Mike
06-21-2008, 08:17 AM
Race report from Joe.
In a message dated 6/17/2008 10:40:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Jopp43 writes:
Wow! Last nights race was great, but that drive stinks! We left Ohio at midnight, and then we had this lovely 5 hour drive to Peoria, as sign up opened up at 7:00 am. Rob drove pretty much the whole way, but I was only able to sleep about one hour, then the rest of the time I was either awake or trying to go to sleep, but with no luck. We actually pulled into Peoria around 5:30am, then showered at our friend Ronnie's house, then snoozed on the couches for 30 minutes, then headed to the track. None of us were very fresh feeling to say the least, and Peoria is one of those tracks that demands the most out of your body too.
When practice got going, it looked like it was going to be an average early summer Peoria TT day, as there was this threat of rain at times, but hot too. During practice I was feeling really good out there, and my Bob Lanphere's Beaverton Honda/ Renton Motorcycles Honda CRF450R was running great! After one more practice session, I could tell we were ready for battle.
I had another loaded scratch heat today, with Schnabel, Mees, Sam Halbert, Janisch, Aaron King and myself. This was gonna be a good one. At the flash of the light, I nailed it perfect, and it looked like the holeshot was mine. But then just as I was entering turn one, WHAM! Somebody just drilled me on my inside behind my footpeg area, and I knew it was probably Halbert, as he was to my inside on the line, and that's just his style. This stepped my rear end way out, but I managed to save it and pull it back in line, then once I got in back in line, he's still rubbing me. This let Mees get the lead, but I managed to hold onto the second spot somehow. After one lap I could tell I had something for Mees, but passing might be another thing. I was all over Mees, but I just could not find a way past. Mees ended up getting the win, with me second, then Schnabel a ways back in third, as we had gotten away pretty good. We ended up having the fastest scratch heat of the day, so I knew I had it rolling good today as Mees was just holding me up. Next time I'll get a better start I was hoping.
For my heat race, I had another great start "THANKS" to my Works Connection Holeshot device www.worksconnection.com and came home with a pretty easy win in this heat race. I can't even remember who was second, but I do know I won it. hahaha
This set us up for what was making to be a great main event. On the front row, it was Mees, Jake Johnson, Henry Wiles, Schnabel, myself and someone else I cannot remember. At the light, I got a great start, but I got pushed just a little wide in the middle of turn one, and I ended up coming out of turn two in third, with Mees leading, then Schnabel, myself and Johnson. For the first few laps, I was really having a hard time all of a sudden getting out of turn four. I kept hitting this one rut that would really upset my bike and suspension. Man, I was getting through there great earlier, but now was a different story for myself. It seemed each time through there that I would lose a few lengths on the guy in front of me. This was letting Schnabel and Mees get away, plus behind me, Johnson was gaining time on me there too. Then on around lap 6, Johnson got past me right there, as I just continued to struggle right there. I just kind of held my own in the fourth spot for the rest of the race, as Johnson had gotten away, and Wiles was a ways behind me. So my race was pretty uneventful after that, except for the fact that I never really did get a great run through there the rest of the race.
Mees ended up getting the win, followed by Schnabel, Johnson, myself and Wiles. The weekend was over, and now it was time to get some good rest as my body was pooped out! Not a bad weekend though, with one 750 Dash for Cash win, then a 750 main win, and a 2nd and 4th on the 450 mains.
Next week we have a new track at Maryville, Tennessee, which is a 1/2 mile.
So, until next time, G'Day! Joe
In a message dated 6/17/2008 10:40:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Jopp43 writes:
Wow! Last nights race was great, but that drive stinks! We left Ohio at midnight, and then we had this lovely 5 hour drive to Peoria, as sign up opened up at 7:00 am. Rob drove pretty much the whole way, but I was only able to sleep about one hour, then the rest of the time I was either awake or trying to go to sleep, but with no luck. We actually pulled into Peoria around 5:30am, then showered at our friend Ronnie's house, then snoozed on the couches for 30 minutes, then headed to the track. None of us were very fresh feeling to say the least, and Peoria is one of those tracks that demands the most out of your body too.
When practice got going, it looked like it was going to be an average early summer Peoria TT day, as there was this threat of rain at times, but hot too. During practice I was feeling really good out there, and my Bob Lanphere's Beaverton Honda/ Renton Motorcycles Honda CRF450R was running great! After one more practice session, I could tell we were ready for battle.
I had another loaded scratch heat today, with Schnabel, Mees, Sam Halbert, Janisch, Aaron King and myself. This was gonna be a good one. At the flash of the light, I nailed it perfect, and it looked like the holeshot was mine. But then just as I was entering turn one, WHAM! Somebody just drilled me on my inside behind my footpeg area, and I knew it was probably Halbert, as he was to my inside on the line, and that's just his style. This stepped my rear end way out, but I managed to save it and pull it back in line, then once I got in back in line, he's still rubbing me. This let Mees get the lead, but I managed to hold onto the second spot somehow. After one lap I could tell I had something for Mees, but passing might be another thing. I was all over Mees, but I just could not find a way past. Mees ended up getting the win, with me second, then Schnabel a ways back in third, as we had gotten away pretty good. We ended up having the fastest scratch heat of the day, so I knew I had it rolling good today as Mees was just holding me up. Next time I'll get a better start I was hoping.
For my heat race, I had another great start "THANKS" to my Works Connection Holeshot device www.worksconnection.com and came home with a pretty easy win in this heat race. I can't even remember who was second, but I do know I won it. hahaha
This set us up for what was making to be a great main event. On the front row, it was Mees, Jake Johnson, Henry Wiles, Schnabel, myself and someone else I cannot remember. At the light, I got a great start, but I got pushed just a little wide in the middle of turn one, and I ended up coming out of turn two in third, with Mees leading, then Schnabel, myself and Johnson. For the first few laps, I was really having a hard time all of a sudden getting out of turn four. I kept hitting this one rut that would really upset my bike and suspension. Man, I was getting through there great earlier, but now was a different story for myself. It seemed each time through there that I would lose a few lengths on the guy in front of me. This was letting Schnabel and Mees get away, plus behind me, Johnson was gaining time on me there too. Then on around lap 6, Johnson got past me right there, as I just continued to struggle right there. I just kind of held my own in the fourth spot for the rest of the race, as Johnson had gotten away, and Wiles was a ways behind me. So my race was pretty uneventful after that, except for the fact that I never really did get a great run through there the rest of the race.
Mees ended up getting the win, followed by Schnabel, Johnson, myself and Wiles. The weekend was over, and now it was time to get some good rest as my body was pooped out! Not a bad weekend though, with one 750 Dash for Cash win, then a 750 main win, and a 2nd and 4th on the 450 mains.
Next week we have a new track at Maryville, Tennessee, which is a 1/2 mile.
So, until next time, G'Day! Joe