The Race:
It was great meeting Guy and seeing Wannablaze again. My buddy, he won the plus 30 class 2 years ago, he moved and came back to do The Race was there also.
Mud was in order for this race and the water crossing had more water in them then normal also.
They had us line up with the PRO and A Class riders, so there was about 25-30 riders in our line for the start. Kinda sucks having that many quads on the starting line because it was hard to gauge where I was at.
It was a 200 yard dash around a grain wagon, then about another 100 yards around another grain wagon and back onto a muddy motocross section. I????????m guessing I was mid pack on the start, slowed down some on the moto cross track to remove a tear off, had the tears offs on the wrong side, throttle side. So when I left off the throttle to remove the tear off I lost a few more positions. We head back to the deep peat dirt whoop section. Guy is right behind me at this time. They didn????????t do this section last year, but it is part of the Moose Run, so xcdale knows about those whoops. A pro rider (who ended up 2nd) blows by me, so that got me thinking I????????m moving slow. We get to a clearing, its sandy whoops across a small field, and I made my first pass. I????????m riding the guy ahead of me as well and I decide to try and get around him in some muddy whoops. That wasn????????t a good move and it bucked me sideways a little. Guy and another rider get around me there.
We get to the first water crossing after going across the road. I get passed by another pro there and I decide to follow him to make a pass as well. In doing so I miss the spot where I know is a good spot to cross. So I get stuck, I get in the water and push and hammer the throttle to get free. I got unstuck pretty fast, but my boots were full of cold water and my pants and gloves were soaked as well. So now my butt slides all over my seat and my right grip starts acting like a twist throttle. I did get by several riders there though.
My next incident was when my front tire clipped a tire in a small woods sections before the 2nd road cross. No one could pass me there though as I had the trail blocked. So I make it to the big water crossing from there, making pretty good time. I passed three riders as one guy was stuck causing a bottle neck, so I blazed my own trail.
I had no idea how I was doing at this time as I see Wanablaze and I pass on the opportunity for fresh goggles. I got by another rider there that was hung up getting out of the creek. I get passed in the big the big field after the big creek crossing, I took a bad line but I get by that rider, as he went wide going into the culvert under the road. I stayed close to the wall so I didn????????t fall off the edge.
Right before the check point after going through the muddy motocross I take out some yellow tape and I get a butt chewing at the checkpoint. My goggles were muddy, and I????????m used to the track making a right there.
As I round pit row, Guy pulls out in front of me. I following him out to the deep whoops and there he just leaves me in his dust. I????????m pushing to try and keep up with him, so I was making good time. I make it through the first water crossing with no problem this time and I????????m back in the woods section of the pasture. I catch Guy and he lets me pass, he????????s obliviously having problems. I make it to the small woods section I smacked at tree at on the first lap. I slow down to avoid trees this time, but I guess I didn????????t slow down enough. I hit a tree good enough to throw me off, and my quad dropped back on all fourwheels and kept moving in first gear. I had to run and catch the quad. This hit must have broken my steering stabilizer linkeage. After getting back into the real tight woods, I found out I couldn????????t turn my handle bars to the left. Sometimes it would turn and other times it wouldn????????t so after this happened like three times, I got off the quad and realized what happened. I was pretty disappointed and several riders passed me during this time as I was constantly pushing my quad off trees. I finally realize that if I push the broken piece pointing back it wouldn????????t catch my frame. Well that seemed to work as I was able to steer, but I was still too worried about hitting a tree because of lack of steering so I took it easy to the creek crossing. There I stop to talk with Wanablaze and a friend. I tell them I????????m going to finish this lap and then call it a day, so I????????ll meet them at the pits. Just then my buddy (on a predator) and a good B class rider go by. I decide to follow them. So I make pretty good time finishing lap 2. I decide to keep going and I head out for lap 3. By this time my steering is really getting bad, like real loose, and my steering stem was moving up and down. I basically limp around lap 3 just to finish the race. Way in the back I????????m following a line and see a rider buried in the mudd. I stop but the rutts are so big I????????m struggling to free my quad. The guy comes over to help me out, which I probably would have eventually got my quad free, but because he helped me out, I figured I owed it too him to help him out. Well the guy is Kevin Johson (this is for RX440 and xcdale) and he????????s in my class. He definitely would not have gotten out without my help. So he beats me back as I was in limp mode. In the field right before the motocross section (near the checkpoint), I come across my buddy????????s predator, as he ran out of gas, so I gave him a ride back.
I finish the race and access the damage to my quad. My steering stem is being held down by one cartridge bolt and its about half way loose. The other bolt is missing. My chain is really loose and my rear hub has some wiggle to it.
Come to find out I managed to get 4th out of 13 in the 30+ class. I beat my buddy who called it quits after 2 laps, so that was good. According to wanablaze, Guy and I were somewhere in the 4th to 6th spot overall after the first creek crossing, so we were moving pretty good. I was definitely making good time the 2nd lap before the broken steering stabilizer linkage.
Well I????????m officially burnt out for the year. I hope to get the quad fixed over the winter and do a little racing next year. Guy mentioned something about racing at Fox Valley next year. I????????d be willing to do that. It was nice meeting another great forum member.
THE RACE
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cannondale27
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- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
Gus said about all there is to say about the race, but I will add a little bit. First, I would like to say that nowhere else can you find people to lend you parts when you have never met, especially wheels and tires, so I would like to thank Gus one more time for the use of the tires. I am normally an MXer and 50 inches is not very fast through the woods. I thought most guys were about 48 inches in woods racing and I was mistaken. I met some guys on Hondas and they were 45 inches. I have been telling my wife for years that 5 inches is huge in spite of what she thinks, but now I know for sure that I am right. I know what I am asking for at Christmas. I need a XC setup. I saw a bunch of Hondas and a few Yamaha's in the Pro class, and in this series, Hondas dominate the Pro class standings. I am going to find a LT XC front end this winter if it kills me and I am going to try to put a Dale on the podium in that Pro class at at least one event in their series next year. I had a great time even though I broke down due to rear hub spline failure, and I absolutely, definitely, positively want to go XC racing next year. I need to try something new and I want to sneak up on some guys next year. So, if anyone comes across a front end that is +1 and Long Travel, please let me know. I hear rumors and speculation about new ones, but never anything for sure, so if you see one, please let me know by PM or posting. Thanks to everybody for looking.
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dalewannbe
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- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
Guy, how did your quad pull in those long straight aways?
With my setup, I couldn't pull 5th very well. I had 14T/40 with those bigger rear tires.
Guy is right, hondas are the quad of choice around here, and 45 inches in the front sounds about correct.
I know Guy can put the cannondale on the podium next year if he decides to race some of the series.
With my setup, I couldn't pull 5th very well. I had 14T/40 with those bigger rear tires.
Guy is right, hondas are the quad of choice around here, and 45 inches in the front sounds about correct.
I know Guy can put the cannondale on the podium next year if he decides to race some of the series.
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cannondale27
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- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
Gus, I was not able to pull 5th gear either. I was running a 14/38 setup with the 20"rear tires. 4th pulled hard all the way to the rev limiter but 5th was kind of boggy. I think if I can't find a LT setup, I will go with a stock front end and some Fox Floats. I could get into that whole setup for under $1000. I am only looking for the LT front end because I already have Axis on my quad and they are set up for chubby guys(that would be me). We'll just have to see how it goes. I was looking at the schedule and it looks like I could attend up to about 8 rounds of that series next year. They would be close enough, I should say. We'll see what happens. I will have to get Wisteech to make my motor bulletproof before I commit to that kind of schedule though.
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dalewannbe
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- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
Get wistech to make you a radiator guard as well. I'm going to have him make me another one. I had no mud on my radiator and we saw how much you had.
What needs to be done to your motor to make it bulletproof?
I haven't checked the 07 OMA schedule but I'll definitely be at the Moose and The Race, and I'm going to try and make the MO race and the IA race. I may see about the arkansas race, if happyboy is going to be there.
I want to make at least one six hour next year.
What needs to be done to your motor to make it bulletproof?
I haven't checked the 07 OMA schedule but I'll definitely be at the Moose and The Race, and I'm going to try and make the MO race and the IA race. I may see about the arkansas race, if happyboy is going to be there.
I want to make at least one six hour next year.