Puyallup, WA * State Fairgrounds * 10/11/08

Photo Courtesy Matt Dillon, taken from the heat race battle with Brad Baker

The weather has turned in the great northwest and we are now racing indoors, on a red clay race-track. This was my first time racing this track since they brought in the new dirt and the corners were much tighter than before. I practiced both my Yamaha and my J&M framed Honda 450 numerous times until I finally decided to ride the Honda.

It felt a little like I was playing catch up to the locals who have this track dialed. I started all the way up against the wall in my heat race and was running third when I stuffed the top amateur rider Brad Baker to put me in second place, well Brad didn’t go out without a fight as he stuffed me right back in the next corner then I quickly got him back and tried to block him, and that is when I noticed he is a pretty big kid now as we went shoulder to shoulder into turn three. I tried to lean on him and he was able to muscle me out of the way. We couldn’t get free of each other so Eric Beers ran away with the win. I was barely holding onto the lead coming off turn two on the last lap and Brad passed me going into the final turn but I was able to get the drive on the outside and just edged him out by a wheels length.

Second place in the heat race got me in the Dash for Cash in which I was running 4th place out of four when the rider in third stuffed the leaders running them wide. I was able to pass them all in turn one on about the second lap and went on to win the Dash for Cash.

We made one more adjustment to the bike before the final and I got a good start and was running second to Eric Rickman. I felt like I had the race under control, as I was trying to set him up for a pass. He was holding a really tight line so I was trying to do a typical high-low pass on him, but this left the door open for Brad to stuff it up the inside of me as I entered turn three, so I carried my momentum around the outside of him, banked off the wall and was going to get him right back. At the last minute I changed my mind and wanted to follow him for a while so I tried backing out of it but my indecision caused me to kind of spin around, so I pulled in the clutch as riders piled into the side of me I kept the bike running, shot through the infield throwing dust everywhere and jumped back onto the track. I made one pass which was good enough to get me in second place as the first two riders took each other out.

It was a little dissapointing to not get the win but we are just coming to this track for fun and to put on a good show for the home town crowd and I think we accomplished that.

Our next event is the Pacific Coast National at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA on October 25th.

Once again I would like to Thank everyone for their support this year.

Here is a list of what we accomplished this year.

5th place in the AMA GNC Twins class
8th place in the AMA GNC Singles class
8th overall in the Grand National championsip with
12 top ten finishes, five top fives and three podiums
750/1000 Hot Shoe National Champion
Second place in Eddie Mulder’s WCVDTS