Race #9
Gatorback Hare Scrambles
2009
Race Report page
Getting there...
After a terrible work week that started off with being rear ended by a drunk driver and getting whiplash in the process I was glad to
Get on the road for the 5hr long trip up to Gainesville in North Florida and have some fun with my racing buddies.
We left at 6.30 Friday night with the temperature around 70 degrees, on arrival at 1am in Gainesville it had dropped to 27 degrees! (5 below zero)
We were too late to get in so we parked up in line for the gates to open at 6am in the morning, when we woke up it was freezing and there was frost on the ground.
We spent most of Saturday watching the racing and saw the pro quad riders tear up the track, (they were fast)
The promoting club the Big Scrub Trail Riders had used an image of me racing as there logo for the T-shirts and awards (and a huge banner, which I wanted...please)
My 15 seconds of fame...
Sunday Practice...
I set off early on my practice lap, the track was perfect,no dust,not muddy,just right.
It was however very rocky in places with steep climbs and decents.
The fast sections were very fast, I held the throttle wide open on my CR250 and needed a 6th gear in most places.
I took the hard routs which were pretty easy to do, the track flowed nicely and included the motocross track with its nice up-hill double and table top jumps.
I came in from practice feeling pretty good about the layout.
The track was laid out around this stuff...
North Florida hard pack and rocks...
The Race....
I got my practice over and done and quickly gassed up and headed to the start line to proudly get a good place on the 2nd row...Doh!
Around 20 A riders were ALL READY lined up! I had to line up way on the inside and it didn't look pretty.
My old buddy from SSB class Jim Green held my bike for the start, I didn`t hear the horn blow I just ran when all the other riders did.
I got a mid-pack start and worked my way up and past some of the more "careful" A riders, I came round on the first lap in 2nd place and stayed there until lap 4.
I started lapping some of the slower riders and as I tried to wait for an opening #86A Mike Reynolds who was in 3rd passed me by, I charged after him
passing him momentarily as he stalled in a tight gully section, he restarted and just got by me. I followed him to the finish and he beat me by 6 seconds.
The leader Robin Frey was way ahead of us almost 8 minutes in fact. That guy is fast!.
Cramp in left leg: check.
Mike Reynolds explains how to pass a C rider as 4th place rider Richard Edwards looks on.
My 2004 CR250 ran great all day.
Results.
Its all about the wood.
Thank you to all the FTR and big scrub trail riders workers and helpers, great weekend of racing with over 900 riders competing in all classes, thank you!
