After an off season off thinking about what I needed to get done to win a race I was completely prepared for a holeshot and then to check out on the competition. As focused as I ever have been I watched the gate drop...and WHAM I was off the clutch and on the gas. Main problem was however the gate to my left was slowed by sand build-up and it didn't get to the ground before I got to it. I stuffed the gate with enough force to fold it around my a-arm. A few seconds later couple of giants had managed to pull the quad free and I was off. I pulled into second place right behind the leader with two laps to go. Unfortunatly the jam nuts on the tie rod came loose and I was forced to pull off.
If there wasa competition for DNF's I would win for sure.

 

Well hang in there man. Everyone has their bad race days. I've had enough bad race days last season alone to last me my whole "racing carreer." There's always next time.

Just remember, when you line up at the gate, brush all the dirt out from under the gate so that it can fall down all the way, and don't get to jumpy. Back off of the gate a little (not far, but don't be inches away from it... if you were to just park the quad and let the gate drop, the gate shouldn't be around 3 inches away from your front tires... I usually back off about a foot from the gate so I have some breathing room) and watch the pin or lever that holds the gate up rather than the gate itself.

 

What race was this in?

 

Thanks for the tips, sounds like the thing to do is clean up the gates movement. The race was at Cycleland Speedway in Chico Cal.

 

I just had a bad race start as well about 2 weekends ago. It was a little desert race in Idaho and they started us out in the middle of a bunch of sagebrush and when they started they had dead engine starts. I lacked a little bit at it didn't start right off the batand as soon as it did I dropped the clutch and pulled a left handed wheelie and then dropped it and took off. I ended up passing a DS and then when I went to drop into a sandwash the next thing I knew I went flying through the air and when I landed I thought I had broke my back it hurt so bad. I didn't break my back which was good. Guys that saw me do it came rushing over to see if I was ok. I told them I was and they slowly got me up and got my quad out of the way of the amateurs. After they got started I sacked up and got back on and finished the race. It hurt a lot but at least I finished and I also have some nice scares to show my little adventure. I was so ready to do good in the race too.

 

My last race was the shortest I have been in so far. I got to the track late cause the directions were a little screwed up, and when I did quads were already practicing so I got 1 lap of practice and then 2 in the LC practice. On the last lap of the LC practice I went sailing past the landing for the double and slammed into the face of the triple kinda hurt, but I kept most of my moment going.


Not thinking anything of it I went back in and washed my quad off. Anyway we line up I get second to the first turn right out of the turn there is a 30' double I clear it a little sideways and snap my axle in 3 pieces. So I drove almost 5 hrs one way to ride about 15 minutes...kind of a bummer.

 

Adam,
What kind of axle were you running a Dura-Break?
If so what did you expect but ask me this how do I know it is a dura break ????? Cause you said it broke in 3 peices Dura-Crap is the only axle that does that. Does not make sence save $50 to cost $75 later.

 

That blows! I drove 12hours to Glamis last year only to break my axle the first day of the weekend... its been a year and I still don't see any humor in the story.

 

If I'm thinking of the right gates, wouldn't it make more sense to had that gate fall away from you, rather than towards you.

 

Nah, the "backwards" falling gate prevents fools like myself from getting the head start. If the gates were to fall away you would be able to ride right over them before they go all the way down.