Rivalry and end of the Summer races.

Summer, when I think of summer I think of swimming, long days, lazy afternoons and I think of Motocross. Well actually I think of Motocross year-round. This summer seems to have slid by way too fast. Thinking back to the shotgun start of summer I think of Memorial day and Over The Hill Gang. Fernley National to be more precise. How I got 9^th overall for the weekend out of 21 riders. All riders except myself were under 20. I guess the old man taught the young bucks a thing or two. What I cant out ride I can out smart. Then I think of Mammoth Motocross, how I was another great weekend of racing and my first for qualifying for the main event. And that leads me to Arenacross.

Arena-cross, Motocross held in an arena. Not a stadium but an arena, an acre a area reserved for muttin’ bustin, ropin’ and hawg-tyin’! This year the Golden State Cycle Areancross was better then ever, I started it off in the over 40 novice class, good competition I had come out in 2^nd. Then the second race of the series. Feeling without competition I decided to enter the Amateur class. A step up from Novice, also where most of my peers race. Also the deciding factor to me advancing. 12 angry men, but this was no jury, all experienced and hungry for the single line into the first turn. Race one would be a good race. Nearly everyone was equal. The 45 second track would be a sprint to the finish in 7 laps. That’s the good and the bad. Short race, the bad is I had been training for endurance. I wasn’t even warmed up until lap 4. I placed fourth in the first heat and second in the second heat. For the night, I would come out with the 2^nd place trophy.

Without a little conflict what good would the racing be? So due to an on track spat in the second heat, a wager, and a rivalry was developed. Between myself and a fellow racer. The bet was going into the next round the loser would kiss the boot of the winner. I was excited about this. While my rival felt surely he would be handing over his boot, I wasn’t going to let him get away with it at least without a fight. And actually it was I that called him to the carpet so to speak, when he questioned my skills. Immature yes but so much more was added.

In between the weeks racing practice was allowed on Wednesday evenings. So Wednesday before the final round I was eager to take the track and find the quickest line I could. While I had lost focus for just a moment, it was all that was needed. I flipped and tumbled into a turn, too much front brake and I was left with too much soreness. Out of breath and unable to stand, the first thing I think of is “I can’t forfeit the race this way!” Makes sense. I cant breath, I’m potentially looking at x-rays and I’m thinking about racing. You can see where my head is at. After a brief rest, I take to the track, wiring the ruts and gaining seconds. My competition following me closely and watching on. I would get on the track lay some times down then relax let him gain on me and lead him around. I wanted into his head, which at the time I didn’t know how much I was going to be a success.

Race day.

Standing in line to sign up, he is here. I smile and ask how he is feeling? Cocky he still claims he is going to leave me in the dust. Aren’t you gonna’ feel bad when you loose I tell him. On to the track; over watered, sun in the eyes and of course every rider on the track at once, really all your doing is just a sighting lap. I pull off the track, and see him, I call him over to my pits, “Pretty wet and slippery out there huh?” with his cocky response “no I felt great.” Good to hear, because I can’t wait thinking to myself. Still looking for a way into his head. You see, he is faster then me. At practice I have always acknowledged that if he got in front of me, he will run, behind me and he locks on.

Heat one

The gate drops, I make for the first turn and I have a horrible start. 5^th. Maybe I can gain a position or two? Basically this is a dash for cash race. Its over before it starts. In the turns I don’t see him, that has me puzzled? I storm on beating my own lap times and come in ahead of him. Later I asked my friends, what happened. Seems he was really flustered and got stuck in the gate. Compounded with wild riding he did everything he could, he just couldn’t make it to me by the end of the race.

Heat two

Another poor start, 6^th, except he is in fifth, the race is furious, with me locked onto him, he is taking all my lines, he is thinking smart, I ponder in my head. He goes inside I go out. Watching him from behind, he is over his head. He looks like he just robbed the bank and is trying to get away. I am locked onto him. I show him my metallic ‘Tiki Studios’ flower atop the front fender at nearly every turn, In fact I get ahead of him at one point. He goes for last ditch, slides into the rider in fourth; he has now resorted to forcing his passes. I pick it up, he gets passed, he dives to the inside I go to the outside, a slower rider falls over, and the race is over. 7^th for the night. For all what it was a rivalry it made us both ride above our own limits and make us better. For reasons I don’t know, he packed up and disappeared before I could even talk to him. It was a push. 1-1. Ironically he and I raced at Mammoth. Saturday he was just ahead of me, Sunday I was just ahead of him.

The Arenacross season is over, two second place races and a seventh. Soon the fall series will start. LACR, Race town and more races in Nevada. Another amateur national at Fernley over Labor day, I am looking forward to straight up battle in the sand and 30 minute motos. I’m just not built for sprints.

 Love for http://www.photocross.net who is shooting the event and all the other events they cover.