2005-06 VDR Series Race #2
It is Friday October 21st 2005, the sun is shining and the Razors Edge boy's are getting amped for the first Woodland race on Saturday. Bikes are ready gear is packed (and the double check on the gear being packed) and our two rig convoy sets out. The weather man is calling for Sunshine and upper sixties for Woodland WA on Saturday which means the dirt should dry out just enough to hook up perfect. Then the dark ones own hand reaches out and puts every idiot who has access to a vehicle on I-5 our little 160 mile trip turns out to be a grueling 5 hour drive, culminating with a pick/5th wheel rollover blocking all three lanes about two miles from the Woodland exit, thankfully all appeared to be ok.
We arrive set up camp Suzuki and settle in for the night, Tom McAllister stopped by to say hi and we got acquainted with our neighbor Dale he is a Honda boy but we didn't hold that against him. After some food (BBQ the staple food for Razors Edge Racers, Jay believes condiments count as vegetables) we shut er down for the night.
Saturday morning Woodland WA I awake to my alarm clock (the sound of two stroke engines) ah I love the smell of Two Stroke in the morning. I roll out of the rack hit the facilities which I needed since 5:30AM and hit the snack shack for some go go juice. With caffeine kick starting my heart I go and register minus 40 EVO . As I get back to camp Jay is sliding out of the rack wanting to know where his coffee is (the same place mine was at the snack shack sheesh). Jay heads down for liquid energy and to register four stroke EVO class.
We attend the riders meeting the usual affair except for the conformation of the rumor the track is being sold to a developer, that sucks. CJ announces Hammer and Tongs dates for the Summer of 2006, we adjourn and wait for the practice schedule to be posted. EVO practice is 5th and 6th back to RER camp for more coffee and conversation. Jay and I head out for practice the track is great, big with a couple jumps, carousels, and fairly long straights. During practice my bike cuts out on me like three times, Jay had no problems as usual. So back to the pits to work the bugs out. Turns out fuel filter is on up side down (DOH).
We mingle with the other riders visiting with friends seeing a few we missed at Wards Creek waiting for the race order to be posted. Jay and I are both in race sixteen sh!t we are on the track at the same time and no one to take pictures. So not too many pics this time. I headed over to CJ's camp to pick up some great shirts the guy is amazing if you don't have one you are missing out. ( http://www.siegecraftnw.com/siegeshirts.htm )
While we are waiting for our race to roll around we head over with Surfer George and pick up Jays 1971 Suzuki TM400 that George was kind enough to help with the transportation of from Calif. Wow this thing is in great shape still.
We finally get to hit the race track Jay is up in the front going into turn one I am bunched up in the middle, Jay gets through the inside on one but someone goes down in front of the rest of us. Jay has to race hard with a Yamaha but comes up with a first place, I on the other hand finish twelfth, but I had fun.
The day is really shaping up it has to be in the low seventies and there is some awesome racing taking place. There has to be over three hundred fifty riders easy I'll tell ya the day seemed to fly by, in no time at all we were back out for our second race.
The gate drops and taking Jay's advice I head to the inside I find myself into the corner towards the front of the pack (not a normal occurrence for me) I am looking around no Jay. Well I need to race my own race so away I go. By the end of the first lap I have fallen back what else is new but my surprise I am being passed by Jay and thinking what the hell is he doing way back here?
After the race back in the pit area while sucking down Gatorade I hear what happened, Jay got caught up in the gate at the start. Jay said he doesn't remember riding as hard as he did that race since he was a kid. We wonder down and check the results and I got eleventh for a eleventh over all amazingly Jay finished third and got a first overall that is impressive riding to give everyone a thirty second head start and finish third.
So we head back to the pits pack up camp and head home with fond memories of another weekend of playing in the dirt. As we are driving home the excitement is already building for November 5th I can't wait to see you all there!
Riders Meeting #71 inside move #72 stuck in traffic #71 reelin em in #71 in the corner
#72 in the corner The Life RER pits eve of race day
#72 PE250 #71 DR400F Race Morning Breakfast anyone
Dales Pit area what's with all the Red bikes?
Surfer George with lights on
