June 11th Rusty's Ranch-north side

 

May 21, 2011 Heffley Ranch

This past race was held at Heffley’s Ranch in Columbus, Texas.  It was a wide-open fast-paced sandy course with very little tight woods.  We got a very little bit of rain the night before, just enough to hold the dust down for the Saturday race.  We all did a cooky start, which was, the bike running in neutral with us facing the bike in front of the front wheel looking backwards at the flagger. 

I took off and was third off the line.  I trailed one and two for half a lap. First place dug the front tire down in deep sand and fell and second place didn’t make a move fast enough to get around so I railed both of them on the far outside.  I held first place for the first couple of laps then second place caught me and passed me.  I then trailed her until she fell in the tight woods.  I passed her by going through little trees on the left side with third place, now going to second, behind me.  I was back in first place again for the last few laps.  On the fifth lap, second place caught up to me and passed me.  I then trailed her only for a little while taking every inside line on the corner and cranking the throttle wide open.  I soon passed her and was off again in first place for the last mile of the course.  I came around a corner with the throttle pinned only for it to bog.  The float in the carburetor had hung up.  I grabbed a stick, banged on the carb for a bit, and then started it back up.  By the time I was off again, second place had already passed me leaving me to finish second.

This was probably the most fun I have had racing yet.  Being able to hold the throttle wide open in 4^th and 5^th gear is always a blast, but especially when it’s over 90 degrees.  I ended up finishing 17^th overall If my carburetor would have held out I would have finished 7^th or 8^th overall.