RFGP 100 mile Arkansas

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Happyboy · #1 Post by **Happyboy** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 7:17 pm

Well, they call it the RFGP 100 but really it was just a 3 hr race. And omg, was it a tough race. I would guess that at least 1/4 of entire race was over whoops. The largest section of whoops, prob just under a mile long was at the tail end of the lap. The lap was 7 1/2 miles long and you could swap riders at any point. Riders were Me, jeremy (jlm996s), and brother in law robert(krazken).

Well, to start off the morning the Dale wouldn't start. I ended up flooding it and a few choice cuss words were flung. That was about and hour and a half from the start so I started the tear down. I got it torn all the way down and unfortunately I didn't have a spare plug with me. So, off I go on the hunt. A couple of guys parked up the hill from us had a long lighter and a plug I could have, so I was happy!! I got the cylinder dried out and replaced the plug and it fired right up. Yah!!

Now to the race. I line up with 3 other quads at the start. This was my first time racing so I was a little jumpy. The dropped the flag and I hit the starter, fired right up but I hit the throttle too soon and stalled it. Started it again but they were already 20 yards out front of me. I pinned the throttle and took the first turn . I was suprised that I was able to catch them so quick but after a could S turns I was only a 10 yards behind the last guy.

We hit a straight with tons of whoops and I knew I could catch him. I have a nice suspesion so I hammered the throttle and was catching up fast! I blew past the last guy and saw the turn coming up fast. I down shift and hit the breaks and nothin! It is damned hard to slow down on the whoops the and track didn't flatten out before the turn. So, I missed the turn. Blew right through the tapped off fence area. Hit a whoop going a different direction and up in the air I go. I came off the side of the quad and it stayed on all 4s. I hopped back up and got on and off I was again.

Keep in mind that this was all in the first 30 seconds of the race!! :mad:

cannondale27 · #2 Post by **cannondale27** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:57 pm

We need more.You got my interest peaked!

Happyboy · #3 Post by **Happyboy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:14 am

Sorry, I had to get back to work.

Here is a little action shot of one of us.

Happyboy · #4 Post by **Happyboy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:18 am

After I got back on the quad from my dismount I hustled big time to catch up. My mistake. This was my first race and I was out to win it. LOL, so funny. Well, I was balls to the wall. After you hit the woods all we do is zig zag. Well, there are about 100 small peaks you hit and I got to discover them one by one since I had never rode out there before. Most are only a couple feet high so you go over them at normal speed. Well, there is a nice size one about 3 minutes into the trail. The peak is all about 1 foot high the way you are coming but it dropped off about 8 foot on the other side. Worse than that it was a sharp V at the bottom. So, with the front wheels in the air I ride down it and hit with a large thump. Shake it off and get moving.

Happyboy · #5 Post by **Happyboy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:22 am

Well, the next portion is a nice long straight away along the pits. There were alot of whoops but most were small and spaced out so you could move fast through them. There were some larger ones that you could get air on and the crowd loved it on that side. I just hammered down and had fun going on the larger whoops. At the end of that straight away you take a fast right. Well, I slowed down enough but it was real muddy at the start. I slid and had a small tree in the way. After bumping it a few times I got around it and was off again. Alot more winding woods and tight sand trails. There were alot of muddy spots that really messed up your rythm because it forced you to slow down or to take a tear off. I was riding as hard as I could for god knows how long, passed 1 guy and next thing I know I notice a few quads right behind me. The group that started after me caught up! Was I that slow? (YES!!) I pull over and let 3 guys go by me. UG!!!

Happyboy · #6 Post by **Happyboy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:27 am

So, now I push it even harder. Big mistake, arm pump out the azz. Well, I after a few more minutes I am sucking wind bad. I hit a few straight aways that cross the fields and go wide open. YAH!!!! That was fun, but noone in sight. I come up to a Y in the trail and don't have time to read the sign so I take the one with all the rutts. Still don't see anyone. At this point I am praying for the start area so I can trade out with Robert. The trail just keeps going and going and going. I finally see open sand. I see other people around like I am heading back through the pits. I say halleluya and see robert and the others. It is exactly where we decided to swap out but close enough, he just had to walk 10 yards to get to me and I yelled at him to swap. I was thanking the lord I made it through lap 1 ok. He takes off and immediately gets stuck on a tree in the next turn. Turns out that is the worst spot on the entire track to get hung up on. We watched people get stuck there all day. So, I run over to Jeremy and ask how long I was out. He said about 15 minutes or so, about what we expected.

Happyboy · #7 Post by **Happyboy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:30 am

But, we keep talking and figure out that I was nowhere near the end of the lap. We keep an eye out for robert and he doesn't come by us yet. Minutes go by and he still hasn't gone by. Then about 7 minutes later he flys by! Turns out that I was about at 4 miles of the 7 1/2 mile loop!!! WOW!! Our lap times stayed around 30 minutes with a best time of around 26. (you go jeremy!) So 15 minutes after I swap with Robert he comes back up to the swap spot, the real spot, not where I swapped with him. He trades with jeremy because he doesn't think he could make it an entire nother lap. I felt soooo bad that I did that, but I guess I should have gotton out there a week ago and rode the track.

Happyboy · #8 Post by **Happyboy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:40 am

So, Jeremy takes his lap. A full lap, not a Happy lap. So, I get back on the quad. He tells me that the thumb throttle is getting really hard to hold down. I hit it a few times and it seems ok, but as I went on it got worse and worse. I haven't torn into it yet but we must have gotton water or gunk in the cable, it is very stiff now.

Well, I am off. A full lap this time ******!!

I take off, much smoother than before because I didn't want to burn myself up like last time. I slowed down alot before the big V drop off and made it good through it. Then hit the straight away in front of the pits. WEEEE!! That is fun stuff. Then back into the trails. 15 minutes goes by and I pass the spot that I swapped with Robert last time. Feeling tired but I can make it. I have to make it. So now I am in new woods again. I am following the tracks pretty good through the mud holes and making decent time. Then the pros catch me. Holy cow, they are fast!! I let them by and try to keep up. Not going to happen. I slow back down and pace myself. I can barely see 1 guy in front of me as we hit this opening about 10 quads wide. Huge mud hole! The guy in front goes on the right over this big mound. I follow, I go through the mud just like he does. I hit the mount and boom! I stop really fast. I was like wtf? I yank back on the quad a couple times and I can't budge it. I get off and try to pull it back, NOTHING!! I can't move my dale! I get around front and try to life, nothing! Then I notice a log/spear about 3" diameter going through the center of my arms and over the top of the nerf bar. It is wedging me down into the mud. I pushed and pulled and lifts and nothing. At this point, I am worn out. Another racer comes over from the pits (near us at this point b/c of the winding course) and helps. We can't move the thing.

I run over to the road and ask a guy for a ride back. He gives me a lift and takes me right up behind Robert and Jeremy. They are looking down the track wondering where the **** I was. I yell at robert to get on the 400ex and ride!!! He freaked out and took off.

Oh yeah, this race was goofy. You could race different quads if you wanted to. So we had the dale as primary and the 400ex as a backup.

So robert is off and jeremy, my wife, and I all go to get the dale unstuck. Another guys comes over and helps and we get it out. Took 3 big guys to get this thing unstuck.

Gotta go eat. I will post some more pics tommorrow as well as a rap up of my last lap. Maybe Jeremy/Robert will post what happened in his laps as well.

Had a blast is all I can say!! :head:

TheJaspMan · #9 Post by **TheJaspMan** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:48 am

Sounds like a blast! Great job!

jesshamner · #10 Post by **jesshamner** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:19 am

It sounds like you had a rough first race. However, it sounds like you had a good time too. I can't wait to hear how you finished.