Myself, Robert, Mark, and my wife left Conway at 5am for the 3.5 hour drive up to Decatur Arkansas. Weather was cloudy with a high of ~80 with a chance of scattered showers. Noone thought it would rain, we were wrong. Got there and the turn out was kinda slim. Lot of bike guys go go the OMA but quads is still growing.
The start is about a 50 yard spring to a tight S curve that goes into very short woods section then zig zags some dirt fields. I line up just off center to the left and the S starts on the right. So I have pretty good starting location since we have to zig back to the left pretty quick. The rekluse has been running great so I we revving it up to get it nice and warm for the start. Dead engine start we we all get ready. Flag goes and I hit the button and she fires right up! Slamm the throttle and there goes the rev limiter. Dang in neutral!! Kick it into seconds and pin the throttle. I still beat half the people off the line including my buddies Robert and Mark. I end up catching a couple people before the end of the S curve and wind up maybe 5th or 6th into the woods. We hit the open rock hills and I pass 2 more all while trying not to crash since the dust was crazy in that area. Finally hit the woods and its on.
Well with no preride allowed we pretty much had no idea what to expect. We know that the host likes to make some very difficult obstacles and loves useing trees to do that. Go figure 1 minute into the woods there is a nice 24" diamter tree crossing the trail. Not the kind you would pop a wheelie and slam across. So I just like the guys in front of me just kinda ease over it and keep going. I guess the guy behind me didnt' have as easy of a time because I look back after the next hill and he is not there anymore. Heck, there was noone behind me for a long time after that.
Very hilly area and soft loam for dirt. Not much rock but lots and lots of trees and roots in the trail. About 25% through the track we hit a whoop section!! This guy actually went back in there with a shovel and made whoops!!! It was great. I flew through them like they weren't even there. There was some off camber hill decents and climbs shortly after that. And on one of the decents with the hardest hill climb right after it wouldn't you know it but someone was stuck and the freaking bottom of the hill in the trail!!!! Well, I start hitting the brakes and pretty much had no traction. Started turning sideways and ended up rolling it over. Pinned my leg but I was ok. Forced it off of me and look and it was a girl that was riding B class. Said she was sorry and helped me move the quad onto its wheels. She then decided to ask me how she should get up the hill.
I hopped on my quad and told her to climb it. Hit the start button and it fired right up and off I went. Powered up the hill like it was nothing and kept going. Didn't loose a single position in the ordealI did jamb my thumb and moved my hand guarde and stuff. Didn't worry about that stuff yet, figured I would wait till I hit an open area. At this point the rain started. Tear offs were useless since the rain would hit them and make them a mess every 2 minutes. So the goggles came off. That was no fun at all with race cut fenders. Dang couldn't see!!!
OMA National, Wildcat 100
About 3/4 the way through the lap I see my temp light come on. And it was flashing real fast. I couldn't beleive I was over heating. Never over heated before in my life!! But, this was my fault. I had some fuel issues in the last 2 weeks that caused me to DNF the last race. Fuel injector cap popped off and I was fouling plugs. Seemed like a fuel pressure spike so I changed the fuel connectors and decided to lean my self out to burn off the excess carbon buildup. Guess I leaned it too much. 
Big honking goober!!
As long as I didn't boil over I would be cool. I took it easy the last part of the lap and noticed I had tranny oil leaking out and steam coming out of the front of the hood. Not good!! So I know I was running bad hot if it was foaming over. My biggeset worry at this point was burning the clutch up. After finishing the 1st lap I pulled over for a sec and fixed my bars and guards. Took back off and decided to pull over for a sec and look at my coolant before I entered the woods again. Then I get passed. Brother in law went past as I was about to get back on the quad. Darn it!! Robert is winning!! lol
So I fall in behind him. We get moving and as we come up a hill and hang a right he just blows the turn and goes down another trail. I start yelling at him but he couldn't hear me. So I take the right and just start laughing. I know what was going through his mind, "I had him!! ******!!". Well, the red light is still going. I start wondering if I should stop but I hadn't boil over yet. Figure I will push it a little longer. About 3/4 the way through that lap I get hung up on a huge log...errr tree. At that point they start directing people by us. I try to get off it but couldn't. I had to get off the quad and then the steam started bad. We get it unstuck but it shuts off because of my kill switch and then boom!! There she blows! Coolant goes everywhere.
Guy doesn't see it so he tells me to go go go. I laugh and go nope, not gonna happen. Then there is Mark!! I was like heya man, whatcha doing? lol He was done for the day. Bent tie rod. I had no idea how bad it was. So we chit chat for a few minutes while I let my quad cool. Then Robert goes bye....grrrr....
So I take a look at the coolant bottle and its about half full. Hit the button and she starts right up. Get hauling. Little warning light still flashing, I guess by now it means something....but continue to ignore it. Right before the lap check point there is a nice straight away that goes by the pond. I kick it into 3rd and cruise around it and the light goes off!! So happy, I pass by Kim and Mark and yell out 1 more!! Hit the throttle going across the open hills and hit the woods. Light comes back on. Damni!! So, I just chill going on my 3rd lap. Let alot of people by but I wasn't going to give up free laps. I cruise around the 3rd lap with no problems other than the water. The rain had stopped but dang it was muddy now. Every time I hit a puddle my front tires would through mud in my face. I was blinded about 3 times on the 3rd lap. Had to pull over and get the mudd outta my eyes. Not very easy with muddy gloves. I did make 1 good run of it just at the end of my 3rd lap. A couple of guys got stuck on a very small hill and when I saw 1 guy get off the quad I decided to **** with it and went around them. Went around into what I though was just some brush thought being the key word. Briar Patch!!! Thorns across the face with no goggles is no fun. Nice cut on the nose, BUT I passed them!! hehe....they started to catch me just before the pond so I slammed the throttle and took off. They didn't have a chance. I won that litlte battle but decided to call it quits before I blew the quad up. No point in doing that over a small race. So, with noone in site I pull off the track into the pro pits. A lady runs up to me with some googles and offers them to me. Nice lady, I told her no thanks and took off to my vehicle.
I got an pull up and there are Mark and Kim just chilling trying to dry off. I park it and take a look at my bottle and it was bone dry. Nothing to even boil over, just steam. I look at the clock and its only been an hour. Another 45 minutes of race left. I was covered with mudd and had mudd and blood on my face. had a blast!
Robert ended up finishing the race with 6 laps. 8th and I got 9th. I was pretty disappointed since this loss was 100% my fault, I leaned it out too much. So 2 races and 2 bad finishes. I have another next weekend, so I will be ready. I am going to redo my fuel settings and will get a practice in before the weekend.
Jeremy came down from Missouri also. He ended up winning B class by a 4 minute margin. With his time he would have gotton 2nd in A class. This boy is freaking fast! Pics to come!
Big honking goober!! As long as I didn't boil over I would be cool. I took it easy the last part of the lap and noticed I had tranny oil leaking out and steam coming out of the front of the hood. Not good!! So I know I was running bad hot if it was foaming over. My biggeset worry at this point was burning the clutch up. After finishing the 1st lap I pulled over for a sec and fixed my bars and guards. Took back off and decided to pull over for a sec and look at my coolant before I entered the woods again. Then I get passed. Brother in law went past as I was about to get back on the quad. Darn it!! Robert is winning!! lol
So I fall in behind him. We get moving and as we come up a hill and hang a right he just blows the turn and goes down another trail. I start yelling at him but he couldn't hear me. So I take the right and just start laughing. I know what was going through his mind, "I had him!! ******!!". Well, the red light is still going. I start wondering if I should stop but I hadn't boil over yet. Figure I will push it a little longer. About 3/4 the way through that lap I get hung up on a huge log...errr tree. At that point they start directing people by us. I try to get off it but couldn't. I had to get off the quad and then the steam started bad. We get it unstuck but it shuts off because of my kill switch and then boom!! There she blows! Coolant goes everywhere.
Guy doesn't see it so he tells me to go go go. I laugh and go nope, not gonna happen. Then there is Mark!! I was like heya man, whatcha doing? lol He was done for the day. Bent tie rod. I had no idea how bad it was. So we chit chat for a few minutes while I let my quad cool. Then Robert goes bye....grrrr....
So I take a look at the coolant bottle and its about half full. Hit the button and she starts right up. Get hauling. Little warning light still flashing, I guess by now it means something....but continue to ignore it. Right before the lap check point there is a nice straight away that goes by the pond. I kick it into 3rd and cruise around it and the light goes off!! So happy, I pass by Kim and Mark and yell out 1 more!! Hit the throttle going across the open hills and hit the woods. Light comes back on. Damni!! So, I just chill going on my 3rd lap. Let alot of people by but I wasn't going to give up free laps. I cruise around the 3rd lap with no problems other than the water. The rain had stopped but dang it was muddy now. Every time I hit a puddle my front tires would through mud in my face. I was blinded about 3 times on the 3rd lap. Had to pull over and get the mudd outta my eyes. Not very easy with muddy gloves. I did make 1 good run of it just at the end of my 3rd lap. A couple of guys got stuck on a very small hill and when I saw 1 guy get off the quad I decided to **** with it and went around them. Went around into what I though was just some brush thought being the key word. Briar Patch!!! Thorns across the face with no goggles is no fun. Nice cut on the nose, BUT I passed them!! hehe....they started to catch me just before the pond so I slammed the throttle and took off. They didn't have a chance. I won that litlte battle but decided to call it quits before I blew the quad up. No point in doing that over a small race. So, with noone in site I pull off the track into the pro pits. A lady runs up to me with some googles and offers them to me. Nice lady, I told her no thanks and took off to my vehicle.
I got an pull up and there are Mark and Kim just chilling trying to dry off. I park it and take a look at my bottle and it was bone dry. Nothing to even boil over, just steam. I look at the clock and its only been an hour. Another 45 minutes of race left. I was covered with mudd and had mudd and blood on my face. had a blast!
Robert ended up finishing the race with 6 laps. 8th and I got 9th. I was pretty disappointed since this loss was 100% my fault, I leaned it out too much. So 2 races and 2 bad finishes. I have another next weekend, so I will be ready. I am going to redo my fuel settings and will get a practice in before the weekend.
Jeremy came down from Missouri also. He ended up winning B class by a 4 minute margin. With his time he would have gotton 2nd in A class. This boy is freaking fast! Pics to come!
Here is the terrible 3....hehe
A shot of all the quads by division....
The hilly open area....can you say fast!! Oh yeah, once the rain hit it you could power slide for half the hill. **** it was fast!
I wonder what that flashy red light??
Dang honda finished the race.
Just how bent was that tie rod??
**** ugly mug
my dirty little beast....
And Jeremy got some lovin when he got his plaque....
A shot of all the quads by division....
The hilly open area....can you say fast!! Oh yeah, once the rain hit it you could power slide for half the hill. **** it was fast!
I wonder what that flashy red light??
Dang honda finished the race.
Just how bent was that tie rod??
**** ugly mug
my dirty little beast....
And Jeremy got some lovin when he got his plaque....
Man, wait until I tell Dennis he has made the internet? And, of all things, hugging another guy!
I was supposed to go with Dennis, the anouncer. His son Chris runs the pro bikes. They was trying to get me to run the series this year in the pro class. I am having some medical issues now though. Da**'it!
I was supposed to go with Dennis, the anouncer. His son Chris runs the pro bikes. They was trying to get me to run the series this year in the pro class. I am having some medical issues now though. Da**'it!
Man that race was a blast!...I didn't do nearly as well as I had hoped to do...but that's ok. I am amazed at the satisfaction that I get out of doing these things just to prove that I can do it. I don't have to win...I don't even have to place...and I still go home at the end of the day feeling like I accomplished something. Bryan Baker, pro gncc rider ended up winning the pro class...man that guy is fast. I think he lapped me two or three times!
That was a fun race....I'm glad I went to it. The first lap I blew through many turns. The rain sucked when it was pouring, but it actually made the track better. I used about half a roll from my roll offs during the shower, I just gave up and took them off....then it quits raining. By that time they had a nice build up of mud and debris on the inside of them.
It was good to see you guys again....next time you guys got to come up to Missouri! See ya in a few weeks!
It was good to see you guys again....next time you guys got to come up to Missouri! See ya in a few weeks!