Old Race Pics

My old race story:

In the late 70's my dad got me a summer job in a steel mill making union wages at $11.34 an hour. Super great coin for a kid in those days! I bought my first real bike, a 1978 Husky 390 OR. Previous to that I had a Penton Jackpiner and a Yamaha 175. They were clapped out and junk. I sold them both for $300. I had no trailer, nothing to haul my bike in except my dad's old Dodge Aspen. It had a fair sized trunk, and I would lift that old Husky up by myself and tuck the back wheel in the trunk, leaving most of the bike hanging out. I secured it with closeline! I was off to the Hare Scrambles!
There used to be a place called Grand Prix Raceway in Canal Fulton, Ohio. It was a woods course with tight single track, BIG hill climbs, and lots of mud holes. Mud, always lot's of serious mud!
There were always about 200 riders every weekend in all classes. It cost $8.00 to race. The start was a big field with a 100 yard long V-shaped 3ft deep ditch that you lined up behind. With 200 bikes, they would be 3 deep behind the ditch. I was sporting my new "Hi-Point" $120 boots...the kind with the shiney metal shin guards and the leather straps with the holes in them as "buckles".
The flag dropped and an insane 300 yard race with 200 bikes took place to a 20ft wide bottleneck dropping down a steep hill into the woods. It was mayhem at the turn! Unless you were in front, it was always a pile of metal and flesh and would take 5 mins to sort out!
This was in 1980 when the first "long travel" suspensions came out. The cat's ass was now the Husky 430 with 12" of suspension with Ohlins dual rear shocks. My bike had 8" of suspension, but I upgraded to the cool "Fox" shocks. I had just put on a then coolest rear tire a "Metzler".
The flag dropped and I popped the clutch in 2nd gear and jumped the ditch cleanly. I was shocked that I was clicking gears and no one was around me! I made it past the first turn of death and down an impossibly steep muddy hill with my shitty drum brakes.
I raced hard, my forearms got so pumped up my hands wouldn't work after an hour. It was a 6 mile course. Make as many laps as you can in 2 hours! I was my own pit guy. I had my 2 gallon metal can full of Castor Oil premix with my hat on it at a turn near the pits. I pitted myself. I drank a Pepsi with the pull-off tab, stretched out, took a 2 minute break until my hands began to work again, and went on!
It was always a brutal, muddy, hilly, swampy, tight woods course with drownings in 3 ft deep coffee colored slow moving streams. I kept racing as hard as I could until time was up.
They had an old barn where everyone gathered after the race to hear the results. I was sure that I finished and did ok, but not good! There was some guys on the 430's and KDX200's that were smoking!
I shit my pants when they said I finished 5th out of 200 riders and 1st in my class!
On the ride home, my legs and arms cramped up so bad, I was howling in pain!
That's my best race story! Not so good, but it is mine!:thumb:
 
My old race story:

In the late 70's my dad got me a summer job in a steel mill making union wages at $11.34 an hour. Super great coin for a kid in those days! I bought my first real bike, a 1978 Husky 390 OR. Previous to that I had a Penton Jackpiner and a Yamaha 175. They were clapped out and junk. I sold them both for $300. I had no trailer, nothing to haul my bike in except my dad's old Dodge Aspen. It had a fair sized trunk, and I would lift that old Husky up by myself and tuck the back wheel in the trunk, leaving most of the bike hanging out. I secured it with closeline! I was off to the Hare Scrambles!
There used to be a place called Grand Prix Raceway in Canal Fulton, Ohio. It was a woods course with tight single track, BIG hill climbs, and lots of mud holes. Mud, always lot's of serious mud!
There were always about 200 riders every weekend in all classes. It cost $8.00 to race. The start was a big field with a 100 yard long V-shaped 3ft deep ditch that you lined up behind. With 200 bikes, they would be 3 deep behind the ditch. I was sporting my new "Hi-Point" $120 boots...the kind with the shiney metal shin guards and the leather straps with the holes in them as "buckles".
The flag dropped and an insane 300 yard race with 200 bikes took place to a 20ft wide bottleneck dropping down a steep hill into the woods. It was mayhem at the turn! Unless you were in front, it was always a pile of metal and flesh and would take 5 mins to sort out!
This was in 1980 when the first "long travel" suspensions came out. The cat's ass was now the Husky 430 with 12" of suspension with Ohlins dual rear shocks. My bike had 8" of suspension, but I upgraded to the cool "Fox" shocks. I had just put on a then coolest rear tire a "Metzler".
The flag dropped and I popped the clutch in 2nd gear and jumped the ditch cleanly. I was shocked that I was clicking gears and no one was around me! I made it past the first turn of death and down an impossibly steep muddy hill with my shitty drum brakes.
I raced hard, my forearms got so pumped up my hands wouldn't work after an hour. It was a 6 mile course. Make as many laps as you can in 2 hours! I was my own pit guy. I had my 2 gallon metal can full of Castor Oil premix with my hat on it at a turn near the pits. I pitted myself. I drank a Pepsi with the pull-off tab, stretched out, took a 2 minute break until my hands began to work again, and went on!
It was always a brutal, muddy, hilly, swampy, tight woods course with drownings in 3 ft deep coffee colored slow moving streams. I kept racing as hard as I could until time was up.
They had an old barn where everyone gathered after the race to hear the results. I was sure that I finished and did ok, but not good! There was some guys on the 430's and KDX200's that were smoking!
I shit my pants when they said I finished 5th out of 200 riders and 1st in my class!
On the ride home, my legs and arms cramped up so bad, I was howling in pain!
That's my best race story! Not so good, but it is mine!:thumb:

:clap::clap::clap: Bravo Buck! Cram that baby in the trunk and go! :lol: Good story! Physically you were hurting on the way home...mentally you were on top of the world!:banana:
Your story reminds me of when I decided to do Race Around the Lake in Castaic. I decided to do it last minute. I showed up by myself. I found out later a friend was there who got a pic of me getting the hole shot and in front after the 1st turn. I will cherish those pics forever. It was an awesome race until a girl I was hashing with dumped it, went under the course tape and cut the course! :rant:She took my first place! There were no transmitters in this race! I remember coming into the pits after the race, signs everywhere saying do not ride in the pits. I had to push my bike about 150 yards. I was too spent to push it! And sooo thirsty! I had no water on me. I went up to a booth as asked if I could pay them later for the water, they were kind enough to say yes. I plopped down against a tree and sat there for about 30 minutes. I was sort of sad and happy at the same time. Happy because I know I kicked the ass of these snotty 20 sumthings that were eyeing me the whole time where I parked before the race. As it turns out there were in the industry and came with their possey with tricked out bikes in lifted blinged trucks. There I was, old lady me in my beater truck with peeling paint and all alone. I almost didnt want to bother trying to race against these young girls. Typically I have friendly conversation with other female racers/riders but these girls wernt like that. They were all about looking "cool" and coming across as tuff. No smiles, friendly nods or conversations. It almost felt like they were laughing at me or wondering if I was really going to race. It made for a tense start. If felt so good passing those bitches:lol: I was feeling sort of sad with nobody there to share my victory and talk about the race with. Moments like that are when I wish my Husband were into this sport. So many mixed feelings before and after that race. I did it last minute telling myself "this is all for fun" dont expect to win, as I always tell myself before a race. Not that it helps. Racing makes me mental. And I feel like puking before the starts! Dont know if and when I will ever do another race. :blah::blah::blah:The End!
 
Wow Sun, you amaze me with your stories. And this once again, is one of your amazing stories.


I hope to meet you one day and get a riding lesson. I am afraid that both you and cda will school me on how to ride a dirt bike.
 
Wow Sun, you amaze me with your stories. And this once again, is one of your amazing stories.


I hope to meet you one day and get a riding lesson. I am afraid that both you and cda will school me on how to ride a dirt bike.


I am no CDA! Seriously...Im old and not so great. I think compared to the average "girl" Im a little better then some but even then I get my ass handed to me regularly! I was just lucky that day.

I too hope to ride with you someday Rack. I really want to get up your way. Maybe early summer next year. Doubt it will happen before winter. And someday it would be nice to ride the LPNF with you. We need to get a DBA group ride up there! More then just 3 or 4 DBA'ers. NO :naughty:waterfalls so you should be good:lol:

To this day your waterfall ride report remains my favorite:thumb:
 
I am no CDA! Seriously...Im old and not so great. I think compared to the average "girl" Im a little better then some but even then I get my ass handed to me regularly! I was just lucky that day.

I too hope to ride with you someday Rack. I really want to get up your way. Maybe early summer next year. Doubt it will happen before winter. And someday it would be nice to ride the LPNF with you. We need to get a DBA group ride up there! More then just 3 or 4 DBA'ers. NO :naughty:waterfalls so you should be good:lol:

To this day your waterfall ride report remains my favorite:thumb:
We can make this happen even before Tday.:thumb:
 
I am no CDA! Seriously...Im old and not so great. I think compared to the average "girl" Im a little better then some but even then I get my ass handed to me regularly! I was just lucky that day.

I too hope to ride with you someday Rack. I really want to get up your way. Maybe early summer next year. Doubt it will happen before winter. And someday it would be nice to ride the LPNF with you. We need to get a DBA group ride up there! More then just 3 or 4 DBA'ers. NO :naughty:waterfalls so you should be good:lol:

To this day your waterfall ride report remains my favorite:thumb:
I hope there is no other CDAs out there. Seriously though, my stories are all stories and real soon it will all come out that I am full of shat!:prof: I will be working my butt off just to keep the sweep rider in my sites...

We can make this happen even before Tday.:thumb:
I'm in! When am I official out there? Sept or Oct?:thinking: I need to go look...
 
I hope there is no other CDAs out there. Seriously though, my stories are all stories and real soon it will all come out that I am full of shat!:prof: I will be working my butt off just to keep the sweep rider in my sites...

I'm in! When am I official out there? Sept or Oct?:thinking: I need to go look...

In LPNF, red sticker season begins on Oct. 1. In the dez, it varies as to where, most open on Sept. 1.:thumb:
 
OK, here is another addition and here is a story for you:

Year was 1993 and the bike is a '93 KX500 with some motor work done by FMF :jawdrop:. This was a team race where we had 2 45 mile loops and I did one of the loops twice and my partner did the other. We could ride the same bike or separate. We chose to ride our own steads. So my partner started because he normally is stronger off the starts then me, and I am stronger at the end of races so we thought that would work to our advantage.

Well it must of been one of those days, where my partner was off and I was on. He started the race and I got word that he did a sweet over the bars at the end of the Bomb Run. When he collected himself and brought the bike in, we were outside the top 50 overall. He came in and did the tag your it and I yelled "nothing but a trail ride" and cruised on out of the pits. Once I got out on the trail, I started to click off gears and get into a rhythm. I was passing guys and having a good time. I brought the bike in after my first 45 and tagged in my partner. My Wife tells me we are now running 22th overall....:thumb: Sweet!

So the bikes start to roll in and I am waiting and waiting.....nothing. Here he comes, bike all waded up and we are down to 32th overall. I take off and on the gas again. I get about 2 miles out and I see this Honda CR500 in front of me and it looks familiar. As I get closer it is my buddy who is running in the Open Intermediate class. I get up on him and start yelling and he turns around and sees me and pins it. I was like "sweet. let's have some fun". I start pushing him and yelling and hollering at him. We are passing guys like crazy now. We have about 4 miles to go and I know where the trail is going to jump out on this rock littered road and I do not want to get pelted by rocks so I need to make my move on him.

I get off the trail and start flying through the bushes and right at the last second I hit the embankment and fly in the air passed him and drop in the road right in front of him and pin it. I know he is getting blasted by rocks from my 500 back tire. I navigate a technical section and hit the open valley coming in to the finish. I look over my shoulder and I can see he is still back there, but I have a cushion and let it fly into the finish banners.

Everyone comes up to me and asked "Where the hell did you come from?" I said "why?" "Well you just finished 15th overall and 5th in class." I was like "Sweet". Just then my buddy Corey pulls up and he is wiped out. He takes off his helmet and is chewing me out for riding so damn fast and pushing him so hard. He takes off his gloves and both hands are bleeding from being blistered up. He said he has never rode that fast in his life. My wife finally tells him to "quite crying like a bitch, you just won and overalled the intermediate class." He finished 16th overall and 1st in class and first intermediate. The next Intermediate to finish was back in 23rd overall! He shut up after that and had a huge smile on his face and looked at me and said, "I will never ride that fast again."

Anyways here is a picture from out on the course as we were getting ready to jump over the train tracks off of Trona Road.

scan0022.jpg


Here are the results from the race and you can see us in 15th and my buddy Corey, right under neath. And then nothing but experts after that.

Race93.jpg


Enjoy!
 
OK, here is another addition and here is a story for you:

Year was 1993 and the bike is a '93 KX500 with some motor work done by FMF :jawdrop:. This was a team race where we had 2 45 mile loops and I did one of the loops twice and my partner did the other. We could ride the same bike or separate. We chose to ride our own steads. So my partner started because he normally is stronger off the starts then me, and I am stronger at the end of races so we thought that would work to our advantage.

Well it must of been one of those days, where my partner was off and I was on. He started the race and I got word that he did a sweet over the bars at the end of the Bomb Run. When he collected himself and brought the bike in, we were outside the top 50 overall. He came in and did the tag your it and I yelled "nothing but a trail ride" and cruised on out of the pits. Once I got out on the trail, I started to click off gears and get into a rhythm. I was passing guys and having a good time. I brought the bike in after my first 45 and tagged in my partner. My Wife tells me we are now running 22th overall....:thumb: Sweet!

So the bikes start to roll in and I am waiting and waiting.....nothing. Here he comes, bike all waded up and we are down to 32th overall. I take off and on the gas again. I get about 2 miles out and I see this Honda CR500 in front of me and it looks familiar. As I get closer it is my buddy who is running in the Open Intermediate class. I get up on him and start yelling and he turns around and sees me and pins it. I was like "sweet. let's have some fun". I start pushing him and yelling and hollering at him. We are passing guys like crazy now. We have about 4 miles to go and I know where the trail is going to jump out on this rock littered road and I do not want to get pelted by rocks so I need to make my move on him.

I get off the trail and start flying through the bushes and right at the last second I hit the embankment and fly in the air passed him and drop in the road right in front of him and pin it. I know he is getting blasted by rocks from my 500 back tire. I navigate a technical section and hit the open valley coming in to the finish. I look over my shoulder and I can see he is still back there, but I have a cushion and let it fly into the finish banners.

Everyone comes up to me and asked "Where the hell did you come from?" I said "why?" "Well you just finished 15th overall and 5th in class." I was like "Sweet". Just then my buddy Corey pulls up and he is wiped out. He takes off his helmet and is chewing me out for riding so damn fast and pushing him so hard. He takes off his gloves and both hands are bleeding from being blistered up. He said he has never rode that fast in his life. My wife finally tells him to "quite crying like a bitch, you just won and overalled the intermediate class." He finished 16th overall and 1st in class and first intermediate. The next Intermediate to finish was back in 23rd overall! He shut up after that and had a huge smile on his face and looked at me and said, "I will never ride that fast again."

Anyways here is a picture from out on the course as we were getting ready to jump over the train tracks off of Trona Road.

scan0022.jpg


Here are the results from the race and you can see us in 15th and my buddy Corey, right under neath. And then nothing but experts after that.

Race93.jpg


Enjoy!

Once again - Outstanding CDA! Great pic and story. :thumb:
 
Another fine tale of when you take your bike off the stand
Aw yes, to be young again. Now I just sit in my chair and dream of the old days. Notice the lack of skid plate on the bottom of the bike. I was a daring young lad and use to float over the rocks...:devil:
 
OK, here is another addition and here is a story for you:

Year was 1993 and the bike is a '93 KX500 with some motor work done by FMF :jawdrop:. This was a team race where we had 2 45 mile loops and I did one of the loops twice and my partner did the other. We could ride the same bike or separate. We chose to ride our own steads. So my partner started because he normally is stronger off the starts then me, and I am stronger at the end of races so we thought that would work to our advantage.

Well it must of been one of those days, where my partner was off and I was on. He started the race and I got word that he did a sweet over the bars at the end of the Bomb Run. When he collected himself and brought the bike in, we were outside the top 50 overall. He came in and did the tag your it and I yelled "nothing but a trail ride" and cruised on out of the pits. Once I got out on the trail, I started to click off gears and get into a rhythm. I was passing guys and having a good time. I brought the bike in after my first 45 and tagged in my partner. My Wife tells me we are now running 22th overall....:thumb: Sweet!

So the bikes start to roll in and I am waiting and waiting.....nothing. Here he comes, bike all waded up and we are down to 32th overall. I take off and on the gas again. I get about 2 miles out and I see this Honda CR500 in front of me and it looks familiar. As I get closer it is my buddy who is running in the Open Intermediate class. I get up on him and start yelling and he turns around and sees me and pins it. I was like "sweet. let's have some fun". I start pushing him and yelling and hollering at him. We are passing guys like crazy now. We have about 4 miles to go and I know where the trail is going to jump out on this rock littered road and I do not want to get pelted by rocks so I need to make my move on him.

I get off the trail and start flying through the bushes and right at the last second I hit the embankment and fly in the air passed him and drop in the road right in front of him and pin it. I know he is getting blasted by rocks from my 500 back tire. I navigate a technical section and hit the open valley coming in to the finish. I look over my shoulder and I can see he is still back there, but I have a cushion and let it fly into the finish banners.

Everyone comes up to me and asked "Where the hell did you come from?" I said "why?" "Well you just finished 15th overall and 5th in class." I was like "Sweet". Just then my buddy Corey pulls up and he is wiped out. He takes off his helmet and is chewing me out for riding so damn fast and pushing him so hard. He takes off his gloves and both hands are bleeding from being blistered up. He said he has never rode that fast in his life. My wife finally tells him to "quite crying like a bitch, you just won and overalled the intermediate class." He finished 16th overall and 1st in class and first intermediate. The next Intermediate to finish was back in 23rd overall! He shut up after that and had a huge smile on his face and looked at me and said, "I will never ride that fast again."

Anyways here is a picture from out on the course as we were getting ready to jump over the train tracks off of Trona Road.

scan0022.jpg


Here are the results from the race and you can see us in 15th and my buddy Corey, right under neath. And then nothing but experts after that.

Race93.jpg


Enjoy!

Very nice! loving the stories! keep em comin!

Anyone else see the space ship? :crazy:
 
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