RACEGUY 'Rites

RACEGUY RESURRECTED

2012-04-12T23:15:00.001-03:00

NIGHT-ONE REPORT IS BELOW!

NIGHT-TWO IS NOW UP!!

LET’S GET THIS SHOW

ON THE ROAD!!

It’s been a while, and I’m not making excuses for my absence. I needed time to de-stress and work on my health, my family, and my return to a comfortable old career.

I won’t hide the fact that one of the turning points in the path this site has taken came when I simply gave up for a while. Another year presented us with another opportunity to put the sport on the path that would have both promoters and participants shaking hands and slapping backs when discussions were over. Instead, we had less than lukewarm participation, poorly presented discussion points, and misunderstanding and misinterpretation before we even left the room.

I am, again, disappointed with the way things turned out, but I neither race or bear the burden of promoting races. I can only observe. I can only experience the emotions I do as a closely-related outsider looking in. I have invested over three decades in this sport, and I’ve earned the right to sulk. We’ll talk about that over the next few weeks.

FOR NOW…

Nicole Murphy photo (Facebook)

We are on our way back to the epicenter of motocross in Atlantic Canada. If Sackville was willing to part with us, NOTHING could be better than Springhill standing by to extend open arms. Only the oldest, most wrinkled, wisest (?) were around when the iron-men on off-road motorcycles seemed to have a common denominator, and that was the historic little community in Springhill, Nova Scotia.

We are taking our show to the birthplace of motocross in Atlantic Canada. We are going home to show the folks how we’ve grown and matured. We’re taking the sport back to its roots and I think they know we’re coming.

I have no camera. I will not tell you how shitty these people are until I give them one more chance to prove themselves. It won’t happen this weekend. I’ll be stealing pics wherever possible.

Continue down the page as the weekend progresses. It’s the easiest way to keep everything accessible. I’m hoping there is a wi-fi connection at the arena. It will allow us to keep in touch as the weekend unfolds.

Wish I had more time to fill in some blanks, but, tomorrow is another workin’ day. I’ll sweet-talk my way into a 2pm quittin’ time and pour on the coals (pardon the pun) straight for Springhill. Somehow…when there's MX in your blood, it’s just like going home.

Nichole Murphy Photo

Night One

Friday, April 13, 2012

I sincerely apologize for my lack of a camera, many thanks to the manufacturer who somehow sees “customer support” as being two totally separate concepts which should never be combined. I’ll try to steal something from someone once the weekend is settled. It’s just not the same without the pics.

Working for a living means I missed all but the Pro practice, such as it was. While I was denied the the enjoyment of what I’m told was a Gong Show featuring the Juniors, I did get to closely watch how the best of this region dealt with a quickly disintegrating track surface.

The channels carved through the whoops and particularly nasty “cupping” on jump faces through the main rhythm section caused fits for everyone, even the buttery smooth Mitchell Cooke. The luscious new Springhill soil was pretty well saturated and had the feel underfoot of modeling clay. That meant grip that made encouraging rear wheelspin more than a challenge, and bikes slow to respond to throttle off the tight 180 degree turns. It was a set-up guaranteed to put passing at a premium and insure that the way around was often going to involve attempting to “go through” the rider-obstacle just ahead.

I should point out that, as the evening went on, the more the soil was torn at and worked by the track grooming equipment, the more it offered up promise that Saturday night’s track with be a totally different animal. It will be interesting to see if those predictions come to fruition.

With very little time before we’re heading back down the road to the Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Community Centre, an outstanding facility with, unfortunately, no wi-fi to speak of, we’ll give you a very brief rundown on Friday night’s action and CTI award winners.

50cc

It’s unfortunate that more of the tiny terrors failed to show up for this one, as the track was reasonably comfortable for the little bikes, except if you were a slow roller in the very demanding whoops.

It was, as we have become accustomed, Damon Burbine’s chance to shine once again, as the #77 was in a league of his own, beginning to lap the rear of the pack by lap #4. Luke Penney did a great job keeping the “Turbine” in sight, but that was as close as it got. When the plates were handed out, it was:

1). Damon Burbine

2). Luke Penney

3). Colby Beaulieu

65cc

A handful of somewhat unfamiliar names rode back to the podium at the end of the 65cc final, following a dominant performance by Zac Taylor and challenging rides by Daryn Fournier and Connor Drysdale. When they came home to roost, the Estabrooks Orthopedic/CTI Braces awards were handed out as follows;

1). Zac Taylor

2). Daryn Fournier

3). Connor Drysdale

85cc 7-12

Graduates from the smaller class were the order of the evening for the younger of the two 85cc groups. The class quickly fell into a rolling order with very little drama as the riders got the feel for their new rides indoors and focused on simply finishing with their first 85cc class awards. In the end, number plates were hoisted skyward by;

1). Hayden Dennis

2). Brendon Clark

3). Miguel Auffrey

85cc 13-16

Brett Young and Jordan Melanson are both on new mounts this year, and both are still learning the quirks of their new rides. The opening laps had “The Bee” looking just a touch awkward on his new CRF150 four-stroke and, momentarily at least, it appeared the combination of Jordy M and the KTM just might slip away and hide from the field. Then, a couple of bobbles by Melanson and Young finding his comfort zone while taking advantage of the four-strokes bark off slower turns, turned it into a sensational see-saw battle all the way to the wire. At the checkers, night-one looked like this;

1). Brett Young

2). Jordan Melanson

3). Alex Affleck

Nichole Murphy Photo

Schoolboy

The “up to 16” super GP class saw some new names immortalized as the first top-3 in Schoolboy at the new Springhill venue. Brett Alexander was determined to end the main in the saddle, unlike the MX2 moto that saw hoorays turned into heartbreak as Alexander ended up leaving the track on foot. This one saw three very determined kids dialing up the concentration all the way to the checkers. In the end, the CTI Braces number plates for night-one were in the hands of;

1). Brett Alexander

2). Brandon Frenette

3). Mackenzie Mazerolle

Youth

With 8 in the gate, the wild GP that is the Youth class guaranteed plenty of action at the front and all the way back through the field. The main event did not disappoint. The scramble for bragging rights in behind the lead pack was every bit as entertaining as anything offered up by the usual suspects from the Pro class at the front of the field. Davey Fraser wanted to prove that the exotic TM had arrived on scene ready to win. He did not disappoint. When they rolled to the podium at the end of the main, it looked like this;

1). Davey Fraser

2). Brad Lockhart

3). David Strang

MX2 “B” Juniors

The practice and qualifiers gave the indication that the Juniors were in for a struggle with the soft, sticky, slightly off-time Springhill circuit. That indication proved prophetic. While it looked like Brett Alexander was on his way to a big #1 plate, it all came unraveled with the white flag in the air and gave a few fresh faces the opportunity to smile for the Springhill faithful. When the checkers dropped, the outcome was;

1). Sam Gray

2). Trevor Esau

3). Owen Hennigar

MX2 “A” Juniors

While he failed to get off the gate in the Youth main, Michel Ouelette proved just the opposite in his Junior moto, leading into turn-1 and not looking back all the way to the wire. In behind, it was a battle of back and forth while dodging victims of the Springhill whoops. Survival of the fittest determined who would and wouldn’t wave CTI Braces numberplates when all was said and done;

1). Michel Ouelette

2). Jason Hickey

3). Brandon Frenette

MX2 Intermediate

Telling the story of the most frantic class battles of the night would take an entire website all by itself. A see-saw war between Jason Gray and Shane Gallant raged throughout the moto with Devin MacPherson, Dawson Hood, and Jake McEvoy banging bars in behind. It all came to a head, bringing the crowd to its feet, in the final turn of the last lap, as Gallant ran it in deep (too deep) on Jason Gray, sending Gray to the ground and Gallant on to apparent victory. When the dust settled, our intrepid referee ruled the pass by Gallant overly aggressive and illegal resulting in a DQ. Gray, who got assistance picking up his Honda from it’s downslope was docked positions, and the podium was like a surreal game of musical chairs. After official intervention, there were stunned looks all around and the finish results looked like;

1). Devin MacPherson

2). Jake McEvoy

3). Dawson Hood

MX1 Intermediate

A short field could easily have led to a boring freight-train in the big bike Intermediates, but, in arenacross, nothing is written in stone. While rookie Intermediate Brandon Carter appeared to be on a path to dominate, a ride off that path and an unbelievable rodeo recovery had the Springhill crowd roaring as a moderately wounded Carter salvaged his first Intermediate moto while the Dunbar boys in behind made the entire main a true crowd-pleaser. At the flag, it was;

1). Brandon Carter

2). Randy Dunbar

3). Jonny Dunbar

Pro Quads

The Kyle Ledwidge built track was tough enough on the two-wheeled set, but for the four-wheelers, it was a passing nightmare. As expected, Demon Damon Baker jumped to the front and left the remainder of the gate to fight over what remained. Daniel Looke and Joey Lowthers made repeated attempts at swapping spots, and both struggled mightily in the moguls (whoops) and when they came back to earth at the final flag, the outcome was;

1). Damon Baker

2). Joey Lowthers

3). Daniel Looke

Pros

Qualifiers were hotly contested, but the top two gate picks eventually went to former arch-rivals Ryan Lockhart, racing for the first time in front of a hometown crowd, and Mitch Cooke, who had the track’s timing as dialed as any rider on the day. Winner of last year’s second night, Quebec’s Karl Normand, was also stout in qualifying and looking like a threat for the main.

The difficulty in passing, and troublesome traffic would play a huge role in the outcome for the Pros. Normand quickly found his way to the front, in spite of the all-out efforts of Davey Fraser, and traffic on the tight track would eventually determine the order at the checkers. It was a constant battle to the end, especially for the B.C. transplant, Lockhart, who was determined to cash in that long trip home with a podium finish and was forced to fight all the way to the end to get it. When the CTI Braces/Estabrooks Orthopedic plates were dealt at the end of night one, it was;

1). Karl Normand

2). Davey Fraser

3). Ryan Lockhart

I’ll stick my neck out and predict a much different track for tonight’s second night at the Josh Damery Memorial, and, with the ice broken, we can also expect closer, harder, faster racing inside the Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Centre and outcomes that may be vastly different from night one.

I’ll also predict a crowd pleasing, electrifying evening for everyone who chooses to join us.

Nicole Murphy Photo

Night-Two

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Magic. M-A-G-I-C. I’m not sure there’s another word that even comes close to describing night #2 of the season’s one-and-only arenacross East of the Quebec border. While Friday’s incredible response from the Springhill crowd was the most amazing since Richard Strang started this annual ritual, it failed to prepare us for the bulging bleachers that lay in front of us on Saturday, and the Pro class result that couldn’t have been a greater story if it had been scripted by Walt Disney.

As cliché as it sounds, the crowd was loud and proud and they were there for the moto. We even had Springhill’s mayor converted to “moto-mayor” for the night as he took the time to welcome everyone, particularly the racers and their families, then shared the floor with us as we awarded the 2012 Josh Damery Memorial Trophy. It was great to have both Gary and Shelley in the house, with Shelley joining Richard Strang on the floor to award the coveted Damery trophy to the “get-to-the-race-whatever-it-takes”, “Determined” Devin MacPherson.

While the soil was significantly better than the previous night’s offering, and will prove to be pure brown gold in years to come, it was still subject to deep and nasty grooving under the assault of the Pros. That led the organizing team to modify the program, moving the Pro qualifiers to a position behind all the small-wheel bikes. That little concession meant the 50s and 65s no longer had to battle peg-scraping ruts, particularly through the whoops.

Nichole Murphy Photo

50cc

The cream really does always rise to the top, and the proof is as close as the results of the second night for the 50s. Even fighting an evil virus (stomach bug), and barfing his brains out throughout the day, Damon Burbine knew his mission. In fact, the same cream rose to the top of the podium in the same order as our first night. CTI Braces number plaques were waiting at the flag for;

1). Damon Burbine

2). Luke Penney

3). Colby Beaulieu

65cc

Morgan Dealy was fully prepared to make his mark when the 65s went to the gate for night #2, and, briefly, it looked pretty promising. Morgan got a jump out of the gate and looked ready to hold the point, right up until Zac Taylor summoned up his momentum from the night before and claimed his rightful spot at the front. Connor Drysdale became the evening’s odd man out based on his Friday night performance, replaced by the aforementioned Dealy, with the podium shaping up like this;

1). Zac Taylor

2). Morgan Dealy

3). Daryn Fournier

85cc 7-11

Morgan Dealy also performed the quick turnaround by going to the gate in the biggest of the small-wheel classes. This moto actually ran 2^nd in the program, then, Dealy returned to the line to race the 65s, as just discussed. While he never looked truly comfortable on a new ride, indoors, Hayden Dennis was certainly comfortable enough to scoop the CTI Braces #1 plaque for a second night in a row. Brendon Clark brought a little “more” for Saturday night, but the best he could manage was a strong “also-ran” to Hayden’s holeshot and hold performances. Night two saw Miguel Auffrey drop off the podium, replaced by the double-classing Dealy, who got his second podium of the night. Here’s how they looked at the flag;

1). Hayden Dennis

2). Brendon Clark

3). Morgan Dealy

85cc 12-16

Redemption night for Jordan Melanson turned in to anything but. With two of the bowl-shaped 180s slightly resculpted, giving the 2-stroke KTM a greater opportunity to fully use its cornering speed, it was the infield rhythm section that determined Jordan’s night. His “moments” were scary. His recoveries were scarier! Yet, while Melanson was selling his soul to salvage a 2^nd, it was the ever-persistent Brett Young running away at the front, for the second night, on a Honda 4-stroke. My personal observation is that “The Bee” did not look as smooth or comfortable on the Honda on the second night, but I attribute that to the fact that he wasn’t being pushed by the struggling Jordy, and he rode much better Friday once the pressure was on. When the awards were handed out, the result was;

1). Brett Young

2). Jordan Melanson

3). Jacob Drysdale

Schoolboy

Just a couple of additional entries could have easily turned the Schoolboy class into one of those main events where the action was fast and furious from front to rear. Instead, the podium pack found they could settle in early and stay fast and safe to the end. Ryan MacKay had transmission issues that saw him wisely remove himself from competition Friday night, but his chance in the spotlight came as he double-classed both Schoolboy and MX2 Intermediate in back-to-back motos on night-2. With stout performances again by Brett Alexander and Brandon Frenette, when the Estabrooks Orthopedic/CTI Braces number plates were distributed, it looked like;

1). Ryan MacKay

2). Brett Alexander

3). Brandon Frenette

Youth

The class that Davey owns lived up to its billing again on Saturday night, as Canada’s king of Youth moto gated along with a hungry herd that included a pack of potential winners including hometown hero Brad Lockhart and the newest Colleen Millsaps understudy, David Strang. Six contenders hammered in behind Fraser’s Italian-built TM, but when the dust had cleared, the best we could do was to replicate Friday’s finish.

1). Davey Fraser

2). Brad Lockhart

3). David Strang

Beginners

While it is my belief that the terms “Beginners” and “Arenacross” should be mutually exclusive and never contained within the same paragraph, let alone the same sentence, we had enough of the uninitiated to constitute a gate, so we loaded ‘em in the cannon and pulled the trigger. It was anything but a parade, so the fans got a show, and the players got a lesson in why arenacross is not a silly game just because it’s inside an arena. When they wobbled to the flag, CTI Braces number plates were waiting for;

1). Trevor Esau

2). Jake Molloy

3). Vern MacNeill

Junior

The red and white plates were combined as an open displacement GP type class for Saturday night, and a full gate plus one made for a crowded and sometimes comical class with surprises thrown in for good measure. Possibly the greatest eye-openers came in the form of the failure to make the victory circle for both Brett Alexander and Brandon Frenette, who had performed very well over the weekend, right up until this class was launched. The moto was entertaining for the packed house in Springhill, but less entertaining for the six riders who were not named;

1). Jordon Hickey

2). Jaret Defazio

3). Andrew Beale

Nichole Murphy Photo

MX2 Intermediate

Packed with the best of the rising talent on Canada’s East coast, the Intermediate tiddlers somewhat resembled a face-to-face brawl with baseball bats. From gate-drop to the final flag, the black & yellow plate group demonstrated every possible element of indoor racing, from bar banging “do or die” determination, to errors of both the forced and unforced variety.

When the flag flew to call it a night, it was newly minted Josh Damery Memorial Award recipient Devin MacPherson finally finding the top step, followed home by a much better behaved Shane Gallant, and, redeeming his Friday absence, Toys for Big Boys rider Ryan MacKay.

1). Devin MacPherson

2). Shane Gallant

3). Ryan MacKay

MX1 Intermediate

The Dunbar Division, better known as the big-bore Intermediates, gave Moncton’s Brandon Carter an opportunity to go for another win Saturday night, without the drama of his rodeo to recovery performance of the previous evening. After insuring that his mother was properly sedated for the occasion, Brando left the Dunbar boys to hammer away at one another to decide the runner up positions, while KTM mounted Carter got his season off to a perfect start. As they lined up for CTI Awards, it was;

1). Brandon Carter

2). Randy Dunbar

3). Jonny Dunbar

Pro Quad

Suffice it to say, qualifying did not go Damon Baker’s way. The kid who would normally take the top step left Saturday night’s gate with the handicap of a second row start, which, on that particular track, pretty much meant running over the competition in order to pull off a pass. Damon was rattlesnake ready when the gate dropped, and he was the model of controlled aggression into turn-1, stealing the inside line and 2^nd place as they headed into the whoops. Try as he might, short of chrome-horning the leader into the bleachers, there was little the Demon could do with Quebec’s Dave Pelletier. It was a nice reward for all that travel, as the quad-squad headed to the podium in the order they had run the majority of the moto;

1). Dave Pelletier

2). Damon Baker

3). Daniel Looke

Adam Turner Photo

Pro

I felt bad…that I may have blind-sided my good friend Ryan Lockhart as we introduced him to the Springhill faithful. It’s important to remember that anything you say, in front of a bloodsucker like myself, just might be repeated somewhere along the line. In this case, a conversation Newf and I had in the pits Saturday afternoon, would find its way into rider introductions.

When an icon in our sport tells you he will “call it a day” as a Pro racer if he can win the main at his hometown arenacross, you just have to pin him down on it in front of the capacity crowd. Ryan’s response had the room roaring. How could we have known?

Qualifiers were a show unto themselves and, it seemed, the crowd was taking notes. Afternoon qualifiers had set the stage with night-1 winner, Karl Normand becoming “the kid nobody wanted to play with” with his very sketchy take on “playing around” in practice. Even the cool-tempered Lockhart (Ryan) had to confront the jovial Quebec kid and try to remind him that he wasn’t willing to end up over the bars in practice. The session came to an end with Montes and Fraser yelling into each other’s helmets.

The drama didn’t stop there, with a lot of “promises” made in the pits and a lot of expectations depending on rider geography when the gate dropped.

To be sincere, the rest was a blur. I followed and shouted and was overcome with emotion, but all I can remember at the end is…#59 to the flag first and I could only imagine the emotion inside that rider’s helmet. Yes, I followed and exercised my lungs to their fullest as Karl Normand began closing the gap over the last four laps of the moto, but I can only claim being totally breathless as Ryan Lockhart came face-to-face with a career promise as a checkered flag tore through the air in an arena in quaint Springhill, Nova Scotia.

A story with all those elements usually ends – “and they all lived happily everafter”. After this past weekend…none of that would surprise me. The results are overshadowed by the drama;

1). Ryan Lockhart

2). Karl Normand

3). Davey Fraser

Jessica Longname Photo

Congratulations to all. Thank you to all. Guess we’ll see you all next year! (According to the "Moto-Mayor", they'd like to have us back.

RACEGUY Reviews

2011-10-29T21:15:00.003-03:00

Where Were You?

Let me start by saying, I’ll keep this short in order to get it up on-line a little more expediently (that means fast, I think). I’ll just try to summarize a bit and fill in the fine points once I get a look at Tammy Devlin’s notes. Believe me, I will leave a lot of blanks that need filling, and you may have questions I have to chase down answers for. Don’t forget, you can leave your thoughts and questions at “comments” at the bottom of this column.

I will also quickly apologize for the odd “tint” the photos appear to have. I hate being intrusive, so I set the camera for very low light so the flash would not be going off in people’s faces and causing a distraction. I’m also a crappy photographer.

I’m not sure why it should matter a damn to me, but it does, so I’d like to extend a thanks on behalf of the motocross community to everyone who took a couple of hours out of their Saturday to listen and speak on behalf of just over 450 license holders here in the region. The people in that room this morning deserve a round of applause.

Turnout for your AGM may have been up slightly, but I am still resentful of those who passed on this opportunity and will now start questioning and, yes, complaining. My best guess would put a total of somewhere near 60 participants in the room when the group was at its maximum. This might sound halfway reasonable until we deduct the promoters, competition committee, rider reps, etc. Those people alone account for 18 or more of our number today, or almost a third if you’re doing the math.

We should also factor in the number of non-voting hands in the room. I am not a license-holder, I do not vote. Riders’ girlfriends, boyfriends, multiple family members, and hairdressers do not get a vote. One license, one hand in the air. That doesn’t leave a whole lot of hands to represent the entire motocross community here in the region, but that, apparently, is how the majority want it.

The region again owes a debt of gratitude to Larry Northrup for taking on the thankless role of facilitator for the AGM. With barely three hours in which to cram all the questions and discussion, it’s a monumental task to keep this type of meeting on agenda.

Once again, it all began with a blank sheet, and the floor was thrown wide open for questions that would be addressed. One page led to a second, and finally a single, lonely item for page-three. Once again, I will try to be brief and focus on the changes. The fine details will be fodder for another day.

Top of the deck were two items that certainly belonged under the heading “Hot Topics”. As it is at tracks all over North America, “flaggers” or martials were a major concern, but while the issue was initiated from the floor, there were no prospective solutions offered. While we are all in agreement that there is lot of room for improvement, the fact that flagging crews are seldom the same at any two races at the same track, makes any formal training virtually impossible.

One practice that will end immediately is the use of mobile phones and/or the presence of “friends” on the track during the race. Promotors are encouraged to try and find a few stable individuals to act as key people on the flagging team, and the idea of having a “chief martial”, as is the case at Riverglade, is also a suggestion we would like to see taken seriously.

It was also suggested that over the winter, everyone, including potential flag personnel, would have an outstanding opportunity to watch the DVD from the Brett Downey Foundation. I very highly recommend EVERYONE in the sport track down a copy and watch it a time or two before next season. You can get your own personal copy by clicking here - BRETT DOWNEY FOUNDATION While it’s a $10 donation that goes directly to the foundation, I hope you will send them a little something extra for the amazing work they are doing in our sport.

One additional safety concern was the positioning of a region radio at totally blind sections of all circuits. This has been too long coming, and must be an absolute going forward.

I, personally, would rather stick sharp objects in my eyeball than score laps at a motorsport event. I have done it. I’d rather not have to do it ever again. There is no amount of appreciation sufficient for what these people do. Scoring was again called into question. Why stop now? It’s only been going on for over a hundred years.

While I believe it IS the case at every track in the region, it was made clear that a minimum of two scoring teams are a requirement. It was pointed out that no form of motorsport ever challenges a result in which two scoring teams produce identical sheets.

This, of course, brought us to the topic of transponders. Without getting into all the back and forth, it was agreed that the region would revisit feasibility of an electronic scoring system that would travel with the series. I will point out that how these costs would be borne were not a subject of discussion. It must be remembered that these expensive systems do not eliminate the cost of human scoring teams which will make costs for promoters higher, while also increasing the costs coming out of the meager money going through the region, and adding to costs for riders who would be required to rent or purchase a transponder. Enough said on that topic. We will discuss this further once Larry Northrup has an opportunity to do a little costing and cost/benefit analysis. You will be advised.

While it took up a little space on the “hot list”, nothing will change regarding qualified riders borrowing motorcycles to complete their day should the bike they started with suffer a failure once the rider had taken a start in his first moto. It was emphasized, though, that wherever possible, numbers should be changed over (which is easy for riders borrowing the same brand of bike), and more importantly, scoring cannot be guaranteed if race officials are not made aware of the change going to the line. This will be another area where greatly enhanced responsibilities for the staging official will be put into play.

I should point out that while we have allowed this practice in the past, it is a deviation on the CMRC rule book. Today’s decision was to entrench it as a regional amendment to the rules as published. Not a lot changes for us, aside from a greater emphasis on the riders’ responsibility to inform all appropriate race officials. I will make the personal comment, though, that I completely sympathize with the point made by David Estabrooks that this rule affects Pro riders in a significantly different way than any other class. Maybe a meeting between the Pro riders and teams could result in an agreement across the board that, at that level, you must finish the day on the chassis you started the day with. That would be a great compromise on behalf of the riders and let their true Pro attributes shine through.

No matter which track, or region, or country, you will always have the greatest passion expressed amongst the 50cc families. It was very quickly discovered that no one disagreed that safety is paramount above all. The overriding concern appeared to be the blending of the two age groups, even though a two gate drop start has been the norm when the groups are combined, there are still vocal opponents to the practice.

At the end of the “give and take”, it was determined that officials would guarantee separate motos so long as the class gated a minimum of a mere five riders. By way of background, championship points are not issued to classes of less than five riders according to the rule-book, so this is a reasonable threshold for the separate moto concern. I will point out that this region DID generously award points to 50cc riders even when there were less than five, which happened on at least eight occasions this past season.

It happened almost too fast and too smoothly for an issue as loaded as the Veteran class situation, but quicker than a John Force ¼ mile pass, the Vets had agreed to a MAJOR shift in the way the Vet Jt./Vet Master classes will race in 2012.

The initial question revolved around advancing Juniors based on the current 18 point upgrade system used in non age-class divisions. It was made clear that another regional amendment to the rule book could easily put upgrade points in effect. Another suggestion was made, especially considering the hit and miss turnouts in the Master’s class this past year, that the two classes be amalgamated into a single Vet GP class. To my amazement, this was overwhelmingly well received by the Vets in the room and now become a reality, at least for a one year trial in 2012. To the riders, I say BRAVO!

It’s obvious the pro class needs a little energy transfusion. Aside from promises of a healthy number of riders making the jump to Pro for next season, the promoters agreed to discuss implementing one of two options in the coming year. One would see Pro riders exempted from class registration fees and maintaining the “payback” structure currently in place. The other would leave the sign-in fees as is, but offer a guaranteed purse for the class at each track. We’ll see what transpires and how the Pros and the pro-motors do at arriving at a compromise that best for all.

Radios made the agenda this year, but, hopefully, the recommendations made will be put into play for next year. One is the aforementioned positioning of a radio and responsible person at totally blind areas of all tracks on the circuit. The second is the assignment of radios to critical individuals uniformly at every facility to ensure both smooth raceday operations and a higher level of safety for everyone at the track.

The suggestion of track entry/exit lanes (such as you find at Strangs) led back to the topic of pushing bikes to and from the gate. While every promoter will be encouraged to develop dedicated, enclosed transit lanes, a long discussion eventually led to track owners relenting and offering to allow riders the opportunity to ride to staging as directed in the rule-book, which is 1^st gear and no faster than walking speed. In exchange, competitors must accept that ANY violation will result in disqualification and loss of points for the day, and the possibility of a fine in addition should the incident be deemed serious enough. Track officials, rider reps, and members of the competition committee have full authority to enforce this rule. This is a zero-tolerance situation.

Before 2012 dawns, there will be a written procedure in place to be distributed at all races regarding the process of questions, appeals, and protests. By the time we line up for the first moto of next season, everyone will have a clear direction for who to see when things don’t seem quite right. Seems like a simple, elegant solution to me. The same raceday handout will also clearly indicate who your rider reps are and their role as advocates for any rider issues.

Watering during motos was also easily dealt with. This practice will NOT be allowed going forward. Watering for critical dust control situations will take place only between motos and during breaks. Wish everything was that simple.

The remaining items on the flip chart will get a brief mention here. First, the sensitivity of race officials to the “consumers” they serve was a topic of discussion, and it was agreed that a little more thought given to responses and a little more working together would go a long way to remove an imaginary line that sometimes makes it an “us against them” situation. Empathy from both sides is needed but hard to legislate. It was a point well taken, and hopefully it will lead to smoother relations between competitors and organizers.

A youth ATV class was discussed, but at this point, there has been no market and no serious request for such an offering. The industry seems disinterested in making the appropriate equipment or promoting racing at this level, and the participants in the sport haven’t shown much interest, so it is off the table for the time being.

Emergency personnel and equipment made the empassioned discussion list again this year, and there is no question everyone in that room shared equal concerns. This is another outcome that will need a bit more study before any major decisions are made. Promotors were to add to their agenda to discuss what they do and don’t have access to reasonably. Provincial laws will be looked at to see how to best replicate the best teams at each track equally. The Pleasant Valley model of having one of the medic crew call all the shots from the tower was discussed and will hopefully be considered by all operators. Finally, my own personal hope is that we can all put our heads together and agree to nominate a volunteer safety committee to steer these issues and ensure compliance.

Last item on the last page was simple. Do we relocate the ATV motos to different positions on the schedule, for a variety of reasons. Thankfully, it was agreed that the current scheduling was very good for the quad guys as they get to wrap their day before the end of the first set of motos, which just happens to make the track much more user friendly for the 50cc kids who benefit from the flatter smoother track profile left by the quads. From the standpoint of everyone in the room, this was a no-brainer. It ain’t broke, so don’t fix it.

There are a number of other points I like to make, but I promised to drop by the banquet before everyone ran out of steam. Thanks to every single person who participated this morning. I’ll be back to fill in some blanks very soon, and the next column will cover the promoters meeting and 2012 schedule, so don’t go too far away.

Congrats to tonight’s podium people. Thanks to today’s participants. I’ll be back at this page in no time. Spread the word so everybody has an idea how hard we all worked for them today. I hope to see your questions and comments posted on this page. Just scroll down a tiny bit, and click “comments”.

ERRATUM

(That’s latin for

Stuff I forgot)

Well, I made it to the banquet briefly, so I obviously didn’t have time to do a lot of updating here. So, I’d like to apologize to everyone who read this item shortly after it was written, as I now offer new bits and pieces and have forced you to find your way back to the bottom of this (now quite lengthy) page. If you’re wading through this for the first time, please pardon the structure in this segment. The next few paragraphs are things that have come to me after writing the first posted version of this little ramble.

Frank Percey Wilkins photo

There was a significant amount of discussion regarding number plates and rider numbers, (again, as there always is), but the room was in agreement that 2012 is the year the “number frustration”, that also often causes scoring problems, comes to an end. A lot has been said but next to nothing done in the past. The group agreed that the rules needed to be given teeth, and those teeth need to be applied whenever necessary. That means investing your money on bling like anodized plugs and hub-stickers had better not take priority over proper, legible numbers. It would be a costly choice.

Again, a stepped-up role for the staging official, combined with instant communication between staging, registration, and referees, will police problems with improperly numbered riders/bikes. It’s time to read your CMRC rule book very carefully before marrying numbers with plates. A rider with an improper number will get a written warning only once. If a rider shows up at ANY event after that warning, without the number problem corrected, they will be disqualified for the day and will not be returned the entry fee for the day.

ATV riders need to read the rule book VERY carefully and comply fully. Pros are reminded they are also required to have a properly numbered jersey and chest protector.

One more quick item on numbers; (I love great suggestions from the folks on the floor) 50cc teams are all encouraged to apply for two-digit numbers as they are much easier to read and deal with in general. By the way, the time to deal with number issues, no matter who you are, is right now. It gives us all a whole off-season to get things dealt with at CMRC.

Another issue absolutely everybody, and I mean riders, their handlers, moms, dads, aunties and uncles, cousins twice removed, first grade teacher, and EVERYBODY who may have an effect on your life…MUST KNOW. Registration will officially close at 8am on race mornings. That means, you WILL be at riders’ meeting because you have no reason to be anywhere else. Registration will be closed, so you won’t be hanging around there. Even when you bring your best puppy-dog eyed excuse, ANY attempt to register after 8am will AUTOMATICALLY come with a late registration fee. There will be no exceptions. There is no excuse for anyone not having that little task completed before 8am, at which time, you should all be at the aforementioned riders’ meeting and ready to go to the line. For those who will try to test this rule, be fully prepared to pay a premium of $10 per class. We are now aware of this rule over six months from the time it goes into effect. There is no excuse. Come up with a way to get it done by 8am on raceday, or come up with the extra cash. Sounds pretty darn simple to me.

In discussing the flagging and radio situations, I neglected another great idea that we will employ in 2012 and has proven itself all over the world. Track personnel, particularly at more critical points, will be issued VERY LOUD whistles. It’s been proven that the whistles, when properly employed, get the attention of all nearby track people, the medical team, and even some of the riders. It’s a no-brainer…and it’s ingenious. Thanks for that simple, potentially lifesaving change. Now, if I could just convince everyone to adopt the “blocked track” flag. They’re also still working on the “wheels-on-the-ground” flag at tracks around the world.

Frank Percey Wilkins photo

There were a couple of minor changes within the competition committee and the rider reps, including the addition of extra representation for racers. I’ll be posting the details on both very important parts of the organization soon, possibly at the “Breaking News” page. Watch for it.

OK, now that I’ve put the fear of God into everyone, I’d like to go work on a little something regarding the banquet I didn’t go to, and the promotors’s meeting I’m glad I didn’t go to. In case you’re wondering about the schedule for 2012, it looks like we’ll have to wait until the end of November.

In the meantime, you have a whole off-season to get ready for a very promising and exciting new year in 1012. Now, go look after those numbers.

RACEGUY Reaches Out

2011-10-22T16:57:00.000-03:00

Something to Talk About

With the hourglass quickly running down on what many consider the Atlantic Region’s most important day of the year, (AGM and Awards Night), I figured it’s time to give the proverbial pot a little stir. (I prefer to look at it as stirring a pot as opposed to being accused of stirring up s*#t)

While I’m a firm believer that your banquet and awards evening must be free of the politics that often surround organized sports, I am just as firm in my belief that the general membership meeting held earlier in the day should be considered almost mandatory for license-holders and the families that accompany them to race events, whether they are regulars on the circuit or simply take part in one or two races per season. Let’s just say, it’s the proper way to exhaust the “politics” before the party.

Jessica Longname photo

Without being too “hardass” about my personal feelings on the subject (yet), I will again submit that “if you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” Every season, (and I may have seen a few of those), I end up biting my tongue as various and sundry political points are presented both as offhand comments or full blown arguments at racetracks across the region as the year unfolds. Most often I remind the purveyor of said politics that these items and issues can only be addressed properly in the setting of your Annual General Meeting. In most cases, these very same people dredge up every excuse in the world for not attending said meeting, and some of these excuses are so ridiculous they should be shared with Facebook comedy groups.

Like any organization that has HUNDREDS of active members, there will be critiques and concerns regarding how policies, practices, and regulations are arrived at, and whether they might be considered good, bad, or inconsequential for the membership. This is perfectly normal and natural. What I find unusual is, while many sports and organizations are forced to leave these discussions to an elected board, (often behind closed doors), with minimal if any input from the general membership, YOUR region is incredibly inclusionary, giving you the opportunity to offer input and even make motions from the floor during the most important meeting of the year.

As this is being written, tens of thousands of people around the world are “occupying” their cities’ financial districts and downtowns and risking arrest, personal injury, and yes, even death, all for one sole purpose. Millions of individuals on this tiny planet are tired of being tuned out. “Occupiers” and those who support them are simply sick and tired of having no voice where the powers in politics are concerned, and with the corporations they have made rich beyond all imagination. While it may seem a stretch to equate the Occupy Wall Street movement with our tiny little region and our tiny little sport, the point must be made; across this planet, people are willing to go through absolute hell to be heard, while we are given every opportunity to influence at least our motocross destiny, and we turn it down flat.

I often wonder if people have fallen into the trap of believing “someone else” will deal with it. Over the years, I have learned that there are some who consider a shopping trip or a visit to Crystal Palace more important than this one annual opportunity. I see it every year.

Darlene Graves photo

While Atlantic Canada may boast numbers slightly north of 400 licensed competitors, we are lucky to have 40 breathing bodies in the room when the AGM comes to order, and, easily, a dozen or more of those people represent the region and track-owners. Even those who have a valid reason for not attending, most often fail the community by not making their thoughts and wishes known to someone who WILL attend, and giving that person their proxy in the event that a vote is held. Let’s not even start to consider how one could easily find ways to participate on-line or through social media.

Toward the end of this MX season, Dave Hewitson presented us with a brilliant survey that promised to make your thoughts and ideas part of the process, while keeping your identity absolutely anonymous. This was a chance to have your say without even attending the AGM. From the over-400 stake-holders in Atlantic Canada, plus the parents of those under 16, less than 50 have completed and submitted their questionnaires. How can it be that people constantly claim they want to be heard, then take a vow of silence when it comes time to open their mouths? How can people, on one hand, say they DON’T want the decision-making process left in the hands of a few individuals at the head table, while, on the other hand, they have more important things to do than pick up a pen and complete a quick survey? (Or take three hours out for a meeting one day a year). I am left perplexed and, once again, disappointed.

For the 4^th or 5^th time this year, an extensive thread has erupted at MXForum in which the “club” business model, used in most other parts of the country, is both criticized and outright blamed for many of the issues plaguing riders in those regions. Numerous individuals have suggested removing the clubs from the equation altogether and developing a new model centered upon the promoters/track-owners and eliminating expensive “club” involvement. News out of Quebec indicates that region has developed and will implement a new structure in 2012 that will put their series completely in the hands of a consortium of the sport’s biggest stake-holders in Quebec, again, the track-owners/promoters.

Jessica Longname photo

As much as I have pointed this out in the past, it’s a perfect time to remind you, again, that this “producer/consumer” model was developed and refined in this region, and the model has been proven to stand the test of time. Others in this country, and in many parts of the U.S. envy you for the position this puts you in. You have an organization that is, out of necessity, totally in touch with the sport, that takes on all the responsibility for the events you attend, that allows and accepts your input, and yes, even gives you an opportunity to present ideas, make motions, and in many cases, even vote on issues that affect your participation in the sport.

All this is my way of setting up the most important weekend of the year for many of you. I beat my head against this wall year in and year out, but I never get totally used to the painful outcome. This year, I have this particular bully pulpit and, as you can see, I am determined to use it to its maximum advantage.

Our sport in this region is now feeling the delayed effects of the 2008 financial downturn that hit many others much harder and faster. We should have had time to consider and respond to the changing economic climate. The overall health of the sport, from the AMA Pro level on down, is considered sketchy at best. Teams are scaling down, or folding altogether. Very solid riders are without work or even the prospect of a job. Sponsors that are staying in the game are trying to do far more, with far less. Bridging the gap until we all get back on our feet again will be critical over the next couple of years at a minimum. We will not build that bridge on the crumbling structure of “status-quo”.

As a sporting community, we cannot afford to “just keep up”. It is up to all of us to find creative ways to pull out and pass. It is imperative that we get ahead, and stay ahead of the curve. This will not be done without considering the sport from every viewpoint, and being pro-active in making the changes needed to not just maintain, but to build again upon levels of fan and rider participation, of sponsor and community awareness, and of desirability as a “player’s” sport and an unmatched family undertaking.

Emily O'Neil's Facebook pic

Sometimes I feel like I’m taking the military basic-training approach, and, if I just continue to repeat my message long and loud enough, it will finally sink in and become something you respond to subconsciously and completely automatically. Unfortunately, it seems the command is being given, but very few are snapping to “attention”.

I’ve pounded my point long enough. An upcoming AGM puts us back in the “speak now or forever hold your peace” position once again. While it is unbecoming for a man to beg and plead for anything, I am doing just that. I am asking you…PLEASE…invest just a tiny bit of your time with us on Saturday, October 29^th. It will be an investment in yourself and your sport. If you have agenda items, questions, or comments, you can post them here by clicking “comments” below or contact myself or Larry Northrup through any of a number of methods.

I would also like to see your input, positive or otherwise, shared here as food for thought for our readers. Again, you simply have to click “comments” just below this column and you can post your input right here for the whole world to see. You can remain anonymous when you comment here, or, if you send something to my e-mail and ask to be kept out of things, I can assure you, your wish to maintain your privacy will be honoured.

You have the power to make a difference at your fingertips. It doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t cost anything extra. It doesn’t require anything more on your behalf than simply speaking up vocally, or with a keypad. For just a few hours out of one single day…one out of the 365 packed into every year…you can have a significant impact on the sport and the region we all love.

Emily O'Neil Facebook Pic

Which part of this community do you want to fit in to? Guess we’ll see on Saturday. I’m hoping you’ll surprise us…..in the RIGHT way. See you there.

RACEGUY Reports

2011-09-30T18:46:00.002-03:00

Fighting to a Finish

Unlike the ill-fated 2010 version of the Atlantic Region season finale, rain may have been on the menu for 2011, but the outcome couldn’t have been more different than last year.

This time around, there would be no rain-out, this year, being replaced by almost ideal MX conditions. While the rain came, sometimes reasonably hard, but for very short periods, it only served to make the historic Riverglade course more challenging and technical. Chronic mist until mid-afternoon provided exceptional dust control while the on-and-off precip caused some of the track’s notorious hard-pack to compact and become shiny and greasy at the same time.

It’s not like the riders needed anything to make the track more challenging with the previously-planned new section open for business, creating a very level playing-field when it came to strategy and line selection. The most curious part, although I passed on using the stopwatch all day due to conditions and new configurations, is that Earl Doucette was on the radio on a number of occasions questioning how Riverglade could have added an uphill, followed by a very unusual chicane-like section with both banked and off-camber characteristics, and still be seeing sub two-minute lap-times.

The hilltop "chicane" in the new section

Look closely. The wildlife is still there

Another feature of the newest Riveglade reno is the fact that the “Orchard Turn” is now a very fast right hand sweeper as the turn has been opened up to feed into the new portion of the track. This resulted in two things. The fastest of the Pros and Intermediates were playing with fire running a very tiny cushion around the outside in order to build exit speed for the uphill that came next. This meant the knobby tracks left behind were breathtakingly close to the edge of the large “lagoon” that holds quenching water for the sprinkler system. The second of the two things it spawned? That would be speculation on when we’d have our first swimmer.

That distinction, with style-points for a total immersion of both bike and rider, goes to Mitchel Guindon, who was plucked from the chocolate brown pond, along with his 85, as the highlight of the Supermini moto. The best part is, both made it back for the second 85 12-16 moto and the Green Bay P.E.I. rider managed to pull off a 6^th O/A in the class, even after zeroing the Supermini. He even had a fresh, clean, predominantly white jersey and a crisp running bike when he made his return for his 2^nd shot at the pond. The outcome was far more rewarding than winning the cannonball competition.

Went to a motocross race

And a swim meet broke out

My slightly wobbly arrival at the track, in the wake of a couple of 10-hour over-night shifts, (and another just hours away), was almost instantly interrupted by hard-core moto reality, as before I had hooked up with all the necessary track people, just feet over my shoulder, Patrick Reid wadded himself and his KTM in a mis-timed landing on the historic spectator jump, leaving Devon Strang wide-eyed and babbling about how ugly it was and how another championship contender had been slapped out of contention by the laws of gravity.

After using this site to set up some of the epic battles we were to face on that fateful Saturday, and briefly detailing the crushing outcome of Devon Strang’s P.E.I. play-day that put an end to his championship series as quickly as his bike came to a stop in the sandy island soil, one of the first riders I sat down with on Saturday at “The Glade” was young Mr. Strang, who came fully equipped with a mental notebook full of news that would make the chase for the championships even more twisted.

While we spoke briefly about Devon’s pulverized pelvis and crossed-up collarbone, the conversation also covered brother David’s impending appearance at the Montreal Supercross and upcoming winter adventure at Colleen Millsaps Georgia-based training facility, eventually we turned to the news we neither really wanted to hear, or deal with.

Fully expecting that the bloodied face and broken-down body language of Patrick Reid, as they scraped him from the track, was to cost him the MX1 Intermediate title he had poured his heart, soul, and guts into, Devon added insult to info.

One hella fast race director

Ryan MacKay, who headed to the final day with an 11 point lead in the Junior GP championship, and an eight point edge for the title in MX2 Junior, as well as a 45 point championship cushion in Schoolboy, would spend the final round watching from the seat of a Honda four-wheeler and popping pain pills as needed.

The MacKay story only got more dramatic. While there was little he could do about his impending overthrow by Konnor Long in both Junior GP and MX2 Junior, Ryan’s 45 point gap over Mathew Clements in Schoolboy still showed mathematical possibilities, if the Riverview NB rider could “man it out” to a couple of wounded-but-willing finishes anywhere near the Keltic Transport KTM of Clements when the flag dropped. MacKay was willing to give it a go.

It was all speculation and totally unnecessary calculator crunching. Just a couple of quick rooster-crows from the gate-drop at “The Glade”, Clements’ trusty steed came up lame, and, try as they might, there was no repairing or replacing the bike by Saturday morning. Ryan MacKay would salvage one of three Fall Series titles from the shade of the EZ-Ups and the seat of an ATV.

There were so many amazing stories on the day, that to touch on many more would stretch this thing to the point where it needs a hard cover and a place in the library. You’ll see some of it touched upon at the points page, which is another huge undertaking and ongoing as I continue to verify and complete calculations on the big “Upgrade Points” spreadsheet. (You’ll read more about that before the banquet)

Meanwhile, this never-ending front page needs just a couple of items to make it even semi-complete and give you just a tiny look into the story that was the Riverglade wrap-up.

NEVER the preferred method or transportation

On this day, nothing may top Patrick Reid’s “all moto-all man” performance in dragging his battered body to the line and aboard his mount to fight to the last breath for his championship, finishing 7-6 at 7 O/A, and EARNING a championship by seven points that are worth more than ANY other seven points in his career. Respect.

Skip Justason also emphasized the “man” in human, after a little “one-on-one” versus son Brent, (I believe in the Junior GP) that was “just one of those fun little things we do on the final day.” At the time, I remarked, I’d hate to see this little test of egos turn out badly, since Skip was still fighting for or protecting Vet class championships. I should have kept my mouth shut, but if I do that at races, I don’t get paid. The words were, unfortunately, prophetic.

With both of his first Vet motos out of the way, Skip Justason had just pounded his foot to the point where he and his people were very concerned that the foot was broken. Churning out a little of my (usually within the ballpark) head-math, we concluded Skip could risk dumping the Vet Junior moto as his 47 point edge was a clinch. Not so with the Plus-40, where a teeny eleven points separated Scott Fraser from “Skip’s Championship”. He could choose to bail on the Juniors, ride Plus-40 with a potentially broken foot and TRY to stay as close to Scott Fraser as possible, OR head to the ER and win one while settling for 2^nd in the other.

While I might have placed a bet on him gutting it out in the Plus-40, I couldn’t have predicted Justason going “all-in”. Even more out of the realm of reality were “The Skipper’s” improbable 3^rd in Plus-40s for 3^rd O/A on the day, along with 2^nd in Vet Junior for 2^nd O/A. Respect.

Need more? We saw the Fall Series face-to-face between “The Killer Bs”, Belyea and Brennan, go all the way to the final flag of the year. We watched David Strang’s last ride as an Intermediate and his debut on a 450, in both cases enjoying nothing short of brilliance. We also watched Brandon Carter rip down the red digits and test the waters as an Intermediate, only to put in a performance that made him look like he’d already spent a year behind a yellow plate. Don’t forget we got a chance to enjoy the show as Logan Gallant scored a whole team’s wardrobe in Holeshot tees, courtesy the very smoothly run Maritime Cash, Toys For Big Boys, Honda Canada, Riverglade MX Holeshot challenge. (2-stroke addicts should note, all that winning came on a KTM 2-stroke).

Let’s not overlook Damon Baker’s determined drive to the very final flag, that saw the multi-time ATV Pro champion go from non-existent in podium points mid-way through the Fall Series, to proudly on the podium come awards night, just five points off the top step. That drama ranks right up there with watching Cole Butcher reach deeper than he ever has to go from two points back to upset Justin Leger for the Supermini title by a thin five point margin. There was also the intensity of the Curtis Doucet versus T.J. Martin story, with the two tied for second going into the final round, and Martin absolutely determined not to lose. They ended up a mere four points apart, with T.J. accomplishing his goal.

There was David Estabrooks Maritime Cash Holeshot win, followed by his “rag-doll of the year” performance, followed by his remount and ride to the end of the day. In the same breath, we should also mention “Tango” Tony Emond, whos love of big doubles had him dancing seeing stars as he, his bike, and the Riverglade soil became very intimate, very fast. The seemingly indestructible Emond walked away, uphill, and sent me a message explaining how a total nitrogen loss in the rear shock caused the bike’s unexpected reaction and his three-storey drop-kick and grapple with a full grown motorcycle.

Of course it's a little fuzzy...

It's a bunny!

I’m smiling as I say, we also kept the #181 tradition alive through a combination of creativity and sweat provided by Justin Gosslin - berm-bunny extrordinaire - with special mention to Curtis Doucet, who was, apparently, a draft keg (yes, it IS actually “draught”). It was all in the spirit of Kyle, and that’s what truly matters.

I’ll take just a second to also say thanks to everyone who participated in any way in the “Joe Show” fundraisers. The Lion’s Club, with ringmaster Glenn, rounded up almost $300 in 50/50 money alone, and Kurt Taylor and the Burke family get huge props for looking after tickets for that amazing lottery.

Fundraising awards go to The Lions

Kurt Taylor, and the Burke Family

These are for everybody else

Come awards night, we will have some old hands at podium appearances, along with some very deserving fresh new faces. Stories like the ones above will have somehow gotten bigger and better and even more the stuff of which legends are made. (and wait ‘til the alcohol starts talkin’!) In my mind, this season, both series, and each and every race, came with this type of drama and so many great stories. That’s what makes our sport unquestionably one of a kind. I guess that’s what keeps me coming back.

I’ll continue to get everything together for the points page, although I’m about to start another string of 10 hour all-nighters, so I’ll need you to bear with me. In the meantime, make sure you have your banquet tickets in hand NOW. Drop everything you’re doing for the most important single meeting you can attend in any year and bring your best thoughts and questions to the AGM. Finally, keep dropping back here. We’ll be wrapping up 2011 and getting into some really interesting “stuff” over the off-season.

Another sure sign of the end of the season

This place is about to get BUSY again. Don’t stray too far. The “on track” season is coming to a close…but the “on line” season is just getting interesting.

RACEGUY & RIVERGLADE

2011-09-22T02:18:00.001-03:00

Looking Back on the Day
September 21, 2011

“Back in the day” --- Now THERE’S an expression that can get an old fart in a heap of hurt. “Back in the day” is a phrase that most often means its user has a problem letting go of the past. I try to shy away from it like the plague, but every once in a while, old-fartitis causes one to trip over the term and find it necessary to slip it in somewhere.

Thinking about all the work that has already gone into making this Saturday’s series finale at Riverglade something far beyond just another motocross raceday, makes me proud to be part of this sport. Thinking about what the weekend will hold for you in memories that will last a lifetime, makes me think about the so-called “good ole days” and how much it meant to those of us who got to share the experience.

Today, we enjoy a professionally managed and highly structured raceday that is a continuous nine hours, with very little, if any, downtime. Today, we still get to enjoy the moto-moms’ legacy, which is now a chilli dinner, but I’m sure, a lot of the “fun” we used to have, has been toned down a bit, due to the risks of being caught on cell-phone pics or video, and the threat of it all ending up on Facebook, You Tube or Twitter.

The tradition of the “moto-moms’” continues. The night-before party is still one of the best social events anywhere, raceday morning pancakes date back to the era of Gord Close and Harry Lord. The racing will be as intense as ever, as always, and – just like the good ole days - there will be plenty of riders changing everything from class number-plates, to bikes, to the classes they will ride on raceday. Oh, yeah…the banquet tickets will be on sale…another traditional Riverglade Finale feature.

The season finale has always given us the unexpected as well. Kyle Elliott was the master of that discipline. When Kyle suited-up to go to the line…Kyle suited up. I still feel the sting of the loss of Kyle Elliott, but I hope someone with a sense of humour will pay tribute of Kyle this weekend and keep a tradition alive. We miss you Kyle. It would take one helluva man to even TRY to fill your sumo suit.

Now, we get into the part where things have changed or been lost altogether. I know I will miss things on this list, but here is just a very small sample of what always made the Riverglade season finale so incredibly unique as a whole package.

Back in the day, (There! I said it!!), this race drew dozens of “strangers” who’s yearly race calendar included ONLY this event. We also had a pretty consistent turn-out of riders from Quebec. Often, we’d have a one-off rides by local legends who had “retired” but needed a fix. Throw on some of your old gear, (the stuff that you can still get into), borrow a ride for the day, buy a jug of fuel, and hit the grin factory.

Again, looking at ancient history, one race never failed to captivate the crowd and always more received more help and encouragement than any other class. Ask your favorite old fart about “The Mechanics Race”. You could write a book on the antics of mechanic-riders, their mechanics, the families and friends, the pranks and practical jokes, the bikes…DAMN I miss “The Mechanics Race”. Possibly more than once, we also ran a two-up or tandem race. If you were to Google “peeing your pants laughing”, I’m pretty sure there would be a link to a motocross two-up tangle. Then, of course, there’s always the “Dads on pee-wee bikes” sprint race, even a “moms only” event at least once, if my memory isn’t mixing reality with hallucination together again.

At one point in time, the most important place you could have your name immortalized was the “Team Trophy”. The “Team Race” consisted of three-rider teams that included one Junior, one Intermediate, and one Pro, with a draw to determine who raced with whom. Scoring was MXdN format, with the team scoring the LEAST number of points after adding the points of all three riders. This race was a straight-up 100% payback, so the winning team got more than just their names on that magnificent trophy.

My favorite thing about the “Team” trophy is that there are teams engraved on there that include home-grown local boys teamed with Canadian champions. Having your name and Marco Dube engraved as team mates has to be a helluva feeling.

Alas, as the class structure grew and grew, schedules became tighter and tighter, and time for anything other than accepted classes became non-existent.

One more thing I am missing. While there are some folks still using the season finale as a showroom to sell off their excess and used “stuff”, in the 70s and 80s, that race was like a HUGE flea-market or garage-sale. This alone added to the crowd as it drew out a whole herd of off-roaders, play-riders, budget racers, and poseurs, all with cash-in-hand ready to snatch up your worn out Gaernes, or buy out your entire stock of leftover tear-offs.

As I said, we still have some people taking advantage of a captive audience, but just imagine the difference if we organized and promoted a huge flea-market/swap-meet at the final race of the year.

OK. Time to get my head out of the past and back to reality. We WILL have another weekend to remember at Riverglade. We WILL have drama and excitement GUARANTEED, due to a lot of close championship chases and scores to be settled. We just won’t have “a few of my favourite things” as mentioned above.

You know what? I guess this makes me kind of glad I was there “back in the day”.

See everyone at “The Glade”. Bring along your grin liniment.

**I’m working on pictures right now, but Photo Bucket is totally messed up. I’ll add ‘em when that $^##^&@*% web site lets me at them. Check back.

FOR DETAILS ON JOE DOUCETTE FUNDRAISERS AND THE COMPLETE RIVERGLADE WEEKEND SCHEDULE, CLICK THE "Breaking News" tab above.

RACEGUY Renumerates

2011-09-14T16:27:00.003-03:00

This is IT!

Now-or-Never Time is Here

Number-one on my list of things to get said before I jump in to the topic of the day, is a huge thank you and congratulations to the Strang Gang for an absolutely top-notch event. I could find no flaws whatsoever in how well everything went together. (well...maybe one little one - see 3rd photo below)

Secondly, I, once again, apologize for not getting things done here as promised. When I bitched and moaned about everything around me going downhill and sideways simultaneously, the list seemed never-ending. That was BEFORE a major engine failure on the way to Pleasant Valley, a little unsolicited body work.....here's a better look at my last two weeks...

Add all that weirdness to starting a job that is 10 hour shifts from 11pm to 9am, while going through some pretty extensive testing for another job during daytime hours...anyway, let's just say I've been a little off my rhythm. I'll get it all straightened out, I promise! You have my apologies and a plea that you bear with me.

NOW.....down to the reason we're here. My night before any race is taken up by reviewing and reassessing championship battles going in to the next round. This week, I foolishly decided to take a look at the already-complete Spring results and compare, contrast, and take a look at the trending.

What I discovered was, in some cases, fascinating, and others, almost frightening. While I certainly enjoy new names popping up in the Fall Series Fast-Five, the disappearance of others makes for the most volatile and unpredictable twin series in my often challenged memory. Just try to follow the curves.

Of the list of riders who finished the Spring Championship among the front-five, a huge number were absent from RACEGUY’S Fast-Five going into round-5. I was going to offer a quick rundown, but I don’t think there is such a thing. It starts in 50cc 7-8, where Spring Champion Jackson Landry is absent from the Fall list.

65cc podium finishers in 2^nd and 3^rd in the Spring, Brock Landry and Jesse Wells are not part of the equation for the Fall. 85cc 12-16 Spring Champion Ryan MacKay has taken his talents up the ladder, while 85cc 7-11 3^rd and 4^th place Spring finishers, Brock Landry and Jesse Wells are again missing from the list.

My favorite people in the world are often Juniors who are REAL racers and move themselves up in accordance with their abilities. It’s for that reason ATV Junior champ and 3^rd place Stephane Bourque have left Fall Series accolades to others. These guys have my respect.

Going into the weekend at Strangs, Spring Champion Damon Baker had not yet made a Fast-Five appearance in the Pro Quad group. That will change for the 6^th and final round. Also notably absent this fall is Josh Doyle, who will step up on the banquet podium in 3^rd for the Spring, but is a non-entity for the Fall.

Scottie Young is not back to defend his Spring title in the MX1 Intermediate, while injuries have kept Devin MacPherson from doubling up on his MX2 Intermediate crown. Injuries have also put an end to David Butler’s defense of his 3^rd in the Spring.

Another of my “real men of moto” heroes for 2011 is Devin Sleigh, who won’t defend a Spring Junior GP title and has proven himself an instant threat in his new undertakings. After a Spring Series 3^rd, Myles Clements will be hard pressed to even make a mark on the Junior GP numbers in the Fall, as Strang’s marked his return from the disabled list.

MX1 Junior Spring Champion, Randy Dunbar, has been a non-player in the Fall sitting back in 15^th place having raced only two rounds. Mark Brown has taken his Spring Series silver and parked it for the Fall.

Devin Sleigh’s Spring title in MX2 Junior will mark his last podium with red and white plates, but that isn’t all that throws this class wide open. Myles Clements, the back of the front five in the spring, is just returning from injury. Mathew Clements is scrambling from 6^th place, Ryan MacKay has moved up to the big bikes, and the combination of Konnor Long, Logan Gallant, Alec Belyea, and Ryker Brennan has upset threat written all over it.

Alexandra Josey has been a non-entity this Fall, seeing only two events, one of which was rain-shortened. Francine Leger is still riding out her recovery from damage to her hand, which we all know can be concentration killer and powerfully painful. She will hit only three of the six fall rounds. After a ridiculous rag-doll this past weekend at Strangs, Jessica Malaknejadorangi will be a questionable start for the final Riverglade round. IF she could tough out a top 3, the remote possibility exists she could still find a spot on the podium on banquet night. Emily O’Neill and Chelsey Hall will have a lot to say about that.

The Plus-25 Vets are another wide open book this Fall. 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th place finishers from the Spring, Roger Toney, Bob Newey, and David Atkinson are all absent from Fall points. With two missed events, it also appears Johnny Montes will fail to repeat his Spring title as he goes into the final round 26 points behind Jason Viner.

Once again, Devin MacPherson’s stay on the disabled list means we’ll have a new Schoolboy champion for the Fall. Logan Gallant, Justin MacKinnon, and Brandon Frenette, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th in the Spring have all struggled to maintain those standards this fall. Logan is closest to the banquet podium, sitting 19 points behind Isaac Nice.

Vet Junior Spring Champion Eric Findlay has not returned to defend his title this fall. Neither has 2^nd place finisher, John Gallant. Vet Junior is another class that will see big changes on banquet night.

Final words go to Ryan MacKay and Devin MacPherson, who will both play a role one final time, MacKay by taking his Spring title and leaving the Supermini class, and MacPherson, whos injury-related absence in the Youth class will keep him from repeating at least his 3^rd place finish from the spring.

So why am I concerned, and, yes, even frightened by what the numbers are saying? Well, quite simply, it would appear predictions we began making about 4 years ago are now, in some part, coming true.

As with other series and regions across North America, more and more riders and families are cherry-picking their events, even within the confines of short six race series as we opted for this year.

It’s the big picture that has me asking more questions than I could possibly have answers for. Our long-range outlook considered the need in current economic times to maximize your racing dollars and minimize expenses. Everyone could foresee reduced rider registrations and the need for an efficient flow to the series. Everyone was prepared for at least some of the changes that are coming about.

Again, it’s that big picture we had better start paying very close attention to, and the time to start is right now.

Our status and standing, as this season comes to a close, opens the door for many questions that will have a great bearing on the future of motocross here in the region. These are, in fact, questions that are being asked by racers and race organizations across this country and south of the border.

How do we maintain ridership through a slow economy? How do we add value to the experience? Where do we find additional sources of financial support? How do riders and teams package themselves for sponsors? How do we create and encourage new participants at the entry level? Oh…that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The way we’re taking part in our sport has changed…possibly FOREVER. The time to start thinking about the future is the present. Wouldn’t you rather be part of the solution than part of the problem?

Think about it.

I’ll have more to say about the season finale soon. Fast-Five is going up now at the “Atl-Points” tab.

RACEGUY Re-organizes

2011-08-29T16:43:00.002-03:00

Back On Track

Most racing rule books are similar in that they stipulate that if you end up off the race track, you must re-enter the track as close to the point of exit as possible. That’s what this little keyboard exercise is all about. After what seems to be 13 thousand different personal issues knocked me off track, I’m going to attempt to get out of the weeds and back on course without losing all my momentum. I’ve also discovered that when you are a one man band, it gets awfully quiet when you leave the room.

Thanks for hanging in everyone. I appreciate your support and I’m glad to have you reading this at this very moment. I hope you’ll stick by us and continue to check in daily, and I hope you’ll share this site with your racing-inclined friends. There are more updates and features and new ideas being brewed up here behind the scenes, but first, I have to get everything here up to date. Once I finish this column and get the Fast-Five up at the points page, I’ll deal with the clean-up and some unfinished business.

While I use a blog template served off a blogger based domain, I really didn’t plan on using this as a classic blog. Just to clarify things, blog comes from the term “web log”. The original blogs were very similar to keeping a diary and leaving it open for everyone to read. Blogs were published as day to day journals of cancer patients, world travelers, students, journalists, stay-at-home parents, and even prostitutes. Many blogs could only be considered self-centered, self-important, self-serving, and mostly narcissistic (look that one up). I did not want to go down that road.

While I wanted this to be more web-site than blog-site, for some reason this column keeps getting just a little too bloggie (new word – you read it here first) for my liking. I’m promising that from now until the end of the season, I’ll try to stay true to my original intent. Once we’re into the off-season and beyond the banquet, you can expect this space filled with everything from analysis of the AMA Supercross series, to articles on how to be a better racer, mechanic, or how to build a better team. There will be a whole wet white season to slip in an actual blog here and there. For now, I’ll try to stay with the topic at hand, which is the championship series we’re all taking part in and following.

Pull up a seat

Introducing…

It’s always nice to start with good news. That means I get to extend, from myself personally, and from every member of our moto family, a heartfelt congratulations to Heidi and Tyler on the birth of the next generation of unstoppable speed, their beautiful son Talon. The more I think about it, I’m pretty shy on details like time of birth, weight, all that tech inspection stuff. Little Talon wanted the holeshot so bad he left the gate even before the card had flipped to 5, but he apparently arrived in (correct me if I’m wrong) London Ontario happy and healthy and elbows up. I hate to be nosey and intrusive, so I wanted to give the kids a chance to breathe before I started poking around.

Personally, I can’t help but see the poetry in that particular baby coming early so he could be born on the Walton weekend AND spur his all new dad into a much deserved and hard earned win and second Canadian MX2 championship.

Again, congratulations to all, including the new grandparents, aunts and uncles, and to the docs in Ontario for making this project a success. With any luck, we just might see the new first family of moto at the final Riverglade round. Congrats, kids.

Legend Down

I’ll never forget Scottie Lockhart telling me he had ridden with a guy from the island who was “fast”. By that, he meant skills that were current and competitive. That was saying something significant, since at the time, Scott was one of Canada’s top Pros. At that time, it was a rare thing to develop those skills riding on PEI and very few “island” riders ventured to this side of the strait regularly for regional CMA events, let alone challenge for championships.

I am reasonably sure it was through a lot of encouragement from the aforementioned Lockhart, combined with the “nothing’s gonna stop me” attitude of the hyper-kinetic kid from PEI, that the wheels put in motion then would become the moto-man/machine we all came to love over the next 3 decades.

So it began, with a barrel full of natural talent, a roached-out ride, and washed-to-death riding gear, a certain “islander” hopped a ferry and became eternally entwined in the lives of we long-timers and logged in as a legend for the up-and-coming kids.

It would be easy to fill a small and very interesting book with stories about Joe Doucette. Many would border on the unbelievable and others would render the book restricted to readers 18 and over. There is so much that could be shared about his racing, his off-track exploits, his amazing personality, and his incredible generousity. That is a complete and most interesting part of the Joe Doucette story that will eventually become a blog all unto itself. We’ll save all of that for the appropriate place and time. I’ll even include an explanation of how the original nickname became “Caveman”.

In the meantime, I am not here to write some kind of ulogy or epitaph for “The Joe Show”. It’ll take a little more than a high speed soil sample to shut Joe Doucette down, but with a certain age comes a certain breakability, and Joes last soil-swim is certainly going to slow him down for a while.

When a rider is down and not visible to the tower, the only way we have to figure out who it might be is to watch the lap sheets. As riders crossed the line, each was met with a sigh of relief. First, it appeared we were missing Scott Josey. A thousand thoughts went through my head including Alex’s upcoming trip to Walton. Then, Scott appeared on the finish straight and the lap charts said it all. Joe Doucette was now the only missing number. I needed to know right away what Joey’s status was. Sharing the tower with the director of the EMS services and his radio meant I didn’t have to wait long.

No matter which option we took out of the medic’s initial patient assessment, it was far from just a flesh-wound. (Joe Doucette would have dragged himself across the finish line long before if that was the case.) Not that anybody would want to, but take your pick of the following…possible femur, possible hip, possible pelvis. The possibilities are not really important, though. Are they? After all, Joe didn’t get to choose.

Between a broken pelvis and internal bleeding, Joe has already visited the operating room four times (last word I heard). The hardware, (plates, pins, rods) holding his pelvis together, may or may not become permanent.

As much as I hate to say it, Joe is about to begin a long and often painful rehabilitation process that will last, at least, into 2013. His recovery time will include time in a wheel chair, then, on to crutches, later, a pair of canes. At home, steps will have to go, to be replaced with a ramp. The need for other adaptations will also be discovered. Medications will also be a long term need. When you’re like me, with no medical plan, that is a frightening thought in itself.

As a working grunt, Joey doesn’t have a gold-plated safety net to fall back in to. In fact, for the most part, there’s no net at all. I hope his moto family is there to help catch him.

I’m sure, over the next couple of regional rounds, at Strang’s and Riverglade, you can come up with ways we can give Joey a hand up financially. The involvement starts with you. Don’t wait for others to get the ball rolling. I found myself incredibly touched when Scott Josey posted this. I don’t know if there’s a way to thank Darren Ings and the rest of these folks enough.

Dear MX fans and friends of Joe Doucette,

Most everyone knows by now that our good friend Joe Doucette was seriously injured in a recent MX accident in Nova Scotia. Joe is everybody's friend and is a self-employed mechanic. His recovery will take many months and like all of us, I'm sure he has bills to pay.

To help out Joe financially, I am pleased to announce that tickets for a major lottery in aid of our friend are being printed by Kwik Kopy Printing. Here are the details regarding this major fundraising initiative:

Permission has been obtained by the Province of PEI for Lottery #10350. The lottery has two prizes. The grand prize is:

One week of RCI timeshare anywhere in the world (6,345 resorts) by Resort Condominiums International (subject to availability...please visit http://www.facebook.com/l/uAQCLnMMSAQAx0PUacinQPlD4nTzyzLOmIgOtDc2aNhTAlw/www.rci.com). This prize is valued at $1,900 and donated by Darren Ings.

2nd Prize is a new high end cell phone donated by Mr. Paul Murray.

Tickets will be available by August 31st here at my business address at Century 21 Colonial Realty, 111 St. Peters Road, Charlottetown. Tickets are priced at $10 each. The grand prize draw date is scheduled for October 28th, 2011 at the Charlottetown Police Station.

Paul and I would like to ask the MX community to help out buy either purchasing a ticket or by selling tickets...or both!

Please contact me at (902) 566-2121 for details and tickets.

Let's make our friend proud with a show of support! Purchasing and/or selling a ticket shows him that we as a MX community care - while providing funds to aid in his recovery. Let's see what the power from our great MX community can do!

Sincerely,

Darren

Put together your own fundraiser. Hijack the 50/50 draw. Find a way to give back to a guy who has given so much to this sport, especially to the sport as it exists on Prince Edward Island. If we went by dollar value for entertainment provided, some of us would be donating thousands.

Heal in a hurry, Joe. Keep a stiff upper lip Doucettes. We’ll try to keep everyone updated when we get additional info.

Kurt Taylor photo

Well…

I promised to get this done, and I’m sincerely trying, but things keep getting in the way. The job interview this afternoon was well worth putting this column on ice for. The 10 hour shift I’m getting ready for just seems to be cutting into my writing time unnecessarily. Just hold on for a few more. I have one more Riverglade related ramble I’d like to add to this page.

More RACEGUY ‘Rites right around the corner.

Stand by for the rest of this column and the Fast-Five is next.

RACEGUY Resurrected

2011-08-22T01:05:00.000-03:00

Missing in Action

August 21, 2011

I feel guilty and completely responsible for all the missing updates and news I should have been posting here over the past couple of weeks. It’s not that I’ve given up, or lost interest, but, as hard as it is to admit, and as wussy as it may sound, I have had so many critical things going on in my tiny little personal life that this “child of my intellect” had to suffer from being relegated to secondary status for far longer than I would feel comfortable with.

I don’t want to ferment this into some kind of piteous whine, or take the cheesy route and lay out all the things that could have gone potentially wrong – and how they did. Let’s just say that the last three weeks have been one of those periods in one’s life where the further you ride into the lap, the more difficult the obstacles and challenges become, to the point where you are barely holding on, hardly breathing, and having a harder and harder time talking yourself out of just simply giving up.

Giving up is not part of who I am. That meant spending every minute that I could find rethinking and concentrating on different approaches and finding new lines. It meant keeping up the pace and even intensifying it, when frustration and fatigue were trying to beat me into submission and send me home with my tail between my legs. It meant turning the urge to break down and sob into a chilling cry of “banzai” and a head on charge into whatever comes next.

As I write this, I am momentarily catching my breath, getting this “project” we share rolling once again, then looking forward to one more new start and two more big obstacles waiting for me the second I open my eyes in the morning. I wanted to pass on this message because I don’t want anyone to lose faith in me. I just need you to know it has hurt me badly being forced to sidestep my responsibilities to you, while at the same time, I hope it will help you understand it was simply something that HAD to be done.

We have now been through the biggest weeks in Canadian Amateur MX culture, and I was not there to mine for the good information and pass it on to all of you. We just endured the one week layoff between Sand Del Lee and Walton that would see every Pro team making deals with the devil for something truly magic to happen just in time for the finale, and I should have had plenty of interesting tidbits there. There were also the stories of the ringers and rule-benders, and riders surrounded by hype that fail to fulfill the promise.

I can’t help but think I have let down the kids and families from this region who bucked up and took their TransCan dreams all the way to the gate and had an experience they will never forget and guaranteed stories I’m sure we’d all like to share.

We start tomorrow morning with a new National #1 (Colt is back), a PROVEN MX2 Champ as Tyler Medaglia repeats, and simultaneously teams with Heidi Cooke to launch an all new genetic strain in the form of a super-hybrid, who arrived during the final National weekend of the series. The little guy’s name – “Tallon” couldn’t come with deeper motocross ties. Congratulations to all the proud Cookes and Medaglias.

Congrats to all Walton participants, no matter where you came from. Congratulations to new champions and rankings.

Congratulations to everyone fully committed to the final rounds of the Atlantic series. Standings are really exciting and will make this is war until the very last bomb is dropped.

I’ll get back on things before we turn a wheel in anger this Saturday. I’ll try to keep you advised when I get things back in some kind of order. Bear with me. Suggestions are welcome too!

Thanks for your understanding, everybody. Thanks for reading – and spreading the word.

RACEGUY Ready

2011-07-28T01:33:00.035-03:00

New content added below

Just keep scrolling

National Pride

While this page is intended to be used for editorial material from the mind of yours truly, rules like that were made to be manipulated. Taking that into consideration, I am about to turn the page over to the stream of consciousness rambling about people, places, and things I’ll encounter this week as the Monster Energy Pro National takes over “The Glade”.

There will be no shortage of stories to tell, observations to be made, or pictures to be taken. There will be drama and controversy, success and failure, and stories that are best left untold. We’ll run the gamut of stories that will bring tears to your eyes, whether it’s tears of laughter, or tears of deep emotion.

There will be plenty of interesting things to follow, with the Royal Distributing/Motovan amateur day program on Saturday with amazing awards back to 5^th place and thousands of dollars in gift-card giveaways. Then, along comes Sunday and that day speaks for itself.

This page will continue updating within hours as the weekend develops, so check in often. Those who have signed up as followers of this humble site will get a notification when this page changes.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday night’s coverage was a washout, literally. A full day with alternating heavy rain and endless drizzle had turned the park into the world’s fastest mudpie.

Pat O’Connor was an early bird and slid the Leading Edge rig into a mucho primo spot in the pits. Schraders were also setting up camp… could swear I saw Maffenbier helping with the roadie work.

Leading Edge leads in the readiness category

These guys were running a close 2nd

Otherwise, there weren’t a lot of guys around. They’re in the area, just found some place better to get out of the rain.

It was because of that rain and the black skies that come with it, that I didn’t bother with pre-race weekend track photos. We’ll try again tomorrow. Meanwhile, here are a few shots I took before I feared for the life of my camera in the relentless rain.

Teddy Maier's bike is a work of art

Obviously it's waterproof art

A bike this nice should have

It's own umbrella girl

A look from the loud side

Lady in waiting

Just a couple of trick bits

Teddy isn't too fond of bent brake rotors

Thursday

All the rain from Wednesday was hardly obvious, by the time the bright sun and steady breeze has worked their magic. Grassy areas held some moisture, and the very lowest sections of the track were saturated, but a good percentage of track surface was the telltale grey that says “I coulda used a few more hours of rain".

The notorious "spectator jump"

It used to point straight at the tower

Somebody's been playing in the orchard

Once the final practice day is over at the track, the prep will rev up to redline. There is a load of new organic (chips) to be added, a few subtle changes that need the final polish, and a couple of MAJOR changes that are nearing their deadline. I won’t give everything away, but you are going to see some big differences come Saturday.

The High Fibre Diet

Aside from track changes, there was one change I wasn’t quite prepared for. You’ll see what I mean in the photos below.

A huge numbers of teams have already settled in to the Greater Moncton area and are cramming a little sightseeing in between travelling and training. Larry Northrup, Earl Doucette, and Dave Hewitson have either cloned themselves, or found a way to be at the track 27 hours out of every 24. Amateur teams are showing up and camping for the duration. This thing is now building momentum with every minute.

The place is looking great. The changes are good. Everybody is smiling. Let’s see what Friday brings. I’ll keep you posted and get you a few pics.

Still picturesque

Too small for a dancefloor

Maybe a hint of things to come?

He was crushing...

I was crushed

A lot of irreplacable memories

In a heap at my feet

My luxurious new crib

Have to see how it all comes together

If you ever wondered why I call it

"The Orchard"

New permanent bleachers

We saved a seat for you

Welcome back - we missed you

Has it really been a whole year?

Friday

I don’t remember ever attending a Friday prior to a National where the atmosphere was as relaxed and easy going as it was today at “The Glade”. The Monster arch was in place, repeater banners were quickly being strung defining the edges of the track. Every piece of earth moving machinery was in motion, all working to achieve the same goal. Everyone appeared focused and enthusiastic. It was just this side of surreal.

What do you mean

It's in the wrong place

The Royal Treatment

Brett, Wendy, Mark, the CMRC anchors were in position already, Larry Northrup and Lee Steeves were scooping and tamping and dragging soil and mulch, while Earl Doucette was covering ground while crossing “T’s” and dotting “I’s”, and getting pretty damn dirty in the process. It was all falling into place like a well oiled machine and, unbelievably, all I saw was cooperation from every one at every level.

Plastic surgery for the

Spectator jump

"I told you we shoulda just planted corn."

Bikes are unloaded and awaiting one final thorough physical before being ridden into battle on Sunday. Pressure washers mist the air everywhere you look, and a great number of the top riders have already dropped by for a look around and a quick analysis of what they’re facing this weekend.

No introduction necessary

Riders will not just be surprised at the Riverglade that awaits them, they will be dumbstruck. We’re not talking simple flow changes as we saw in the spring. Nothing that benign. A couple of the modifications can only be described as radical.

First practice
I know where I'll be looking

When I left the track at somewhere around 6pm Friday, there was still a lot of sculpting to be completed. If it wasn’t this particular group of people, I might be seriously skeptical that everything would be ready for Saturday morning. With these players on the field, nothing is beyond reach.

"I told ya!...
Third gear pinned!"

As for stories and rumours, only one off-the-wall story/rumour/fairy tale floated to the top this pre-race Friday. It has been tweeted and Facebooked that Mitch Cooke will be putting together a ride for this weekend’s stop at Riverglade. I haven’t heard it from Mitch himself, so I’ll just stay cautiously optimistic and see what Sunday morning brings.

I will try to drop in a few words during practice in the morning. If all the stars are in proper alignment, I will be able to have my trusty laptop beside me in my all new penthouse in the sky.

Amped? Stoked?? It’s beyond that. I am mega-stoked. (I just made that up). Hold on tight, because this thing is building toward critical mass. I, for one, will be there through every magic minute.

Good luck to everyone riding Saturday. Have fun and stay safe.

In just a couple of hours, I’ll be rolling out and rolling on bound for “The Glade”.

I can’t wait for sunrise. Here are a couple more miscellaneous photos. Check back in this morning.

Now THAT'S a lean-to!

"OK...ease into it

and DON'T spin the tires."

Saturday

How do I sum up the day without getting all "wordy" and introspective? If asked, could I condense the whole thing into one simple sentence? Hell, I'll do better than that. I can do it in one word. RAIN. Rain drops the size of grapefruit. Relentless rain. Rain so persistent and never-ending, even the ducks had umbrellas. Rain, in all it's dust quenching glory... and then some. Our day was dominated by rain.

Here are a couple of photos to hold you over until I can add a few more words. I'll give you a hint... I just might mention... rain.

Riders meeting

This is the cleanest you'll be all day

It took me a long time to get around to finishing this. By the time the day was done, the stress level had built to the point that any attempt to release it might have resulted in some kind of steam-driven melt-down.

It was instantly apparent that many of today’s motocrossers are completely unaware of the lifetime of memories that are made whenever battles include the elements at their ultimate. In other words, there is NOTHING like a good mud race when it comes to making memories.

It seemed only 272 entries knew the true value of the experience that is a sensational slop-fest, surrounded by stars who would take on the exact same track 24 hours later.

A Monster puddle

On top of the Monster jump

This is how it looked from

The lap-scorer's window

The rain would not relent. It didn’t take a lot of arm twisting to convince everyone that a single moto would do the job on that soggy Saturday. Throughout, Lee Steeves, Larry Northrup, and the hard working Riverglade crew continued to cut channels to drain standing water and gracefully scrape away the most saturated soil.

There was no "dozing" for this crew

Is that a quadrofoil or a deep-vee

The new tower was certainly drier than the previous offering, but, when combined, the few extra feet between the tower and the finish line, the incessant rivers of rain running down the windows, and the brown film that covered every bike and rider, made following the motos mostly impossible.

In my few years around the sport, I have never seen a lap scoring crew try harder and face more frustration simply attempting to do their jobs. I’ve seen lap scorers lose it, but it’s usually one at a time. In this case, it was an entire scoring team, on the verge of tears, feeling the agony of being unable to do what they were hired to do. Nothing they tried helped. Riders were falling off, stopping on track, getting stuck, and sometimes even pulling off, and the lap sheets read like they were produced by a random number generator. There is no way to even come close to describing the chaos that unfolded in front of the group of highly experienced scorers. Nor is there a way to describe what Tammy Devlin went through as a result.

Detour ahead

Does the fault lie with the riders? In some cases, yes it does, but in others, riders had employed every trick in the book and still had illegible numbers within the first lap or two, depending on where the bike was in the field. Should we assign blame to the lap-scorers or track owners? All I saw there was a superhuman effort, above and beyond reason, and the frustration of trying but knowing it was a futile cause. Simply put, this was a disaster beyond human control.

This, in case you haven’t already figured it out, is the reason the “Fast-Five” have not yet been updated on this site. While there are still questions, there is no point publishing numbers that may still be in dispute.

I’d just like to express my admiration and congratulations one more time to everyone who soldiered through “Slop Saturday”. Somewhere along the line, and I missed it, MX has become a fair weather sport. I didn’t get that memo. Neither did over 200 riders who showed up and got dirty and had a blast doing it.

Still waters run deep
(Is that a periscope?)

One final note on Saturday; the only press release I saw issued regarding the Royal Distributing/Motovan amateur awards program said it was a go. Nothing further was issued after that first PR. Since Moncton was not on the exemption list, it would normally follow that awards and prizes would be part of our amateur day. For whatever reason, that did not happen. Nothing was communicated by anyone. It just simply disappeared and did not happen. I started following up first thing Tuesday, then realized that if anyone had said anything to Larry Northrup, he would already be working on the issue. My intuition was correct. I had been given Mark Stallybrass and Brett Lee as the contacts for this situation and Larry was already attempting to contact Mark. When he gets an answer, you will be the next to know.

"I'm pretty sure I can make it"

"I'm pretty sure it went down here"

Sunday

Sunday morning brought dew on the grass, a bright blue cloudless sky, and a gentle breeze. I related to Byron at the gate, then to many riders and crew people as I strolled through the pits, that I predicted “puffs of dust” by the end of qualifying. That’s right, I was predicting airborne dust, blue-groove jump faces, and hard, slippery, corners, from a track that was some kind of seemingly bottomless emulsion less than 24 hours before.

The dawn's early light

Goerke in flight

Shot by my bro on a Samsung phone

Marshall's meeting

The cleanest they'll be all day

Sunday morning dawned with wide open skies and a track that had been massaged and manipulated non-stop from the time the final Saturday checkered flag fell until the sun had broken the horizon and the smell of bacon permeated the air. The new loop through the ravine and back on to the finish straight would not debut this weekend. No amount of water management would prevent the soil in that section from becoming saturated and turning into quicksand. The work undertaken by the track crew was well intentioned, but this time it was Mother Nature’s chance to win out against many wise men, tons of earth-sculpting machinery, and the silent prayers on many lips.

Once it goes into effect, the section should add a couple of seconds to the lap times and possibly tighten up riders bottlenecking at the turn entrance. One worry is that the left turn that takes riders back onto the finish straight may not offer enough room for 250f bikes to get up to speed in order to clear the finish line jump. Even in the old configuration, the wet greasy surface on the up-hill kept MX2 riders close to the ground over the 100+ foot table during practice. A few, but not too many, finally started challenging the jump towards the end of qualifying. Of course, Dusty had to test the Klattapult.

The MX1 guys, for the most part, had no problem flying over the “bleacher creatures” with the original run-up. With a shorter run off a slower left hand turn, will the 450fs be able to apply the traction needed to hit that huge launch?

The calm before the swarm

Still a little "damp"

A second Matt Lee masterpiece awaited the Pros on Sunday. The amateur layout detoured around the new off-rhythm rhythm jumps, referred to as the Dragon Back. The amateurs would have struggled with this section and possibly even considered it dangerous.

For those who weren’t there, try this sketchy description. If you properly complete the “spectator” jump, you land nosing down with the tires touching the downslope simultaneously. Now, you use the short, abrupt compression and it’s steep up-face, to bleed off speed so you don’t launch as you roll over the crest.

If you intentionally launch out of the compression (tunnel jump), you still come up too short to make the first “rocker” in the set, with the added bonus that bike and rider will be immediately fired diagonally across the access road, landing somewhere handy the rubble pile that was the old tower. So what did these well seasoned professionals learn? If they watched practices and qualifiers, they would have learned there were two basic attacks and there seemed to be no advantage for either. Riding like you were skimming whoops proved to be the only choice for some riders, and timing your attack to ride it like a rhythm section was the only choice for the rest. Neither was faster.

The set-up

All you have to do is clear it

Practice for both MX2 groups was a constant bombardment of mud leeches and clingy goo, but things were getting churned in by the time the big bikes hit the track. As timed qualifying took to the track, it was already showing the telltale signs of packing in and puffing dust. MX2 Pro/Am guys from the region all got into the field on time. David Strang, 21^st, David Butler, 34^th, Rickey Hovey, 35^th, Curtis Doucet, 36^th, Brandon West, 37^th, Davey Smith 2-stroked his way in at 39^th, and Josh Archibald filled the final slot on the gate.

MX1 Pro qualifying saw as many strategies as there were riders on the gate. When the flag fell, all the regional entries had timed in to the field. A snakebit Mitch Cooke ran the HAF Skate & Tattoo Honda through timing 14^th fastest (in a one-off race). Davey Fraser got in to the top 20 at 18^th, Kyle Chatham was less than 3/10ths off Fraser’s pace, also starting top-20 from 19^th. The final Maritime rider to make the MX1 field was first-year-pro Brad Lockhart, who put the Freedom Cycle/Gamma Sales supported KTM on the line 31^st.

It's only first practice, gang

Topher Ingalls may have a hate on for “The Glade”, maybe because he caught a rock in the face early, but most other interviews had the rider, or mechanic, or family member praising the track and the fans. We did get behind on deep watering and there were a few dust complaints, nothing abnormal, and no dustier that most Calgary races. There were rocks in the face and rocks in the fingers…even rocks that target tires! Riverglade roost is Riverglade roost.

There were quite a few tip-overs, but the racing stayed incredibly tight and a number of enlightened rides brought riders presumed to be doomed back through the field where the big points live. There was an incredible amount of “will to win” on the line for both classes. It was an inspiring thing to see.

Andy White is in the house

So are the Allison Bros

What I find uninspsiring is the way backmarkers treat leaders. It was bad, ugly, and embarrassing. Granted, Sand Del Lee 2009 was the worst display I’ve ever seen, but our performance this time out did leave a bad taste in my mouth. I saw some of you indicate to the passing rider which side to go to. I saw some losing their own momentum by slowing and moving extremely high or low on the track, waiting for the leader to come through.

Sadly, what I also saw was a sizable handful of riders jamming up the turn and then accelerating as hard as they can off the turn. The bikes are very close in horsepower. If you accelerate at your hardest against a guy who is putting you a lap down, he won’t be able to pass you. Then, if you commit to the preferred line through the next turn, you are still holding him up. See the flag…listen to the bike coming in on you. Pick an off line (not the best rut in the turn) and do not change that line until he is by. You do not need to pull over for a blue flag. Just indicate your intentions, leave a little room, and don’t change lines once you’ve committed.

Meeting of the minds

#1 and ready to prove it

I won’t empty all the corners of my brain for this one article, so it’s probably time that I wrap it up. I won’t get into the details of a race that was the media sweetheart for more than a week. I’ll post a big list of links at the end of this piece. It just seems redundant to basically re-word what the media has done such a first class job on.

It was an epic day of racing before a huge crowd that seemed to get it. It was underdog stories, and comeback stories, and drama, and humour. There were performances I truly will never forget and too little time to take a breath say a personal hello to the dozens of people I only know through internet activities.

Are there things I would change if I had any say? No doubt about it. Do I think the Riverglade group did a four-star job with their event? Without question. Can it be bigger and better and more of everything? I believe it can.

When the dust had settled at the end of the day, this region sent 11 of our best to the line on Sunday, and the pure guts they showed by rolling into that gate is something the rest of us may never understand, but unquestionably should look up to.

They rode it, and they rode it to the bitter end. They persevered and made passes and managed their airspace, and carved their names in the history of motocross in Canada in 2011.

Tyler Medaglia uses practice to take a good look around

Tyler Sjoberg tries the level-1 tabletop test

Klatt slowly memorized every inch

The last fuzzy shot I managed to shoot

The rest is up to the Pros

Here are just a few good links

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/breaking/2011/07/riverglade-mx2-moto-1-results

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/breaking/2011/07/riverglade-mx1-moto-1-results-%E2%80%93-unofficial

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/breaking/2011/07/riverglade-mx2-moto-2-results-%E2%80%93-unofficial

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/breaking/2011/07/riverglade-mx2-overall-results

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/breaking/2011/07/mx1-moto-2-results-%E2%80%93-unofficial

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/breaking/2011/07/mx1-overall-results-riverglade

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/features/2011/08/thormx-thursday-wallpapers-2011-moncton-national

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/mx-photo/2011/08/moncton-photo-report

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/features/2011/08/video-moncton-rider-roundup

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/features/2011/08/dmx-canadian-motocross-weekly-presented-renegade-fuels-show-link

http://www.directmotocross.com/news/features/2011/07/video-moncton-saturday-update

RACEGUY Rhetoric

2011-07-19T21:15:00.002-03:00

Ask a Simple Question…

This all started innocently enough. The question was mostly rhetorical and asked in a very few words in a Facebook message. Chris Estabrooks queried, very simply, “Good day, Sunday?” As I answered, also rhetorically, this runaway train that is my brain began to ponder the question. What IS a good day, and did we have one at Mudrooters? I‘m quite sure the answer would vary a little, depending on who was answering, but it made me think of my observations from my vantage point. “Good day?”

Aside from gusting winds, you couldn’t ask for a nicer morning for a drive. We didn’t encounter any rambling animals and even the road-kill count was unusually low. Combined with a large double-double, that’s a pretty solid start on ANY day.

Traffic on “The Island” was sparse at that time of morning, and Mudrooters is totally hassle-free, both to find and to get to. I assume it’s because so many use the race as an excuse to camp on PEI, that the line at the entry-gate was almost non-existent. I noted this and actually started worrying about a low rider turnout…briefly.

The road into the track was solid and wide enough, and mostly rut free, and because there are actually a number of “pockets in the forest” each containing a somewhat distinct pit/paddock area, there was no way to tell that there would be over 350 signatures already waiting at rider registrations.

There were warm welcomes and “good mornings” and genuine smiles everywhere as I made my way through the beehive around Tammy’s little office-on-wheels. Even Tammy was bright and beaming and animated (possibly because so many had registered the night before), although I wouldn’t have been if I were in her shoes. We are now past the halfway point in our year, and still there are people who have not mastered getting their name, number, and appropriate classes on the same form we’ve been using for years. Tammy Devlin is a saint. I would not be so charitable…especially first thing in the morning. This did not make my good day into a bad one. I, unfortunately, am getting used to it.

Everywhere I went around the track, I found the atmosphere ridiculously relaxed for the first round of a new championship. People were all just … unusually … happy! Everything was going like clockwork. Meetings were happening, wheels put in motion, people in their places, and not a cloud in our happy little sky.

I like people to get an idea of what kind of tracks we race here in Atlantic Canada. This site has readers around the world now, and I’m happy to show ‘em how we roll. I am no photographer. I’m trying to find my way around a brand new auto focus camera, so hazy shots from Mt. Thom and “off” lighting at Pleasant Valley are part of the learning curve. Mudrooters threw me a different kind of curve. As impressive and appealing as that track looks in person, I could not, for the life of me, find a way to photograph it that even comes close to doing it justice. Maybe a helicopter is in order.

It, of course, wasn’t all sunshine and roses. There was a powerful breeze just above track level that had me encouraging a little bit of sun to peek over the roofline and kept me wrapped in a jacket until noon. Then again, that breeze was not strong enough to move riders around in the air and was just cool enough to help them survive motos under the persistent sun.

The moisture that had found its way well into the track held up amazingly well even with the sunshine and wind, but the lesson everyone’s been learning about hydration for riders also applies to race tracks. If you get behind on the depth of dryness, you never catch up. Moving into the afternoon, the surface began to dry, polishing in some spots and becoming silty in others. The dust wasn’t outrageous. As a seasoned race-watcher, I personally like it when the track takes on distinctly different personalities as the day goes on.

Do not be lulled into a false sense of security by the track’s serene setting and long, flowing undulations. Make no mistake, one look from the spectator bowl and it is quite obvious. Mudrooters is an exceptionally fast track, the back straight is a 5^th gear adventure for Pros on 450s and its flow through that entire lower section makes for well above average speeds. If there is an opposite number to tracks riders call “supercrossy”, it is the low amplitude high speed Mudrooters course.

Again, changing hats for a moment and viewing it from the perspective of a casual race-watcher, it’s unfortunate that the main viewing area is totally blind to the start gate and the entire upper plateau. Mudrooters experiment with a triple option-line first turn was unfortunately lost to those of us down at canteen level and below, and there were plenty of position changes on that upper plateau that took place without fanfare because few of us saw it happening. That’s not a knock on Mudrooters in any way. Every track has its weak points. Some are worse than others. It’s the price we pay for riding natural terrain. They do an amazing job making the most of it. (Maybe if I was on a platform about one level higher than the canteen I could see more and keep the crowd informed a little better. Just thinking out loud).

Speaking of casual race-watchers, the gang on “The Island” did a great job at filling the spectator areas with a lot of unfamiliar faces, all of which, were smiling as much as everyone else around the track.

The motos went off on time and on schedule for the most part, and while the few crashes we did see were often spectacular, there was (in a motocross way of speaking) nothing of any consequence until the final Beginner moto of the day. We even managed to work in separate motos for the 50s, two motos for the always entertaining Vintage guys, and a showcase for the “toddlers with training wheels”.

All together, we got to see some amazing real world “second-series” motos. In fact, the Pro class was, without question, the best Pro racing of the year and replete with the drama of Kyle Chatham on a borrowed mount in moto-1 taking a confidence-building first moto win of the new season, and riding a clanking CRF450 “practice bike” to a pair of 2nds for his first overall of the year. We were also treated to an appearance by Johnny Montes who was really the key to the competitive battles amongst the Pros, and Joe (Joe-Show) Doucette who hasn’t lost one iota of his “caveman” charm or ability to bust up a bunch of Pros, even on a Honda 2-stroke from another decade.

The food was good, the porta-potties were spotless, the kids all kept each other well occupied for hours on end. The place had the vibe of a huge family picnic (with motos). I spoke briefly with the master of multi-tasking, Steve Dickieson and he was happy. Relieved, no doubt, that the day had been such a total success, but mostly, simply, peacefully happy. It was a facial expression I saw a lot from the people behind the scenes who make the whole thing work. I think they had a “good day”.

As the various paddocks cleared and the participants began making their way home to regale other friends and family of their exploits and all ‘round “good day” at Mudrooters, I couldn’t help but notice…garbage bags neatly tied up and stacked next to the road just like they’re supposed to be…no tie-ups or traffic jams on the way out…smooth sailing all the way home. Hell! We didn’t even hit that many bugs!

Yeah, Chris, I guess when you really look at it, we ALL had a pretty good day.

RACEGUY Recovers

2011-07-15T18:31:00.006-03:00

Promises Not Kept

What’s up with Larry? Where is the Pleasant Valley “stuff” as promised in the last column? Is RACEGUY losing interest in the site already? Is the old guy turning his back on the MX community? Is the king of verbal diarrhea suffering writer’s block?

I’ll start with a sincere apology for not getting the Pleasant Valley piece together. In my mind, that means I’ve let friends down. The reason for NOT posting the PV piece has nothing to do with any of the reasons cited above. It couldn't be that simple. If I'm controlling a situation and I end up letting people down, that's frustrating, but it's my own doing. I pride myself on being in control, and what began last Wednesday night was out of control.

Without getting into all the details, (I will cover this during the off-season when I’m struggling for things to talk about), the Wednesday afternoon before Pleasant Valley, I went for about an hour walk, soaking up the summery warmth and sunshine. We’re not talking brutal Texas heat here, and a walk covering that short a distance wouldn’t normally result in breaking a sweat on my wrinkled forehead. I arrived at my humble little house, unpacked a few groceries, then knocked back a big cold glass of H2O (to replace what I’d lost during my little walk).

Then I barfed.

That was the beginning of a downward spiral that I recognized from almost exactly 12 months ago. Anything bad enough to cause me to miss my first National in over 30 years is not to be taken lightly. At that time, I promised myself I would never ignore such severe symptoms ever again. I promised my daughter the same thing, and that I would not be a typical, pigheaded, male of the species and think I could fight my way through ANYTHING without medical intervention. I also promised a lot of my moto family that I would take care of myself.

Twelve or so hours after those familiar symptoms began, I knew I was in trouble. Pretty smart of me, huh? Anybody that smart must certainly be capable of reversing a little dehydration, especially recognizing the symptoms so early, right?

By midmorning, I started getting small sips of water and Gatorade to stay down. The doctor I can’t escape called in an attempt to persuade me to go to Emerg for IV fluids. “I’m starting to keep some stuff down, sweetheart,” I told her. “I think it’s coming around. Check in with me later.”

As the clock closed in on 24 hours since the whole thing began, IT returned, even more determined to beat me down than before. The Gatorade and water were no longer staying put. Body temp was now rising and falling – sweating, then shivering, and when my vision wasn’t blurry, it was doubled. Of course, as smart as I am, I determined if I got fluids down once, I could do it again. Then I stonewalled my daughter again as she implored me to go to the ER and I was insistent, if I could just sleep a bit, I was sure I’d be able to start keeping down fluids again. Really!

I tried to check my heart-rate. I couldn’t count. Sometimes, the beats seemed to just run together. I noticed my breathing was fast and shallow. One more try. Small sips 15 minutes apart lasted exactly two sips – a little more than ½ hour. “Elizabeth, I think I’m ready for that drive.”

As I said, I’ll get into this a little deeper at a later point, but I think you get the idea. I checked in at Emerg with a resting heart-rate of 140. Creatinine is the byproduct of burning muscle tissue. It can build up in the kidneys causing renal failure. My creatinine was up in the “holy crap, check that again” range. The tachycardia (140+ heart-rate) is a result of using up the body’s electrolytes (the stuff we replace by drinking Gatorade) in particular potassium.

They pumped me full of fluids, impaled my veins and sucked away my blood every 2 hours to chart the progress, and then I begged, sweet-talked, and threatened my way to freedom by noon Saturday (they wanted to keep me until Monday). Monday was not an option. I had promised Mitch Cooke I would be in Pleasant Valley Sunday morning.

So, by my calculations I broke a promise to my readers here to update the editorial. I also broke promises to myself, and my daughter, I can do no more than to apologize to all. Then again, while I was not at my best at PV, I didn’t break my promise to Mitch. That makes me one-for-four… still not a great record.

I will take this as a lesson hard learned. I think I’m finally getting it. I can truly appreciate the irony of having just written about hydration here on this site, and ending up days later taking my lunch through my arm. I won’t let it happen again. I promise.

"What is it with you Maritimers

and your grass starts?"

Brett Dailey

The doctor I can't hide from

RACEGUY Remarks

2011-07-05T16:17:00.005-03:00

So Much to Say … So Little Time

It was with all the best intentions that I pulled the laptop in close in order to regale it with stories of the weekend to come and the mysteries and magic that lie ahead. I know. It’s been said before. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Since being sidetracked is a natural thing for me, in this case, I’ll allow a couple of lines for the items that have derailed my Pleasant Valley bound train of thought. While this column was to be completed and published last weekend, and was to be a very cursory glance at the weekend to come, Pleasant Valley will have to take a back seat for just a moment until we’ve dealt with a couple of items.

I will post this as 3 separate elements. I will add that content to this page as each segment is completed.

Farewell Josh

Last weekend’s Red Bud AMA National will now be forever etched in motocross history as the race that cost us one of the truly good guys in the sport. Michigan’s Josh Lichtle would have turned 24 next month. His amateur career was legendary and he remained a force in the Pro ranks even though he had never landed an A-team ride. Josh raced in Ontario on numerous occasions and was even considered for one of the Gopher Dunes Suzuki rides for the 2011 Canadian Pro series.

While the loss of a vibrant, healthy young man is always tragic, Josh’s status as an elite athlete and the circumstances surrounding his death can only compound our sense of loss and disbelief.

Even in death, though, Lichtle continues to give back to the sport he had made his life. Although autopsy results have not and may never be released, editorial comments are already questioning the AMA’s role in the death if, indeed, it was a result of heat-stroke.

If we can shorten motos or even scratch the second moto due to rain and mud, why is there no allowance in the rule-book for racing on days when heat indexed temperatures hover around 100 Fahrenheit with humidity at 80% and above? Why does the current rule-book outlaw intravenous fluids during race events? What can be done to put more control of situations like head impacts and heat-related issues in the hands of AMA trackside officials? The questions are just beginning. We’ll all be waiting for answers.

So what does this mean to YOU? Consider this a cautionary tale and listen carefully to its warnings. Having gone through critical dehydration personally (which put me in a hospital instead of the tower at last year’s Riverglade National) I am now fully aware of how quickly heat and dehydration can become something life-threatening. I now know how easily this becomes a runaway train that stops its run when you stop breathing.

There have been hundreds of excellent articles posted on line relating specifically to riding in the heat and dealing with hydration. Google it. The basics are the basics, though. Start your fluids (WATER) Wednesday or Thursday for a Sunday race. Consider your regular water intake and ADD 4 litres per day leading up to the race, or ensure you drink one 8oz glass of water for every hour you are awake. There is no substitute for water, and drink it cold. Water is much more easily absorbed by the body when it is cool or cold.

When training or riding during your hydration cycle, replace lost fluids as quickly as possible. You will lose electrolytes, so this is where you replace them with electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade, or even Pedialyte. Again, there is no replacement for water, so mix your sports drink 50/50 with water.

Do not allow yourself to get thirsty on raceday. Once you are thirsty, it’s too late to get the absorption you need for your fluids to do any good. Stay completely away from carbonated beverages, energy drinks, and coffee on racedays. These products will all hurt the way your body absorbs and uses water.

Finally, if you begin to feel the effects of heat and fluid loss, including dizziness, double vision, lack of concentration, general unwell feeling, nausea, rapid heart rate, abdominal cramps, flushing (very pink skintone), and especially if you stop sweating, it’s time to park it. You cannot recover from heat-exhaustion and dehydration between motos, PERIOD. Riding in this condition would be equivalent to riding with a severe concussion and would pose a real risk of heart and kidney complications, and yes, even death.

There is a good possibility that the exertion that put Josh Lichtle over the edge was actually kicking in vain to try and restart his bike after a second crash in the moto. He kicked until exhausted, then tried rolling over the hill to bump start the bike. He collapsed. The seizures began, and the runaway train ended its journey when Josh’s organs could take no more.

Godspeed, Josh Lichtle. You have left an empty gate. Let’s hope the lesson you left behind is not lost.

Here are a couple of excellent links:

http://www.racerxvt.com/virtual_trainer/wild_water_layfield.html

http://www.racerxvt.com/article/what-to-drink-on-race-day

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/heat_exhaustion_and_heat_stroke/article_em.htm

Tracks Grow On Trees??

Adding insult to injury – what does that really mean, and how exactly do you add one to the other?

After controlling myself (somewhat) behind the keyboard following the Mt. Thom letdown, I find myself plunged back into the mire that surrounds keyboard complaining and the internet. I am not known to be a troll under normal circumstances, but in my mind, I’ve been driven to trollism by people with no ethics or moral values whatsoever.

After the slap of a 70 entry event at five-star facility, I did not expect that anyone could find another way to kick Jeremy Wallace when he was down. I am obviously a very poor judge of people.

The exhaust smoke had barely cleared the Mt. Thom air when I “got the memo” that the track was no longer available for practice. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. First came the ridiculous rumours that Jeremy had jacked the daily practice fee to $40.00 (double the $20.00 he had been asking). Even after this myth was busted on line at Facebook by Curtis Doucet, people were still asking if the rumour was true. Soon, the story morphed into a fairy-tale that had Jeremy charging only quads $40.00 because only one showed up for the June race.

I’m sure there are still people out there who believe and are probably spreading some form of the $40.00 rumour, although, knowing the way rumours work, it’s probably now a $100.00 fee and applies only to 50s.

Then came the announcement that Mt. Thom was no longer available for practice. I instantly figured this was just another stupid story on steroids, but before I jumped to conclusions and started a rumour that the rumour was a rumour, I did what I usually do. I asked the question. What I learned by asking caused that sinking feeling in the pit of my gut. I have a stiff neck from shaking my head.

While I can’t agree with the practice, Jeremy allowed riders on the track based on the honour system. The gate was open. On arrival, you were to sign the waiver, leave your money, then ride that beautiful track to your heart’s content. Roll in, pay up, and sign off, with no additional human contact. That is not only incredibly trusting on young Mr. Wallace’s part, it appears as though some people also thought it was pretty stupid and decided to take advantage.

Certainly, Jeremy is not so naïve that he didn’t foresee a few people taking advantage of his “open concept”. Unfortunately, it was happening more and more and becoming more and more obvious.

In one instance, Jeremy arrived at the track to find an adult and young rider (father & son?) all alone taking advantage of the first class track. Jeremy approached them and asked if they had signed the waiver and paid their $20.00. He was told point-blank that they had, so he headed home.

The next morning, Wallace went back to the track to check the waiver and remove the money. Unfortunately, there were no signatures on the waiver and no money to be found. Just hours earlier, someone had stood face-to-face with him and told him an outright lie.

The spark hit the fireworks on a Saturday when the ever-trusting Jeremy Wallace arrived at the track to find 15 riders enjoying themselves immensely. Not so enjoyable was the fact that the cashbox contained a mere $60.00. I interpret that as meaning, out of 15 people, at least 3 were honest. That is a 20% honesty rate or an 80% lowlife rate. Only 1 in 5 that day acted in accordance with the Ten Commandments and the “golden rule”.

Thanks to some kind of missing ethics gene, there is now only one way to get access to Mt. Thom for practice and testing. Instead of rolling in on your own timetable and riding as you like, you will now have to contact Jeremy personally first and make the necessary arrangements. Don’t expect that a busy guy like JW will be able to drop everything just to accommodate one or two riders wanting to use the track.

I am baffled. I am mystified. Why would some people feel perfectly entitled to destroy a dream set-up for ALL the other users? How could you not feel like you’re stealing when you take something from someone, something that has a known value, and you do not pay? Knowing what a financial fiasco the first Mt. Thom race was, how could anybody take advantage of this track owner? My final question – where the hell do you think tracks like Mt. Thom come from? Do you think they just GROW out of the forest?

My message is simple. I am no longer disappointed. I believe a better word now would be disgusted.

To those who followed the rules all along, I’m sorry for your loss. I’m sure Jeremy will welcome your phone calls and, as always, go out of his way to look after you. Those who need a lot more fiber in their moral fiber can go back to riding along ditches and in rock pits for all many of us care. Of course, Jeremy Wallace is too nice and too trusting, so the offenders probably won’t have any pangs of conscience whatsoever when they call him looking for track time, and, unfortunately, he will probably help them out.

Those who messed it up for everyone else can take consolation in one thing; if they would ever like to teach a course in adding insult to injury, I will be more than happy to provide a letter of recommendation. You’ll find me down by the MX track tree waiting for the harvest.

Up Next…Pleasant Valley Preview

RACEGUY Restrained

2011-06-24T03:10:00.008-03:00

No I’m Not Mad At You

I want everyone to know how truly sorry I am for this article being so behind schedule, and that a number of other elements have also been late over the past couple of days. It seems every time I managed to get something in motion, something more important like Justin Foreman’s misfortune or the Cooke/Medaglia school came up and pushed the less headline-worthy material to the back burner.

It’s not like these other ideas haven’t been occupying space in my already overcrowded cranium. Many of them were taking shape even while the web site itself was refusing to let me in.

Because of the nature of the way you may perceive what I’m about to say, the delay even included writing this editorial and sitting on it for an additional day before dredging up the guts to hit the “publish” button. In the long run, I decided, while you may not agree with me, that I would be disappointed with myself if I felt one particular way and just kept my feelings to myself.

I have been thinking a lot about all the miscellaneous but somehow interconnected happenings over the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately, the only way I can categorize most of it into one convenient folder is to look at the one obvious central theme. Disappointment. (The common denominator.)

Maybe you grew up with one of “those” parents. Maybe you ARE one of “those” parents, or maybe you just end up dealing with one. These people have even been known to invade the workplace, clearly demonstrating that they can also be one of “those” bosses or co-workers.

Everything has gone to hell in a handbasket. Life is out to get you (maybe even the mafia and the bird flu) You have done your best, but everything has gone wrong. You’re raging and “venting” because you know nothing can make even the end of the world turn around like…well, like one of “those” … you know the type ...
“Honey/dude/buddy/etc., you know I’m not at all mad/upset/pissed-off/homicidal/ ***/etc. at you. I don't feel like killing you at this moment, I’m just really, really disappointed.”

There seems to have been a lot of that lately. I was incredibly disappointed when we couldn’t get your results posted from Mill Hill, and more disappointed with those who could have helped but treated it like it was a second-rate concern and something that could be dealt with “whenever”. Many of us “live and die” by those numbers. Many were plenty P/O’d that the results they expect as a function of their racing license took so long. I was disappointed with the whole scenario.

I was also completely crushed that a first-rate track and organization like Mill Hill was so poorly supported that there were classes too small to make a gate, and even MORE disappointed that, after their cries of “bloody murder” when taken off the Mill Hill race schedule, the ATVs showed up in such poor numbers this Spring that they made for an uninspired Junior class and not enough Pros to even qualify for points. There were, in fact, more 4-6 50cc riders than Pro Quads. I applaud the guys who DID show up, but I’m just a little…yes, disappointed in the others.

Just so you understand this concept of “disappointment”, the injuries suffered by David Estabrooks and Kyle Doiron made me sad. The incessant rain that came and went all day Sunday, and the cold wind that didn’t belong in June, made me mad, just like the bad drivers on our highways as we head for the racetrack. Unfortunately, it was the way Blaine Prest, his people, and that race event were treated that left me truly disappointed.

Maybe it doesn’t take a lot to disappoint me, but after surrendering my dignity and unloading on everyone at the Riverglade riders meeting, there were just as as many mis-numbered/un-numbered bikes at Mill Hill as there were at round-3. That disappoints me.

While I’m not “mad”, “P.O.ed”, “disgusted”, etc. about any of these and other inconveniences. I am ALL of these and a whole lot more about our embarrassing treatment of Jeremy Wallace and his masterpiece race facility, whether it was an event for points, cash, or carnival teddy-bears.

To be offered a fully organized day on a classic racetrack that would be at home anywhere in North America, or the world for that matter, and to simply turn your back on that gift when it’s held out with no strings attached, leaves me in that place that is somewhere between unhappy for you and totally P.O.'d at you. That is a place called disappointment.

Wallace is a rider, and a rider to be admired for the way he ran his far-too-short race career. This young man has now invested more than a year of his personal time. intellectual, and emotional energy, and enlisted many of HIS own personal friends, (both moto and non-moto). He put at a huge risk equipment (that is normally used to MAKE money) - equipment costing in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. If it breaks, it stops making money and starts costing in a big way.

Jeremy spent, by some estimates, well into the six figure mark on diesel fuel alone. (That’s more than I paid for my house) I still have a hard time believing how many tandem loads of topsoil were both bought and brought.

We (the users of Mt. Thom’s MX oasis) were treated to a permanent-structure canteen, dry level parking, a great (efficient) admissions/access gate set-up, fencing, signage, infield access roads, TWO infield towers, port-a-potties in three if not FOUR different, easy-to-find little suburbs of scat, run-off barriers, water on site, a Woodstock-worthy PA, and a track that was made for cameras. …Oh, one more thing. Whether you were there as a rider, spectator, or track worker, your medical requirements were being looked after by the absolute highest level of emergency attention in Nova Scotia just this side of your local ER.

So where does anything resembling disappointment come in when I’ve just described nothing short of a dream with dirt!? Let’s just start by saying Jeremy Wallace was devastated. I was, (along with many others), embarrassed for our sport. We were all avoiding eye-contact with everyone else.

So, given the situation as it exists in our sport, as any student of that old “person-to-person” (child rearing) philosophy would point out…while “someone” made a bad choice and probably the wrong decision altogether, the parties harmed show no disdain, or animosity, or lack of respect, or “hate” for our transgressor. So, hoping an attitude can be contageous, you opt for the high road and simply respond with what you feel you can control. That is simply the expression of your disappointment.

The fact that we are having issues of any kind, here in the most effective region in Canada disappoints me. The current situation in Ontario that has prompted open, public responses (blogs) from luminaries including Brett Lee and Steve Dool disappoints me. The MX101/Moto Park group has been studying and tweaking things. The gang at Gopher Dunes are carefully experimenting with ideas to improve their day and eliciting feedback all the way. I am just the opposite of disappointed with the positive signs I see from these guys. I am ENTHUSED.

We have suffered a couple of less-than-successful weekends. My disappointment, and I’m sure that of both Jeremy and Blaine, is directed at many here in our own community. Don’t expect real motocrossers to just get disappointed, discouraged, and dig a hole to crawl in to. This latest single-jump isn’t really much of an obstacle. The right people will again band together, buff out the rough spots, and help any of those who still don’t get it find a way to the exit.

This site gets VERY few comments, but is still read by over 200 people every day. I appreciate every single communication no matter where it comes from. I especially appreciate comments left here. You don’t have to leave your name. You can remain anonymous. There is also NO way for me to see who has visited or the names of anonymous contributors. Look just below this article and click on the word “comments” to read and reply.

(Our last visitor -post went along with the post named "RACEGUY Recovers" to the archive. Just click here, then click "comment" http://raceguysroom.blogspot.com/2011/06/raceguy-recovers.html )

The most unfortunate aspect of our last visitor-post, while written by someone who seems to know a little about the sport, and who also appears to have actually taken in some races this season, is that it comes with reasonable critique and suggestions on how we can be better.

I find it hard enough to face up to the facts that we need to start fixing things when it comes from INside our little community. We now have to face up to the fact that our average fan is also noticing. For that, I could be angry, or vengeful, or unmoving, but instead, I am simply truly crushingly disappointed.

RACEGUY Recovers

2011-06-19T23:33:00.000-03:00

If You Build It...

If you believe the movie line, they will come. That wasn't the way things went down this weekend as Jeremy Wallace turned over the results of his sweat, suffering, and cubic $$$ to riders of the CMRC Atlantic region.

Of course, I have a lot more to say here, but I will place the priority on getting you the outcome of today's racing at Mt. Thom. I also have raw results from Mill Hill that I will calculate and get up at the Pts-Atlantic tab as soon as humanly possible. Stand by.

50cc 4-6

1). #81 Brent Chapman

2). #25 Roman Anderson

3). #44 Makayla Clark

50cc 7-8

1). #77 Damon Burbine

2). #13 Nole Chapman

3). #89 Nathan Fraser

65cc

1). #20 Hayden Dennis

2). #141 Adam Hilling

3). #94 Brendon Clark

85cc 7-11

1). #94 Brendon Clark

2). #20 Hayden Dennis

85cc 12-16

1). #91 Jordan Melanson

2). #25 Garrett Anderson

3). #39 Bryce Wasson

Schoolboy

1). #71 Benjamin Morrison

2). #31 Mathew Clements

3). #108 Elizabeth Burke

Supermini

1). #42 Alex Affleck

2). #91 Jordan Melanson

3). #25 Garrett Anderson

Women

1). #108 Elizabeth Burke

2). #82 Hailey Dennis

3). #161 Chelsey Hall

Youth

1). #472 Devin MacPherson

2). #793 Kenneth Miller

3). 54 Bryan Dean

Vet Jr.

1). #211 Murray McEwen

2). #55 Sonny Roy

MX2 Jr.

1). #43 Joshua Ellis

2). #54 Bryan Dean

3). #71 Benjamin Morrison

MX1 Jr.

1). #771 Brandon Carter

2). #211 Murray McEwen

3). #793 Kenneth Miller

GP Jr.

1). #43 Joshua Ellis

2). #54 Bryan Dean

3). #404 Jarret Reid

MX2 Intermediate

1). #264 Josh Archibald

2). #472 Devin MacPherson

3). #906 Ryan Farris

GP Pro

1). #54 Davey Fraser

ATV Pro

1). #152 Damon Baker

RACEGUY Rebounds

2011-06-13T21:24:00.001-03:00

Everything Was Just Fine
Until...

First of all, let me say Mill Hill was, as always, a first class event and purely professional presentation from the time the first riders rolled in, until the last remaining soul left the circuit on Sunday night.

With that mentioned, it’s time for a quick history lesson and debriefing on how things have gone sideways in the last 24 hours.

I am happy to provide you all with my “fast five” points standings and summaries that can be viewed without leaving the page. For the Kingston round, it was relatively easy to ask for printed copies of the results, calculate the points in my head, and have them published in no time flat. Things got more complicated after Riverglade, but I figured I could surely do the figuring required and have it posted before the Devlins could make their way home and send the upload to CMRC. I had 4 classes left to calculate when I noticed Tammy had completed the update. That basically meant I should have used my time for something more productive and simply waited for the CMRC site.

Wise individual that I am, I decided to forego the printed results from Mill Hill, as I figured I still had a 2 hour drive beyond the time when Tammy would get home, so everything would be on-line waiting for me when I got home. That all made perfect sense…until…the CMRC site decided it wouldn’t accept the update.

No points, nothing to analyze, I am no longer having any fun. OK, I seem to have over 200 unread tweets as a result of the Nanaimo national. I’ll do a little analysis there. (By the way, since I couldn’t listen in on the motos at MXP, tweets from Rainford and Cunningham at DMX were an amazing synopsis of the day at the Wastelands.)

It was obviously amazing racing on the left coast, but there were also some questions raised regarding what were possibly protests in the MX2 and a sudden announcement from CMRC Timing & Scoring that “official” results would not be available until some time a day later. If there was more to the Nanaimo story than met the eye, I was all for waiting it out and seeing what developed. It may have simply been that Wendy Snelgrove and the CMRC crew were having similar computer problems to those messing with our Mill Hill results.

By this time, Sunday had turned into Monday and it was past 1am, so I decided to catch a few zzz’s and get back at it in the morning. It’s OK. It’s not my fault. I don’t have to feel guilty. I can just start fresh in the morning. Sleep.

My “plan” included a quick review of round-4 and a few Mill Hill pics to keep everyone pacified until I could go through the numbers. Then, go to the CMRC site for some results and add a little further analysis. Those all seemed to be simple and reasonable expectations…until…Google, for some unknown reason, would not accept the upload to my front page. I couldn’t put a message up at the Points-Atl tab. It would not let me change the “Breaking News” page. OK, I get the message. I did discover that the “Things that change often” column could be opened and changed. Small mercies.

Oh, yes…the CMRC points update? It’s still stuck in cyberspace limbo somewhere. I’ll just keep checking.

Now that I can get back into this site, I’ll leave you with this sad little story for the time being and get everything else up as time and technology allow. You see, I have a plan, and I know all the pieces are going to come together…until?...

RACEGUY Revs Up

2011-06-10T16:37:00.001-03:00

What A Weekend!

So, what do you think it will be?...Preview, or prophecy? … Quite frankly, I’d rather not involve myself in either, but somehow this space seems to demand some kind of look forward. Here is precisely where my dilemma comes in. Exactly WHAT am I supposed to speculate upon? It’s not like there’s a shortage of MX activities on the calendar, and there isn’t a dud in the whole barrage. Maybe that says something for the overall health of the sport, but it makes it damn tough to focus on any one series.

Why not start with the big guns? This weekend, the AMA Pro outdoor series hits the hills and hollows of High Point Raceway with more story lines than bad daytime TV. Think about it. Reed in the lead, Dungey does the DNF and rumours fly that he will leave Suzuki at the end of the season, Villo has yet to turn his SX success into anything even resembling a convincing performance so far this year, Stewart is a no-show, Alessi has been cleared by his docs, but is still unsure if he will race, and C. Pourcel doesn’t appear to be on speaking terms with David Vuilleman and has been riding a Kawasaki test bike back home in Florida.

Oh, and just a side note, the MX2 (250) class is at least 15 riders deep and the parity shows in the finishes AND in the scrambly championship points battle. As I said…not much to talk about here. Best just move along.

The Monster Energy Canadian Pro series has only seen a single round so far, but oh, what a round it was! If the buzz is to be believed, the Kamloops crew manufactured a potential “Event of the Year” race weekend, featuring uber human performances from a variety of riders, all the buzz of a first round, and weather nobody could complain about. Now, before the riders and teams have a chance to catch their collective breath, it’s time for a quick hop across the Strait of Georgia and the return of the “Wastelands” and Nanaimo to the schedule.

With the superhuman Colton Facciotti fully capable of lapping all the way up to 9^thin last weekend’s second moto, any other winner this weekend would come as a shock. It’s certainly not that the rest of the top-10 are slow in ANY conceivable way. The list of guys who are capable of pouncing on a win is LONG and they’re all hungry and have committed to their various programs. Meanwhile, Colt may be looking to simply continue his personal record. When he finishes, he wins.

The first MX2 (250) moto was a dice-fest from the front to the back of the pack. No amount of great racing could overshadow Tyler Medaglia’s performance. After scraping himself off the ground and logging lap-1 in 34^th position, Tyler passed a United Nations of smokin’ fast 250s to pull off a 3^rd at the flag. His cool, calculated side was in control for the moto-2 win and the overall. The rest of the class may be rich with stories and drama and riders with illustrious US amateur histories, but for now, they are simply that… the REST of the class behind Medaglia.

Billy Rainford/MX Forum photo

Finally, we get around to the race that will mean the most to most of the people reading here. It’s time for our one-off visit to the classically landscaped Mill Hill circuit and its unique set of challenges.

Tire selection is one challenge you shouldn’t spend a lot of energy on. No matter which tire you choose (assuming the track is dry) it will be perfect through some sections of the track, and completely wrong in others. The standard descriptors don’t work well at “The Hill”. Loamy, sandy, hardpack clay, loose on top, and a dozen other images come to mind in just one lap. The scenery is photo-worthy. The elevation changes are challenging, and the lap length is just perfect for regional level racing.

Over the years, Blaine and his bunch have chipped away at changes following every event with an emphasis on safety and a lot of value given to track flow. Over that time, changes and additions to the infrastructure have kept Mill Hill on the list amongst the finest regional racetracks in the country. When the man behind the much bemoaned RacerX Canada, Brett Dailey and I walked the track a little over 3 years ago, he was amazed that this “little” region had such amazing tracks. He also asked, “what the hell is it with you Maritimers and your grass starts?”.

Brett Dailey photo

The work at Mill Hill has continued this wet, soggy spring in anticipation of the invasion they’ll experience this weekend. There is an all new jump in the rollers in the bottom section of the course. Dick Scott refers to it as a kind of backwards tabletop that is challenging, but achievable. The exit from “the run through the jungle”, the hillside haul through the trees, has been extended in order to allow riders to build up more speed before the jump that sends them downhill toward the “keyhole”, the final turn before the finish line. I’ll predict that extra speed and launch will result in a few “hail Mary” moments when we’re down to the last lap in a number of classes.

The Mill Hill gang have added some fresh organic, (sawdust and chips), and have dragged the discs deep to give us a chance to start the day with a track you hate to leave tire tracks in. How it comes together throughout the raceday depends a lot on the riders and their lines. Those who are creative in the tower turn (as you hit the top of the hill and head down to the bottom) will be rewarded with passing opportunities. Those who play follow-the-leader will create a single line and are doomed to learn that passing in that section is easily done by those who have a little imagination.

Brett Dailey photo

They’ve tested the watering system, confirmed the canteen, made sure they have plenty of flag folks, and triple checked with the emergency medical crew. Mighty Mill Hill is as ready as it’s ever been. Question is, are the riders ready for Mill Hill?

This is the critical fourth round of just six in the spring series. It’s reasonable to predict that the dominant riders from a number of classes will continue to dominate at “The Hill”. We’d also be pretty safe in assuming that Davey Fraser and the Strang brothers will once again be on the attack in order to recover their lost Riviere de Loup points. Those who can do the points in their heads on the fly will recognize just how UNpredictable things are in MX1 and MX2 intermediate as they are in all 3 Junior divisions. Points battles in these classes are intense and deep through the field. Watch the front groups in any of these classes, and there WILL be take-no-prisoners racing.

As for the Pros, when it all comes down to cash and contingencies combined with that “nobody beats me” mindset, you can expect the unexpected. The front of that field is ripe with riders who can race to the win. Mill Hill is another fresh start for Davey and Johnny (if he makes it this weekend) who are recovering from missed rounds. Kyle Chatham not only missed the Clyde River round, he also had DNFs and a crushed exhaust at Riverglade. He will be bringing his best. It’s also a re-boot for “Bad Brad” Lockhart who has had some mechanical struggles in the last couple of rounds, but is fast enough to both lead, and eventually win motos.

Brett Dailey photo

Mill Hill will be the “refresh” round for a great many riders. It will mark a new assault on the points for others, particularly those who stood out at “The Glade”. It could actually be the mathematical “clinch” point for some of the dominators, and it’s the point in the season when the strugglers and stragglers finally get their day in the sun.

If you’re not stoked about what this weekend means to the riders and the series, you’re missing something. I would prescribe a day at Mill Hill for some moto-therapy. I’m sure if you join in our little group session for a few hours we can cure whatever might be ailing you. After all, if you don’t live and breathe moto, there MUST be something wrong with you.

I could keep going here. It's also the Montreal F1 weekend, the "Cup" cars are at Pocono... OK, never mind. See you this weekend at “The Hill”. Don’t forget you can go to the “Planning” tab anytime for up-to-the-minute weather conditions. I’ll try and get a wrap-up started in the car on the way home, so check back here for results and outcomes.

Thanks for reading. Stay safe and we’ll see you at the track.

RACEGUY Reflects

2011-06-08T13:30:00.000-03:00

Dealing With Criminals

Google Adsense…crooks with keyboards? That seems to be the only conclusion that can be drawn from the way this entity does business. They appear to enter into business agreements with “the little guy” with full knowledge and aforethought that they will eventually seize and pocket whatever small amount of money might be earned through someone else’s hard work, long hours, and sweat.

When I first saw this process in play, someone close to me received a “no reply” e-mail from Google, informing them their account had been closed and the small amount of cash earned so far surrendered to the multi-billion dollar corporation we know as Google. Any attempts to get an explanation or make any kind of human contact were turned back at door. Any request to get clarification of the simple who, what, and where met with fact-free form-mail devoid of any explanation relating to that user or account. It simply boiled down to Google reaching across the table, scooping up the pitiful stack of change they just said you earned, and simply saying “we did it because we did it” and there is no need to get any more specific than that.

According to Google Adsense reports as late as last Friday night, the site went up May 11 and in the just under 23 days had amassed a relatively small fortune. Small is the operative word. While the site had generated just over $80.00 devalued US dollars, after their unexplained out-takes, Google claimed they owed me just over $50.00. That’s the monumental sum of approximately $2.00 per day for over 6,000 page views. Since this was never about money, that didn’t really bother me in the least. Something was better than nothing at all. The kick in the groin came with a “no-reply” e-mail on Saturday, informing me that my Adsense account had been closed and all money forfeited to Google.

Upon signing up, I had read the terms and conditions and I failed to see where I had breached any agreement. I was not posting porn, or hate-speech, inciting anyone to commit a crime, or engaging in anything slanderous or libelous. I had clearly gotten the message that I was not, under any circumstances, to click on any of my own ads, and as interesting as some of them were, I did not click.

Having seen their form-letter no-reply appeal process in play just days before, I opted to save my fingertips and not bother. Their response to appeals is to simply imply “that is our decision, and our decision is final.” There is no explanation of regulations that might have been contravened. There is no warning that, as a developer, you are doing anything wrong and there would appear to be no second chances. What’s done is done.

In going back over the terms and conditions of the Google Adsense agreement, I now believe I know which Google crime I might have committed. In an attempt to explain to readers that advertising “clicks” are what drive web sites, and reminding you to click an ad when you came to the site, I became yet another Google criminal to be banished to the dungeon for all eternity. I asked you to pay attention to my ads. Sorry.

One great irony here is if you do a Google search on “Google Adsense Complaint” you will find page after page after page of citations including dozens of inquiries that have gone unanswered altogether. What makes this even more interesting is that Google has more search engine knowledge and resources than anybody on the planet, yet they couldn’t find a way to hide the fact that their own help-mail generates more hits than any other source.

I was certainly not counting on my daily $2.00 from Adsense to send me on a vacation, or buy me a car, or pay my bills. My ultimate goal was to be able to afford to register my own domain and put up my own site independent of the blog template sites. For now, it looks like I’ll carry on regardless, Adsense be damned. For the time being, though, it will be done without advertising content from Google. I cancelled the Amazon banners on my own and don’t plan on replacing them anytime soon.

Maybe it’s for the best for all of us. You don’t have to search for things amongst the clutter, and I no longer have to look at the messed up nonsensical math on the Adsense reports. Maybe it really is a “win-win”. Again, I have surrounded myself with winners. I guess I’ve always been comfortable with that anyway. Thanks for reading, gang.

My only worry now is the Google police may read this and deem it inappropriate content, thereby giving them the right to shut down the entire site. At this point, nothing would really surprise me.

I’ll only leave this little taste of whine up for a day or so. Up next, a quick pre-race preview of Mill Hill.

Welcome to the new and improved raceguysroom ... NOW ADVERTISING FREE!

RACEGUY Reviews

2011-05-29T19:33:00.007-03:00

Riverglade Redux

We use the latin “redux” to mean revisited, or brought back. There is no term more appropriate, or subject any more worthy than our weekend visit to Riverglade, so let’s revisit my last outpouring before it’s even cold in the archives. If you haven’t read “RACEGUY Remembers” yet, the archive is down the right margin. Feel free to click on the stored stuff too.

Frank Percy Wilkins photo

When MotocrossCanada Daily Chronicle tweeted a link to Dwayne Tingley’s Friday article in the Moncton Times & Transcript, I read it and thought, “Wow, did Dwayne get something scrambled in his story?” It significantly differed from what I had just written here a couple of days before, in that it positioned Lee Steeves as a new and third partner in the just recently revised Riverglade owner’s group.

I could have jumped on the phone and made the necessary calls, but there was nothing so critical it couldn’t wait until the Saturday morning’s riders meeting just a few hours away. It was a riders meeting that will mean more to motocross in this region than any I have ever attended. The ramifications will touch the region, its riders, and even the only Atlantic stop on the Monster Energy Pro National calendar.

Dwayne Tingley had scooped me cold, on a motocross story!! What had begun as an agreement of understanding between Riverglade’s new owners, Larry Northrup and Earl Doucette, and Fox Hollow’s Lee Steeves, had developed in subsequent conversations into something worthy of note across the spectrum of our sport. Another track owner, track builder, and solid real racer who had worked his way from the “Beginners” to the peak of the Pro class here in Atlantic Canada, had become part of the package at one of Canada’s most historic motocross facilities.

There are no drawbacks to this new relationship. The abilities, know-how, and racing roots of Doucette and Northrup are only enhanced by everything Lee and his Fox Hollow success brings to the the table. That was apparent on the first weekend for the partnership. Steeves had applied his track-savy to “re-flow” a couple of sections of the storied racetrack. Racers were all over the social media late into Saturday night raving about the track and how it was possibly the best Riverglade track they’d ever ridden. The level of competition on Saturday goes a long way to back that up.

Without question, we will lose a track that will always be regarded as a rider’s track and one that never failed to fill helmet windows with dirtstained grins, even when the weather proved less than cooperative. We will lose the social scene at Fox Hollow, which is so unique to each facility. Lee will lose the headaches that come with being the last (and only) man in line when it came to putting on a successful event.

We, the racers and fans, will gain back at least the spring Riverglade round which so many still missed dearly. This year, it will also add a fall Riverglade event between the National weekend and the classic “fall finale”. How this all shakes out when the promoters meet again to set the schedule for 2012 is not even worthy of speculation at this point, but, suffice it to say, the consolidation of two promoter groups is unprecedented and will result in some “further discussion” before the next season begins.

I, for one, and I’m sure many will join me, believe the recent revolution at Riverglade is a positive in almost all ways for supporters of the sport. Congratulations, not only to the NEW Riverglade owners group, but also to each and every person who loves and enjoys our amazing sport.

Congrats are also due Dwayne Tingley. He jumped me on a motocross story. I did beat him to one thing, though. I was there this past Saturday when history was made, again, at one of Canada’s most storied tracks. Cold and damp, I can still sincerely say, I loved every second of it.

Here's Part II

I know many expect me to use this space post-race to play thumbs-up/thumbs-down and describe the raceday battles in all their sordid details. Fact is, that is quite unlikely to happen.

Fact is, the races I get so totally absorbed in while in the tower are often completely gone from my system by the time the last checkered flag falls. That’s right, all that animated activity (yelling and screaming) is often gone from my memory before I head home. It’s not my fault, and no, it’s not stupidity. My iron trap of a memory works absolutely fine all the rest of the time. Others who do what I do describe the identical amnesia. I am not alone.

Scientifically, it’s most likely traced to the fact that the focus or concentration required to do the dozens of tasks simultaneously that are required by my job creates a trance-like state. Lots of great riders talk of not remembering entire motos or great battles. Off-road racers often forget completing entire loops of the course. Roadracing, I’d often become so determined to make each lap identical that I’d lose track of how many laps I’d completed and how much time had gone by. Many of you will experience this when racing. Again, I am not alone.

One of the five best races I’ve ever seen in my racing-driven life was an epic battle for a championship between Springhill legends Jack Stone and Scott Lockhart at Riverglade. While the battle was a classic and memorable for so many reasons, I only retain the memory of the how amazing the race was, and very little of the specifics that made it so.

The parts of this past Saturday that I do remember wouldn’t really make for a cohesive story, and much of it would not be about the battles on track. I will make an attempt to provide SOME bits and pieces that slipped through the haze of a raceday. Please don’t hate me because I didn’t single you out. Have pity on me as the ravages of age take their toll on my eyesight, my aching joints, and, obviously, my memory.

Raceday! – I’m up at 6 and drag my sorry butt to the front door to stick my head out and assess the weather. “Perfect”, I said to no one. I clicked on this site, went to the “Planning” tab, and checked the Chipman Doppler radar, then the forecast sites to look for any changes. Aside from the unseasonally low temps, what I saw made me talk to myself again. “Perfect.”

When I saw Johnny Montes’ Facebook post asking about conditions, I had to change out the language a little for the moto world. The track will be “mint”, I promised. A light mist/drizzle had begun overnight and was expected to continue on and off until noon. That, combined with track prep by “Lightning Lee” would converge to create one of the best Riverglade surfaces ever, if the riders are to be believed.

You know, when the Intermediates and Pros are first practice in wet conditions and they come in off the track happy, you have hit the target. Some very nice flow changes, a New Brunswick clay base, and the perfect amount of moisture in the topsoil led to perfect conditions for hard braking, bar dragging, and high-grip wheelies under power.

That “grippy” damp soil also meant there would be many moto results decided by goggle management. EKS Brand goggle front-man Steve Matthes would have loved this, but he would still be asking the magic question; “Why don’t Canadians believe in roll-offs?”

Without exception, there was great dicing in every moto, every class, all the way through the field. Jackson Landry’s undeniable determination led to two implausible passes on Damon Burbine to pull off another “perfect” day in the 50 (7-8) group. Classic rivalries for the future are already developing at this “entry” level. Brett Young, “Action Jackson’s” cousin Brock Landry, and Jesse Wells bring more of the same to the 65s, but at the end of the day, finishes fell in order of the points standings to-date.

There were a lot of riders who turned the new flow of Riverglade into opportunity to put in breakthrough rides. While Ryan MacKay was a little cautious out of the gate, he continued his dominance of the 85 (12-16) on his Team Toys Honda, and the scramble in the front-five helped Jordan Melanson turn a 3-3 into the 2^nd overall. Isaac Nice finally threw the switch in moto two showing his real capabilities, but it was Cole Butcher who put in the ride of a lifetime in the class, beating all but MacKay to the flag in the first moto and finishing a fighting 4^th in the second, proving moto one was the real deal.

Frank Percy Wilkins photo

Brett Young, Brock Landry, and Jesse Wells carried their cycle skills from the 65s to the 85 (7-11) as usual, but the ride to remember had to go to Justin Leger who put in the smoothest and most confident ride I’ve ever seen from the #25 Yamaha. Leger was top-three in both motos to put it on the podium in a field of more than credible competition.

Behind the Dominant Devin “Slayer” Sleigh in the Junior GP, were a couple of “the usual suspects”, taking on another couple of “breakout boys”. Konnor Long has suddenly adapted amazingly well to the big bike and my personal pick for coming out of nowhere and getting noticed had to be Chris Titus on the 301 who followed Randy Dunbar and Myles Clements to a 5^th place finish.

Of special note, it was great to see Jason Gray returning for the season and jumping headlong into MX2 Junior, where he went 2-2 behind Sleigh. Gray also won the Supermini. MX1 was colored by the absence of a number of points frontrunners and the presence of others. Mike Lloyd, Colby MacDonald, and Geoff Breau were all absent from the first two rounds, yet finished 1, 2, and 3 in that order. Randy Dunbar’s 8^th in moto-one resulted in an off-podium 4^th place but allowed him to move into the points lead over the absent Cody Rawding.

Johnny Montes returned to the +25 class and promptly kicked the competition to the curb. The class also saw Bob Newey for the first time in 2011. Now 2-stroke mounted, Newey, like Montes, made an immediate mark going 3-3. In other Vet action, Abbey Landry and Lorne Banks put on a show in +40. They traded wins and 2^nd place finishes with Banks looking totally competitive coming off the 2010 disabled list and having missed the first two races of this year.

I mentioned Chris Titus earlier remarking on his performance in the Junior GP. He was even more impressive in Vet Jr. where he debuted with the overall win and a perfect 1-1. Again, Bob Newey and Lorne Banks stood out in Vet Master, where Abbie Landry, took the wins, adding to his championship points lead.

Davey Fraser returned to the Youth class after missing Kingston in order to take in the Riviere de Loup arenacross. Davey dominated to climb back to 3^rd in series points. Brad Lockhart had equipment woes but soldiered on to 3^rd overall for the day which was good enough to put him in the points lead. David Strang, like Fraser, missed Kingston to make the Quebec trip, but he proved he hasn’t missed a beat going 2-4 for second. It was the other Strang brother who shook off Quebec to put in some of his most impressive motos in quite some time, riding to 4^th O/A, just ahead of the 2-stroke of the always amazing Devin MacPherson.

Frank Percy Wilkins photo

The highlight of the MX1 Intermediate class was the see-saw battle between Shane Gallant and Scotty Young. Both motos were incredibly entertaining as Young at his best and Gallant at his wildest banged and crashed their way to the line, with Young eventually following the steaming bike of Gallant to the finish twice! The Strang brothers avenged their weekend in Quebec by trashing the MX2 Intermediates, bracketing the Suzuki of Justin Foreman in both motos. Problems in the second moto would relegate Devin Macpherson to 5^th, good for 4^th overall on the little 2-stroke Yamaha.

Finally, the Pro class was more of a story based on what happened off track, than on. Davey Fraser was on his game, even stepping off the bike and back on for a moto win. Once again, Fraser and Montes were absorbed with getting back as many points as possible after missing Kingston. Fraser rode to all 3 moto wins, while Montes and the un-retired Charlie Smith traded runner-up finishes, with Montes on…are you ready for it?...yes, a Husqvarna. A huge amount of respect goes to Team Toys rider Kyle Chatham. Kyle had a pipe-crushing get together on track that resulted in a first moto DNF. A second DNF followed that. Then, borrowed pipe and all, Chatham found redemption in scooping 2^nd place in the final moto.

Oh! The off-track element that made the Pro class so interesting? The kid who scored points in every round so far snatched the points lead from the absent Tyler Medaglia. David Estabrooks, on a 2-stroke nonetheless, now leads the points chase as we head for Mill Hill. Medaglia still holds down 2^nd ahead of Brad Lockhart. Veteran Abbie Landry turns consistency into points to settle in 4^th, while Davey Fraser plays catch-up sitting 5^th as we head back to Nova Scotia.

So, what did I remember from last Saturday? That’s about it. What have I learned? That a synopsis like this is very hard to write. Thanks to everyone both for waiting for this, and for dropping in to read it.

RACEGUY Remembers

2011-05-26T00:10:00.000-03:00

Spring is the Thing

Something has been missing on the Atlantic motocross scene for a few years now. Of all the contentious issues the region has addressed and usually resolved over the past half decade, one seldom fails to evoke emotions and for many, the emotion is a deep down hurt and the feeling that something has been lost.

It doesn’t seem to matter that the reason for that loss was an act of generosity that could only be considered unique at this level of sport. For those who felt betrayed and let down by this magnanimous gesture, the question continues to gnaw at their gut. “Where the #*@$% did my Riverglade spring race go?”

Very few are aware of the mechanism that led to Riverglade parting with that prime Spring date. Some have convinced themselves that the promoters simply couldn’t be bothered and really didn’t care about what the riders thought. It’s time to put those misconceptions to rest permanently. What some saw as an act of selfishness and lack of empathy could not be more the opposite.

Now, another mechanism has come into play that will once again hear the roar of MX filtered through barely budding trees, but that in itself is a complex story. Suffice it to say, you have your spring race back on the soil that has played host to some of the most legendary names in our sport, not just in Canada, but around this big world.

That does not kiss things and make it better. It simply distracts you from an old pain without curing the cause. The events that led to the 2011 schedule have just opened the door for me to step in and set the story straight and commit it to history with a few more facts and a lot less supposition.

I was not in the room for that fateful meeting, nor was I on the other end of the phone when a multitude of conversations attempted to come to the best solution for a situation that no one had foreseen. I can guarantee there were unprecedented levels of give-and-take, back-and-forth, and serious soul searching.

To the owners at Riverglade, that spring race was easily the difference between losing money at the end of the year, and breaking even, or even banking enough to buy a trailer-load of wood chips or paint for the fences. The event was considered a classic and an absolute must for people with mud in their blood. This was THE rite of passage into a new season.

Across the Strait, the Dickiesons and Bolgers and their small band of hardcore moto people had been faithfully following the process. They wanted on the circuit and were going out of their way to prove they belonged there. After a small handful of absolute disasters (that’s another whole column in itself) dished up by first-time race promoters, the committee that is the CMRC Atlantic Region came to agreement on a set of requirements that must be fulfilled before a promoter could be considered for a championship round. All this to look out for the best interests of the riders and fans, and for the overall good of the sport in this region.

Mudrooters had paid their dues. They held CMRC non-championship events, made changes as required, and poured blood, sweat, and tears into that soil and were brought to tears trying to talk sense to legislators and puffed-up local politicians. They had met, to the letter, the requirements to be considered for a full championship round.

The operative words here are “to be considered”. Certainly, the consideration was there, but the dates weren’t. With riders often complaining that the series was too long as it was, there really was no opening in the calendar for Mudrooters. Sad as it may seem, existing tracks would not come close to even breaking even financially unless they had at least two events. There were no cut-throats at that table. Nobody played the seniority card. Every man and woman at that table agreed that taking one of the two dates away from anybody would probably sound the death knell for that track.

At this point, they could have very easily said, well Mudrooters, you meet the criteria, we’ve considered and given you the thumbs up, so you will get your race “when a date becomes available”. End of story. Fact is, the Riverglade owner’s group doesn’t play that way.

Due to the superhuman effort put in to becoming one of the “legacy” tracks on the national circuit, Riverglade is considered an absolute must on any national calendar, whether it was the CMA in years gone by, or the CMRC today. Because they are so good at what they do, the result was Riverglade actually having two stand-alone regional rounds PLUS the national. In my math that’s three dates. Seems to be the same math on Riverglade’s calculator.

In an act of generosity that still causes me to shake my head to this day, the Glade group reasoned, “we’re the only track with three dates. No one else has three. We will give our spring date to Mudrooters. Problem solved.” OK, that’s not even close to a direct quote, but that was the thinking. I’ll guarantee, with the multiple members of the Riverglade owner’s group, there was a whole lot more said and a very hard decision made. They could, as the senior member of the board, simply have said too bad about your luck, Mudrooters. What they did in the end is nothing short of humanity at its finest hour.

So, it’s no wonder my blood boils when some empty-skulled lowlife blames the track owners for the loss of a Riverglade spring race and its effect on their own personal pleasure. That now is water under the bridge and I, in a very anecdotal way, have made an attempt at setting the story straight and filing it in the bottom drawer.

We are about to enter another real-world example of the golden rule as seen through the open minds of Larry Northrup and Earl Doucette. You see, while the venue may be the familiar surroundings of “the Glade”, we are, for all intents and purposes, taking part in a Fox Hollow event.

When Lee Steeves and his amazing people found themselves without a racetrack, Lee didn’t say to hell with it, this is a mountain I’ll never climb. At the same time, the Riverglade group could have easily said sorry to hear about your luck.

Things don’t work that way with these people. Riverglade to the rescue. Keep your dates, Lee, and host your events on our track. That doesn’t sound like much more than opening the gate and walking away, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. A race facility takes a huge beating to the track and infrastructure every time a race is held there. The legal and liability aspect is a huge consideration. Track-wise, every event held there degrades sections of track and blows or drags away hundreds of pounds of valuable top-soil. Things get broken. Things finally wear out. A racetrack is not something I’d just loan to somebody because I’m a nice guy.

It is a lesson in humanism, in brotherhood, a real-world example of the golden rule. It is inspiring. This weekend, you will once again, for the first time in too long, spray the sacred spring soil of Riverglade, while at the same time keeping the Fox Hollow dream alive and retaining an asset to the sport, Lee Steeves and his Fox Hollow crew.

The complete Fox Hollow story will be fleshed out in the words of Lee himself sometime in the very near future. Meanwhile, enjoy your weekend and know that you are part of a fraternity unlike any other in sport. Whether you prefer RiverHollow, or FoxGlade, one thing is guaranteed. You are part of the ongoing history of motocross here in the Atlantic region and surrounded by some of the most amazing people on the planet.

Have fun. Ride safe. (now go click on an ad ;-)

RACEGUY Rambles

2011-05-22T00:07:00.003-03:00

As Things Stand Right Now

That headline could refer to many subjects I might possibly discuss in the space. Since I tend to draft these things in a stream-of-consciousness fashion, I’d suggest we throw the alphabet and a handful of punctuation in the blender and see what pours out.

In answer to the many who have contacted me and asked; while I don’t expect to do any type of formal race review following each and every event, I do believe post-race Mondays will always be at least partially fueled by events of the weekend.

Having missed Clyde River, Kingston was my season opener, although I went into it having some knowledge of Round 1, mostly based on the results I found at CRMCRacing.com and Facebook posts. Rider results at Clyde represent athletes shaking off a winter of, at best, dry land training, versus the few who have silently slipped away to Florida or Georgia or other points South. The track’s location can also make it difficult and sometimes impossible for some riders to attend, while simultaneously adding names to the sign-in sheets that will only ever race at Clyde River or that track and Kingston at the most. Round 1, no matter where it’s held, is seldom a ruler to measure what will come. At best, it’s an eyeball measurement.

The combination of the two first events becomes something only slightly easier to draw measured conclusions from. Kingston marks the first race for some. The bike-swallowing sand is unlike any other track on the circuit. Many riders are just coming to grips with new gear, new equipment, and in some cases, new bodies that have changed in height and bulk and just don’t fit the bike the same as last fall. It's a demanding, all-in way to start things off.

As always, Kirk and LeeAnne ran an event like a great kitchen - “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” The ever-competitive “Dick” Scott challenged his well worn stopwatch all day to get all those motos in before we had to install lights. The track was prepped to perfection with special emphasis on what would normally be a bog at turn 3 down in “the hole” I must add, though, I have never seen the sand at Kingston so on the verge of saturation that the soil became a different animal altogether. The sand did not respond at all like anybody in their right mind would have expected. The tackiness of the sand was probably a godsend to many riders and resulted in a downturn in linament sales. BTW – Tyler Medaglia loved it, as was evidenced by his laptimes.

We’ll take a quick stroll through the classes as some things are developing after just two weekends in.

We’ll start with the wee ones. I’ll also briefly mention my policy of playing down points and titles at this level. That doesn’t mean we’ll ignore the 50s. The first thing that comes to mind is the 4-6 group and the fact that the exact same four riders were on the gate at both rounds. Let’s hope the low turnout is due to geography or other logical reasons, and not because people believe the class has disappeared or was somehow affected by off-road vehicle legislations. By no means has it or will it disappear any time soon and the entry requirements make it even easier to participate with the allowance for a wide variety of “play-bikes”. The 7-8 class is healthier with nine at Clyde River and ten at Kingston, and that class is already developing a small group of untouchables at the front of the points, led by Jackson Landry (400), Damon Burbine (77) and Luke Penney (321) reaching out from third. Morgan Dealy is a rejuvenated rider and has been charging hard since the arenacross, and Seth Jolimore (187) and Ty Landry (101) will be mixing it up near the front.

Riders who have had the benefit of developing through the 50s and even riding crossover to 65s have and will always shine at the top of the 65s. It’s interesting to note that the fastest 65 riders are now double-classing in the 85s in preparation for their eventual age-related advancement. What’s even more interesting is the fact that these “veteran” pee-wees are also leading the 85s.

In the 85 12-16, any rider who wants to reach the top step of the podium is going to have to push Ryan McKay (97) off first. While the Toys for Big Boys rider has gone permanently to the front in four out of four motos, Cole Butcher (53) and Jordan Melanson (91) have been swapping finishes and letting the leader begin to open a gap.

Move along, then. Nothing to see here. That would describe the Pro ATV group as Damon Baker (152) is most often on a completely different level, although a perfect season ended in one moto at Kingston when he uncharacteristically had to settle for second. The battle in behind, though, is at least five riders deep including last week’s prime movers Eric Drapeau (42) and Daniel Looke(83). They may be fighting for second week in and week out, but what a fight it is!

The Junior Quads will get this very brief mention. When I can get excited about your moto because I actually know who’s who, I will start showing you respect in here that the class actually deserves. Until I see respect paid to the lap scorers and track officials by way of clear, easily read numbers, according to the CMRC rule book, my respect level is low. That’s another complete blog for another day. Today I’m just rambling. I was ranting last week.

The Intermediate classes are destined to be THE classes to watch this season. The numbers are good, there are loads of riders with something to prove, and the skill level, particularly at the front of the MX1, is very equal and that makes for smokin’ hot racing. MX2 has all the makings of mayhem. Testosterone fuels the front five and there isn’t one rider there who isn’t capable of a win. In fact, the list of contenders goes ten deep! The on-again off-again rivalry between points leader Devin MacPherson (472) and 2^nd place Curtis Doucet (777) has been rekindled by on on-track encounter, David Strang (700) must now play catch-up after taking Kingston off in favour of an arenacross in Quebec, and West, Smith, and Butler have had a sweet taste of the front five. When black and yellow plates are on the track, line the fences. You won’t regret a second of it.

Photo courtesy: Wayne Simpson

All 3 Junior classes start the year dripping with talent. Mark down the names of the guys who will be moving up a rank at the end of the Spring series. Mitchell Fraser (33), Devin Sleigh (122), Chris O’Connell (102), and Konnor Long (719) all came out of hibernation swinging as did the “no relation” Clements boys, Myles (120) and Mathew (31). Guaranteed, there will also be a few surprises right behind them. Devin Sleigh leads both the MX2 Junior and the GP. Myles Clements is top three in both.

With Morgan Gillis opting out of the Womens class and now out with injuries for the next month, Alexandra Josey (28) can only race the track and the stopwatch at the front of the pack. AJ gets to come back from a season off and go straight to the head of the class as she rehabilitates her rebuilt knee.

Not much to offer on the various Veterans classes that the average race fan couldn’t pick up on themselves. It’s kind of a shame low rider turnout canned the 25+ class at Clyde River, but Ryan Farris wasted no time asserting himself at the front in Kingston. The Landry brothers have positioned themselves one and two in 40+, and Scott Josey finds himself in the hunt and liking the newfound horsepower of his 250 Gas Gas. I do, personally, have a concern about the rider who decimated the Vet Junior class at Kingston. Jean Pothier (115) is not all that long removed from Intermediate/Pro level competition and would have been a little more welcome in 25+ or Vet Master. If I assume correctly, that he will only be racing close to home, it’s not significant. If Jean follows the series, a class change is in order.

Perfect performances place Devin MacPherson (472) at the point in the Schoolboy class with strong performances so far equating to a solid second for Mathew Clements (31). Supermini brings in the usual suspects with Ryan Mckay (97) and Jordan Melanson (91) at each other for top spot, while Cole Butcher (53) and Sam Devlin (20) hover.

Currently, we have Canada’s MX2 Pro champion sitting in the lead in Youth, with Davey Fraser (61) abdicating a post-Clyde one point lead in order to race in Quebec. Tyler Medaglia (95 or 1) sits on a comfy cushion of 22 points over Bradley Lockhart (286) who spent the day on what I call “rent-a-rides” following a costly mechanical. Watch Devin MacPherson in this class. He is out there with guys MUCH older than him in motocross years.

Photo courtesy: Dubach Racing

“Funky Cold Medaglia” will head west for round-one of the Monster Energy Pro Nationals with another class lead. In fact, whether he races Riverglade or not, he could very well continue to hold the lead after round-three of this series. When Tyler leaves the picture, the four-race dogfight to come will be intense.

These posts will not always cover each class every week. In other words, they will become mercifully shorter. Unless, of course, there are some seriously significant stories that need to be told.

We will update again on the run-up to Riverglade. In the meantime, if you click “comments” just below this picture, you can leave comments. It’s even easier to leave comments if you “Follow” the site. Finally, the least you can do for a guy who types his fingers to the bone for you is click on the ads and help grow this place.

Have a great week and be safe. See you Saturday.

RACEGUY Rants

2011-05-18T03:56:00.002-03:00

Seven Days Can Make One ~~Week~~ Weak

A little more than one week – seven short days – 168 even shorter hours – that’s how long (or short) it’s been since I decided to go ahead and put this little project together and take it “live” to the internet. Since I pushed the magic “Publish” button for the first time, I’ve gotten a boot-camp style education in “the internet – how it works and why it doesn’t”.

OK. I know. I’m supposed to be waxing poetic about our weekend in Kingston, but if you’ll just bear with me, I have to get this out of my system. Thank you.

Here are some of the lessons I have learned. Hopefully it will be a cautionary tale for anyone thinking of “just putting a little thing together for the fun of it.” This post could save a life!

Lesson one: It would appear that there isn’t really anything fun about it, probably due to lessons two through ninety-one. Lesson two: When the host site goes down for more than 12 hours in your first full day on line, there isn’t a swear word in the world that brings it back up. Lesson three: When the problem that took the server down requires the host site to recover their clock back a day and a half, see rule two. At this point I can confirm that neither your best curse words OR your favorite prayer will bring it back. Lesson four: When any of the above occurs, you can count on losing countless hours of writing, page design, and most important, SLEEP! (If you look just above this column, you will see tabs that say things like “Breaking News”. When clicked, they take you to page upon page of information. In the process of you learning the first four lessons, these will completely disappear and will require total reconstruction from the tabs themselves to … yes… page upon page of information.

Now that I’ve depressed all of us, (OK, now that I’ve depressed me), I’ll leave the remaining eighty-seven lessons for another day and mention a couple of points of internet interest.

I mentioned the TABS just above this column. On a site like this, the host site makes room for up to 10 of these tabs, max. I now know there can never be enough tabs. In coming months I will use up my quota. I also learned that the more complicated and lengthy the upload, the greater the chances that something goes wrong during the upload. (see lessons one through four)

What does Scott Josey's Gas Gas have to do with

any of this? Nothing. I just like the pic

This site has been viewed almost 1600 times in less than seven days. I want to thank every single soul who gave it a click, even though the site is still under construction. I especially want to thank Mark, Jessica, Peter, Pam, Kurt, and Curtis for having faith and following me early. Following the site will cost you nothing. A couple of minutes and a few mouse clicks will get you on board and it results in absolutely zero spam. It gives you identity security that allows you to “comments” which you’ll see below this column and it allows members to communicate, while allowing me to communicate with you. There is also a “follow by e-mail” field to the left. It will send you automatic notification when anything changes here on the home page – but only this page. Contents behind the tabs can change by the minute with no e-mail notification, so you still have to come in and click to see what’s new there.

My point behind talking about “view counts” and “follows” and such is that these are the measuring tools of the internet. These measurements can determine a sites ability to stay “in business”. They are directly linked to the other element – the advertising. No matter which web site you go to, the ability to stay up and running is determined by the ability to generate “clicks” for advertisers. In a roundabout way, what I’m trying to say is, find an interesting ad and click it. You can then immediately hit the back button if you want. Your click is counted. From personal experience, though, I can sincerely say there is often some very cool (and very strange) stuff in Google Ads.

I was also surprised to discover that Google tracks our poll (bottom of the page at the left hand side) and keeps it secure from vandals or anybody “stacking the deck”. It also keeps me from knowing who voted how, although I have a very good idea where the first Matt Goerke vote came from. Next to the poll you see “My Hookups” which are all active links to some of the most useful MX sites on the continent. Just click to go directly to the pages of my internet friends. I know I’ve missed a couple, so watch for that list to grow.

Just one point about the “comments” button at the bottom of this article. You can read and leave comments by clicking on the word. I also offer my most humble apologies to the lovely miss Longname who is one of the original three followers and the second to leave a comment here. Unfortunately, it was wiped out when the host site had to set the clock back! Which brings us all back to the starting point. RACEGUY Rants…and my rant + my guided tour of the site = rambled on too long, and I haven’t even talked about Kingston yet, although the scoring summary and Top-5 points are as close as the Tab at the top of the page.

I promise to get that up here by Saturday. Until then, unless you registered for e-mail updates, you’ll just have to keep coming back here to see what’s new. Oh…and you can even click an ad while you’re here.

Up Next - Komments from Kingston

A Distant Sound of Thunder

2011-05-09T21:53:00.006-03:00

We are curious creatures. While we would arrive at the spring thaw much more refreshed had we curled up and spent the uncooperative months in deep hybernation, we choose to stay in circulation and torture ourselves with tales of Southern training facilities, US winter series, and, of course, supercross. We greet the arrival of spring with pent up frustration born of living in our MX unfriendly climate, and unbridled enthusiasm for the fresh start that a new season dangles in front of us like a carrot before a cart-mule.

Agreed, many here in the vast Atlantic region have already broken the ice (so to speak) by accepting the challenge of the annual springtime rite, the Josh Damery Memorial INdoors, and/or round one of the CMRC regional spring series OUTdoors, another sucessful season launch hosted by Art and Carla Smith on their rider-friendly Clyde River circuit.

While yours-truly joined a small handful of our big family who sidestepped the cold and rain and missed the opening round at Clyde, most of us will be back camping out overnight and waking with the roosters to take part in round two this Sunday in the sand. For those who made the scene at Clyde River, a day of competition on the amazing mixed surface may be just what is needed to prepare for a weekend in Kirk and LeeAnne Avery's sandbox in Kingston. For those who will start their run at the series by taking on the sand trap, may God have mercy on your souls.

photo courtesy: Wayne Simpson

Be looking for a summary of the weekend's activities right here at this blog site and please bear with us as this thing develops. As it does, we hope to keep you up to date on hapenings in this region, across the country, and possibly into the New England states and down the eastern seaboard. With that in mind, it will be our goal to make the content reader friendly no matter where you live and race. You can sign up for e-mail notifications whenever the page is updated by simply inserting your e-mail address to the left of this column. You can also become a follower of the blog. Another nice feature is, as the archives grow, the content will be searchable directly from this page. While you're sniffing around the bottom of the page, you can also join in our first ever poll and you can also leave a comment and read those of others by clicking on "comment".

Please remember to let us know what you honestly think of the site as it all unfolds, and whenever possible, PLEASE click on ads that help make this site a reality.

I'll see you this weekend in the beautiful Annapolis Valley surrounded by signs of Spring's renewal - apple blossoms...and early season motocross! If you can't join us in Kingston, you can join in right back here next week.

I can hear the thunder in the distance and it has nothing to do with meteorology. Have a spectacular and safe weekend everyone. I wish you all good weather and great racing. C U in the sand!