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Saturday: Arrived at Winchester Speed Park and met my hosts Dave and Suzanne Boisvert and Motocross Racer Kip Komosa. Very nice people. The beginner racer class had 9 eager students. After the intoductions the class began with the rules, bike set-up, race procedure, etc. Then off to the SX track. The first thing was a track walk followed by practicing starts. After around doing 8 of these I was already exhausted. Then we practiced turning. Then it was lunch provided by the school. A welcome and well needed treat. I had a Gatorade to wash down cheeseburger. I really needed a cheeseburger and a case of Gatorade. After that we practiced jumps. A little one first. Not bad. I can do this. Then off to a larger one. Oh boy. I actually was amazed at how well the bike absorbed the front wheel landing first. And the rear wheel bouncing off the top of the double hill when I failed to clear it. Fun so far. Then they cut us loose. The whole course. It seemed like a endurance race I was so beat and then I thought I would try jumping a little further. Like on television. The Yamaha might have 14 inches of travel but needs more like three feet. I made the jump but did not survive the next whoopdedoo. Over the handlebars and my helmet hit the dirt pretty good. Dave asked me if I was alright. "Sure". Boxers say the same thing when taking the standing eight count. But I did ride some more at a much slower pace after that performance. Only a bruised ego and ribs. Next we went on a safari across the street on the motocross track. This looked easy and fast.
Sunday: Awoke and except for the soreness in the ribs and now the left hip I sorta felt I should not do this. Paced back and forth at the signup window and right before cutoff I thought "This is why I came here" I signed on the dotted line and it is rather cheap. I skipped practice because there were too many bikes or some excuse that worked. But now this track is not looking like that same track we did a tour of. Oh boy. I got the 14th race. I pick the lane that sends me wide in the first turn. I ride thru loam that was very deep. Steering was nearly impossible. I came out of turn 1 in 12 place. At least I got two riders behind me to race against. Then at around the fourth turn I was taking the inside line and I hit the barrel. Well actually I was on the bike and the loam and lack of steering put me on the inside line and I hit the barrel. Down I went. Getting this bike up and getting back on it was so tiring. I finally puttered away. After about 1 lap I started getting some speed up and went on the inside line. I did not make the corner and rode down the back of the berm to the outside berm and hit loam and down again. I finally get the bike up and restarted and off I go and now I am getting lapped. I am glad. One less lap for me. Its over and I manged last. The second moto I have a plan. I will start in the lane closest to the corner. Get a holeshot and get into the corner first and they all will have to go around me in that deep loam. I figure they cannot do this. Well they can. It worked as planned but I was last coming out of turn one anyhow. Frustrated I go to Plan 2. Just take a leisurely ride on this course and call it a day. Nope. About half a lap I washed out the front again. This time it stalled and won't start. Finally push it off course cause here everybody is coming. A cornerworker helps me start the bike. Thank You to whoever you are. I never could push it back. I finished three laps and it was over.
Summary: I had lots of fun even though it was bruising and I am not any good at it. I am very sore today. Even my fingers are tired. Just every muscle I have and some I discovered today are sore. I met a lot of people. All were so nice. The facility is awesome. Clean and just so nice in the mountain setting. I am very happy I did it. I do not think MX is for me at age 54 though. I think I will go trail riding. And stick to roadracing. As a added bonus when I see it on TV I will have a much better understanding of what is going on. I hand it to you guys. It is a tough sport. Thanks to all that made this past weekend a time I won't forget.
cool man, my hats off to you for giving racing a try! It really is a gnarly sport and people don't really know until they are out there on how hard it is to go fast. They are really nice people up there at WSP, glad you had fun.
LRRS #399
MX #505
A bunch of guys that i ride with at my track race there and are trying to talk me into racing down there. I might have to give it a shot.
Glad you survived.
Wirelessly posted (BB Tour: BlackBerry9630/5.0.0.591 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)
Congrats on giving it a go, Mike. MX takes a lot of training to get into shape. Keep at it, at least going to practice tracks. It's a brutally difficult sport, but like roadracing is very addicting. Just remember that the next time will hurt less and you will go faster and ride smoother. Come up to 207 when we get a group going. Lots of fun and no pressure to go faster than you're comfortable or stay out any longer than you want to.
-Brian
15 S-Works Venge
Awesome Ram!
Congrats!
You rock Mike! Keep pushing your limits. You'll they're farther than you, or most, think.
LRRS/CCS AM 636
Kick ass Mike. I would think twice about getting into it at 31 much less 54.
Fitz
Good for you for giving it a shot - I agree, it gives you an entirely different perspective watching them effortlessly ride at 110% on tv - looks so easy, but SO brutal
2003 YZ250 Blue #416
1999 YZF R6 # 602 *
I grew up in Kip's neighborhood and used to hang around with his younger brother a bit. We used to watch him ripping around on Bultaco Pursang's back in the early 70's. He must be in his mid-50's now. The whole family were always very nice people. I will be 50 next year, and I still enjoy riding on MX tracks. I do not think I would ever try entering a race, though. The NETRA events I ride are hard enough....
back when I was racing 80s I raced Kips brother Henry alot.
LRRS #399
MX #505
great ride story!
that definitely sounds like an experience you won't forget
and if it makes you feel any better, even on your slowest day with a sputtering bike you'll be way, way faster than me!
btw...hodges is only 19 minutes from your place...