[ReaperAZ]

It's Sunday morning 5:45 am and I'm off to the track for my first MX race. Man I slept like **** last night and am nervous as hell. I'll let you guys know how I did later today when I come back.


Dano

[MrX954]

Originally Posted by ReaperAZ

It's Sunday morning 5:45 am and I'm off to the track for my first MX race. Man I slept like **** last night and am nervous as hell. I'll let you guys know how I did later today when I come back.


Dano

Damn, theres a 5:45am too?!?!?

Good luck dude, sux you couldnt sleep last night but it shouldnt mess you up since your blood will be flowing like crazy while your racing.

--Oh and you can prob use the advice NHF gave me.....watch the track not the photographer

[CBR929RE]

Originally Posted by MrX954

Damn, theres a 5:45am too?!?!?

Good luck dude, sux you couldnt sleep last night but it shouldnt mess you up since your blood will be flowing like crazy while your racing.

--Oh and you can prob use the advice NHF gave me.....watch the track not the photographer

"I didn't know there was a 5:00AM mass, I didn't even know there was a 5:00AM. What else haven't you told me?" - Chris Griffin, The Family Guy

[Bacchus]

Good luck Dano! You're gonna love it. Way back when I raced, I nearly always had butterflies on the start line, even after several years of racing. But the instant you launch off the start gate, it's all good!

[Zippy]

Good luck, I hope you had a bunch of fun out there. Still on one or two pieces? How's the stomach now?

[TGZ13]

Well

[Mavic]

Yeah, where's the story. I really need something to read. Stuck in the house watching it rain with outside temps around 50F. We were supposed to head to the track ourselves but the weather wasn't permitting. Found some Canadian Supercross on the boob tube so that is as close to riding as I get today.

[Bacchus]

Dannnnnn oooooo... Where arrre you? You should have been home and posted by now!

[ReaperAZ]

Ok...so I'm back from my first race experience and I'm beat. The weather was supposed to be rainy in the AM with a high of 65-70. Well mother nature decided to be a pain in the ass today and although it didn't rain, it was windy as f#$k. So windy that as soon as you left the ground your bike would drift three feet to the side. I worked hard in practice yesterday to clear the big double that was giving me troubles...not anymore figured that out. I did however mangae to wreck hard in the whoops which I have no idea how as I haul ass through them and never had a problem with them. Did a number on my ribs and shoulder and am sore as hell. So as I get to the track my stomach is doing loops and I couldn't seem to sit still. I pulled my bike out and went over every nut and bolt to make sure nothing was gonna fall off. Adjusted and lubed the chain, checked tire pressure and was ready to go. I rode 125 Beg B and was grouped with the 250 beginners. They do a split start and let the 250's go first then the 125's. For some reason i was nervous about the starts as I had never been on the gate with other bikes going into the first corner under race conditions.

Race 1

I line up in staging and the number guy comes around. You draw a number to see which gate you pick. Draw a number one you get first choice...draw a 20 you get last choice. So I draw 3...I'm thinking sweet I'll pick the inside and just stay out of peoples way. My buddy running the gate says to take the outside, so like a dumbass I listened to him and did. So now I'm thinkin great now I'll be in everyone's way. The first wave goes and I all of a sudden forget about everything...just focusing on the gate and the guy with the board. So I'm settin up to start, got the bike in 2nd....build up the revs a bit.....he drops the board......and bam...the gate goes down. I shift throught the gears and holy crap what do ya know I'm in third place through turn one. I stayed in third for a little bit and then fell back in a few laps. It was hard to get any good air cause as soon as you did you were thrown one way or the other. Lots of crashes in the first 8 moto's from people trying to jump and the wind taking them out. I settled into a good pace that was a bit faster then my practice pace and just tried to ride clean for the 5 laps. I lost which place I was in as some of the faster 250 guys passed a lot of people and some of the slower 250 guys were passed by a lot of people. I made a few mental errors and went slower in some places where I know I can go faster. The 5 laps whizzed by and before ya know it it was over. I had no idea what place I finished. I get to the pits and asked my girlfriend what place I got and she had no idea as it's quite confusing with the mixed and split motos. We went over to the results board during the intermission and I finished 5th out of 10 125 Beg B guys. Man I was pumped, my first ever race and not only did I finish but I didn't come in last(which is what I thought I would do). I called my mom as she had stayed at the house cause she's sick.

Race 2

So now I know what to expect and have a good idea hwere I need to go a bit faster. The big advantage for me is that the really big jumps can't be jumped and I know I can run the track fast without doing the big jumps. So now it puts me on equal ground with the guys that can do the big ones and can't due to the wind. So I'm ready to rock and get to the gate. No numbers drawing as you pick in the order you finished. So this time I pick the inside. Badda bing...I grabbed the holeshot and am bar to bar with the guy who won moto 1, I couldn't believe it. I held 2nd for quite a bit and the faster guys started to catch me...crap I just couldn't hold a strong pace. I was death gripping the bars and my arms were pumping pretty bad. I kept telling myself to loosen up and for a few seconds it would work, then white knuckles again. A few guys passed me and and I just put my head down and went the best I could for the remaining laps. I saw a guy in front of me about 5 bike lengths away and I tried my hardest to catch him. I got to within about two bikes and was coming around the last turn, checkered flag. Man if I had one more lap I could have caught him. Again I lost which place I was in and my girlfriend didn't catch it either. Since we were the last moto we loaded up the bike and started for the the results board. I couldn't believe it 5th again. What a great way to end the day. Finished 5/5 for a 5th overall in my first race. All in all I had a blast, I just hope it's not that windy the next race...which I WILL be racing cause...I'M HOOKED.


Dano

[colryn]

Congrats..... You sure are a lucky dog for racing. I am envious.

[Bacchus]

Alright! Good job, Dano! Glad to hear it went well for you.

[smkeatr]

[CBRVFR]

Result!!!

Good write up, Dano - I could really get a sense of your experience..

[Red Rider]

Nice job, Reaper! I bet you're hooked now!

[sheepofblue]

Great and I agree with your bud take the outside. I have been in the pack when someone crashes in turn 1 If you are on the outside you can swing wide and go the inside you have to go over them. Ran a classmate over once Of course if you are there first the point is moot.

[MrX954]

Sweet, glad to hear you had a good time AND did pretty damn good too!

[EDDIE110171]

Cool glad to hear you liked it.

[oldfogey]

Great write-up for late on race day, Dano, much appreciated that you shared it with us. Good luck with the racing, sounds like you're going to do some more!

[ReaperAZ]

Man I feel like I got run over by a bus. That crash in practice on Saturday really f'd me up. My right hip is black and blue, hurts like hell to wear pants with a belt. My right elbow is cut up and black and blue, hurts like hell to even move it. My left elbow has some scrapes and isn't too bad unless I bump it on something. My ribs on my right side are black and blue and it hurts to do anything even breathing hurts. My right shoulder feels like I shot 5000 rounds of 12ga 3" magnum slugs with no rubber cushion on the stock. Not to mention I have been fight off acold for the past week and have taken really good care of myself. Been drinking a lot of OJ and taing my vitamins daily and until this morning it was working well. Now it hurts to swallow any kind of food. Oh I hate this crap. I'm glad I was able to race yesterday cause if the race was a day later there is no way I'd be able to do it. Oh yeah I have a really big announcment that I will post up as soon as we have our morning meeting.


Dano