TRX250R.ORG
Riding Styles => MX => Topic started by: JoePA on April 07, 2014, 09:57:02 AM
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I'll have to fill you all in later but for a first race, we represented the R community well. Managed a 1 - 2 finish for the day with some exciting bar to bar racing. No broken bones and machine is still in one piece and thanks to Andy's fine craftsmanship at Maul Tech ATV, it saved my Butt on two occasions in both motos. Once again when I get a chance I'll fill you in on a full report.
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LOL Ryan! Well it may not be that exciting but I could have run 20 laps for the final and still would have had energy left over.
As you know the practice on Wed went well and other than me being out of shape it was a flawless day so why would one want to mess with the quad to make it better!!?? Friday before the race it rained all day and I knew the track was going to be slick and it was a little tighter than last year so i decided to tweak the R to be a little better on the track. I installed a new set of turf tamers, changed form 14/37 to 14/38 gearing and went through my suspension measurements and tweaked the front end alignment. I was a little leary of the jetting as I knew it was going to be cold but thought I would let it go till I got a practice in.
Sat morning I get up to start packing and the weather is cloudy, cold and windy.......Not happy at all! All packed and just ready to leave and I had second thoughts about going as we had the kids with us and who knows what the day will bring. We dicided to go anyway as it's the first and lets get the season started. We get to the track and it is PACKED. Half of one section is blocked off due to the ground being too soft so everyone is cramming for space. We get unloaded and go to check out the track and as I suspected.....Soup city!! We go to sign up and find out the Vet class has about half the participants so should still be a fun day. At the riders meeting the practice sheet is up and it's quads first...happens every time. Bike guys whine when they have to go in the mud so this is the ONLY time they like having quads on the track. After seeing the C and D class quads come in after practice I opted out and waited till the first moto. This is where a blessing and a curse hits you at the same time. Here the pressure washer blew a seal but didn't know until the next day. The curse part is if i had gone out for practice i would have found out that the changes I thought made the quad better in fact made it worse!
The race listing gets posted and we are gate 20 out of 21....great!! The C class had an excellent turn out so it was fun to watch them and see what lines they were taking as well as see who they were taking out. Our gate is coming up so time to get ready. Got out to the gate and see there are only 2 of us?! Ok this is going to be fun. One of the guys blew his engine in practice and the other guy is going to wait till the final to race, he didnt want to get his quad dirty! Its set up like supercross where first moto is just for gate pick and then moto 2 is the main event. So we get lined up on the gate and figure this is going to be great, no pressure, get some testing in, try some different lines, you know just take it easy till the main. Well the 2 min board goes up, Ok make sure I'm in 2nd, fuel is on, goggles good, check fuel again, check! 1 min board, give him the nod. 1 min board goes sideways.....ok this is it, rpms up, eyes on the gate.....wait for it.....wait for it....... I have ot mention as I type this i'm getting excited and shaking as if I was there! LOL OK sorry. Still waiting......... Click!
We are gone! The R shot out of the gate like a jack rabbit with a rocket up its behind. I was thinking....Holy $hit!!! I keep looking to my right and he's no there. Holy $hit I got the holeshot!!! made it to the first turn and he was to my inside and dove in to hot, I knew he was going to do this as everyone does but I didn't anticipate him stalling. As he came in hot I backed off and started to set up to dive underneath him and he stalled it. We got hung up together as my front end was up on his rear tire. He gets his started and we are back at it. At this time my entire thought process of just taking it easy is out the door. the quad hooked up and it's a rocket. Well that lasted for about 1 turn into the track and I knew the gearing was all wrong. I was shifting like a mad man. I thouhgt I had 10 gears at one point. It was an entirely differnt machine. I followed the leader for about 2 laps unti he stalled it and I passed him. I got a prettty good lead as his machine didn't want to start but I had arm pump so bad and I was just wore out mentally from shifting as I didn't know what gear I was in. I ended up with a win but it wasn't pretty and if we had the full gate that we normally do i would have had last for sure. I should have gone out in practice!
I'll report back with the Main in just a few......