Pomona, Ca October 25th
This was an awesome opportunity for me, I could not wait to twist the throttle on Chris Carr's XR 750! My dad and I flew out to California on Friday and checked into our hotel in the afternoon. The weather was beautiful, it had already gotten cold at home.I had never been to California, this would be my first race on the west coast. While there, I got to meet some great people and see some of the countryside.Race day was tough, it was a really long day for me. I was in the first heat race with both Chris and Chad Cose-(he rode the other XR and we were all pitted together!) This was tough, there were almost 70riders in the Open Pro class, you had to win your heat race to qualify. This race was just like a Grand National and all the fast guys were there. Nick Cummings was leading my heat, Chris was in 2nd and I was third. Nick fell and with no red flag, I put my head down and ran down Chris. I passed him, he passed my back,and I passed him again to win the heat. I felt bad that Chris had some bike troubles later on and didn't make the main. I enjoyed riding Chris' 750 and both he and Kenny Tolbert were alot of fun in the pits. Like I said, the toughest part was the several hours between my heat and the feature, which got done about 2 am east coast time! While alot of riders got to race the track a few times during the night as it changed, I didn't get back on it till the feature. Although I was happy to be on the front row and go right through my heat, it was a disadvantage to me, as this was my first time there and I needed more track time. I got a really good start and going into turn 3, coming out of 4- Bryan Smith and I almost collided, which cost me several spots. I tried to ride smart and smooth and finished 7th behind Jared Mees. I was not too disappointed with the finish, but felt I could have done better. I am very greatful to Chris and Kenny for their help and support throughout the night and for letting me ride the bike. The bike had incredible power coming off the turns and handled well; I felt privileged that Chris trusted me to ride it.
|
October 4th, Topeka
This was the last GNC Twins race of the year and I was not really looking forward to it. I knew that I struggled on this little clay 1/2 mile the last time I was there. I rode my own bike this time and I actually qualified better the first time out. The track was a little rough this time, it had long grooves in the turns that would make you catch and stand up the bike. I went out and almost high-sided the first lap of qualifying. I tried all night to stay settled down and tried to go slow-to go fast, and stay smooth. I got horrible starts in both the heat and semi and ended up one spot out each time. I raced to the checkers with 3 others in the heat and we all crossed the line within a few 100ths of a second, it was close, but didn't happen. I raced the dash- it was for the top 5 that didn't make the main and won that. I figured I would get 5 more laps on the track and learn what I could. I was so disappointed for me and my team.
|
York, Pa Sept. 28th
My uncle Steve raced on this cushion 1/2 mile back in the 1980's as a young Pro. He told me it was my kind of track and he was right. We drove down to the Texter's house on Friday and hung out with them at a little local fair, just down the street from their house. We headed to the track in the morning and it was raining. We got rained out on Saturday and just hung out all day, Darryl had a pig roast and party down the road and we ate there and hung out for the evening. Sunday morning we all were ready to race and started practice around noon. It misted off and on and we had a few delays, but got the day in. I went out only once for practice on both my 450 and Harley, I felt really good and was ready to go racing. I had 4 heats in the 450 Pro class, this was the premier class of the day. I had 3 heats in Open Expert and raced my XR 750 in this one. I forgot how fun the 450 felt on a cushion, it had been a couple months since I rode it. I got great starts and won both my heats by a good amount, I felt confident for both features, but knew there were some fast guys there, The 450 main was first and I won that by about a straight, I felt relaxed riding at the bales where it was smooth and deep. As long as you held it wide open, it was fast.
The Open Class was started just as the sun was going down and I got a bad start. As I rode around the top, I passed everyone and heading into turn 3, couldn't see very well. I tried to follow the bales and stay smooth, they cut the race short after realizing we couldn't see well and I won by a comfortable amount. I want to thank my buddy Cory and his Dad for letting us stay at the house and Darry for all his hard work bringing this race back, they haven't had a race in over 14 years there. I was excited to win both my classes, this doesn't happen too much anymore now that I race the GNC circuit!
|
Indianapolis, Indiana GNC Twins 9/13
After qaulifying very good in the final round, I ended up 11th overall. I felt that I really had the track down, and that I was going to have a good finish today. However I had a pretty stacked heat race, and finished fourth behind Smith, Kopp, and Russell. This put me on the third row in the main, because of the shortened program. In the feature I worked my way up from wherever I was in the start all the way to about 8th. It was looking like I was going to get up to 7th or 6th by the end of it, but several restarts ended up hurting me and I ended up finishing 12th. It was an alright finish, but I would have liked to have done a little better.
The crowd was incredible, the show was sold-out and the pits were packed. It was an exciting event and it seems like Dirt Track gained a whole lot of new fans.
|
September 7th, Monticello New York GNC Twins
After qualifying 2nd overall I felt really comfortable and was excited for my heat. I had pole for my heat but got a horrible start and worked my way up from about 5th to 3rd. I almost had second at the line which would have put me on the front row, but third meant I was in the main. I worked my way up from 10th to 5th and almost had Jake Johson at the line to get 4th, but just missed out on it. So we left with our best finish of the year, and were very happy with the 5th.
|
Springfield Short Track GNC Singles August 29th
After qualifying around 20th I felt really comfortable. In my heat I thought I could get a good start and work my way towards the front. I went from around 6th up to 3rd by the end of it but Brock got me in the last turn and I finished 4th. In my semi I worked my way by Kirkness and Bigelow to win it and make my first short track main event. I was moving up through the pack in my main when I lost my brakes and ended up finishing last. A dissapointing finish but I was very excited to be in the main.
| August 30th Springfield Mile GNC
Well, my first time at the famed Springfield Mile. I was hoping to make the best of it and get a good finish, but it just wasnt in the cards I guess. After qualifying 5th overall I was stoked and thought I was going to have a really good day. I had a pretty tough heat, and I finished 4th and just missed it by one. In my semi I had two very good milers Jethro Halbet and Nicky Cummings. I stayed with them the best I could but just couldnt make the final pass and I finished third missing it by one. I was really bummed out but looked forward to the next.
| September 1st Springfield Mile GNC
After qualifying around 20th I did not feel as comfortable as the day before. I had a stacked heat once again, and I holeshotted but still finished fourth. In the semi I was running second until Kevin Atherton passed me and I finished 3rd missing it by one once again. I was really bummed out after the weekend in a whole.
|
Sorry, for some reason my Peoria report didn't make it here!
I was really excited to make my first Peoria TT GNC main event, the
competition is so tough there. I want to thank my friend, Team Green
Rider, Ryan Blizzard, who practiced with me on Wednesday - jumping.
I went into the race with more confidence after practicing on a
motocross track with him. I got a good start on the restart and tried
to pass Jessie Janish in turn one. He got sideways and I just clipped his
rear tire, trying not to hit him, I high sided and hit the ground hard.
I got back up, restarted and finished ahead of Brandon which kept me
ahead in points. I was really sore and bruised my spleen, the doctors told
me to take a week off- luckily we have two weeks til Springfield.
|
Billings Short Track
What a crazy track this was! There were alot of riders and it got rough. After getting fourth in both my heats I found out that only the top 5 were going to get paid. I had two back row starts and wasn't expecting much. The first main I came from dead last to 8th so I felt really good for the next main. The next main I got a killer start and worked my way up from 7th to 2nd. After trying to past Sammy Halbert in the last couple laps I just couldnt make a pass that stuck. I was happy to get second in the open class and take home a piece of the pie..
| Billings Half Mile GNC Singles
I felt great in qualifying, and ended up 10th overall. After working Joe Kopp my entire heat race, I finally passed him on the last lap for the transfer spot. It felt good to be in the main, and I felt like I could put a really solid finish together in the main. However in the main the the bike had some trouble with the carb and it limited how good the bike was working. I ended up salvaging a 12th place which was ok but definately not the results we had hoped for.
| Sturgis Short Track
Well this night definately didnt go as planned. After getting a stacked heat for the first class, I finished fourth and I had to get top two. I went out for my open pro heat race and won. I went out for my 450 semi and after battling with A.J. Eslick I won that and felt pretty good going into the main. I got a bad start in the main and was riding mid-pack when one of the decent size bumps on the track reached out and bit me. I went over the bars and the bike landed on me...I suffered a mild concussion and decided to take the rest of the week off to recover.
|
Hagerstown Md. GNC Twins
The day started off good after qualifying 8th overall. I finished third in my heat race which earned me a direct transfer into the main. After a bad start I found myself in dead last and I worked my way up to 13th where I ended up finishing. It was an alright night, we just wished we could have had a little better start.
|
July 19th 2008, Gnc Twins Greenville Ohio.
After qualifying in my usual spot of 14th overall, I felt not very comfortable, actually. In my heat race I struggled but still managed to come away with a fourth place finish. In the semi I had a really good battle with Gideon, Eslick, and Mees. Luckily, I made a good move to finish second behind Gideon and put it in the show. After getting a decent start and passing a couple people in the main, I followed Chris Carr for most of the race, but I couldnt get past him. We worked our way past a couple guys and I ended up finishing 12th.
|
Columbus Ohio, GNC Twins July 11, 12, and 13th
What was originally meant to be a long two day program was stretched out even more because of rain. It turned out to be a three day long event. We started off on friday with qualifying and practice. After the first round I was feeling comfortable, then the second round I struggled and the third round I went alright. I ended up qualfiying 23rd overall, which was good enough for a front row start in the heat race.
Day two of the event was meant to be the rest of the show. However, we only got to run a heat race. In my heat race I knew it was going to be really tough to make it from it. After getting off the line second on the first start, we had a red flag and had to do it all over again. I got off the line second again behind Chris Carr, and I began getting in a three way battle with Geo Roeder and Bryan Bigelow. Instead of just lying back, like I now know I should have, I continued in the three way battle. Going into turn three there wasn't enough room for the three of us, and Bryan and I lowsided. I could not make the restart, so I knew I was now semi-bound again. Before we got to start the semis it began to rain and we were rescheduled for the next day.
Day three they gave us a practice to start off. After the couple practice laps I was feeling really comfortable and I was ready for the semi. In my semi I started on the third row and knew it was going to be tough to make it. I got a really good start and actually ended up leading it out of turn 2 on the first lap. Once I got out front I put my head down and just made sure to ride smooth. In the main event I was once again on the third row, and I got a decent start. After working my way up through the pack in the first several laps, I was in 4th at the end of lap 10, battling with Jared and JR. I felt really comfortable and I hoped my low line continued to work for me. I think everyone else moved down and then the groove around the bottom became a little slippery and I began to struggle a little bit. I dropped back to fifth behind the Jammer -Jared Mees and then JR Schnabel went by both of us. I ran 6th for the whole race and then on the last turn I got passed by the King of Cool. I was really disappointed to lose a spot at the line like that, but I was happy with the 7th place finish.
|
July 6th, Frederick Maryland Hotshoe 450 Expert
In the heat, I struggled and finished in third. I felt alright going into the main, so we decided to make some changes to the bike. In the feature those changes helped out a ton, and I worked my way into the lead on the first lap, passing Dan Gideon and Jared Mees. Once I got out front I felt really comfortable, and just began running smooth consistant laps. With about two to go I looked back and saw that I had a fairly good gap, so then I just rode smooth and smart to finish out the race in first. I was very excited to get my first hotshoe win, and it gave me a decent lead in the 450 expert hotshoe standings.
| July 6th, Frederick Maryland Hotshoe 750 expert
In the heat, I finished second behind Jared Mees. I felt that I was just as fast as him, and that I might have something for him in the main event. After getting off the line second behind Jared, I tried to put my head down to pass him right away. However, he was riding very smart, and switched lines throughout the race. In the middle of the race, I lost ground to him, but caught back up by the last couple laps. I felt really smooth and comfortable, and it made me look foward to this next weekend at Columbus.
|
July 4th, Topeka Kansas GNC Twins
After qualifying 14th overall yet again, I was feeling alright going into the heat. I had a good start in the heat, but I struggled at figuring out the track, and finished 5th. In the semi I got a decent start and worked my way up to second, which is where I finished right behind Jake Johnson. In the feature I had a really bad start, and came around the first lap in dead last. After passing J.R. and Sammy Sweet I was feeling pretty good. However I hit a brick wall once I got into 14th place, and I pretty much stayed there the rest of the race. On the last couple of laps I got battling with J.R. and he finally got the best of me on the last lap. I ended up 15th, but I was very happy to make the main on this slippery little track.
|
June 27th, Bedford P.A. GNC Twins
After qualifying 16th overall I was feeling decent on the track. Because of the rains recieved earlier in the day, we were forced to start very late and we had to run a shortened program. This meant that we would have only heats, and no semis. After running 6th in my heat for about the first half, I finally passed Brian Phillips back to take over 5th, which was good enough for a ticket into the main. In the main I had an excellent start, and worked my way up to 10th, where I battled with Brandan Bergan, who got the best of me in the end. I ended up 11th, which was an improvement from the week before, so overall I was fairly happy.
| June 28th, Lima Ohio GNC Twins
The day started off alright for us in qualifying. After qualifying 14th overall, I was feeling like I had a good shot at making the main again. However in my heat race I had a bad start, and just could not find the fast line around the track. I ended up 8th in the heat. Since I finished 8th I had a back row start for my semi. However, I got a great start in the semi, and worked my way into the main by passing several people and finishing second behind Kenny Coolbeth. In the main I got another great start, and I worked my way up to 8th, where I ran a fairly lonely race, and finished 8th. I felt really good in the main, I just felt that I needed to start further up towards the front to get a better finish.
|
Maryville Tenn. GNC Twins, June 21st
Well, after the awesome weekend we had at the last GNC, I was hoping that we could continue our streak. I went to the clay banked half mile filled with confidence, and it showed. After qualifying 14th, I felt that I was gonna have a really good night. The track stayed awesome for the whole night, and it took me a little while to figure out how to ride it right. After finishing 5th in my heat race, I knew that I had a really good shot at winning my semi. And winning my semi is exactly what I did. My start was not the greatest, but after passing several guys I moved up to the lead. Winning the semi put me on the third row for the main, but I was just excited to be able to be out there and get some points. After running in the back for several laps, I passed several guys and moved up into 13th. With about 5 to go I started cutting some great laps, actually they were the best laps of my race. While I began picking up more and more speed, others began to slow down. With 2 to go I caught up to the back wheel of Bergan, but didn't end up making the last turn pass stick, so I was forced to settle with a 13th. For being my first clay GNC race I was happy with the results, even though my lap times would have placed me somewheres in the top 10. Now were heading next weekend to the double header of Bedford/Lima. Yeehaw! Sign the guest book and dont be afraid to ask any questions! Stay tuned till next week....
|
Dayton Ohio Hotshoe, June 14th
The 450 we had an alright night, not as well as we would have hoped. After finishing second in both my scratch heat and heat, I was just off the front row for the main. After getting a decent start from the back row, I worked my way up to 5th until JR went flying past me with about 4 to go. Overall we were fairly dissapointed with the 6th, but I learned some very valuable things that I can use for next year.
In the 750, I seemed to struggle. After finishing second in my scratch heat I was feeling alright. Then in the heat I had a bad start and was stuck behind Shawn Clark and Jess Roeder. After watching the two battle for 5 laps I figured I had to make a move. However it was too late to make a pass on both riders, and I fell short of making the main. Very dissapointing!
| Peoria Pro-Am, June 15th
Well it was my first time at the legendary peoria facility, and I honestly wasnt expecting to do all that well. I figured it would take some time to figure out the track, and that I was in for another long day. However, this was not the case. After finishing fourth in my scratch heat I was just starting to figure the track out. In my heat I worked my way up to third, which solidly put me in the main event. After running around 10th in the first couple laps, I began to fade back and ended up 15th. However, I was very excited with the results, and felt privileged to be able to ride with some of the best at one of the best tt tracks I have been to.
|
5/31 Vernon Downs Mile, Vernon New York
We started off the night with some killer qualifying times, finishing 3rd the first session and 5th the second session. After rains delayed the final session from being finished, we were left to hang out for several hours while the Vernon workers prepped the track.After struggling and eventually breaking in the heat, we were forced to switch to the backup bike for the semi. In the semi I started on the third row because I switched bikes. After getting off the line around 6th, I eventually worked my way all the way to first by the end of it. Excited to be in my first national, it was very evident that we had an awesome working bike, and a long race in the feature-starting from the third row. After getting a decent start, I worked my way up, while battling with Brandon Bergan throughout the race. We worked our way up to around 4th and 5th, and it seemed like we would soon break the top 3. However, with about 6-7 laps to go,I tucked the front one lap going into three and it stopped my run to the front. I was in 5th place,but Jared Mees would soon come through the pack and pass me back with about 5 to go. After following him back to the lead pack, I thought I still had a shot at passing some of the lead pack. I just ran out of laps, and ended up missing the the top 5 by about one tenth of a second. All in all, it was a very exciting first GNC Twins event, and I am now looking forward to Dayton in two weeks.
|
May 24th Springfield TT
After qualifying 26th, it left me with a back row start in the heat. I finished 7th in the heat and 6th in the semi, the times were not bad, but we just needed to get a better start and get up front to make a run for the main.
| May 25th Springfield Mile
After rains delayed the race until monday, we had fun going out to eat and celebrating my birthday. We then waited until monday, however more rains caused the A.M.A to make the decision to cancel the mile and reschedule it at a later date.
|
Binghamton New York May 3rd
For once, we were excited to have a race weekend where we didn't have to drive more than 2 hours. We were in a fair deal of bad weather all day, and it would come back to bite us by the end of the night. We started off by finishing not as good as we would have liked in the heats, and were ready to get to the mains. When the mains started the track was in perfect condition, and we got the first main off with no trouble. After holeshotting and leading the open expert main for the whole race, I was feeling really excited to get out for the next class. However, the rain came back to bite us, and we were unable to get back out on the track and battle with the other riders who were there such as Gary Conklin, Shawn Clark, RJ Overhalt, Brandon Robinson, and Shayna Texter. However we won one class for the night, and we had a good time riding with some of the local guys again. Id like to send a big thanks to the SDR club, and Spudman for putting on a great race and making the track excellent to ride on.
|
Brownstown Illinois Short Track April 26th
After the Friday night practice was finished early due to the rain, we were still feeling very fast. Despite the rain,the track dried out the next day, and what once was a tacky ,fast ,track the night before, became a slippery, hard to pass track. However we were very happy that Steve Nace was able to get the track in race condition for us, especially after the very heavy rains we had the night before. We started off by struggling in the heats, and then finished a 3rd in the first main behind Sammy Sweet and Rob Pearson. In the second main we finished fourth behind Brock Swarchzenbacher, Sammy Sweet, and Rob Pearson. The day overall was decent, and we felt very consistent, but the starts were what was killing me.
| Brownstown Illinois TT April 26th
After the short track finished fairly late saturday night, we were now on to the TT. The TT was an awesome track, and I'd like to send a huge thanks to Steve Nace for making it as good as a GNC track. We were very excited to get back on a TT, seeing as it had been about 2 years since I had been on one. Also, we were excited to test out the new Boughner Racing suspension. After a night of racing and two 3rds and two fourths, we were very happy with the bike and the seat time we got. However, after getting horrible starts again, it became obvious that I need to practice some starts before Springfield.
| Brownstown Illinois Half Mile April 27th
After the less than stellar finishes from the day before, I was happy to get back on to my own turf. The cushion half mile prepared by Steve was looking extremely good, and we were excited to get on to it. After battling with Sammy Sweet in both classes, I won both at the end of the day. We were happy to finally get some wins on the weekend, and just about all the rest of the points I needed to get my GNC license.
|
View of the week in total
Overall, we were fairly happy with our results. Not only did things click well with Mike, but it seemed like Supertrapp was also happy with our team effort. It was nice to get a chance to meet Kevin from Supertrapp and Bret from Shoei. I would like to thank all of my sponsors for everything that they do, and I would like to give a big thank you to Charlie Dunn and family for allowing me to use his CRF 450 framer throughout the week. Id also like to take the time to thank my mom and dad, Mike Hacker, and Dave Koban for getting all of the bikes ready and maintained throughout the week.
|
3/6/08 Municipul Stadium
Day two of the legendary stadium. After the dissapointment from day one I was really looking forward to doing well today. After qualifying 40 something it didnt seem like it was going to go well. After finishing fifth in my heat race from the back row, I was starting to feel better. As I went out for my semi I felt like I really could figure out the track. During the semi I moved up from about 7th up to 3rd, but ended up finishing fourth. However we were running times with the leaders, and I felt very good after this race. However, for the second day in a row, we were watching the feature from the sidelines.
|
3/5/08 Municpul Stadium
After qualifying 19th overall, I was feeling pretty good going into the night program. However, a good ride tonight was just not meant to be. After struggling in the heat race, I earned a back row start for the semi. Passing about one person a lap in the semi, I moved from about 11th up to 6th by the end of the race.
|
3/3/08 Barberville Florida
The track was still not very well prepared. It was rough yet again. In my 450 scratch heat I finished second behind Rob Pearson. In my 750 scratch heat I finished second behind Jake Mataya. In my 450 heat race I finished second behind Sammy Sweet. Then in the 750 heat race I worked my way up to finish second behind Kenny Coolbeth. In the feature I was collected in a first turn pileup on the 450 after about three other restarts. However we got things back together and I winded up with a 8th place finish. The harley race was one of my most exciting races of the week. After getting into the first turn about 7th, I began to work my way through the pack. First I passed Logan Myers to put myself into 6th. Then I spent several laps working on J.R Schnabel. After passing him I next set my sights on Jethro Halbert. After passing him I found myself sitting in fourth. I was very excitied because I could see Rob Pearson right in front of me. However with two to go I heard some engine noise, but I was able to finish the race in 4th. We were happy after making both mains and getting two decent finishes.
|
3/2/08 Barberville Florida
The track again was very poorly prepared, however we were now racing in the day. This meant that the track would be even worse off because of the dryness caused by the sun. In my 450 scratch heat, a bad start plagued me again. I ended up finishing fourth which did give me a front row start for my heat race. In my 750 scratch heat I worked my way up through to finish third. In my 450 heat I worked on Brandon Robinson for three good laps, and finally passed him on the final lap. This win in the heat race gauranteed me a front row start for the feature. In my 750 heat race I had yet another horrible start. After passing several riders I found myself one spot short out of making the feature. This was very dissapointing because I knew I was fast enough to make the main and get a good finish in it. So for the second day in a row I was riding just the 450 in the main. After passing several people I ended up finishing a 9th in the 450 feature. We were now looking forward to riding at night the next day because the track seemed to hold up better at night.
|
3/1/08 Barberville Florida
After hanging around at the track until about 4:00, we were ready to go. The track was extremely rough, and the it was not very well prepared. Nevertheless, the races were to go on. My first race out was on my 450 scratch heat. I finished second behind Jake Johnson, so I was feeling pretty good. After getting an excellent start on the 750 in my scratch heat, my carburetor fell off in the first turn. This was a major dissapointment as it meant that I was to have a back row start for my 750 heat race. In my 450 heat race I had a horrible start. I was about 8th or so going in the first turn, however I worked my way through the pack. After passing several riders I found myself in second with two to go. After catching up to the leader, Jake Mataya, I just did not have enough to make a move for the lead. A second place finish was good enough to get me in the feature though. Now in the 750 heat race, I knew it was going to be tough. My heat race was filled with many national numbers, and I was starting on the back row. After getting a decent start, I was moving my way up through. I was in about sixth place and laid it down going into turn 3. After getting up and looking the bike over, we concluded that there was no major damage done. However there was not very many laps left so I decided not to restart. Since I did not get a chance to make the 750 main, I decided that I would have to do well on my 450. However, I had a horrible start and ended up finishing 8th. After the awesome night the day before, I was hoping for better results than what we obtained.
|
2/29/08 Savannah Georgia
First year as a Pro for Daytona- it was very exciting for me! We had a test and tune day with the new team (Supertrapp) and Race Manager- Mike Hacker. The test was located at Savannah,Georgia on Wed the 27th and things went well. Open practice was Thurs night and we continued to dial in the motorcycles. Friday, February 29th, was the first race of the year for everyone and there were alot of riders at this first Hotshoe event. It was my first time racing at this track and they prepped it perfectly. Scratch heats went well and put me on the front row for the heat races. They only take 12 riders to the features, and you only get one chance. This means that there are no semis. My first heat race would be in the 450 expert class. My heat race contained several very good riders such as Kenny Coolbeth, Dan Gideon, and others. After holeshotting and leading the heat for a couple laps, Coolbeth soon overtook the lead from me. I Finished second in the heat race after following Coolbeth for the remaining laps. My next heat race was the 750 expert class. My heat contained several very fast riders such as Shawn Russell, Logan Myers, and Shawn Bear. As I knew I had to finish top three to make it to the final, the task ahead was looking very difficult. However, after a mediocre start, I began to move through the pack. With Shawn Russell well out front, I began to work on second place Logan Myers. As the laps began to run out, I finally made a move to get around Logan. This second place finish in the heat race was enough to get me into the main, and I was very satisfied. However, after the heat race was over, something seemed to be going wrong with the Harley. After deciding that I was unable to continue riding Miss Jackson, I was forced to ride my backup Harley in the feature. However, I had to go out for my 2008 debut on my 450 first. As I was sitting on the inside of the front row, the nerves began to build up. Sitting across the front row were riders such as Jake Johnson, Ken Coolbeth, Steve Murray, Shawn Russell and Nicky Cummings. However, I put all the nerves behind me and pulled a killer holeshot. After leading the feature for several laps, Kenny Coolbeth overtook the lead from me. After he passed I began to relax and put in a smooth rest of the race to finish second behind Kenny. On the Harley, I knew it was going to be a tough race from the third row. Going into the first turn, I was in last place. After working on Logan Myers for most of the race I finally overtook him. On the final lap, I passed Nicole Cheza to finish tenth place. I was very excited with this finish because I was the only rider in the feature without a national number. All in all we had a very successful first day with the new team and my father and Mike hacker did an excellent job preparing the bikes, and the A.M.A did a very good job preparing the track.
|
|