October 26, 2008 SETRA round 4 Clanton, AL

I took off with an awesome holeshot.  (I’m sure my dad wants everyone to know he picked the spot, even though I didn’t like it.)   I lead the first mile or 2 and then Gentry got around me on a line I didn’t see.   I rode behind him for about 6 miles, & then going down a really fast logging road I saw him turning to what I thought was the trail, but he was turning around.  I saw the turn so I just locked up hoping I could get there before him, but I didn’t.  I went straight over the bars.  I was trying to get back up and Lee Hallman passed me.  I kept trying to pick up the bike but it wouldn’t move.  I finally figured out that it was stuck on a lot of vines so I got it out and pushed as hard as I could. I came through the first lap and the board said I was a minute and 5 seconds down.  That made me so mad; I lit out of there pushing all out.   I was crashing a lot but I shook it off and kept going. The next lap it still said I was a minute 5 down, so I pushed even harder but I didn’t crash as much.  Lee Hallman, who was hauling, ran out of gas so I got up to second.  Then towards the end of the lap in some tight woods my steering started locking up.  I knew my steering bearings were going bad and I lost like 15 seconds that lap.  The next lap somehow I gained my 15 seconds back but I couldn’t steer good and it was messing me up bad.  After that I started losing more time.  Then, one of my good friends, Ryan Belue, from the second row, caught me and I didn’t want to hold him up so I let him go.  He was hauling!  I tried to keep up, but my steering kept me from doing that. Come to find out he was Overalling.  But he ran out of gas which sucks.  But I ended up second and second overall.  Hopefully I will have better luck next time.        

Here for photos: CLICK!
                                          
All heart,

Stu

October 19, 2008 SETRA Hare Scramble

On Friday, I tried out some Ohlins suspension.  I went to another track and got it dialed in with Thom, the Coppersmith guy.  He got it working awesome!  I don’t know how, but he got it where I even hooked  up in the sand--it was sick!

On Sunday, my float got stuck when I got to the line.  We took it back to the trailer where my dad cleaned the carburetor in like 5 minutes, and went to the line again.  Nothing went wrong this time. While I was sitting there they announced there would be a $50 holeshot award, so I decided the KTM 200 just had to get it.  When the guy waved the flag, it was just me and the first corner.  I got the holeshot and lead the first 3 laps with Gentry right on my heels.  I don’t think we were ever more than 6 seconds apart.  Everything  was going awesome until my pit stop where at the last second of my braking, my bike got pitched sideways and I took out my mom, haha.  

I pulled out right behind Gentry and stayed right behind him a lap & when he pitted I got back by him with a lap to go.  I was able to hold him off to the end and ended up with 6 seconds. 

Keep checking my videos if you wanna see me take my mom out at the pit--hopefully I will have it up soon.

Here for photos: CLICK!

All Heart,

Stu

Powerline Park, 10-12-08

It was my best GNCC finish in 200A so far. 

I got 2nd off the start & into the woods behind Norwood.  When I got to the first mudhole, I got around him, but Monsrud passed me.  I stayed behind him a little while but when he got stuck behind a lapper I managed to get by & I led until a little ways before the finish.  Norwood got back by me.  Through the rest of the race, me & Norwood went back & forth like this on every lap.  On the last lap I was running 2nd when I saw him on the backside of a big hill climb where he had taken the alternate route.  I tried the big hill, got stuck, lost about a minute, came into the creek section, and at the end of the creek section Norwood was stuck.  I managed to get around him & came into the finish for the class win & 21st Overall. CLICK!!

Race Photos here! CLICK!

all heart,
Stu

Mideast race report from Lake Houser Oct 5-2008

It was my last youth race, and I had the worst luck ever!

I somehow started out with front brake problems & got in the woods second.  In the 7th corner my shifter fell off while I was in 1st gear.  I stopped at some spectators who helped me shift it in to 2nd.  I rode the first 3 or 4 laps like that on an open track & managed to get my speed in the corners by not using any brakes.  I caught & passed the leader and pulled 5 seconds on him.  On lap 3 I stopped, changed the shifter, and gassed. I caught up on the white flag lap, but 4 corners after the finish my chain broke 10 feet away from the same place on the track that my shifter fell off.  Fortunately I just had to finish the race to clinch the championship, so it all worked out ok.  That was my last ride ever on a mini.
In the adult race, the first lap I came up on a huge mud hole too fast I couldn’t dodge & buried it.  But the rest of the race went my way--no crashes and won my class with a 7th overall.

Saturday night I was out late looking for some friends who got lost on the track in the dark.  We found them at the 5 mile marker.  But the hard part was finding our way back in the dark while trying to balance 4 people and 2 bicycles on a 4-wheeler.  This weekend I will officially pass the compass/whistle prize (reserved especially for people who get lost) on to Zach & Stephen.  Glad you guys made it back in one piece!

GNCC action will be on TV this Sunday at 2:30 and again Tuesday at 4 on Versus Network. 

Check out a few of my race photos here... CLICK HERE!

All Heart,
Stu