Ugh... non-sanctioned racing is pathetic!!!

[MaineExport]

So last night we raced down at the Vermont State Fair for "THUNDER IN THE VALLEY" weekend. Basically a monster truck show with tough truck competition, quad racing, free-style bike jumping, sled drags, and some other good 'ol boy type stuff.

Anyway... everything is just thrown together at the last minute by the promoter. It's $25 to register, you get to race for a grand total of 5 minutes at the very most, and there is NO ORGANIZATION or even an attempt at making it legit.

We show up, pay our $25, fill out the registration forms, and then get ready. Nobody seems to have any idea what's going on... including the event organizers. At the last minute one of the moster truck drivers is given the duty of organizing our quad race. He decides to shirk the responsibility off to one of us. So.. one of the other racer's friend is volunteered to split us up because there isn't enough room to race us all at once. You might be thinking (like I was)... cool... we'll be divided into classes based on engine size maybe.... NOPE. Guy splits the pile of registration papers in half and starts assigning numbers to racers.

Long story short... my heat had me going up against a mostly stock banshee, modified Z400, a couple DS 650s, Honda 250ex, and a modified Lt250r. After two practice laps we lined up and launched. I had a crap-tastic start, but after a 2-quad wreck at the first table top, I was in 2nd. That's exactly where I stayed for the next 5 laps until the last turn on the last lap I ran into one of the cars that the moster trucks jump over. Me and the 1st place guy were far enough ahead that the 10 seconds or so it took me to get going again only let one guy get by me.

I ended up in 3rd which sucked because if I had taken the last turn with any kind of brains I had second sealed up and a slight chance of getting in first (probably not... but who knows). So... after all that crap... the two quads that led the heat the entire race were me (Blaster) and a freakin 250 four stroke honda!!! Unfortunately due to my own stupidity I let a 650 get in front at the end... but still... for two machines with the smallest engines to out run thost clowns was pretty sweet! Not to mention my jetting was off so I had no top end.

The top three from each heat went to the finals. My buddy came in second in his heat, finishing just behind a TRX450r. So, we both got to race the final... he had a great run in second place most of the race, until he wrecked on a car. Bent his tie-rod, flattened both front tires, and bruised his ribs pretty bad. I would have been 5th out of 7 until he crashed... which put me in 4th.

It just makes me realize how nice it is to usually race in an organization that knows their business and does it right. These organizers sucked... they tried to give 1st place to a kid who had wrecked because he was almost getting lapped by the leaders, so they thought he was in front when the checkered flag went out. If it wasn't for the other racers bitching about it... the kid would have won that heat.

This is the second year we've raced this event and hopefully we'll be smart enough to make it the last time. Hell... these guys are making boat loads of money and WE'RE part of the entertainment that they are selling. And yet we still have to PAY!!! That would be alright if they made any kind of attempt to be organized and professional... but my 4 year old could do a better job than they do.

[CHAD]

yeah that sounds like a damn dangerous race, hitting cars??? not my kind of MX

[MaineExport]

Yeah it's insane... the tough trucks and the quads race the same track... and it goes in and around the stacks of crushed cars... the only safe place to pass is in the corners and that's still taking your chances with disaster.

[Smokin'Gun]

You can have my share of that.

[PA_Banshee]

Damn, sounds like it wasn't a bad night for you all in all when you compare the quads you were up against. Hopefully it'll be a lil better for you next year. I can't wait until Rausch Creek the end of this year to check shit out. I was just watching some quad racing this afternoon on ABC. They had it on the outdoor games and I was gettin all excited. I wish there was a track closer to where I'm at right now so I could practice alot and get into it more, but I just don't have the time or money right now to travel the distances I need to. I think the nearest one is around Bloomsburg which is an hour away from where I'm at now!

[CHAD]

shit, an hour away, I was drivin that once or twice a week just to practice.

[MaineExport]

The Great Outdoor Games is on right now on ESPN. The Quad Frenzy is SICK!!!

Ballance is in 4th.. getting beat by MX guys... this should be more his gig because he's a solid MX racer and the absolute best XC racer out there. The Frenzy is a hybrid of both.

[CHAD]

yeah, but Natalie is the bomb,
and this track looks terrible, lol, I hate mud, and i hate big ole ruts like that. I'd be cussin the whole race.

[CHAD]

haha, whats with that utility event? its like a biathalon, but instead of ski's and guns, its 4x4's and Bows, lol, gotta love it.

[MaineExport]

Update on the local fair grounds race:

We skipped saturday night's events because there's no reason to waste another $25 on something like this...

Anyway... saturday there was a 3 quad wreck. One 16 year old broke his back and two others got mildly hurt. I think the problem is with the fact that these kids have fast machines without any kind of race experience. Not that the rest of us are pros or anything, but at least we've had a few years of legitimate racing experience. You put a 16 year old on a built LT250R or a heavily modified z400 and tell them to go as fast as the machine will allow and you're gonna have problems.

On a side note... my buddy who wrecked into a car friday night might have cracked or separated ribs... even with a chest protector on! In addition to his bent tie rod and flat tires he's now found one bent wheel, bent front bumper, one bolt broken off the bumper, I think the handlebars are bent... couple other small things I can't remember.