Things just weren't going my way this morning. My mom was comming along with me to tape me racing. Well sign up was at 7:30 and we didn't end up leavin till 8 because she didn't get around in time. Practice was at 8:30 and we didn't even get there till 8:45 on account of me waiting around for her. So anyways I got signed up and went to race. I was in 3rd in the holeshot out of 6 other C riders. Well the engine was cold so it was missing and I ended up in the back eating everyones dust. I couldn't see the first corner and when I was going through it the engine quit. Well I got going again, only now I was half a lap behind everyone. Since I didn't get to practice little did I know that they built up the lips on ALL the jumps. I was tripling things that I normally doubled. This didn't last for long. I hit an 80' table top and almost cleared the whole thing (done it before). When I landed I bounced and got sideways on the landing and the quad rolled over on top of me down downslope. This was all on the first lap. I DNF'd the race but I still had fun. I think next time mom's stayin home so I don't have to wait so long.

 

Man im sorry to hear about you luck, but dont give up, keep going back, youll get better the more you race, My first harscramble i sucked, i came in last because i missed a curve and got caught up on a log but now this season i'm 3rd in points so dont ever give up doing what you love to do!

 

I remember my first race, it wasnt that long ago. I was on a blaster, everything was stock except for lots of engine mods. I had to race a zilla, 2 raptors, and a 400ex with at least 10k into it. Some pretty blonde was on the 400ex, shee kicked everyones asses in the first race, then came in second in the next race after flying off the track. I came in 4th, then 3rd cause the zilla in front of me broke a footpeg on a huge jump. Looked like it hurt.

 

The only way I would ever stop racing is if physically I was incapable of doing it. Even though I did so poorly it was a learning experience. I learned ride with your head not your ego. My ego was hurt more then anything. I had a blast doing it and once the ankle gets better I'm gonna race again. Hell I'll probly end up racin anyway those boots give good support.

 

When I tried my first double the other day it was very scary !! I got that feeling in the pit of my stomach thinking I wasn't going to land on all fours. You land on all fours but a little rough and your fear goes down just a little and you try it again. You keep doing this until its nothing.

I can only imagine planning to hit a double and doing a TRIPLE !! I would be crapping my pants. I just hate that feeling I get in the pit of my stomach though, its scary.

 

Man I have to get my R back togother.All this talk about racing is making me mad.I have only raced twice.I have been riding for 12 years and those 2 days where the best learning experinces.(sp?)

I remember doing my first double.At school my freinds always talked me up.Saying I was the best rider at school and everything.Well the truth was I had never even jumped a double.I have done HUGE singles.Jumped just about anything that could be jumped at my house.But I don't have any doubles around here.

Anyway We got out of school one day and we head down to my buddies house.He has a small mx track in his feild.I am on my 300ex and I take off.Of course everyone is watching me.I get through the whoops great like I always do.Hit the tabletop do that great and next is a 40 footer.I did the tabletop perfect and had lots of speed.I kept it pegged a held on.I did it perfect also.What a feeling!It doesn't hurt like singles do.


Now All I do is doubles.I love them.Some are scary others aren't.


Sorry for the story.

 

Let your quad warm up real real good. Running cold is very bad, not only on your start but on the engine. Also don't put it in gear holding the clutch in untill the last minute. The clutch warms up and gets hot, tends to slip some in your launch.

Best advice is leave your egao at home, use your head. A smart rider is a winning rider.

I have been coaching my son as well as racing my self. I see him and all the other riders think big air is the way to go over table tops. Taking 80 footers isn't very wise. You can't go faster untill the wheels get back to the ground, airing it out only slows you down in alot of cases. I've showed him how to drag his front braek at the bottom of table tops lessons his air time and gets him to the ground and back in the power quicker. Also try to nail the gas when you are about a foot to a foot and a half from the ground, this helps from that pogo affect the shocks can have on you, also helps on the downword force that tends to ware you down.

Hole shots are 75% of the race, try to get by the slowwer riders quick as you can, but if the rider is very experienced just push them hard. Sike them a little, take inside out side lanes, I know you won't get by but showing them your front tires messes with thier minds alot. Pushing them will force them into mistakes like taking turns wide and that, this will open you a hole.

Try to focus all your energy on the last couple laps. What I found on quads poeple ware out quick. Stay in shape and conserve as much as you can without letting them pull away.A tired rider makes a bunch of mistakes. Exspecially on turns without a good burm or no burm at all, tired riders are like taking candy from a baby.

Stick with it and practice practice, practice. Try to get to know about 3 tracks, this also will accellerate your learning.

Good luck, maybe see you one sunday.

 

I remember my first race. I raced a stock 300ex w/ Works dual rate shocks and 22" SUPER SWAMPERS!!!! MAJOR learning experience and since then, I have raced 7 times and I am still learning some MAJOR lessons every race.

My first race, I saw this double on the back stretch of this track and I didn't dare to jump it. Everytime I saw someone hit that jump, I thought, gawd.. those guys are nuts... I'll never do something like that. Well I was practicing there one day with my Cannibal and I just hit 4th gear and pinned it... didn't let myself slow down. Now I hit it everytime like it's no big deal (well actually I got banned from that track so I don't hit that double anymore but thats a different story) but when we (me and some friends) were walking the track, we measured (roughly) 65 ft. from peak to peak. Where my friends on the bikes were landing was about 75-80 feet and I was landing about 70-75 feet (roughly).

It's all a mental thing.

 

I honestly didn't know about the clutch warming up. When the gate dropped I didn't dump the clutch all at once i slowly let it out over about 20 feet so I didn't spin. Spinning tires are usless tires. The track I raced at this weekend is offering a motocross school there in the middle of july. I'm planning on attending. Never know I just might learn something very useful.

 

my first race was a gncc at powerline park on the old 250X....talk about learning experiences!!!!!!!!....i pulled up to the starting line....next to a banshee...not bad....except it was burning alcohol!!!!!i came out mid pack after the whole shot...and it was all down hill after that!!!!

i crashed honestly at least 50-60 times that day!!!!

it was a blast!!!! i came in on lap 2 in 12th position for gas...and oil too, i had used up the better part of my oil...well, my dad had left the gas can at the truck and went to watch the race elsewhere....which by the way, the truck was about a mile away from where i was....so, i had a mile run back to the truck for gas....i made it....lap 3 i came back in 29 position, and moved up to 27 on the last lap.

all in all it was great!!! i had a blast...i was hurting really bad!!!...gncc is hands down the most physical thing i have ever done....and i was a varsity wrestler at the time too...wrestling has NOTHING on gncc!!!!

oh well....just keep practicing and don't get discouraged!!!