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Wow. What a day. This was my 1st time at Walter's Ranch. Definitely a love hate course! Course started out good but by about halfway thru got pretty greasy. Not too much rain but enough to make the rocks and log slick as snot too.

Had a blast going back and forth with John Joray and Bob Jeffries but both of them got me in the end. That's okay, I'll take a good clean race and a top 5 any day! Thanks John for checking up on me when I went down in the damn grass! Boy did I feel stupid.

Kudos again to the faster classes on passing. Thanks for being patient and making quick passes when I could get my old but out of your way. Don't want to hold you up but don't want to wad it up either. Thanks again.

Well, I'm not the most creative writer so that's about all I got. Thanks to Letko for their support and thanks to Olathe Ford, Foust Fleet, Commercial Van Interiors, Knapheide Truck, Kranz of KC, Wrap It Up and Supreme Truck Bodies. Sure hope I didn't forget anybody. That's what happens when you get old!

See you guys at the 9 hour as well.

GO TEAM LETKO!

First one this year for me, Still pretty weak from my surgery a few weeks ago, so it was rough.

Really struggled with keeping the bike upright towards the end of the race.. Felt like i had too much bike and not enough endurance.

My roomate came out and entered his first time. Ended up washing the front end around mile 4 and broke his collarbone. Needless to say once i got back to the pits and saw him standing there with a jacked up shoulder, i knew it was time to throw everything in the back of the truck and get to the ER.

Fun race at Walters Ranch! Havnt been there for a long time, it seems to get rockier and rockier everytime we go up there haha. Started off not so great, getting a bad holeshot(not a fan of the live engine). Then a mile in Jadan got caught uo in between two trees and i ran into him and crashed. But ended up catching up and getting into 2nd place by the end of the lap! Had some decent laps after that. Darin Sornson was on me the entire race just waiting for a mistake. 4th lap I caught a rock and went down and he got around me. Then caught back up and passed him while he was down due to a flat rear. The last lap was terrible i could not keep it on two wheels for a mile it seemed. Finally made it too the finish line in 2nd! Never saw Macon once , he was flying! Hopefully ill have some better luck next time.
Want to thank everyone who helped put it on, Letko Cycles, Fly Racing, and team Brawner! Couldnt do it without you guys.
Zack Brawner, 121

First race for me since Chanute 2012 and only the 3rd total in the past 6 years. Old, slow, out of shape and nervous as all get out. Day started off bad when we never even got out of town before one of my tie down anchors snapped and bike fell over on the trailer. Almost backed out when the rain started pretty hard while I was signing up. Thanks to the encouragement of my 13 year old daughter and Tim Wolfe, I went ahead and raced. Bad start off the line, picked up a few spots before the woods, got around another in my class and then was on my own most of the day. Wasn't sure what position I was after the first lap but knew I was about a minute behind. Stopped to help #850 out on the 2nd lap just before the 5.5 mile marker, he'd hurt his hand and wasn't able to get the bike up and off the trail. I let a sweep rider know when I saw one, hope 850 is ok. Came in on second lap and saw the clock read 1:30 and I'm sooo glad knowing I only had one more lap! LOL Took off on the third lap and met 1013 headed back towards me just after scoring where you headed in the woods. He was helping out a rider down so major kudos to him. He was obviously in front of me but he was more concerned to help out another than his own race. Looking at the results he went back out and finished after helping that downed rider. Kind of the example I think this series sets, so 1013 my respect sir. Worked my way around the third lap, passed 1002 in some of the slime before the rock ledges. He was up on his bike so hopefully he was ok. Came around to scoring for the final lap and to my surprise it said class leader. Wow. Made the decision to go ahead race very worthwhile. Though I was happy with wherever i finish, just really enjoyed being back on the bike and in a race. Overall a very good day. May have to hit a few more now. Thanks to the land owner and to Dan and the crew for a great race. A big thanks to my daughter for all her encouragement to even make the attempt to go.

I REALLY liked that we had a live engine start. I wasn't left trying to kickstart the ole Honda....again! That did, however, come later in the race and on multiple occasions. I actually had a good start, but soon crashed and of course killed the bike. That crash involved a tree at speed. The tree won and I rode the rest of the race with handle bars going to the left but the front wheel still went forward....no worries I'm getting use to riding with things out of alignment. As long as they remain on the bike and not me it's all good. Man, it's exhausting kick starting that beast when it decides it needs a rest. I was passed by multiple people in my class. Got up, gained a spot or two and crashed again. Kind of the story of my race. I might actually do okay if I could keep it on 2 wheels. When it got slimy, I became very, very slow. That was tough for me. By the way, I provided multiple opportunities for other riders to check and see if I was okay, which you always did without fail. You all are great? Thanks for always checking. What a great group of people. It was nice meeting several of you and chatting (Brian Trigg, Sylva, Others I forget names).

I had a blast and another great work out. Can hardly move this morning, but I am and smiling. I was better conditioned for this race (#2 for me) and not quite as jacked up on the adrenaline and nerves. Can't wait for the next one.

Does anyone have a video they could send me of the start of 1000, vet 40 class. It was the only good, 2-3 second part of my race and I wanted to share it with the kids and wife.

Last note: I purchased a KTM on my way home through KC last night and it has a magic button.

That wasn't a race..... That was a BATTLE!!
Battle of the course, elements, fellow riders, and for myself my bike.
I loved every moment of it, even though its the course I never look forward to.

Live Engine Start: Yes please, that made the start awesome fun!
Lots of different "routes" through trees: Made for easy passing, never the same lap twice.
Slippery Rocks: Talk about love/hate... love them if you make it clean, hate em if you don't

This course could have been the KING of "off-camber" turns... you really had to be on your game in making most of the turns, especially the down hill ones. Wow.

My Highlights...
Great start, only to have my camel back strap fall off my shoulder, and pin my arm against my side... and DOWN I GO, and watch my entire class pass me. (this happens twice this race, gonna have to fix that issue)

Lap Three: Try to use one of the inside lines while making a pass, hit tree so hard it broke my eyebrow open, filling goggles with blood. So then it was riding in the rain with no goggles... not good.

Lap four: First time ever, RAN OUT OF GAS WITH ABOUT 1 mile to go.... push bike up huge hill, then down another, to the valley at the bottom of the start. Spotter finally sees me Felt like I had walked 10 miles by the time that was over.

I wan't to get my hands on one of these pink trophies, so bad I could taste it. (Literally)


Can't wait for next race!
Erik

Here is a shot from Sat. when the weather was nice. (didn't have my 609 sticks on yet)

Great race, great fun, and great people. I saw a few guys down and hope all are OK. I'm not sure who had the horn, but that worked great. I could hear that horn much better than a hoot or rev. Gave me plenty if time to get over.

blister wrote:Last note: I purchased a KTM on my way home through KC last night and it has a magic button.

Chad. What bike did you end up taking home? The 450 or something else? Did you trade in the beast?

Finally made it out to this one for the first time this year. Was prepared for somewhat of a monsoon but it was not meant to be.

Lined up to the very outside next to class winner Dawson, live engine start was different and fun but took one of my only advantages away. Got a surprisingly good start in 4th or so and settled into place, as two from the inside just glided past me through the grass.

Settled into a nice pace in about 4th and made a pass when there was a tip-over. Did my best to stick on the fender of 2nd and did pretty well until he bobbled on that last, very technical rock ledge. Of course, when I'm in "Attack Mode" I don't leave room for compensation and got caught up right behind him as he made it up while the rest of the class goes by.

Meanwhile, I get turned around and take a smarter route that really led to a few passes through the day. Put down my best and confidence boosting time on lap two and was really starting to turn it up when I lost the back end and proceeded to do what was the longest power-slide I have ever fathomed. Mid-slide I was thinking "wow this is really long and I'm going a little too fast for that tree to feel good." Thankfully, the tree caught my bike and I tumbled softly down the trail a ways.

Cruised as best I could and recovered to get back in the groove through the last lap (minus leg, shoulder, and arm cramps.)

I am extremely grateful for Dan, the scoring ladies, and all the other people of Forward Motion who make these events happen every time. Thanks to my little brother Thomas as well!

replying to the horn that was the boys on the betas , it does work good

Once again, thanks to Dan and all of the people that helped put the race one. Walter's Ranch is always very challenging, yet fast and fun. The added rain made it even better! The wet loose rocks provided some perfect traction all day. It also helped to have some fresh nobbies on for the open sections. The new start was a good change up, but I am not sure if I like it more than a dead engine one. It did allow me to get a hole shot. I was immediately fueled by adrenaline as it was my first hole shot ever. I put my head down and tried to gap the class as quickly as possible. By the end of the lap I was mixed in with a few A riders that had some bike issues or early troubles. I hadn't seen anyone in my class until 388 was on my tail at the end of the 2nd lap. I had my hands full with him challenging me with the multiple lines throughout the course. He passed me for a few minutes until he crashed on a downhill. I spent the rest of the lap trying to gap him. I found myself alone for the rest of the race. I got to ride with some of the fast A guys and it felt good to finally have an awesome race. I coasted on the 5th lap as I was the last one to get out on one. I was so excited to finally win my first B class race and end up 6th overall. It was also a plus to beat the 311 at a tough rocky place. He had a great race as well, getting 3rd. Thanks to Letko Cycles, Pumpkinpatchracing, and my parents for allowing me to race.