2008 OTHG Race 3

This event on January 21, 2008 was with SDMX EStreetMX Winter Series put on by Scott Davis and his crew out at Riverfront Park in Marysville. The day started out very cold and with a slight wind blowing. The track was in good shape mostly with only a few places that were just a little sloppy mud-wise. For just having rained for 5 days straight this track was in awesome shape actually.

There were a total of 25 or so motos and the track actually held up very well over the course of the entire day. Scott was in Moto #7 running his first race with the 125cc Beginner Class. I was in Moto #10 running my first race with the OTHG 45+ Novice class. Scott had a mixed group with 125's, 250's and women also. He rode a safe race and ended up last in the class, but he finished. The kid that won the 125 race lapped the entire field at least once and almost twice in his second moto. (Hardly a Beginner, but definately a beginner 'sandbagger') Scott had alot of fun overall.

My Moto was gated with the 30+ and 38+ Novices in Gate #1 and my group of 45+ and 50+ Novices were in Gate #2. Which some of these guys I had ran with in the 45+ Beginner class last year, so it was just like old times again.

The first race I got onto the track in about 6th position and lost ground quickly around some of the sloppy turns. I finished 2nd in class. My only other 45+ class competitor ended up getting bumped into the Intermediate class because he smoked almost everyone in the whole group.

My second race, I was in a three way bike run for the holeshot into the first turn and I made it around the first turn and went a bit wide and ended up third onto the straight, WHAT A RUSH!!!!!... thats what its all about! I kept my place until we got to the back mucky area and I started slipping and sliding around and lost a position almost every single lap in the same areas. I was making great jumps over the tables and jumping the little doubles really well. I was running pretty confidently all around. I think I finished about 5th or 6th overall for the group but I finished first in class... I was the only one left in the class!....

No trophy this time but it wasnt earned. Maybe some more people will show up next time otherwise I will have to move into the younger classes.... ;)

We had a great time, great people, a great track. I just got to get some more muddin' time under by belt for those sloppy turns.

2008 Race Season Starts

Well a new year has started and things will hopefully be safe and fun for the 2008 race season. I just began racing again in 2007 which started off for me with a broken wrist (non-mx related) and then I had a knee injury right after the first race of the season. I competed in one National this year at The Oatfield during the "mudfest race" and had a blast. Wish I coulda ran a few more Nationals.

I didn't compete in any races during the summer months so it was a restart again from ground zero for me once the weather cooled a bit in September and I got back on the bike again. I ran my last season race at Argyl Park on September 30th and placed well enough to finish the season with a 5th Overall in the 45+ Beginner Class. I only competed in 8 of 29 possible points races.

Soon after that I broke a finger while playing around with Scott's new YZ125 at Club Moto, trying to show the kid a 'few tricks'. That left me out of riding again for awhile until just recently.

Looks like the 2008 race schedule for Sierra OTHG has been setup pretty well this year with 9 races before the Sierra National in April. Should be lots of fun and lots of good competition now that I have moved up to the 45+ Novice Class.

I am going to try and make more of the summer series races this year, attend more of the Nationals and work my way into that coveted "Top 25" for the season ending awards. I know its not much of a payoff to strive for but it's all fun and it's all with good people and just about having a good time.

If I can finish in the top 5 of the 45+ Novice Class (and not break anything trying) I will be extremely happy with myself.

E Street Ride Day for OTHG

Scott Davis honored the OTHG Chapters with a "Rider Appreciation Day" for all of the support that the Chapters provide to his race series during the past season. He provided a beautifully prepared course and a Bar-B-Que for all the riders that would show up and we had a full list of participants. Thank You Scott and Crew and OTHG certainly does appreciate your support of us also.

Here's just a few photos for the ride day event: