Tarantula 100, NMDRC Round 1

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This past weekend I raced the first round of the 2012 NMDRC series, in 250C.
The race is held in Alamogordo New Mexico, about 350 miles away from my home, My dad and I split the cost of gas to get down there.
During the pre ride on saturday, I got passed by a really fast guy, so I decided since I was in a wide open section I'd twist the grip a little more and try to keep up with him, well it worked well in the flat straight, but we came over a blind hill, into a series of sand whoops, and it was over. I came off the peg, took a bar to the breast, came back into the bar again, hit in the stomach. Broke the chest protector. Course is very flat, with wide open sections, and lots and lots of sand whoops.

Race Day, its the first dead engine start I've ever done, I set the bike on TDC, and wait for the start, they have me in the 2nd row of my group, and wouldn't you know it, the guy right in front of me stalls it. :picard: gee, thanks buddy. My U-Haul shop manager was in my row, off he goes, hip hip hooray!
About 4 minutes into the race, we have a guy go down in front of us, U-Haul guy loses shifter. race over for one member of team U-Haul.
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so blah blah blah, riding along, I suck at sand whoops, ouchie ouchie ouchie, hit a couple of fast sections, yeeee haaaaa baby, wide ratio 5 speed, my bike freaking books top speed wise, I don't think I got passed a single time in the long wide open sections. Towards the end of the loops, I run into this really soft sand that I have limited expierence in, I fall twice, but don't stall the bike, start the 2nd lap, and then I run into my "nemesis" a guy on a kx250f #644, he passes me in a whoop section, runs into slower traffic in a slightly less intense whoop section, go full bore on the wr and shoot past both of them. sweet. Hit the check point, more all by myself lonesome stuff, feeling pretty tired, its getting hard to grip the bars as well, blisters, bad blisters, even in long fast sections I struggle to twist it to full bore, it hurts. Ouchie.
#644 catches me again in a whoop section, after I stall it, gone like its nobodys business, bike starts, off I go in chase of him. Its just my luck that we have a very long fast section, flat out pinned, his dust trail is like a red cape to a bull, catch him, pass him, as much steam as I had rolling I doubt he even realized it was me. Riding a long, try some alternative lines compared to the pre ride and 1st lap, they don't pan out. riding along, get passed, run him down again, and pass him for what I thought would be the end of it, but right after the last check point, I stall it again, he takes himself right on by, another guy on a 2stroke come up a long side me, stalls, gets mad, takes off. sorry bro!
Get it started, race is just a matter of finishing now, I'm physically exhausted, blisters on my hands have popped and turned into open wounds. Finished! get my ultra fancy bandanna, return to the pits. Chill.
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Took 5th in my class (out of 13) and had a good time with much needed time away from the town I live in.
Random Notes:
The bike rides a lot better with the small tank.
I backed the rebound off on both the forks and shock, it absorbs alot better, less pogo stick action.
Part 1 go pro footage, Raw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYuvBWd0Vec&list=UUMbSwhRmcT-YAbKgN_uL_lQ&index=1&feature=plcp
Part 2 is uploading, and I'll be attempting to make a time conscious edit later on.
 
just as bad, but without the crashing.
I those silty corners you HAVE to stay on the gas, and refrain from using front brake, thats the kind of stuff i primarily ride in up in MI, it also helps to run your tires a couple psi lower, when doing normal riding ill be up at 15 or 16, in the silty stuff 10-12
 
I those silty corners you HAVE to stay on the gas, and refrain from using front brake, thats the kind of stuff i primarily ride in up in MI, it also helps to run your tires a couple psi lower, when doing normal riding ill be up at 15 or 16, in the silty stuff 10-12[/quote]
I never run mine past 12 here... Not sure what im going to do for my dez race
 
I ran my front at 15 and my rear at 12, (I have a 18" rim) My friend with a ktm 200xc-w went 8&12 and got 2 flats... but he still finished, like a boss.
 
I'll have to watch the video later. This was a good race report:clap: I like your details of the race. I felt excited for you and almost felt your blisters too:smirk:

Glad you got away and out of town for some fun racing and time with your Dad:thumb:
These are the times of your life, to remember and ENJOY! Regardless of winning, losing or otherwise. You will look back on this time and remember it fondly, even the blisters.

Thanks for sharing your race.
 
I'll have to watch the video later. This was a good race report:clap: I like your details of the race. I felt excited for you and almost felt your blisters too:smirk:

Glad you got away and out of town for some fun racing and time with your Dad:thumb:
These are the times of your life, to remember and ENJOY! Regardless of winning, losing or otherwise. You will look back on this time and remember it fondly, even the blisters.

Thanks for sharing your race.
Thanks for the props Sun.
 
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