Rebound wrote:Alright Gibber......lets hear it ! I watched the start and your buddy "wide bike Bill" didn't beat you to the corner first. You boys still in bed ? I thought old people got up early.
Bill and I are good. In fact he has been a good sport about the whole thing and I'm glad he has been. It's more fun racing' with your buddies than your enemies. I even saved a spot next to me for Bill. To be honest, when he told me he was back on his Yamaha I was worried 'cause that dude is quick. But the ole' 300 hooked up and kicked ass. Although Todd kicked just a little bit more ass and got the hole shot. I will be ready for Carbondale!
Went in to the woods 2nd behind Todd #1063 and again tried a couple of times to pass him but could not pull it off. Until we hit a bottle neck about 2 to 3 miles in to the first lap. Todd got hung up with a 700 rider, I went left and Ryan #1043 went right. As I got back on the trail another bike ran in to me and almost knocked me down but I was able to stay on it and got in behind Ryan. Turns out it was Todd that ran in to me when his bike hooked up and it was so tight he couldn't help it. Fortunately a tree kept me from falling over but somehow it jacked up Todd's front caliper so his brake kept locking up. He fought it as long as he could and even tried to fix it but ended up only getting 3 laps. Ryan on the other hand was on rails and although I stayed with him for the remainder of the 1st lap that was pretty much it. Good job to Ryan.
Dennis Utte #1025 passed me not long after Ryan did. Again, I was able to stay with him in the woods but the motocross an open sections was where he would lose me. All I could hope for was for Dennis to make a mistake so I settled in for 4th as the infamous Joe King made his way around me.
Wait a minute, 4th? By the beginning of my 4th lap there was the familiar sound of the #1046 4 stroke of Eric Schneider Hunting me down! We were pretty evenly matched all the way around so it was a really good race for almost 2 laps. In the motocross section at the end of the 4th lap I rolled the double and Eric doubled it giving him the lead. I really thought I could take him in the woods but he ran a perfect lap with absolutely no mistakes. I stayed with him but there was no chance for me to get around him. Looked like I was going to get 5th. Then at the tail end of the 5th lap at the last steep down in to the creek and back up climb there were a couple of riders that had gotten out of whack on the way up and were trying to get their bikes picked up. Eric and I rolled thru nice and smooth and kept on going. As I went thru I realized one of them was Dennis. There was that "one" mistake. Back in 4th. So I got on the gas and stuck with Eric to the finish. 4th place! What a great race.
There was a 600 or 700 rider I came up on in the grass around the tires that went down going around the last tire before ducking back in to the woods thru the gate. I slowed down to see if he was alright and he gave me the thumbs up. He looked good. The whole thing kind of happened in slow motion. I hope all is good and thanks for letting me know you were okay.
Only got passed by about 3 800's and I think only one 900. Again, all were good passes but apparently I did hold one 800 up. Real sorry for that. Didn't mean to. There were some sections that were pretty tough to pass in and with the racing being as close as it is I really am waiting for the rev limiter or the whoo hoo before I work on finding a spot to let you go without goofing up my race. Also, I know I got passed by a bike when we both passed another one together. Don't know which case it was but if I did hold you up I sure am sorry and I really did not mean to. Just an FYI though, since I am running a 75.6% speed if you are passing me from the 800's looks like both of us need to move up!
I'm not sayn' anything, I'm just sayn'!
So next year you fast 800's will be in the 6th row and wont have to worry about getting around this old man anymore!
Course was awesome and was marked really well. I just wish I had bigger balls in the motocross section. Oh well, I will take 4th and as long as I can pull of a 5th at Carbondale I should have it. Guess I need to talk to Bill about strategy!
I ain' counting on that. I'm just gonna hope the Ole' 300 takes off like a rocket one more time this season!
See you all at Carbondale!
GO TEAM LETKO!