Man, where to start? I hate to write a book but there’s so much good stuff here that I’ll forget it all if I don’t share it.
Used a vacation day Thursday to fret and study over the tiniest of details to get 3 days of racing out of 3 bikes and my truck to get me 50 miles up and 50 back each day.
Friday morning:
Our pop-up canopy offered little resistance to being pretzel twisted by the gusty winds.
Quickly and gladly began seeing all of the usual suspects at a vintage race, many non PitRacer members or regulars, and many that are. Then also began meeting new people whom we’ve seen there in previous years but never got to meet. We parked up in the gravel pit area as usual.
We spectated the Vintage Hare Scramble race which went off well.
For our Evo/PV class race it always seems like a lot of bikes on the line and as a group, but sadly we only had 10 in our 40+ B/C class. If memory serves me correctly 2012 saw 14 in the 40+, and 2011 saw 17. So we were down a bit. We were told there were wood sections cut out and was shorter than usual, but could have fooled me seemed just as long, and just as many obstacles. They also let us run one lap of the MX track which was a big help as I got a slow start off the line but made up for it in pass’s on the track. Lord knows there wasn’t much passing room on the trail in the woods.
Got a big thrill being lined up beside VLK943 at the start, watching him tear away with a good start to my slow one, and then later getting passed by him in the woods. Huh?.... that’s what I said. Later confirmed he was in a pile up, that I went around on the MX track. I was proud to be passed by him, beings he is such a good competitive racer, that is until he blew through the next tight woods turn-corner directly in front of me. “So-Long Jeff”……….. and up the hill I went.
It’s a bit unreal to expect great results in the hare scramble race with the first lap and a half being held up, bottle necked tire to tire and very few places to make clean safe pass’s if you are carrying momentum and up to speed. But it sure is a hell of a lot of fun and would hate to miss it.
Almost immediately after our race ended the waves of monsoons rolled in and kept us battened down under cover for quite a time.
Was able to get a little time to hook up with Mosher to take adoption of a very salvageable and fine YZ400 project/future big bore racer. “Welcome to Freas’s garage, Home for misfit toys”.
I whispered to it quietly as we loaded into my Ford. Thanks again Kurt for holding the bike for me and a good deal.
We also got to meet “Siege” from Siegecraftnw.com. I’ve been on his site many times in the past reading on their vintage scene in the NWest and their Hammer & Tongs series. Very interesting and cool guy, and is a true patriot for vintage racing. Some of his artwork is being displayed right now at the AMA museum in Pickerington.
Nancy and I finally managed 2 hours up in the swap meet area before we had to make way for Heath. I had work I had to get done on the MX250 to be ready for Saturday.
Saturday:
Uhgggg! The damn rain.
Lets just say it took a lot for me to finally decide that I would go out for practice and to race. Was signed for 2 class’s, only raced 1, and that was enough. Was not easy on Poor Tom.
I started off having a stupid 1st turn fall down crash. Then played catch up, and finished 2nd overall. (There weren’t many of us). Most rewarding was being cheered by friends at the finish line coming off the track. I cannot tell you enough, how much we all appreciated the applause. "We Survived"!
My first and only race was 40+B/C, and I skipped 30+. I ended up with a 2nd overall, so I got podium recognition. But then the real surprise came when they announced that I also won the series championship for Vintage Senior 40+ B………. HUH? Are you sure I asked emphatically. I only raced two events in the series I stressed. They said the finish’s were good enough to get the overall.
Pretty cool!
By the time award ceremony completed it was getting late, Heath bound we went again to prep for Sunday.
Sunday:
What an awesome day! I was only pre-registered for one class, but felt so cheated only getting to run one moto on Saturday, I went ahead and registered for 30+B/C again. Yahoo… this year we had seven in the class, verses only like 3 or 4 for the last couple of years. But I was let down that Pit261 was skipping the class today. Last two years has seen us take it 1st and 2nd.
Hat’s off and Cheers to the Log Road Crew for working us up a track from a soggy bottom mess. They whipped it into shape, and made us proud to be motocrossers!
What did you guys think of the track?.......................Myself, I loved it, from beginning to end!
Here's a couple pic's from practice
Highlights were, I was witness to the seldom seen sight of the always smooth, fast and clean racing Pit261 crashed in a corner and laying on his back side under his bike. In both 30+ and 40+ class’s we had some really good racing going on. Everybody came off the gate hard and fast, stayed upright and hung together for the entire whole first lap. And after continued in small clusters as the race progressed. Now that is VET CLASS RACING at it’s best! Playing the video back last night, I could hardly keep still and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Nancy even remarked about it, that it was the best racing we have seen at AMA Vintage Days.
Hat's off and Congrats John Kreps on his Championship Series wins.
"TOUGH NUT" award for the day in my book goes to MXKid who raced 3 class’s, 6 motos on a very hot day. In the last race of the day, Mike, who is staring at his 50th Birthday this week, held on to the lead for over 2 laps, on an older twin shock Maico no less, with a very aggressive 17 year old hot on his rear tire the whole way. The hard charging youthful lad finally overtook Mike in a corner, but Mike kept him in sight and secured 2nd place finish. Great Job Wheeler!
Awesome Day and Weekend!
I'll try to keep editing this through the day as I remember more.
Oh, and before forget, Nancy gets all credit for pic's. She also video taped all of my MX races. She got up at 5:30 a.m. all three days, was a real trooper and didn't complain once all weekend. Tough to beat a good motocross wife!
