Miserable Day at the Dutchman

Message

Derno24 · #1 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:05 am

Well here it is the first day of race season. All winter I rode in extremely cold weather, worked out, and was just a nuisance to you guys on the site. I was all prepared to rip it up for the first race of the dist. 6 and Pa series. After many hours contemplating wether or not to put screws in the tires like Lap did I did. Let's say I felt like just as much of a schmuck as lap did. Perfectly good tires getting screws put in them. Finished setting the quad up last night. Checked all the fluids, ate right, drank tons of water, and was really looking forward to a great start of the season.

Derno24 · #2 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:10 am

I get to the track where it is 25 degrees and down right frigid. The majority of the track looks ok from a distance so I figured running all those screws was for nothing. As I get closer I realize that the track is half under water and half a sheet of ice. Alot of fun if you ask me. Well I didn't come here to complain so I unload the........Z400.......I know don't hate me for it. The dale motor isn't back yet so I ran the other bike. And I get ready for the race.

I go into the office where I sign up for the race and check out how many are in the class. I am running Open C and there were 26 riders signed up for the event. I am thinking not bad not too many people. I go back to the quad and get it warmed up as I get changed for the race. All geared up and off to the line I go.

Derno24 · #3 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:17 am

I run into 02Cannibal before we get to the line we chat and everything is going good. We all line up and look down to see Borich in the C class. No not Chris Borich, but his brother. Chris was there running A class.

Well the race is about to begin. Dead engine start. All the other classes have gone. A Class, B Class, and Vet. Now it is our turn.

Flag man gets us ready flag drops and bam. Quad starts first push. I swore I heard someone jump the gun, but that is in retrospect.

Check out the Predator and then the rest of us. I am the yellow Z on the left.

Derno24 · #4 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:18 am

Photo of the quad prior to the race.

Derno24 · #5 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:19 am

Pic of the whole field. A class up front.

Derno24 · #6 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:29 am

Well we hit the first corner and I am in 2nd place and feeling great. Quad is handling the ice excellently. A couple corners into the race my first experience with slippery ice hits. In this corner get a little to mush slide and wind up off the track for a second. I lose 3 places, now I am in 5th.

Derno24 · #7 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:34 am

After about half a lap I am slowly realizing the extra bite I had earlier on is now gone. This must have been when most of the screws came out of my tire. I realized this as I hit a corner expecting to stop faster and it didn't happen. I slid right off the track. Everyone was sliding all over the place so it became real interesting. no one was pulling way out on the other, just riding to stay alive I think.

A sample of the muck. Trust me this picture isn't half as bad as it was out there.

PS the shiny stuff is Ice.

Derno24 · #8 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:36 am

A pic of #2 GNCC racer Chris Borich. he kick everyone to the curb. He even stopped at one point to fix something on his quad.

Derno24 · #9 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:45 am

Hitting the race I am staying steady and racing ok. I had some mishaps with the ice, but so was alot of other people.

Derno24 · #10 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:46 am

Lap 2 and I am still in decent shape...About 8th place and still in view of the guys in the lead.

Just a pic of the lovely track....