Race Report

8-27-05

First, let me say... I am out of shape big time! It is unbelievable how much I sucked out there. Today everything hurts.

In practice I tried the two rythm sections that were put in since the last time I rode there and did the first one pretty easy. The second one after the finish line jump I cased pretty hard on the frame and linkage. It didn't hurt though so it gave me confidence to try again later.

Before the heats we walked up to get the race order and I had to stop and take a breath. I can't believe I am that out of shape. I really thought I was a *little* better than that.

In the first heat there were 5 of us in Unlimited Rookie. Off the start I was 2nd into the first turn and took the inside line while the other guy went wide. If you judge the holeshot by the way the do in SX where it is whoever gets around the first corner first then I got the holeshot but relinquished it before the first jump.

When we got to the whoops I tried to double all the way through but couldn't. I gave up 2nd place there but got it back on the step up after that. Shortly after that I gave 2nd up for good. I battled with 121 a little then on the next lap he got by me and then after the whoops I was wore out and James got by me. I finished 5th out of five.

It kinda sux but I did ride pretty good for the one lap. I know I'll be more competitive if I get in a little better shape.

In heat two, the 250D class, I got another good start and was 2nd out of the first corner. There were 4 of us and I was able to hold 2nd for a little over a lap before giving it up to 121. However, I did hold James off since I was riding really wide. It was not by design. I just could not hold on to the bike well enough to go perfectly straight.

In the mains it was almost a repeat of the heats. The only difference was that in the Unlimited Rookie I did double all the way through the whoops on two of the laps and was able to beat one guy so I got 4th out of 5. In the 250D class I got a poor start but did double through the whoops once. Then I pretty much hit the wall and just rode around until the end. On the 4th lap I mis-timed the whoops and took the handlebars to the gut so I slowed even more.

Overall, I am happy that I rode a lap or two well enough to give me some confidence but then again I am frustrated with my conditioning. Especially since this time last year I did a 30 mile bicycle ride and was racing 3 classes without getting anywhere near this wore out.

James was riding really well. He is much faster than 121 and should have beat him but 121 knows the track better and was able to hold him off in the mains. James doubled through the whoops ever time I saw him go through there. I believe he is riding as well or better than he ever has.

He raced the 250F and that may have hurt him a little against 121 who was on a YZ250 but I honestly believe if James knew the track better and got a little better jump out of the gate he would not be at a disadvantage with the 250F. I know my piglet did not hurt me at all off the starts.