ROWRACIN- Yarley 120605

[oldboyonrgv]

No response to my previous two posts eh, if youre bore with me let me know I can go elsewhere ....... along with my MZ knowledge.

Boring title eh … I can’t be bothered to think up something more amusing.
Well after a weekend away from Riding due to the MX Gp at Matchams, The Hants and Dorset club held the next round of their championship at Yarley yesterday.

It was just us (Row and me) boys this weekend because the girls were doing err gurly things …

So a 2 ½ hr drive across Hants, Wilts and finally into Zumerzet was despatched Saturday afternoon, as we neared the track I could see this huge hill in front of us with what was obviously a MOTOX track on it, nah they can’t be serious that’s far to steep and high for schoolboys methinks, I was wrong, the whole track circumnavigated the biggest hill in the area! the paddock was on one side of it and the start on the other meaning however you parked you were not level (the van was parked on the maximum height of the levelling wedges) anyway once we had the van reasonably level Row wandered off to scout the track out. I got the kit and camp sorted and cracked open a beer, Row returned somewhat red faced “Dad you’re not gonna believe this track, I couldn’t even walk up the hill, there’s some monster drops and one climb goes right up it” hmmm I am a little concerned about how severe he track is although Row seems quite keen on giving it a go so we have some tea and then I agree to walk the track with him, we venture off down to the start (over the other side of the hill) it’s a very short chute into and S bend and then goes straight up the hill, Row was right I could barely climb it, Row was using the fence rope to pull himself up, we follow the course around to the finish (we are ready for more food and drink by the time we get back) and it reminds me of the oldschool scrambling track my dad used to take me to.


RACE DAY

Practice: we are 2nd to last group out so we have a bit of a wait until Row can get to the line, I wait pensively at the bottom of the big hill Row flies round and goes straight up the hill no problem, he completes to obligatory 2 laps, I walk back to the pits and meet him, I am quite prepared to go home if Row feels worried by the severity of the track but he’s not worried at all and can’t wait to race. That bloody fork seal is leaking again.

RACE 1
31 riders line up to take the start.
Row lines up on the outside of middle to try to get some speed into the first part of the S bend before the big climb, gate drops and Row sits there spinning the back wheel, he changes it up and away he goes, he claws a load back before the climb but due to being caught behind another rider he doesn’t get a good run up the climb and losses a few places, he comes through in 11th place after the first lap, he manages to get two places during the next lap and is pulling the next group, then he drops it in a really dusty left hand hairpin, he’s trying to ride high up the berm to get a slingshot up the next climb but the front wheel washes out on him, back to 10th place. He once again pulls back to 9th and pulls good gap on 10th then same corner he does it again! Luckily this time the gap is big enough that he doesn’t lose the place and brings it home in 9th place and another best individual race finish.

After the race we have a chat about the corner causing him problems and during the lunch break we walk over there and take a look, well what appears to be a berm is in fact a pile of dust offering no grip so when he tries to square the corner the front wheel can get no traction and just washes out, I say to him that if he has to ride the berm he will have to ride right around it and not square the corner, we manage to find a narrower line which should give him more grip and allow him to fire the bike out quickly

RACE2

What a joke. First start and Row gets a goodun and is 4th into the first bend BUT the gate has not completely dropped so the riders have to tour round and line up again, the start line marshals (i.e. us lot!) cannot get the gat gate to drop correctly so the clerk of the course announce he will start them on the flag, he points to the starter (who does the 10 sec/ 5 sec thing) and says at 5 secs look at me and I will drop the flag, so most of the riders are looking at the starter when the clerk of the course drops the flag !!! Half the field flies off and Row and the rest of em (who are looking at the starter) take a good couple of seconds to react, I grab hold of Rows bike and scream GO! Into his ear whilst shoving him forward. First long climb sea’s Row caught behind the mid field pack he makes up a few places but also gets baulked badly a couple of times losing his momentum he just about keeps the bike going forward… into that left hander near the end of the lap and Row tries to ride the berm again with the same result, he drops it, he hops up picks up the bike pins it and loops it! He picks it up again and finally gets going now about 3rd to last!
2nd lap I can see that Row is really p***ed off he is cutting through the pack left right and centre he storms through the remaining laps and gets himself back to 11th place – WHAT A RIDE !
I run back to the course exit to meet a really unhappy and miffed boy there are tears of frustration in his eyes he spends the next 5mins moaning at me about the start and slinging his gloves at the van kicking various bits of rubbish etc, I just keep quiet and hand him a drink, a bag of hoola hoops a banana and finally a choky biscuit, when he has calmed down enough I tell him what a good ride it was, I also tell him to stay angry and annoyed and take it out in the last race.

RACE3

They’ve got the gate working again GO – and there’s a big pile up just to the side of me, I miss how Row got away as I am busy picking up bikes and riders, we get that sorted out and everyone into the race. The front group piles down the last hill and there’s Row on the back of them in 8th place – good lad 2nd lap and Row comes round in 7th place dicing in a group of three, Row gradually eases away and starts catching the 6th place man, Row gets right up to him but is just unable to make a pass before the chequered flag comes out, I have shouted myself hoarse and feel like I’ve done the race myself!

I meet Row who gives me the thumbs up, he recons he could have done that all day but hey he’s had the best series of results in a meet this year so we’ll take that, he also confirms that the line we sussed out was far better than trying to ride the berm, he didn’t fall off in the last race. We are both chuffed with that.

I get called to do rubbish clearance so its 19:00 before we are ready to hit the road we stop on the way back for tea and finally arrive home at 22:00, Row goes straight up for a bath and bed, I get to unload the van and pack away I finally sit down to a nice cup of tea at 23:00. It was worth it though.

[keithcross]

Reading your reports I am wondering who enjoys this racing most, Row or you
Its always good to see a youngster getting involved in motor cycle sport, esp when he is enjoying it so much.

Keith

[phlat65]

don't go away, and don't take it so persal... I love to read the race reports. can't wait to start posting my own stories about the boys exploits!
here is Riley and myself at the skate park. at 4 he can roll into any of the obsticles except the quarterpipe.

[oldboyonrgv]

Thanks for letting me know you still wnat to hear about Rows exploits, I dont want to clog the board up if no-one is interested

Got the results today Row finished 8th overall

Havent posted any photos recently, here are some from Sunday






Also got a new transporter


If you see us on the road, give us a toot !

[phlat65]

8th!!!!!! sweet rig.

[cdfisher]

The track reminds me of the MX tracks we used to setup in the 70's by just staking off a path through a field. Open and natural terrain made for some of the best racing I ever had.

Keep your posts going, this forum needs more like it.