rut or something that sent me sailing. I landed hard and injured ribs in upper chest area pretty bad. Able to finish the first lap and decided to go a second. Pain got worse and worse and was getting passed by everyone. That second lap sure seemed to have more bumps than the first. I was determined to finish that lap and then get out of the way. Holy crap....the obstacle course at the end was scary when injured. Checked out after 2, but still had lots of fun. Last night I had those thoughts of "what the heck am I doing?" Still very sore today, but those thoughts are gone and I can't wait till the next race. I must slow down and ride better to my abilities. Man I just get so excited and want to go fast, though! Learning more every race. Good to meet a few more of you guys this week.

I did have brake issues and plan to post a question regarding that separately.
Chad

I was at least trying to smile at the end of those 2 laps.

Vet 40s looking good! Too many to get all in the picture after I had to crop it for this post.

Look at ALL those Seasoned Vets about to be set loose on the Course.... A absolute Buffet of Manliness, and (at the minumum) Associates degrees !

Since workcompDoc/dairyman(cough-cough!) says I cant play in the sandbox till July .. I might as well observe, record, and digress.

Since Shredders' arm cast is bigger than my rather dissapointing scar at the moment, I got tagged to run the paper backup for the show.... an interesting experience to say the least.

There is a Bic pen in the Scoring Trailer that is a smoking ruin of it's former self....a shriveled husk of what it was supposed to be when it came out of the bag..., kinda' like our Wheat crop in Central Kansas ,

I wrung that poor things neck! Because on a smooth, dry, course, you boys and girls come thru in groups of 20-30.

Shredder gets the run-amok gig at scoring, Darrin is a big help when things get sporty, then it all calms down.

BUT... I coulda' hash-tagged at least 100 crashes at the wagon wheel 50 feet to the West of me, that SOB has been blessed with so much whiskey and blood and Profanity..... it has become Legend! (and it's also a bitch to successfully navigate regardless of skill level, or Gender )

Brought a newbie to the offroad world along.. got us another convert!

What have you done to promote your Sport today?

Whoop!

Tim
#1085

My Race Day Report. (Of course the previous was only my commentary)

First of all Zack (and brother Nick of too) it's such a rush to watch you fast dudes duke it out with Macon, Jaden and the bolts of lightning fast guys up front. Great show and good job! The computer reader had a glitch, Dan runs out and fires off orders and makes sure all the clip board people are on task. He found some idiot dumb enough to stand between the bulls and the fence (that b' me) As the first several fast rows came thru scoring it was necessary to slow you way, way down...way more than usual because we didn't want to loose anyone as the freight trains came thru the station.

I really appreciate the way most of you took heed and shut er down as Wirefryer (by the way did you know he was a welder...NOT a careless lighthearted electrician???) was smoking his pen on the paper to write as fast as he can. Wirefryers (although sometimes he ACTS like a know it all electrician...) paper never actually caught fire but you guys would come in sometimes 12 or 15 at a time! I went ahead and turned the garden hose on him anyway just to make sure he couldn't self combust or somethig. (safety first) I almost lost it when Dan just jumps out IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCORING LANE just after the rocks and starts touching riders as they go by but it worked well to snap them out of their trances! Thank you and thank you scoring ladies in the trailer furiously writing till the gremlins were worked out.

My day starts as I roll out outside and head up to scoring and Dan Johnson finishes dressing me. Thanks Dan. He shows me the way to tie my shoes. BTW - Did you know the left shoe is tied the EXACT SAME WAY as the right shoe? I went up to Pee Wees and did what little I could to get them going and back to the pits safely. I walked the 1,000's line (that's the line with the biggest attendance and best looking guys in the series...) and take pics and give out as many good luck punches as I can. I say "Go get her Bob!" to Bob Angell and he does just that. He rode that race like solid rocket fuel burns....you light em, you ride em. His lap times were consistently ran to perfection (all his lap times are within like 46 seconds...check it out!) and he does not slow down till he gets the win. Good job Bob! I enjoyed watching my classmates battle all day and watched the day unfold. WOW.

Lost brakes was a reoccurring problem with many throughout the day. My buddy Superfast lost his rear break and wisely shut it down and went in. So would somebody please give Superfast a break?

Cody your day sucked. I'm sorry all I could do was get you back to scoring with some ice and give you a way to at least get around the pits an BS with everyone. I hope your not hurtin as bad as you were race day. Heal up.

Mr Ed, you gave me a scare. I did find out that a guy said you were ok and I hope the sweepers got you out if it was a mechanical issue.

Tank (Mr Riggins), Monster Energy was trying to call the scoring trailer to get you to sign a deal but apparently the white house was calling to give congrats to Bob Angell and the lines got all tied up. No one got either call.

I could really tell 5 or 6 of my classmates wanted me out there so we could give it a go! It was killing me to see my bike NOT on that row. Believe me - I would really rather battle all day for last place and loose than be on the sidelines just watching my compadre's do battle.

Seth Thomas - I don't know how you finished for the day but it doesn't matter. I do not know what happened to you out there but when you came thru scoring with a face and bike that looked like a mud flap on a monster truck in a mud show and I saw that you were going out again for more, I screamed at you like a squirrel in a grocery store to kick you in the pants and brother you tore out of scoring like you were on a stolen bike mister! You were showing some character my man! (my wife calls me a character too!)

Lastly (yeah...right) I do want to let those of you who do not know the location of the true grit and show of determination that our series is built on resides. This place holds the purest essence of racing skill and competition. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat........................The pee wee races of course! Anyone that doubts me should go check it out sometime. You can't go practice till it's over anyway and you'll get a kick out of our boys and girls battling it out. WOW. WOW...

well that's all i got....fruuuuump

That is NOT Chad Joyce...nope...that is the Riddler you fools!!!!!!!!!!

PS - your brakes crap out cause ya all are going FAST! ...or you could be unknowingly tapping it with your toe, try to lower it a bit if it's a reoccurring issue.

I also see Wirefryer once again beats me across the finish line with his post. Ok my man you get the points for the win but MINE IS MUCH, MUCH BIGGER!
HA!!

"Buffet of Manliness", WTH??!?!!?? Something about that pic of all us distinguished gentlemen lovin' our front fenders is a bit disgusting......

I think my hands have stopped cramping long enough to post....

What a great way to spend a weekend with friends and family. FMHSC is definitely an extended family.
My son and I took part of the Saturday night lights on the oval, having a great evening of fun and seeing how great the place was looking the day before the race. A lot of work to keep a place looking that good! Thanks to all that helped out!

My son Hayden was ready to put in his first race in Pee-Wee. After a few warm up laps, he was ready to go. The first group went out in a blaze! There must of been 15 in that group! It is clear to me that there is a lot of young guns waiting in shadows - waiting their turn to become contenders sooner-than-later! When the flag dropped for Hayden's group I could see a different spark in his riding - he was not looking to follow, but to take the next position! With a 4th to 5th place start, Hayden soon took the lead and was making great laps. 221 was right with him, waiting for a mistake to make the jump. With about 2 minutes to go, Hayden got the squeeze and found a hay bail. He tried to make up for lost ground, but time was not on his side. A solid 3rd place finish, with only one comment after the race. "Dad, I need a faster bike!"

As for my race, I will keep it short.
Great way to start in front of the fender! A little change, but made a lot of folks looking around as the classes ahead were taking off, thinking...how do I do it better? I had a mid pack start and tried to maintain while the first lap dust settled. After a few laps, I could hear a 4s on my tail. It was on the East side of the course and I did not want to give the spot away until I had to. After a lap of holding him off, I gave way and tried to keep a solid pace. Soon I looked back and 756 ( I think) was behind me. He tailed me for a long time. Even after I missed a corner on the East side - sliding to a stop - and he bumping into me, I managed to hold him off for another mile or two.
Cutting to the last lap, I come through scoring behind a rider in the Vet 40 class, I hear a guy yelling that the race was over!! He pulls over and I start to do the same when 777 come flying by! I look over and see no checkered flag and try to make another go at catching 777. After a mile or two, I could feel that this was only going to end with a thud. I decided to just keep a solid pace and call it a day.

A big thank you to Letko Cycles and the opportunity to have a day in the sun on two wheels! Life is good!

This was my first Big Springs. It was a fun race for the most part. Since I have such short inseams anyway then having to stand in front of the bike and hold it before starting was a bit of a challenge. Didn't get a very good start, maybe in the last 2 of the Vet40 class. First lap went well, only fell a few times by missing the corner in the dust. Got some water thrown on me by some of the women in our group (Thanks Stephanie and Mary). That helped me get going and I tore out ready for another lap. Well, a mile into the first lap, I washed out my front on a berm and hit hard on my right side and heard a pop. Thank goodness there wasn't alot of traffic at that time, because I couldn't catch my breath and the right side of my chest hurt. After trying to get my bike started and catching my breath and then breathing through the pain, I started back on the lap. By this time, the fast guys were really coming around and I was just trying to keep out of the way. I did finally make it to the obstacle course and could see the finish. The obstacle almost made me quit due to the pain I was feeling in my chest. Got stuck in the wagonwheel and had to push and clutch it through the last few logs. Made it through the finish line and to the pits where I proceeded to start cramping in my hands and legs. But, you know it was a lot of fun and I would do it again. Hopefully without the falls. Thanks to FMHSC for putting on such a great event and looking forward to doing it again soon.

Thanks Perry and FMHSC for another great race day!
I was up all night at the firehouse the night before but after a quad mocha and some 12 hr Claritin D I was ready to roll. I got in early and had time to talk to the usual vet40 and 700 club suspects. I found #57 and he said he had been up for pretty much 48hrs at Topeka fire and to suck it up!. Chad was ready to rock his new bike and Bob A. was excited to try out his new leg again. I didn't get a chance to inspect Tanks new ride but I heard that it's wicked fast! Silva #740 showed up with his youngest boy who was racing for the first time (Jr. row hole shot!!).
I invited a first time racer to try his hand at B.S. (he had the Great Dane dragging his wife-to-be around ). We entered him in the 900's for his first race to judge his speed. Turns out he got 2nd place in his first race on a borrowed old 400cc Honda with bald tires. He even ran out of gas at the time gate and shortly there after the handle bars fell off the bike. What a great first race story! Looks like maybe C class for his next race?
I lined up next to #80 Stretz and followed her for most of the first lap till she started gaping me pretty hard. I ended up washing out on a big powder berm somewhere on lap 3 and broke my right big toe and loads of pain behind the right shoulder blade. I tried to continue but I couldn't brake very effectively or put weight on the bars much. I decided to call it a day and cruise back to the pits and watch the last of the race. Besides the purple big toe and sore shoulder I had the best race day so far. My 2 lap times were just a second apart and my fastest percentage yet. I just need to keep it on the track!! Luckily there's plenty of time to heal up for Ballard.
Pictured left is one of our newest FMHSC junkies. Hope to see everyone in Ballard.

EDIT: After reading Tanks report above looks like we both had a similar experience. I remember asking if you were Ok when you were stopped out on the trail. That must have been right after you went down. That's when you lied and said you were fine You are tougher than me, I skipped that last section and went straight to the pits!