Rider Updates
Sep 17 2013
It’s been a while since an update so here is the 2013 year in a nut shell. This year has been a roller coaster ride to say the least. Cambridge was the first race and the bike was having a problem since we went to Arkansas 2 weeks earlier. I ended up replacing the stator, coil, plug, tps, and coolant sensor and running the codes before Cambridge. I was in second when the bike died and would not restart for the life of me. I had the next weekend off and ended up finding another bike to swap parts and found out it was the fuel pump that was failing after 1hr of running. Millville was the second race and ended up winning Open A class and taking 2nd Overall in A! Carver was the third race of the year and it was a mud fest. I ended up winning Open A in Carver and taking the Overall for A class. Stone Lake was the weekend of July 4th and it was hot. The race started off good and I was leading the class and overall until the last lap when I got rear flat and the tire came off the bead. I ended up 8th in class and way down the Overall ranks. Hill City was the 5th stop for the year and I won Open A and took 3rd Overall for A class. I was excited for the 6th race which was Millville #2 and a long course with new single track. The bike back fired on the start and sent my knee into the bars and I was last off the line. The course was the best one of the year but I just never got into my groove all day for some reason. I ended the day 4th in class and 8th Overall for A class. I’m looking forward to Staples in two week and looking for a good race to finish out the year.
Oct 11 2012
Well the season is almost to an end and Millville #2 started out great with a hole shot and catching the back of AA by the middle of the first lap. I was feeling good and the course condition was very dusty and almost impossible to see when you were behind someone. During the first lap some ribbon was taken down by a rider not being able to see and riders were cutting the course without knowing it. The overall of the race was all messed up but for the most part my class was still intact and I ended giving up the lead about 1 mile from the end and finished 3 seconds behind for second place. It was a hard race with a 16+ mile lap and the dust had it toll on me by the finish.
I am working the next race which happens to be the last race of the season for D23. I plan of going to is the OMA Moose Run at the end of month for my last race of the season.
Aug 16 2012
Well a few months have gone by and the family and I have been very busy. We took a camping trip over the fourth of July and the kids loved swimming in Lake Michigan and playing with friends in Door Country, WI. There was a race that weekend that Jill and I decided to pass on it so the weekend wouldn’t be so rushed. I was sick for 2 weeks at the end of July so I was worried about the Hill City National and how I was going to do being off the bike for the month of July. I purchased a new bike and only had 3 hrs total on it going to the National. The Friday before the race they received 5” of rain and the place looked like it soaked it up pretty well. My son Isaac raced on Saturday and you could tell he was having fun in the mud until he crashed in a water crossing and sucked water in the air filter. He came out of the woods looking like a wet noddle but still made another lap on the bike before time ran out. My race was on Sunday and the day started out good with some breakfast from town and off to the races we went. I was sitting on line listening to the announcer when I remember that I forgot my helmet transponder in the truck, I went into panic mode! Fired the bike up quick and headed back grabbed the transponder and made it back with one minute to spare! I was amped up and ready to race but when the flag dropped the bike didn’t fire till the 3rd kick and I was last off the line. At the end of the first lap I was in 2nd place and could see 1st place ahead of me and was feeling pretty good. I took over first place on the second lap and held on for the win. I can tell you that 3hr Nationals is a long time to race when you are use to 2hr races. I like to say a big thanks for all the help from my sponsors and everything you do for the racing community.
Jun 20 2012
A lot has happen since April but here are some highlights. The first race was a mud fest @ Cambridge with ruts so deep that you had to pick yours lines very carefully because everybody was getting stuck. I pulled a nice hole shot but tucked the front about 2 miles into the race. I had a nice led for 2 laps until I got stuck and had to have 2 workers help me pull the bike out of a 3’ rut. I ended up 3rd in class and 16th overall for the day. The second race was Millville and I was pumped for the race! I love the course and the MX track and around the 3rd lap I clipped a tree with the bar I knocked myself silly on a downhill section and just couldn't get my marbles back. I still finish 5th in class but way down in the overall. Carver was the next race and last year with the flooding they were limited on land but this year pulled off a great course with a sand section that seemed to go for miles through the trees that the flood helped to shape from the year before. It was hot and getting to the races at 8am and not racing till 2pm can be hard on the body for hydration. I learned my lesson at Millville to stay in the shade and do as little as possible till the race. The first few laps were tough but my speed was picking up the longer the race went on and by the last lap I caught the 1st place rider and held him off till the end and won my first race of the year for Open A and finished 11th overall. I have a month off till the next race and the wife and family will be happy to hang out and do some camping.
My son Isaac starting racing the Peewee class and has done very well for his first time racing. His race is the first one of the day so we get to hang out as a family all day at the race and enjoy it a little more. My daughter has adopted his CRF50 and enjoys
Apr 26 2012
Well this winter was a wash for me...broke two bones in my left hand and cut off the tip of a finger on my right hand a couple of weeks ago unloading my son's 65 out of the truck....ouch! Felt good being back on the bike last weekend for the first time this season. I've been putting on some miles on the mtb/road bike and doing a little running so I should be ready for the first race as long as I can hang on. My bike feeling great with the changes to the suspension this year (thanks Checkpoint Offroad)! I would also like to thank to all of my sponsors this year....I"ll try to make it my best year ever.
Nov 3 2011
With some bad luck and a little good luck I won the D23 Hare Scramble Open A class! I started the season out great with 4 wins and then on the 5th race put a hole in my case and had my first DNF in many years. I borrowed a bike for the next race since my was still down and ended up blowing out the rear wheel on an uphill double/moto track and ended the day with a last place finish but valuable pts. none the less. It came down to the last race of the season and Jake(second in pts.) had to finish a 4th place or better to win the class for the year. In our district you need to work one event to qualify for "end of the year awards" and this was my race to work. While Jake was having a great race he ended up getting two flats in one of the rock sections and with a little luck he ended the day in 5th place. It was a great year racing with friends and meeting new ones throughout the year.