Rider Updates
May 17 2008
It was my first time on the SX track and it looked really hard. I
loaded the truck and we headed out. After sign-up we walked the track
and I learned some new things. In practice I took it slow and just
tried hitting a few things. In my fist moto I worked on some more
things. I finished and was happy with it. In my next two motos i got
OK starts but wanted to improve my laptimes and finishes. In the Main
moto for Youth C I got another OK start but tried some new things and
finished 8th. In the Main for Open C I got 10th but wanted to do
better. In my main for Lites C I tried new things and finished OK,
ending up in 12th. Overall I thought I rode well but wanted to get
some more speed in a few places. I had found that my drills were
helping me and I could turn a lot better. I look to race a lot harder
next time and try a few new things.
May 10 2008
Back at Winchester SpeedPark, I was ready to show my new skills from
Ohio. I woke up early and packed the truck. We had some extra luggage
in case we stayed over at my uncle's house for the next day race at
Jolly Roger's. Anyway, we got there and saw some familiar faces. In
practice I had to get used to riding again because I hadn't been riding
in 2 weeks. I started picking up speed and getting used to charging
into the corners. In my first Open C moto I got a very good start for
me and just started to charge and try to improve. I did and finished
23rd but looked to do better. In the Youth C qualifier I got a really
good start again and started battling for positions. I ended up with a
6th which was really good. In the Lites C moto I got another good
start but I got stuck behind some slower riders and got 11th. In the
second Open C I got an OK startsand charged really hard but could have
done better than my 18th for 19th overall in Open C. In the second
Youth C race I got an OK starts but got stuck behind a pile up in the
second corner that pushed me way to the back. I passed a some riders on
the first lap but was still in 27th place. I charged
really hard to eventually finish 16th which gave me a 13th overall in
Youth C.
In the last race of the day, the Lites C, I got a real bad start and
just put my head down and charged up to 12th but on the 3rd lap I blew
the clutch out and I just couldn't get any speed out of the bike. I
ended up with 17th overall but hopefully I can do better next time. It
was awesome and I hope to be practicing more.
Apr 26 2008
It was a small dream come true for me. I had been looking forward to this trip since around Christmas time. I already had seen one of his movies but meeting Gary was totally awesome. We got there late Thursday and dropped off the bike. We went to the hotel and checked in. After unloading the truck we headed to find an internet connection. After getting one at Kent State we headed to the nearest Best Buy. There we got a sick new video camera. We got a few groceries and headed back to the hotel. It was late so we ate, watched TV and went to sleep. We woke up at around 5 and started getting ready. I got changed into my semi-new gear. When we got there, we signed in and soon the school started. We learned jumps and whoops. I learned a lot about my own technique and what needed to be done in certain situations. It was awesome. Then came the whoops. Before I tell much you need to know about Gary's new whoops. They were Supercross caliber. no, not the local SX but the Pro SX. They were steep, sharp, and pointy. Not to mention the fact that Gary himself said he wasn't going to blitz them and if someone was they shouldn't be there they should be racing Pro Supercross. But anyway back to the subject. I did OK on front wheel placement. I did OK on blitzing. then came jumping. I did really bad. Then we were told to go the other way. I knew that eventually the way I was doing it was going to get me. It did and I bent my lever pretty good. Afterwords, we fixed the lever, packed up and headed to the local shop. The local shop was nothing like New England's shops It was GIANT. We couldn't find the right lever and ended up getting a perch with lever. We had our own spares but they were for the 05 and earlier 125 but I had a 06 so my 2 new spares were the wrong size. Anyway we were covered and we ended up getting reservations for a loc
Apr 13 2008
The first race of the year for Winchester. I was pumped to be seeing familiar faces. In practice I checked oput the new corner. Instead of having a straight sfter the second corner the was a quick right hander just like the old track. IT was cool to be bringing my new speed to an old track. I as also noticing I had been going faster than people who used to beat me all the time. In the Youth C i went 13,23 for 23rd overall. I was pumped and maybe with some luck I can get top ten in points. In lites C I went 21,21 for 21st overall. If I improve my speed enough maybe I can start getting top 15 or top ten finishes. IN open C I got 25 and then 16th for 17th overall. It was awesome to be racing faster and just having fun. I look forward to racing again soon. I hope I can improve fast to get fast.
Apr 12 2008
I was starting racing with NEMX again and was pumped. I had practiced the track and new the layout. or so I thought. They changed the layout and it didn't have a lot of jumps just corners and small straights. I got ready for practice and looked forward to racing. In practice I tried some new things and learned the layout. I was still really slow and needed to go a lot faster. In my first moto I did well but still wasn't getting it done. That became my problem for the whole day as I just couldn't seem to get the speed. In my other motos I did well but I didn't finish good and still felt that I really needed to work on things. IN the second half I speed up a little but overall was really disappointed. In Youth C I finished 14,16 for 16th overall. In Lites C I finished 14,15 for 15th overall. In Open C I finished 10,8 for 8th overall. I later found out that I had a cold and that I was wearing a shirt that was too small but those were no excuse for my slow riding. I look to race harder and faster next time and go out an practice more.
Apr 6 2008
I was back at the wick and looking to be more competitive. My goals were to work on corner speed and just get faster. In practice I just cruised around but then it was time to race. In my first race it was the lites C qualifier and unfortunately I didn't qualify. I was bummed but I still had more races. In the Youth C I got 13th in my heat and 31st in the second moto for 31st overall. I was pumped especially that I had improved some speed and got a decent start. In the open C I went 20,20 for 20th overall. I tried to get a good start but the rear wheel began spinning and I lost time. It was awesome and I can't wait to get out there again with NESC. I improved some and got more speed but still want to get faster.
Mar 16 2008
It was my first race back from the off-season and i wanted to see how I was doing compared to others. I had been practicing at mototown and started to pick up the pace. In practice I did OK and didn't really get passed a lot and didn't pass a lot of people either. In my first moto I got a good jump out of the gate but I held on to the throttle too much and hit Nate 's back tire and then my wheel wouldn't come out of his wheel and after I yanked on it I started to see where I was. I found some fast lines and finished 8th. In my first 125C moto I was really pumped and was ready to push it. Well I got a typical start and caught back up to the pack but in the third corner i dove to the inside to try and get by one rider I lost the rear wheel and after it caught I was sideways so I got thrown and I ended up bending the clutch pretty bad. I ended up finishing last. In my second youth C moto I wanted to change the lever but there was miscommunication between me and my dad aka my mechanic and the lever wasn't changed. I ended up having a lot of trouble with it and finished 9th. I was really upset with myself. In my second 125C moto I was ready to race. I was a little tired and my right knee hurt a little. I got a decent start and just cruised. Then the leaders started to catch up and i started to push it. I started to catch the racer ahead of me but it was too late and I finished last. I was happy with my performance because now I know what to expect and I have a base for my improvement
Nov 4 2007
The last race of the year was at Southwick with a one moto format. I woke up and headed out for the track. I was going to race the 125C, YouthC, and OpenC. We got there around 7:45 and unloaded next to Maddie. When I went out for practice I could tell I was out of shape and needed to ride past my comfort zone to do well. For the Youth C race I did well as I started next to Derek and Nate and wanted a really good start and got it but I was pushed to the outside and there was a downed rider there so it slowed me down. I ended up with a 28th overall which I thought was decent. In the 125C race I was doing well and rode hard but still needed to improve. I ended up getting a 21st overall. In the Open C race I rode well but got really tired about halfway through the race and faded from then on. I got a 15th overall which was OK considering my physical condition. I was really happy to be back racing and I can't wait to get back on the bike. I hope to race more next year and improve my speed and riding ability.
Oct 21 2007
The final race of the year at Winchester and I was pumped. I was ready to charge and race my heart out. I woke up at about 5 in the morning and loaded the truck. I fell asleep after talking to my Dad about how to handle myself on the track. When we pulled into the track we drove around and looked for a spot to set up our pit. We ended up pitting in front of the Burns'. We unloaded and signed up. After sign up I went over to the KMS trailer and helped my cousin Caleb unload and set up. He was having some trouble with his arm because of his crash but he was lucky and didn't need a cast. I got ready for practice and rode decent. In the first 125C moto I rode well but needed to step it up and ride harder and faster. I got a 27th overall but felt I should've gotten a better position. In the first OpenC moto I rode harder but wasn't doing to well and really needed to ride harder. I got a decent 29th overall but wasn't too pleased. In the first Youth C moto I rode really well and was battling with other riders when we caught up to slower riders and when I was trying to pass them one rider took me out. I got back up and rode like a madman. I was really pushing it and if I rode that way all the time I would do a lot better. In the corner after the finish line I leaned too far and went down. I got back up and rode even harder. I have never rode that hard ever and it was awesome. I ended up missing the qualifiing position with a 23rd and I was going to got to the LCQ. In the LCQ I got an awesome start and was in 8th but passed a rider and cruised the rest of the race. I was going to the main. In the second 125C moto I rode hard and showed speed but still could improve. I got a 27th for a 26th overall out of 43 riders. In the second Open C moto I rode hard but still didn't get it done and it was harder to battle because most of the other riders were on 450f's. I got another 27th for another 26th overall out of 42 riders. In the Youth C moto I rode really
Oct 14 2007
The second to last race of the year with NEMX and it was at Crow Hill, my practice track, atrack I really like. We woke up and loaded the truck and set off on our way. We got there and set up the pit area. Then we went to sign up and looked at the track a little. The nice thing was that they had groomed the whole thing so it was smooth as glass. I went back to the pits and got suited up. In practice I rode well and pushed it a little just to see how I would fare against the other riders. Int he first 125C moto I rode welland for the first time I hit the big step down coming out of the sand section. I was really having fun with that jump the whole day only nobody really realized how the view looks from up there. I got away with a few scrapes after I fell in the chicane section. In the first Youth C moto I rode well and had fun but still wasn't really competing. In the first Open C moto I rode harder but couldn't really compete with all of those 450's. In the second 125C moto I rode harder but I ended up bending my rear brake pretty far out when a fallen rider's bike caught it. I ended up with a 22nd overall. In the second Youth C moto I rode really hard and was passing some people and really competing. I got a 19th overall. In the last moto of the day, the Open C I rode well but was really tired and felt like I was going to fall asleep. I got a 18th overall and had tons of fun. I can't wait for the last Winchester race at the MX track next weekend.
Oct 13 2007
Another day racing on the new bike, this time at the supercross track. I was pumped to get racing and see the sx track one last time before next year. I woke up at around 5 A.M. and we loaded the truck. On the way I talked with my Dad a little about riding and how I should approach the track differently on the big bike and then I fell into a deep sleep. I woke up as we were pulling into the racetrack and we parked the truck and set up our pit area. I signed up and got ready to ride. In practice I noticed that I was going to have a harder time in the corners and whoops than anything else. In the first 125C moto I rode decent and was trying new things with the bike and ended up finishing towards the end of the pack. In the first Youth C moto I rode better but still had a few things to work on. I rode well and finished towards the end of the pack again. In the first Open C moto I was riding exceptional and had a harder time in the whoops. In the second 125C moto I rode harder and attacked the track but my major problem was the whoops. I just didn't have enough confidence in my knowledge with the bike to try skimming the tops of them and because of that my positions were back there and I got a 14th overall. In the second Youth C moto I was riding well and started to improve but on the last lap I ended up overshooting the double from the triple and my front wheel landed on the landing for the triple. I ended up with an overall of 17th. In the second Open C moto I rode harder but I really need to work on skimming the whoops or just going faster through them. I ended up with an overall of 10th. The only bad thing about the whole day was as I was on the line for my last moto I was watching my cousin race and he went down really hard in the whoops. We helped him with his bike and other things a he went to the hospital. He ended up alright but it was quite a scare. I can't wait to ride more and harder.
Oct 6 2007
Finally I was back at the racetrack and was going to race. There was a twist to the usual though because I was racing my YZ125 and wasn't going to ride my 85 again. I was officially done with the "pit bike". I was super pumped to be riding again and be at the races. I had to wear a brace which made me a little slower. We woke up at 5 in the morning and packed the truck. Then at around 5:45 we left for the track. We got to the track at about 7:30 and set up the pit area. We went to sign up and entered the 125 Youth C and Open C. In practice I wanted to just see if there were any changes in the track and start showing some speed. In the first Open C moto I rode hard but my start was horrendous and I ended up finishing 15th. In the first 125 Youth C moto I had a better start but it still wasn't very good so I rode hard and ended up with a 14th. In the second Open C moto I got a better start but was still basically last out of the gate I rode hard but when I was coming down the off camber anthill I lost the front end and fell down. I got back up and rode really hard the rest of the race. Then when I was battiling with a rider he lost control and went sideways in front of me. I ended up t-boning him and we both went down we got up and rode the rest of the race. I ended up with a 14th for an overall of 15th out of 21. In the last moto of the day i was riding really well and as I was going up the off camber anthill the rider who was in front of me fell down. by then it was too late and when I went down I couldn't lift the bike on the uphill in the mud. The track workers came and pulled my bike off to the side and let me go.( had I known I could do this I would've but there was a misunderstanding) I rode the rest of the race and ended up with 15th for an overall of 15th out of 18. I think it was an awesome day and I can't wait to get back out there racing.
Aug 18 2007
I was pumped to be racimg again and was hoping to ride well to show that I was definitely ready for the 125. I was awoken by my alarm clock at 4am, we loaded up the truck and ate breakfast. We left for Winchester at about 5:00 in the morning and got there at around 6:30. We set up and already we could tell there was going to be a lot of riders there. We headed for sign-up and talked with my cousin Caleb for a little. Then in practice I was riding well and showed some good speed. In the first Supermini moto, I was in qualifier 1 and rode well but missed the cut by 4 positions so I was headed to the LCQ later in the day. In the first 85C moto I was also in qualifier 1. I was riding very fast and was passing many riders. I was in 9th position and looked to pass more riders when coming out of the second slowest corner on the track I went down but bent my wrist back so far that i broke it. I came off the track with the help of the EMT's and we headed to the ambulance and the bandaged me up. We went back to our pit, packed some things and went to the nearest hospital. My aunt met us there and my uncle and cousin packed our stuff up back at the track. We waited for a while and when my x-rays finally came the doctors came in and told me my wrist was broken. Soon he put my wrist in a splint. On Monday we went to an orthopedist and the doctor put my lower arm in a cast and I'll be out for around 5 weeks. I'm mad that it happened but i cant wait to get back out there and race. Maybe this time on the 125
Aug 4 2007
I was very pumped to be racing again after coming back from Canada and hoping to be very fast. But there was a different excitement added in, I was now getting a 06 YZ 125 and riding to prove that I should get it. We woke up and packed the truck went to the gas station and saw Mr. Curreri there and was surprised to find out that they weren't coming but were busy packing for their move. With that news and news of the 125 I was now super excited and couldn't wait to get racing. We got there and pitted next to Maddie who was coming because of the recent race cancellations. I had ridden the night before to get used to the new clutch and was feeling fast. In practice I was riding well and felt comfortable on the bike. In the first 85C race I felt good and qualified for the main as I ended up finished 5th. In the first Supermini moto (Heat 2) I fell in the corner before the start/finisch line trying to gain positions. After getting taken out, I was off to the LCQ. In the LCQ I was charging after an average start and battled with Trevor Mayhan and ended up passing him for 3rd. I was going to make it to the Main. In the 85C main I was doing well but unfortunately got taken out again going down hard and bruising my thigh. I got back up and rode on to the finish for an overall of 15th. In the Supermini main I was doing well but got dirt in my eyes and slowed down. I ended up finishing 17th overall. It was a great day of racing and I look forward to racing soon and hopefully with a new 125.
Jul 28 2007
Well It was a pretty busy day as I woke up at Scout camp from staying an extra night. We headed out at about 7 o'clock and got home, loaded the truck and headed for the races. I was very excited to be going to the track again and going to Canada to visit relatives that night. I was getting faster on the track and looked to continue improving. Well I did, as I rode average for practice since the track was pretty muddy. In the first 85C moto I was a little nervous but rode well and was happy with my performance but in the first Supermini moto I was looking for more speed and was going really good until two laps to go The clutch burned out and luckily it wasn't the main because another lap would've killed the motor. But luckily with the help of my cousin Caleb we put a new clutch in and got the bike running. In the main 85 C moto I was a little out of control trying to get used to the new clutch and was frightened but was running the fastest yet but unfortunately I fell and wasn't very happy after that crash. But I got my hopes up for the next and final Supermini moto but in the staging area the lights kept going off and the race was canceled. I was happy with the day and look forward to racing again soon.
Jul 21 2007
It was another day of racing only it was unexpected. I was planning on going to practice at Crow Hill but I decided to go and race. We got up and loaded the truck a little lighter and headed out. I was hoping to see the new track and get used to it. I also hoped to get faster and show that I wanted a 125. We got there and signed up. In practice I was showing some speed but trying to get used to the new and more motocross like style layout. In the first Supermini moto I got a good jump off the gate but in the second corner I was a little wide and when I touched the brakes the bike slide to the way outside and much slower line which hurt me and I ended up going at a speed where I know I could have been faster. So in the first 85C moto I was determined to not do it again and go faster and I lived up to my expectations but still overshot the second corner. So in the second or main motos I really expected to ride well and I did ending up finishing 4th overall in the Supermini which was a very long moto for me. In the 85C I was very tired but got a really good start and was in 6th but on the last couple laps I could barely ride because I was so tired and I ended up finishing 7th overall. I was happy with my performance and was glad to race again but can't wait to race again.
Jul 14 2007
It was another day of racing only this time I was staying over the night. I was very excited to be racing at the track and looked forward to hitting all the jumps. I got up, packed the truck, and we headed out. When we got there we pitted next to Maddie and signed up. We got ready and in practice I was hitting the jumps but still didn't jump the double double section. In the first 85C moto I was riding but not how I should have and I was disappointed because of it. In the first Supermini moto I was running well and was riding faster. In the second 85C moto I was riding well and going at a good pace but still didn't jump the double double section. In the second Supermini I was riding well and fast and jumped all the jumps including the double double section. I ended up 7th overall in the 85c and 12th overall in Supermini. I was very happy about my performance and I went to the MX track to race MX the next day. Unfortunately it rained after practice really hard and the track was destroyed so I'll race there another day. It was OK though because I had fun on Saturday and that night hanging out with friends. I can't wait to go to Lyman's this week and get back out there.
Jul 8 2007
I was going to an advanced leadership camp for boy scouts, only a select amount of scouts get to go and they're some of the best in their troop and I was honored . I was so excited to start learning but it wasn't the usual way I learned, This was hands on learning. The first day we went over knots and lashings to refresh everyone on them. I knew most of them but was a little rusty. The second day we had breakfast but we cooked it by ourselves in patrols and I was in the Curlew Patrol. Thoughout the week we cooked our own meals and dealt with our own problems without adult help. We also played games like knot relays, capture the flag, and orienteering. I was learning a lot of things and having tons of fun. Then we had a Pioneering project which was to make a tower with lashings and the lashings had to be checked. Lets just say it took a very long time and everyone was already tired. The night and day before we had a big compass course and had to camp in the wilderness without any help except from the other scouts so we were all alone. Not very many people got sleep from the rain and poor built shelters. My problem wasn't the shelter but where I was sleeping. I woke up without a pillow and a whole bunch of pine needles in my sleeping bag. It was one of the best camps I've ever been to and I loved it.
Jun 30 2007
I was excited to go racing before I went to camp and wanted to do well. I woke up a little bit earlier than usual and packed the truck. We headed out and stopped at my uncle's house to get my hat and a can of race fuel. Then we headed for the track and got a pretty good spot. In practice I was just trying to dial in the new changes like that thewhoops were taken out and the whole track was a little tweeked. In the first supermini moto I was doing pretty good but knew I could have been better or faster.I ended up finishing 31st out of 44 which was pretty good. In the first 85c moto I was doing well but was disappointed with my speed and the track was getting rough so it was harder. I ended up finishing 15th out of 39 which was my best finish this year but I felt slower. In the second supermini moto I was pushing it but still felt slow and wanted to do better. I ended up finishing 27th for 28th overall. In the second 85c moto before the start I saw that the 85A's and B's only got 2 laps so I expected it to be 2 laps. On the start i didn't do well but the pointers from my uncle Brian really helped during the day and I went up the inside by some of the other riders. For the rest of the race I just charged and went all out and the other riders didn't know about the two laps. I was passing people and caught Whitney. I accidently hit her a little and I'm sorry for that but it was cleared up after and I ended up finishing 17th for 13th overall. Alll in all it was my best peformance all year and I hope to continue improving.
Jun 23 2007
It was the second time at the sx track for me this year and I was hoping to start hitting the doubles and other jumps. It was a crazy morning because we were putting my bike together at my uncle's house in Keene. We were trying to fix the recent problems by putting in a new clutch, top end, and cleaning the carburetor. My bike was put together around 3 in the afternoon and luckily we made it in time to race. I missed practice and in the first race I was told to ride at 50% because the top end needed to get worn in. I still ended up finishing 20th which meant I would get a gate for the second race. In the first supermini I was able to ride at full race speed. I got an OK start and finished 16th but still wasn't hitting the doubles or the spectator jump. I was determined to hit them in the main events. In the second 85C race I started to hit the spectator but still didn't hit the doubles and it cost me positions and I ended up finishing 15th. I was happy with the bike but wasn't happy with my riding. In the second supermini I hit the double before the finish line tabletop and kept hitting it. I didn't hit the other doubles but I know that I can and will try next time. I ended up finishing a solid 11th and passed some riders . All in all I was happy with the bike and my riding and hope to ride again soon.
Jun 16 2007
So I was super pumped to be riding especially after my birthday and was pretty focused on being a faster rider. Also with the new section of the track being put in I was hoping to get the hang of it. So during practice I tried some different lines and was going at a comfortable speed to try and get used to the section. n the first 85C moto I got a better start and was mixing it up with other riders and having a great time. I ended up finishing 12th out of 24 riders which made me ecstatic. In the first Supermini moto I was doing very well and battling with some riders. I ended up finishing 23rd which is an improvement for me and I was having fun. In between the races it started to rain which made me even happier because I like riding in the mud and I am faster than more people in the mud. So I was pretty excited and I got a good start in my second 85C moto. I was passing riders and doing well, running in 6th, when I went down in the corner after the start finish line. Some riders such as Steve Curreri got by while I was down but I kept the bike running and after I got back up I got back by most of the riders that had passed me and I ended up finishing 9th for an overall of 10th. Nice racing Steve, hope to do it again. Near the end of the race, my bike started having some little problems again. So for my second Supermini moto, with the track being muddy and my confidence high, I was looking at doing well. I got a marginal start but again right off the gate my bike was a wreck and it was having lots of problems. Despite the bike not working very well at all, I did the best I could and I ended up in 13th with one of my best finishes of 12th overall. All in all it was a good day and I was happy and I hope we can fix my bike and get racing again soon.
Jun 9 2007
Now that we were back at the Winchester MX track, I was hoping to pick up where I left off and that the bike would run better. In the first Supermini moto, I didn't get a good start and it took me a while to get past Jake Collings. Last year I wasn't fast enough to get buy him but I'm doing better this year. I ended up finishing 23rd, behind the other rider from my town, Steve Curreri. Even if I would have gotten by Jake earlier, I don't know if I would have been able to pass Steve in this moto as he was running lap times at or better than me. Got to love those transponders and Trackside software. In my first 85C moto, I was doing well, passing some riders, getting in the mix when I endoed into a turn and fell after jumping deep into the corner. Unfortunately, a slower rider changed his line and I had to lock up my brakes to keep from slamming into him. I got back up and did my best to pass anyone I could and ended up 18th. In my second Supermin moto, my start was a bit better which was nice. I got by Jake and Steve early in the mot this time. I was trying to hang with Whitney Barnett but she was able to pull away as the moto went on. Good riding Whitney. I thought I rode pretty well in the moto and ended up 22nd for an OA of 23rd out of 28. In my second 85C moto I again got a better start than my first moto. I was doing my best at passing some riders as I tried to work my way through the field. As the race got toward the end, there was a pack of 4 riders ahead of me that I wanted to catch but I just wasn't able to. When I would have my bike pinned, it would flutter some times so I just couldn't get to them and pass them. I ended up in 17th for an OA of 19th. My lap times were on average almost 10 seconds faster than when I was at WSP back in May. Hopefully my Dad will be able to fix the fluttering before next weekend when I will be racing at WSP MX again on Saturday and also racing on Sunday at either WSP or Crow Hill.
Jun 3 2007
With the new top end put in from yesterday, I was looking forward to the racing today. It had rained hard the night before and would mist/drizzle most of the day but the track held up well. During practice, the bike was better but still not running 100% but I was going to finish my motos today. My Dad changed the carb and replaced all the fuel hoping that might make things better. In my first Supermini moto, I was passing some other riders and doing better. I ended up with at 23rd which was good. Next was my first 85C moto, I was happy with my speed, going faster and the bike was doing well. I ended up 21st which was pretty good considering I went down in a corner after getting into a really deep rut which caught my left foot peg. In going down, I took out Maddie Whitaker as I had just passed her. Sorry about that Maddie. In the second supermini, the conditions were fading but I still had fun. I was pushing to get increase my speed and it was working. I ended up 20th even though I ran into my friend Steve Curreri who had gone down in front of me going over a jump. He's from the same town as me and he was running really well. Nice riding Steve. So that cost me a few places and the bike showed a hint of the problems I had seen on Saturday. Finally, in my second 85C moto, I got off to the my best start of the day which made me feel great. I was again able to catch and pass some riders but I lost one position at the right at the end as the bike started having problems again. In spite of that, I finished 15th for an OA of 16th to go with my 20th OA in Supermini. My Dad said it was my best riding yet and he was sorry the bike let me down. He said he will work on it to try to fix the problem before my next race on June 9th at Winchester Speedpark MX.
Jun 2 2007
This was my first trip to Hemonds. Since it was going to be a two day event, my Dad and I went up on Friday night to find an area in the pits before going to a motel for the night. Thanks go out to Tom Batten for keeping my bike in his trailer Friday and Saturday nights. The track was in good condition and looked to be a fast track. Indeed, I found that out during practice and when the motos started. In my first 85C moto, things went well as I started to figure out how to best get around on the track. I finished 20th which I was happy with since this was a combined event that had most of the best 85C riders from each organization. In my first supermini moto, things were going well again when my bike started to act up on me on the last lap. In my second 85C moto, I was again running well, catching and passing other riders, when my bike started having difficulty picking up. I still managed an 18th place finish for an OA of 20th. My Dad adjusted the carb before my second Supermini moto hoping it would help. It didn't. Almost from the beginning of the moto, my bike was not working correctly and I ended up pulling off before the finish. My first DNF of the year. Ugh! After getting back to the pits, with lots of help from other parents (O'Dells, Whitakers, and many others), my Dad replaced the top end hoping to make the bike better for the races the next day.
May 26 2007
It was my second time to Southwick and I was excited to go back. I had talked online with Maddie Whittaker and we planned on pitting together. We didn't end up next to her but I was close so we were able to hang out together. We we close to Whitney as well so it was pretty cool. The weather was great, sunny and a little hot. The racing was delayed a bit by a couple of crashes that required the ambulances but once it started it was great. In the first Supermini moto, I got an OK start but not the best. I worked my way by some riders and ended up 21st which I was happy with. In the first 85C moto, I got a better start but there was a huge crash in the first corner. The rider next to me seemed to get nervous and fell, hitting my front wheel, which let riders by me. Once I got going, I did OK but Whitney got back by me on the last lap. I ended up 14th out of 25 riders. The second Supermini moto was only a couple of motos after my 85C race ended. There was a pile up at the beginning but I got through without falling which helped my race. Even though some of the fastest people who had fallen got by me, I still ended up 19th out of 24 for an overall of 20th. I was happy with that finish. In my last 85C race, my start was off again but I had worked my by some riders before going down on an exit of a corner when my front wheel washed out. Maddie ended up hitting me and I had to wait for her to go so I could move my bike into position restart my bike. After getting going, I did my best to charge through the field. I ended up 16th for an overall of 13th. So, I'm finishing mid pack in 85C and doing a bit better each time out in Supermini. I also have to say that it was a blast hanging out between motos with Maddie and Whitney as well as the usual folks I see at the races. I think it was one of my best race days yet and I'm excited to get back on my bike for a combined WSP/NEMX 2-Day weekend at Hemonds. I've never been to the track before but hear it is nice. I'm also getting s