AMA GNC Twins Season Finale * Topeka, KS * 10/04/08

I was a little nervous going into this event as I had finished second place at this race track in July. I knew what I was capable of, and if I could get it done then I could place top five in the championship. If I didn’t I could finish as low as 10th.

The track was a little bit inconsistent in qualifying. I had a couple of big slides early on so I didn’t ride very aggressive, and I ended up qualifying 10th.

I was in the third heat race with Bryan Bigelow, Chris Carr, and Robbie Pearson among others. I had a decent start and was running third to Bigelow and Pearson, on lap two Pearson got a little sideways coming off turn two so I took advantage of the opportunity at hand and ran it in under him in turn three taking the spot. At first I thought I would be able to run down Bigelow but I just didn’t have it in me. I finished second which would be good enough for a front row start in the main event.

I knew we didn’t have the speed to win but had a shot at it if we could make the right adjustments so we changed a couple things on the bike and rolled it out for the last national of the year.

I did not get a great start and ran 6th on the first lap, then I settled into fifth for the next seven laps. I was trying to hang with Coolbeth but I was definitely not catching him. Then Jake Johnson passed me and I knew I was in trouble if a Suzuki was passing me, so I desperately tried to get back ahead of him but I just couldn’t seem to get it working as I got passed again putting me back in seventh place when the red flag came out for a fallen rider on lap 12.

I was sitting in seventh place on the restart looking at the riders in front of me and realizing there were three of them that were gonna beat me for fifth in points if I didn’t do something about it. So with the pack all bunched up going into turn three I ran it into the corner really deep all the way on the bottom of the track passing my way all the way up to third. As I drifted back to the outside of the track I was able to get the bike turned and it actually worked. I can’t believe I went from seventh to third in one corner. For the next couple laps I was running around the top of the track thinking I might actually be able to hold onto third, but it wasn’t to be as two laps later Mees got me back. Then I ran 4th for the next five laps until Coolbeth passed me on lap twenty, then my brother the next lap. I think I must have smoked my tire or something as I was just not getting any traction. I was back in seventh when Mees fell, bringing out the red flag and another restart with five laps to go. It was a very exciting five laps as we were having an epic battle going four and five wide at times. At the end I was trying to keep Carr behind me and almost did but he just got me at the line putting me in 6th place, which was good enough to put me in a tie for fifth place in points with my brother Jethro. We both ended up with 126 points, luckily the tie breaker goes to me as my best finish (2nd place) was better than his (4th place).

A big Thank You goes out to the many people who made it possible for me to have a successful 2008 racing season.

I will keep you updated on my racing activities during the GNC off-season.