GNCC Action
Transitioning back to a modern bike was made easy by my MSR buddies who hooked me up with Cocoa Beach's Champion Honda on a familiar Honda CRF450R. I threw on my Dicks Racing suspension and entered the two hour 36+ morning race. Sitting on the starting line waiting for the start was like a reunion with magazine guys milling around with DB (thats 8x Dick Burleson) just a few bikes down. Greg Davis was one of my bosses at Husqvarna from the 70's and was entered in a row behind me, Cool!
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Riding a Jimmy Ellis Can-am, Chicago Jerry made a few calls in order to set up a great support crew from Amherst, Ohio. Since I was sporting a standard size tank I was going to have to throw in 2 pits instead of just a Cytomax drink and a Scott goggle change. They had me in and out in 30 seconds! Out West I have the luxury of the 3.2 gallon IMS tank. Not a big fan of dead engine starts, I got off to a mid pack start but was top ten as we went into the rooty, whooped out sand woods. Let the passing begin, and I don't mean just in my class as we were into the front row right away (age15-36). After lap one in the books we began to pass into row 10 comprised of C riders. Most riders were quite accommodating of quicker riders, but after an hour it was sometimes difficult for riders just to stay on the bike. It was at this point that I gave myself a diagnosis as having acute terets (Tourette Syndrome), as I would suddenly burst out #@%$# yelling as a lapper would weave into my path sending me into a palm tree! But by now I was being distracted with a quarter size blister being tugged on by a 50+hp Honda through the maze of roots and black sand. After riding on WORCS sand I really enjoyed the Florida sand and finished out in just over 2 hours of riding.
Kerry Jo of NPG handed me a 3rd place placque as I checked the times delivered from the new transponder system. I finished about a minute behind 9 time Loretta Lynns champion Kevin Foley with McCabe taking the win. Rookie of the year in 1985 Kevin is a PR guy at Yamaha and rides!
Mission accomplished! Great racing action, healthy & fit as I move closer to April 20th in Spain for round #1 the World Vet GP. A couple more Americans have been talking about running the FIM World Cup as well. Doug Dubach, Trampas Parker & Andy Stacy are rumored to be considering the GP Vet series. With the Championship to be decided at the final in Lommel, Belgium August 4th that may be a conflict with Loretta Lynns Motocross Championships for some of these guys.
Thanks to Alex Moroz, John Sawazhki, Thomas Valk from Greenway Ford and the entire AHMRA members for hosting my attendance at the Vintage National motocross. I'm very much looking forward to joining in on the action again real soon. Maybe Diamond Don's in Texas April 4th? Next stop is Havasu, Arizona this weekend for the WORCS race for a rematch with LR.
Thanks to these Great Product sponsors:
www.Nuetech.com Tubliss, bar ends
www.dicksracing.com suspension mods
www.spidergrips.com sized, traction gel grips
www.imsproducts.com fuel tank capacity 3.2
www.R1dean.com Power Bowl no more bog
www.scottusa.com Goggles
www.gutsracing.com step seat , graphics
www.gprstabilizer.com under bar damper
www.gearneusa.com SG-10 boots
www.cytosport.com recovery & drink supplement
www.msracing.com Riding Gear
www.twinair.com dual density air filter & cage
www.leovinceusa.com exhaust
www.promotobillet.com fastway wide pegs, guards
www.techspec-usa.com frame traction
www.powersports.honda.com /motorcycles 08 CRF450R
www.rocksracingservices.com Rep & packing
www.asianprosource.com
www.ohlins.com
www.ahrma.com
American Honda
www.us.pirelli.com