Well boys and girls it was race weekend again as always it was a blast. I don't think any race weekend ever goes smooth as there is almost always some kind of issue that pops up. This weekend’s issue...Ex-wife! This weekend we had an MDRA race on the Quad track and practice was Sat morning with the Ultra series later on in the evening on the Supercross track. Plan of attack was to hit the practice on the Quad track in the morning then race that evening in the Ultra series. Didn't go that way but was lucky enough to get some testing and riding in earlier in the week. So far Andy's hard work on the shocks has been working great. More to come on that in a bit. Very pleased with the way the engine has been performing this year as well. It's a ported cylinder by someone, cool head (19cc dome) and the Sparks MX pipe. She’s got to be jetted right or it just doesn’t have that overrev…it likes fuel!
After dealing with the Ex issues and making two extra trips back and forth to the track we are finally set up and ready to go. Got out for practice and the quad was running well. Great bottom end with decent overrev. Shock setting was off just a touch but no biggie. After practice made the appropriate adjustments so now time to go see what the race lineup looks like.
Gate 17!!! The Vet Quad class is always near the end. It makes for a long day but it is what it is. We got a decent turnout this week with 6 in the Vet class and one of the guys is a racer from back in the day and he’s fast!! No biggie let’s see what happens.
First race went well. Holeshot was as expected and got pushed to the back of the pack. After the first turn is a tabletop so as always I’m pinned and shifting gears. Once I came off the lip there is my good friend sitting right below my quad….this is going to hurt. Luckily I landed right next to him. Quick battle damage check, we’re both OK off I go. Somehow those guys up front made some serious ground on me and they were moving. I’m 5th and going to make charge to the front. I had some open ground to gain some speed but I still haven’t jumped the grandstand double, don’t know why but I’ll blame it on age. As I round the turn at the bottom of the track I see the group has cleared the double and coming back the other way….Do these guys have turbo’s on those 4 strokes holy crap! So in my head I’m saying “come on Joe let’s get the lead out and gain some ground!” Once again the hammer’s down and we are trying to make up ground. As I come off one of the blind doubles I see the leaders slowing to a stop due to bike issues. I pass him now we are in 4th and things aren’t looking so bad. I’m giving the old 250R all she’s got and now is really not the best time for something to rear its ugly head…. Well it does. As I’m doing my best to make that two stroke sing she lets me know that my needle setting isn’t quite right. I came off the tabletop, down shift to third, power through the berm and right before the jump I click into 4th and pin the throttle……..Blah she falls on her face! WHAT!!?? Click her back into 3rd gear pin it and pray. We cleared the double fine but now I know it’s not quite running like it did in practice and my shock setting is still on the soft side. I managed to make the pass to get 3rd but it was a hell of a run to make up that time and as the laps went by they just kept opening up the gap. All in all it was a fun heat race and I NEVER ran that fast before so that was an accomplishment.
After adjusting the shocks and making a needle clip position change, I was ready for the Final. I have a game plan and I’m going to do better or at least finish 3rd as the top two guys are fast BUT…..as we all know things don’t always go as planned and today sure was one of them. As gate 14 was out on the track the skies opened up and it started to pour. Not crazy heavy but it was coming down and this lasted for the next two gates. It finally slowed to a steady drizzle as we were waiting at the gate and I have to say the track was everything but nice!
As I’m sitting at the gate with rain water running down my back crack I’m going through my checks….fuel on, kill switch, tear offs, pegs clean, neck brace, helmet good and snug…all check good. Now what the heck are we going to do with the slop fest before me? I’m going to play it safe as I give a thumbs up to the rest of the riders we all motion to use our heads and play it safe. Good I got a chance at possibly finishing in the top 3 for sure. That’s the great thing about racing the R, clutch control, shifting and breaking is what we do ALL THE TIME. These guys on the 4 strokes are a bit out of practice. OK I’m pumped now, soaked but ready to go! Just at the 2 min board is about to go up the say 3 laps. Are you shitting me?! It’s a blessing and a curse but let’s do this. 2 min board goes up, click into second. 1 min board is up, board goes sideways, revs are up and eyes on the gate………………Click! Clutch is out and let me tell you when I lifted my head the R was leading the pack out of the gate. Man is this baby hauling the mail!!! We get into the first turn and that’s when all hell broke loose. The guy to my right managed to squeeze between me at the tire to get around the turn first and roosted the living hell out of me. I jump the tabletop blind, land and got to grab the tear off. Let me stop for a second and say never, never, NEVER try something you never used before in a situation when you need it to work flawlessly. Well, I loaded up a set of those laminate tear offs prior to the race and as I grabbed that tab and pulled I had a feeling something wasn’t right. I’m in second and holding my own but I’m right behind the leader and not only eating his roost but eating the roost from the front tires. I go to grab the tear offs tab and nothing is there. I can’t see a thing. I tried wiping it, forget that as it made it worse and I was riding blind. I tore the goggle off and that was the beginning of the end. I was eating so much roost from my own front tires I made myself blind as my right eye had rocks and mud in it and the left eye was just barely useable. I managed to hang on to second for the rest of the race but I have no idea how. As I rolled up to the leader he was goggle less and well as the rest of the guys. It was funny to see not a single racer with a set of goggles on and glad we all raced with our heads and didn’t pull some stupid crap to gain a spot.
All in all it was great day of racing even with all the issues that pop up. Everyone came home safe, a little muddy and partially blind but a great day none the less.