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FTR Hare scramble #5 report

January 13-14th Seminole motocross park South Florida

The SWFTR club laid out a great course for the 5th round of the FTR hare scramble series.

Practice

The 12 mile course included both the super-cross and the moto-cross track with about 10 miles of fast rocky trails laid way out in the Florida Everglades.

I rode out onto the track for my Sunday practice and took it easy until I entered the tight woods/trail sections.

Each woods section was a mile or so long separated by long fast, rock strewn, sandy, whooped out trails.

I finished practice feeling good about the track and got ready for my 10:30 am race

Ready for Sunday 8:30 practice.

The plan

The start was setup on the moto-cross track and led onto the super-cross track before entering the woods.

I no longer get too exited about the start, I know I will be kicking my bike into life as most of the riders will be hitting the first turn.

The luxury of an easy to start 2-stroke or an electric start 4-stroke was not mine.

My plan was to at least get into the top 5 by the time we hit the woods section so I did not get stuck behind any of the slower riders.

All I needed to do is just get moving as quickly as possible off the start no matter what position I was in.

The race

I get lucky, looking down the line of riders only 13 Super senior B riders are in my class and about 12 of them I know I can beat.

As the 30 second board is held up I get ready to run to my bike and kick it into life, 30..20..10...5..go!

The bike starts on the first kick but already riders are gone, I catch most of them up and overtake the majority of riders on the very technical super-cross track, I see my buddy Randy Rash up ahead he looks to be in about 4th place. I pass him on the back triple jump and glance over at him with a grin, we both enter the woods section he is right on me. As we come up to some of the slower riders from the other classes he makes a move on me and gets by.

As we finish lap 1 my position shows me in 3rd place with a time of 28:00 minutes, I now know this will be a 4th lap race if I keep up at this pace. Each lap I can see the 2nd place rider but just cant push enough to catch him, as I enter my 4 and last lap I see him just ahead

He finishes just 26 seconds in front of me after the 1hr 55 minute race ends.

I get third place and the best position in the series so far. sweet.

Setting up the bike on the start line All smiles before the off.

First lap nearly finished The final lap and the finish

Randy Rash, 2nd place rider is next to me. I got some wood.

Final thought.

A big thank you to the SWFTR (South West Florida trail riders) who worked hard on giving us a great weekend of racing.

As my hare scramble skills get better and work on my "A lines" I hope to better my results at the next race.

I am glad with my result and that 2dn place was not that far in front, I will be looking forward to the next round in 3 weeks time.

Dave