This was supposed to be the most photo packed race report of the year. It turned out, over a series of unfortunate events, to most likely to be the least.
It started with the trip to Unadilla when I mistakenly punched in Unadilla valley sports center instead of Unidilla mx and ended up in the middle of a field and put me about half an hour out of my way. No biggie, Im still gonna be there early afternoon so I capture plenty of photos and video of the bikes that were on display. After arriving I saved a prime spot where the Brit and his wife and I would pit. It was then when I noticed I knew the guys behind me from past NESC events, none other than Chris, Jeff and John. After exchanging greetings, I set out to sign ups and to take a ton of photos for this report. There were a plethora of exotic vintage bikes of various eras and I shot some great photos of them and the grass track race later that afternoon that Chris , Jeff and John took part in and had regretted that I didn't. It looked like a ton of fun. The Brit and Lisa arrived after the first set of grass track motos so I split to set up the pits. It was not long after setting up that disaster hit, a storm that had rivaled that from the wizard of OZ . Winds whipped unmercifully, rain came down in barrels and lightning and thunder was right on top of us for about an hour. During the deluge I noticed my phone missing from my pocket! quickly I scrambled to find it. I did locate it , but it was too late. With no rice to absorb the moister I took it apart in hopes it was not too far gone and let it dry.
Next morning was time for practice and first motos.
We were treated to soft muddy conditions for practice , but you could tell the track would not take long to come around. Moto 1 for me was the 90-99 125 A,B, & C class.
I was off to decent start and had to work around a couple off riders to a point to where I was in the lead of the second tier of riders. The last couple laps I was under severe pressure by someone, I dared not look back until the hill before the checkers for fear I would loose concentration and be overtaken by my competitor. I held on and finished what ended up being second, The leader was long gone.
The second moto for me was the open age class. I got a poor start, but rode well and passed a few and ended up 9th, where I had placed myself inside the top 10 prior to the event.
Third and final moto Saturday was the Plus 50 open Div 2 class. I got a decent start and battled with several riders especially once in 6th, where I ate the renowned Dilla roost off the rear of a late 90's YZed 250 until I was able to overtake through the whoop section in the back part of the track on the last lap to finish 5th. A good result and on par for a top 5 finish that I had set for myself. Jason also had productive day placing third in the 90-99 250/open A class and 6th in the open age A class. The fool was not so smart and chose not to wear a chest protector and ended up looking as though his upper body was transformed into a pepperoni pizza. He would be the wiser Sunday.
That evening THOR put out a nice spread, asking only for donation for a local racing family whose mother was battling cancer. As a collective group, our vintage racing family donated a couple thousand dollars for the cause. After getting busy with a bit of fizzy and my spirits high, I retired for the evening determined to build on the results I had achieved earlier that day.
Sunday morning broke with iffy weather and cooler temps, but the track crew had transformed the race circuit into a harrowed, groomed piece of moto heaven and I was eager to rip it! Well maybe a little too eager. the had added the new pro section this day as Saturday's wet conditions were deemed not suited to break in the new section. I have too say I didn't give it much thought as too how I would approach it, I'd figure it out when I got to it.
Wrong plan of attack Brian, but it was not the first mistake of practice. So, feeling my oats from yesterdays results and the confidence on the bike, I was going to F'n just pin it this practice! That went well for half a lap, then through the left hander after the whoops I ripped her WFO past a couple of spodes when I felt the rear come around a bit, no worries when in doubt power out! Power out I did! right out the saddle and onto my back in a massive high side! As I lay there doing the old self check, I realized I was relatively unhurt, I jumped up cause I wanted to win practice, noticed the bars were bent , said F it and pinned it so's not to loose any valuable laps of "PRACTICE". Well this tactic almost doomed me, remember the part about not giving the new section much thought? Yeah well, this how it went; Over the finish line tables, into new section. "Oh, a little double in to right hander, I got this!" "PFFFT". Into a drop off, "easy". Now to a step up to hump like thingy, " F, I'll just jump up this first little one" "OOPs make that jump into this first little one and through the front door and for good measure rack ya left leg into the bent bars for added effect".
This is when I limped back to the pits to formulate a new plan as to how I was going to salvage the day and bring home some hardware in the 90-99 125 B class.
With not much time before the 2nd 90-99 125 moto (it was the first of the day), I donned new kit, fueled up the back up ( the 1990 CR125) and headed to the line hoping adrenaline would last me into the moto before the leg started to seize up.
I knew who I had to beat and was determined to do what it took to land on the podium. When the gate dropped I had a not so good start , but could see the guy who I battled with for second the day before. "Stay on his tail" I kept telling myself. It proved to be a difficult task as we made our way through a few riders, he starting pulling a good lead. I made each pass he had made on a rider except one and I had to hope it was enough.
It was! As it turned out that kid won and I got second, the rider between was the C class winner and I went 2-2 for second overall.
Triumphant and hurting I raced to an uneventful finish in the second Open age B class and finished 9th, for 9-9, 9th place overall. I decided that was enough and skipped the plus 50 class, grabbed my first bit of hardware from the rewind and headed home. Till next year Dilla!
P.S.
Jason took another three in the 90-99 open A moto for 3rd OA and two resounding class wins aboard his 79 CR250 and the phone recovered only to meet its fate days later at a TuesDave jam before I could download those precious photos.
http://www.unadillamx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PSC.pdfhttp://www.unadillamx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/PVMX.pdf
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