Ok what's up?

I have thought about my race this weekend nonstop. I can't remember much of the actual races though. I just wanted a drink of water. I hope that some amateurs show up next time. I am no longer scared to go out and compete. The track is closed the next two weekends, and that is good, because we are on vacation from July 1st till July 10th. Here is the conflict. Abilene only races quads once a month, but it is on July 16th, and Wichita has double points that night. If I win in the amateur race, or no one else shows up, it would put me in 6th in the points. If I show up regularly, I could finish 3rd for the year. No chance of catching first or second in my opinion, but third is possible. In Abilene, Matthew doesn't get to race, but I will get paid if I finish 6th or higher. And, after watching last time I was in Abilene, I would have finished third. Of course, that is just me thinking. There were a lot of wrecks in Abilene, there may not be next time. Also, in Abilene, I get to watch my father in law race, something that I enjoy, and Angie likes to visit with her folks too. Matthew has never watched his grandpa race either. I think he would enjoy it. But, the feature in Abilene is 10 laps compared to Wichita's 5 lap feature. I don't know what to do. There are only 2 races left for me in Abilene, unfortunately the next on is on Double Points Night. The track in Abilene is easier also, the jumps are not as big, and there is only one right hand turn. In Wichita the turns are all to the right except one. This is a big thing on a quad, because your thumb throttle is on the right, and it pins it to you. This makes it much harder to negotiate the turns. You are not able to controll the throttle nearly as well as in a left hand turn. Big to me, but you guys probably don't understand it. It just makes it a lot harder, and the corners were where I was truely horrible in the race Saturday. It will get better with practice.

Also, the other riders said that they usually lap the amateurs when they get lumped in with them. They Did Not lap me, so I should fare well with the Amateurs. It would also be fun to have someone to race beside or in front of, instead of being behind all the time. I feel like I could have done better, but once you are out of the race, you , at least I, don't try as hard. Who knows, Angie probably won't let me go back and race every Saturday until October, and who could blame her.

Oh, the one thing that I do remember is that I carried a wheelie almost the whole front straight away once. I came out of the last corner, and bam, my bike just hooked up, and off I went. No steering, just holding the gas all the way down. It was the last lap of the first heat race. It felt awesome. I got too close to the outside wall most of the other times, because I couldn't turn. Remember I sucked in the corners, but once I did fine, and I won't forget that feeling. Most people probably didn't notice, but it was there, not a big wheelie, but a speed wheelie. One where you do it on pure power, not for show, just because the bike is hooked up, and you are fast for once. Only problem is that you can't steer, and if you are pointed in the wrong direction, you have to let off, correct and go again.

One other thing, at the start of the feature, I was as fast as anyone, but I kinda forgot about the turn at the end of the straight. I had to brake hard to get under controll before I made the turn, and it was a speed turn, so I lost some time there. I was frustrated at the time, but on the ride home, it was funny. I laughed about it with Angie, because she said she noticed it too. Oh well, I was only a couple of bike lengths behind going into the first hard turn. It did feel good.

Sorry this post was so selfish, but I have never done anything like this before, and last night I was tired, so I didn't go too much in to the details. Next time I race it will probably be the same thing. Like I said, Matthew did great, but is on the wrong bike. Thanks again to everyone for coming out to see us. It was truely a blast. Conquering your fears really does feel awesome!!

See ya then,

Jim