Hank's Place Race/Mud Report

[Diamonds]

Another 1000 class report. Got a pretty good start and went into the woods in 3rd. I swear it was the 1045 and 1044 but I guess after reading these recaps, it must have been the 1004. Either way, we were tire-to-tire for most of the first lap until the 1004 ducked under the 1045 when he went wide; wasn't enough room for me to slide by with him. Then the 1004 was off and me and 1045 were fender to fender....again. Held 3rd for most of the first lap until I got hung up on one of the uphills. Think I came through the first lap in 5th....maybe 3rd?

Anyway, the second lap was fast but I never could catch up with the rest of the pack up front. Moving along good and, yep, you guessed it, it crashed again. Took me a few minutes to get my bike up and pointed in the right direction. Think I gave up a few places and crossed the line in 8th.

The 3rd lap was absolutely brutal. I made up some ground and got back into 4th or 5th....but then the downpour. I had planned on getting a new rear tire before the race but didn't have time so I figured I'd be ok just running my current tire. Turns out that was a bad decision. Riding on ice doesn't even begin to describe how my bike was handling. I fell down about every 50 feet it seemed. I couldn't carry enough momentum to make it up any of the muddy hills. I actually thought at one point that I may not be able to make it out of the woods. I crashed in the middle of the hill on the really steep washout and took me about 5 minutes to get my bike unstuck. Finally, another rider stopped to help be get the bike up and pointed in the right direction. I was blocking everyone's path and there was a line of people that made their own line to the right in order to get around me. As I'm sitting there slipping and sliding in the mud, screaming every cuss word known to man, I see about 5 1000's go riding past me.

At this point, I gave up. I rode the rest of the course, maybe a mile or so, at a snails pace....not even caring who passe me. I knew if I pushed it any longer, I was going to get hurt. Wasn't worth it to me. I finished a disappointing 11th but I have never been more happy to see the checkered flag in my life.

[jgordo]

Oh man, I do have Gibber on the brain!!! It was the 746 NOT the stay at home because he knew it was going to rain 736!!! But in two weeks that story may actually involve the 'real' 736!!!!

[Gibber]

Just an FYI guys. 740 is not your nemesis. He has only ran one other race and just happens to be on a Green Machine.

The fellow you're thinking of is 741 Rutledge. My understanding is that at an 80.6 and having won 3 of the last 4 races (taking second in the one he did not win) Dan plans to move him up. I also understand he has been spoken to about this by other riders so Dan may be relying on the honor system. I am just not sure.

Long and the short of it is the only race 740 ran was Big Springs and finished 16th so he hasn't been jacking with anyone. In Fact, looks like he just changed to green. I am guessing your green lantern has moved up to the 500's.

As for this race Eric, yeah, I ended up with a flu bug and in bed all weekend. Really was looking forward to racing and figured you'd be healed up by now. I feel like my bike is really dialed in so me and the Rocket Ship planned on coming out and teaching you a new trick or two! Unfortunately it didn't work out. However, I have saved the curriculum for Orrick! So don't dis pare, I'll be there!

So it is safe to say "All is good in the 700 club!"

[Gibber]

BTW Gordo. I even bought a jug of chocolate milk for you to replace the one you gave me at Beer West. So I really did plan to come out!

I promise to have a fresh one for you at Orrick!

I guess all those other classes are just too darned tired to do any reports?

I'm not sayn' anything, I'm just sayin'!

[orangecrush]

Gibbs your incorrect, Shawn Gowing already admitted thay he was revving and yelling. Put your foot in your mouth. You were not there to witness it.
However I was worng about his number. It was 770, I was going off Gordon's post. Should have not changed my original post. Gordon couldn't get my number right either.
Its one of those things a new rider has to learn.

[orangecrush]

Gibbs to answer the other thing. I have not healed at all. Still riding with pain in my knees and left elbow. I didn't notice it until after the race. My left knee was in a lot of pain. I was too scared to take my riding gear off to see the damage. Yep left is knee mest up. I am going to keep racing anyway. See you at Orrick old buddy.

[Gibber]

C'mon Eric, there's video!

I was only commenting on taking 740 out at the start. He has only raced one other race this year so he was not anybody's beef. I don't know about 770. I have had others rev me but not him.

I assure you, I am with you, And 800's and 900's take note. I WILL NOT ALLOW A PASS ON A REV! You will need to identify yourself as a rider from a different class, then when I give you the go you'd better freakin' take it!

All that being said please try not to blow of any fingers this weekend. You need them for your clutch and brake!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY GIRLS!

[phillip archibald]

Man, sitting here reading these post gets my adrenaline pumping - it feels like I'm on the start line ready to do battle again!

Well, like Spooner said, the hole shot was close. I didn't see the inside line til it was to late. I was committed to the outside so I pulled hard right and saw an orange fender out of my peripheral view. I didn't know who it was or how close it was. I came up out of the ditch, hung a left and away I went - telling myself, "breathe and relax, it's a 2 hour race Archibald! gotta maintain." The first 2 miles went by quick, then I started catching the 600's. some of them moved willingly, some didn't and a couple I moved myself. I had no idea how close anyone was or how much of a gap I had. I went through scoring in the middle of the 600 battle. They were riding a good pace for me so I stuck with them. 2nd lap - more of the same - 600's that wouldn't really move. Lap 3 and 4 - After getting water dumped on me when I was going through scoring, 657 got around me. no big deal, I'll get them back! well, I was wrong. she pulled away from me in the first part of the lap then I slowly reeled her back in. I yelled "COME ON SIERRA, YOU GOTTA MOVE!," and she did! she grabbed a hand full of throttle and away we went! she over shot a corner out by the wildlife fence and I got around her. We swapped positions again in scoring. on lap 4 much of the same cat and mouse stuff. last lap I stopped for water again. by this time I wasn't even sure what lap we were on and didn't know how much time we had left. I was hot and pretty much done, but no checkers so off I went. I just tried to keep a steady pace and make it through one more lap. I saw the checkers as I came through scoring, what a relief it was over!

[Spooner]

Gibbs your incorrect, Shawn Gowing already admitted thay he was revving and yelling. Put your foot in your mouth. You were not there to witness it.

Yeah you're right, I had forgotten about it until you posted about it but he was between us and he did rev at you and you pulled over with made me mad too.

Here's the thing with all this-if you're in the same class then you shouldn't be doing it. I will admit a couple times I caught someone really quickly and started to rev at them as I approached but once I got on them and could see the number better I would stop. This happened at Big Springs when I caught Gordo in a twisty overgrown section and couldn't really see the bike. That brings up another thing that is annoying me-so many riders either run the temporary numbers permanently or have really hard to read pre-printed numbers. If I turn around to see whos coming up on me and can't make out the numbers then I'm less likely to pull over. I've gotten a bit gun shy as others have from fellow class mates revving or yelling so now I try to check before I pull over. To me, the temporary numbers should only be used if its your first weekend and you don't know what your number will be. Then if you're going to keep racing, at the very least go buy some real numbers and stick them on-we are talking like $10 here and I know you can get basic pre-prints done very cheaply these day too.

Maybe Dan can start 'reminding' guys at the start of the race to have some sportsmanship with your fellow classmates? I'm sure some guys truly don't know about the etiquette and I've had a lot of trouble this year with guys not pulling over for extended periods of time even with me yelling my class number and everything so I think they really don't know that its normal for us to do.

Eric-glad you want to keep racing-it was nice to see some new faces this past weekend and we need more of the 'regulars' to be more, well, regular haha

[Crawford31]

Race report / revving issue....non issue.

This race was brutal for me but it was all self inflicted. I was extremely hung over and the 3 hour drive from Wichita Sunday morning about did me in. We arrived with not much time so I rushed to get on my bike for a practice lap. I was hurting pretty bad after that. I went back to the trailer and took in some uppers to at least get me focused for the start. I've started near dead last at every race besides Milford where I fractured my sternum on the first lap. All I wanted was my bike to start when I hit the button. Board dropped and I ended up in 3rd behind Spooner. We didn't get but 500 yards in the trail and Archibald was gone. Nick was riding good and we gapped the guys behind us but I still let out a couple of revs. Not because I wanted by but I just didn't want Phillip to get too far ahead of us. After Nick's front end washed out, it was a pretty uneventful race for me in the sense of racing against others. Midway though the 3rd lap my hangover hit me HARD! It was all I could do to stay focused and on the gas. The last two laps were completely a personal battle. I thought for sure I was going to have the remains of High Beam IPA on the inside of my helmet and all down my jersey. I have never been so relieved to see the checkered flag. I ended up taking 2nd and it took me the rest of the day just to get rid of the shakes. Hats off to everyone who puts in the work at all of the races. This track and all the others I've went to have been incredible.

Now about the revving. I rev in hopes of one of two things happening; he will let me by or his adrenaline will kick up and he will pick up the pace and ride to the best of his ability. I won't rev at a guy if we are battling and we are at a similar pace......actually I might just to put some pressure on him. If a guy comes up behind me and I can't shake him after 2 or 3 minutes, I'm going to let him by in hopes that he can pull me so we can both catch the guy ahead of us. I will never hold up 1 guy or 5 guys if I'm riding good and I still can't shake them. There is no way possible I can finish a race ahead of a guy because I was riding slow and wide so someone could get around me......that's just not me. Instead of being upset about someone revving and complaining after a race or on the message board, let the guy by, ride his back wheel so close that he knows if he messes up that you'll be bunny hopping his bike. That guy probably won't rev at you again. If someone is faster.....let them by. I've let guys by me that I've beat previously just because I knew they were faster that day and maybe they will pull me. If you're going to be mad at revving, should I be mad when these badass 300 2-strokes come up and scream BRRAAAPP over my little 350?? Nope! It's part of it. We aren't on a wide MX track where its easier to make passes. It's tight so either pick up the pace or let the guy by. Nobody wants to rub on these types of trails but you're asking for it if a lap goes by and someone is still riding slow and wide.

I'm new to this and new to racing but I'm willing to bet that revving happens in every class and every race.....just not only the 700s. It just seems like that is where it stems from "partially because someone had a meltdown because of my little 350 revved".

If you come up behind me and you want by....if you're in my class or not....please rev, scream, heckle and wheelie by me. I'll find you after the race, pull up a chair, give you a beer and talk about how badass your wheelie was going by me and talk about how I tried to keep up but you were just too damn fast that day.

Cheers

Greg
#731