My month started off quite literally on the first with a trip to Little Silver for round four of the South West Premier series. I’ve been there a fair few times to race myself and also for all of the Maxxis rounds that have taken place on the slippery hillside – most notably the 2012 MX2 showdown between EBB and Pocock.
I wasn’t actually planning on being there that time though as I was at the wildest wedding ever seen at the Glendorgal Hotel in Newquay – the owner’s words not mine – the day/night before. But as Big Gold is on the way home it would have been rude to not watch how it all played out. And what a day that was!
I was right by Pocock when his engine let go in the first one and then in the next race I was right where EBB went down and knocked his throttle housing over the engine start button…luckily for him there was a small jump he managed to push his KTM up and over to get enough momentum going to bump start his bike! Bry Mac also came so close to winning his first Maxxis moto in both races before the final mixed race of the year. He didn’t get it done but then finally got a few wins during 2013 on his favoured green weapon of choice – it was always weird seeing him on a KTM.
One month prior to the 2012 season finale at the same track, and much like Pocock in a way, my much better half had what was one of the worst days of her life, slipping two discs in her back not long after I asked her to pop back to the van for some roll offs. This was just prior to my first race, and unfortunately she didn’t make it back in time before the gate dropped.
Not long after she was on the deck in agony, but thanks to the paramedics she was able to lay-out in the back of an ambulance like a trooper while I finished my motos which included a nice high side in my last race up a watered hill. She’s not been back since.
Getting back to where I began for a moment, I had an all right day racing after having the float height set wrong (my bad, if it’s not broke don’t fix it), and rode the bike with it cutting out going up the hills in qualifying. I scraped through fortunately but then spent the next hour stripping my 250 Yam down to get under the carb as it’s so compact between the frame and engine. I think that place is cursed or something. I managed to get through the races with no further issues so not all bad down in Devon.
A week later went by and I signed up for an AMCA Day Licence at Tirley Raceway which was spot on. The track was helped by heavy rain in the week but even when its hardpack it’s a mega, underrated track with steep hills and nice jumps – what else do you need?
People nowadays just expect every track that they go to, to be prepped like Red Bud is for the AMA National. Well, this will never happen so instead of just practicing at practice tracks ‘prepped to race standard’, sign up and race and fill the gate up a bit. Practicing is cool, in more ways than one, in January and February but racing is definitely where it’s at for creating memories that no one will ever really care about if you tell them your riding tales! No matter how fast you railed a berm, or cleared a big jump for the first time, the only way they’ll take notice is if you straight up beat them in a race.
My month ended with a trip to the AMCA Championship at Boraston. With what seemed like four different signalling areas, riders were sure to get the message from their pit crew somewhere on the track – if they knew which pit board was theirs while negotiating the long ruts and choppy bumps. The track was perfect despite the hot weather so credit to the organising club for putting on a first class days racing without watering on the day as the track just didn’t need it. Awesome! For a fiver admission it’s worth attending an AMCA Championship round if there’s one local to you.
Until next time, sign up and race somewhere!
