AMA Flat Track Grand Championship Am Nationals Du Quoin Illnoise 2023

 My racing and the likes of this blog are pretty self centered. Most racers are to some degree in my opinion at minimum a bit self centered. At least I know that for me to focus on racing successfully I must spend a lot of time inside my own head figuring it all out. Sometimes I try too hard to figure shit out and it end ups making no sense. Like trying harder to grab a hold of a slippery fish. The more I try to find meaning of the AMA Flat Track Amateur Grand Championship the more I find nothing other than just simple good times. This was the first time in a long time that I teamed up with others instead of my usual simple solo missions. The team for this effort was the meaning of it all. And it was outstanding!

The Mile was FAST, FUN, and FAST!

Getting to spend time with Jeffery Carver and get one on one instruction was a real treat. When the Wizard talks I listen.

Fish eating smile after taking a podium finish in the TT

The Cushion 1/2 mile was a dream come true. The XR650R was in it's element unfortunately I ran it in hot on the inside of first turn of the main and ran out of nerves opting to gracefully lay it down.

I had an apt arsenal loaded into the back of the van!

Winning the Short Track LCQ on the ol 89 YZ250 was one of the highlights. The lone two smoker made a lot friends especially with all the dads. I did not have a baseline to use with the old Yamaha's suspension, it was ok but fork damping was a bit fast and spring rates were off. That and how fast modern 250 four strokes are along with a stacked field of young talent in the 250 Production class made it a real challenge to qualify but when we did it in the TT and the Short track it was so sweet. On my bikes we ended up 4th overall in the VET 40 plus class with a couple of 3rds in the TT and Short Track which felt like a good pat on the back for not having my hot shoe on for 5 years. All in all it was a pretty damn good time. 12 days on the road. A solid crew with Lambrick Brothers and Jeffery Carver. Will I train and go back next year with a more dialed in ol 1989 YZ250....?

Go time

 

Jeffery Carver shaking down the race bike. Could I ask for anything more?!!

So I loaded up my van with a back up secondary class bike, a back up back up, because I want to know what the xr650r will do against 450s on the mile, and for shits and grins and against all good judgment I brought the Trackmaster KX500 because: live for today…

I writes this post from a rest area in lush green Kansas after successfully finding my tire on a UPS truck and crossing the ol rectangle of Colorado. The birds are singing louder than the whine of the passing 18 wheelers as drizzled rain drops pitter patter out a soothing rhythm on my roof. Tomorrow I’ll visit the Late Great Cosmic Cowboys ol pad, maybe unload the 500 and do a donut in his front yard, leave a Hot Wheels toy as an offering and go stay with the Pottorf’s, friends Cowboy introduced me to. Young Pottorf is contesting some of the AMA pro flattrack series this year. Maybe spin some laps on their private test track before heading out to Carver’s place for some Wizard sessions. Here we go…

Strikes and gutters

First hill climb of the season: CHCA Temple Canyon 

 First practice run the ol Pontiac broke an axle.  A bummer after all the work I put into this car over the winter but at least the rolling projectile didn’t hit any spectators. If it came off on the 100 mph straight section right before it would have been real interesting…

It has been a couple of years since I dusted off the ol Pikes Peak bike. I should call this bike “New Record.. it has set the record at Pikes Peak, every Colorado Hill climb course, which all it still holds except Pikes and Rangel. We set a new course record this weekend.