PDA

View Full Version : Knoll's Utah Hare and Hound race



cdalejef
08-03-2004, 03:18 PM
This was my first attempt at desert racing and I was a little nervous about it! I flew to Utah on thursday and arrived around noon. I was picked up at the airport by ATK owner Frank White and 2 visiting sales reps from Tucker Rocky. We went to the ATK factory where I spent the remainder of the day going over the quad (ATK 450 MX) with the help of Travis a former Cannondale engineer and several other ATK employees, adjusting everything to my liking, intalling Tire Balls and my nice big cushy seat!
On friday we drove out to the desert and setup pits then went out and did some testing and shake down just to make sure everything was setup properly. Testing went very well, I even got to go out and play on Franks ATK 450 motorcycle and do some dune jumping with Cannondaleriders members Sandstorm and Jordy who came out to watch the race and be coarse sweepers to help anyone that was broke down or crashed. Thanks guys!!!
After a long day in the 98 degree heat we settled down in the camper for a good nights rest. Its amazing how cool the desert gets at night.
Saturday morning I got up early and had to get ready for a 9am start time. Man it would be nice to race in the mornings at the GNCC's! hint hint
The track was around 32 miles long and we did 2 laps. The first 20 miles of the lap was mostly sand whoops with lots of those little bushes everywere. We would cross dry lake beds every 3 miles or so, it gave you a little rest. I'm guessing speeds across the lake beds be be around 75 mph. After beating yourself up in the whoops, the last 12 miles we went up in a mountain range with lots of rocks, steep hills, offcambers and pretty bad dust in sections.
The start was on a dry lake bed that was about 1 mile long before you went into some sandy trails. I was in around 10th place off the line. I pinned the ATK and passed several 450R's and YFZ's and made it to 4th by the time we got to the end of the lake bed. I played it safe for the first few miles to get a feel for this strange terrain and the kind of pace I need to run. After getting comfortable, I passed for the lead around the 6 mile marker. From then on I just put the hammer down and would concentrate on realing in motorycyles that had started in the 3 rows in front of us with rows starting 5 minutes apart.
At the end of the first lap I came in for a quick splash of gas and off for another 32 miles. I was told after the race that I had a 1 minute lead over second place after lap 1. On lap 2 I just tried to ride smooth and not make any mistakes and pass more bikes. I know the bike guys hated it because I would dust them out when I'd pass them.
The 2nd lap was starting to wear on me as the whoops started to take its toll on my lower back and hands. But I hung in there and rode as hard as I could and finished about 15 minutes behind the overall motorcycle winner and several minutes ahead of the 2nd place quad rider.
That ATK was the fasted quad I have ever ridden!!! I basically kept it in 4th and 5th gear all day long. It would pull hard with a twist of the throttle in any gear and the suspension soaked up all the nasty whoops, rocks and bushes that seemed to jump out in front of you and never did anything unexpected.
A huge thanks goes out to ATK, American Star and Tire Balls for putting together a bike that worked flawless during the entire race! I did loose the silencer halfway throught the second lap, but it didn't hurt the performance of the bike at all.


Photos by John Siebler

cdalejef
08-03-2004, 03:20 PM
starting line

cdalejef
08-03-2004, 03:22 PM
The start was wide open for about 1 mile then you got into sand and tumbleweed bushes.

cdalejef
08-03-2004, 03:22 PM
I did pretty good off the start and was 4th going into the dunes.

cdalejef
08-03-2004, 03:23 PM
Coming down out of the mountains right before the pits.

Admin
08-03-2004, 04:30 PM
Thanks Jeff, and Congrats on your finish!!!

kgbg
08-03-2004, 06:20 PM
Very cool. Thats my second favorite place to ride (dunes first).
Congrats to you and ATK on the win.

Pappy
08-03-2004, 06:21 PM
big ol' congrats compahdre':macho

cdalejef
08-04-2004, 06:48 AM
I almost forgot!!! David White, 21 year old son of Frank White (Owner of ATK) finished 2nd in the novice class in his first race ever! Way to go David!!!

Silverfox@C&DRacing
08-04-2004, 09:17 AM
very cool, definitely not the same terrain you are used to riding
congrats on the finish

cdalejef
08-04-2004, 09:21 AM
Thanks! Your right, I don't think it can get anymore opposite than that.

300exOH
08-04-2004, 09:25 AM
Congrats on the win. :cool: Sounds like the other 450's better watch out for ATK:devil:

Duncanracer
08-04-2004, 07:33 PM
about 8 hours more and you could come race a d-37 desert race, probably would be a little better for you, less high speed more rocks...

congrats on the win....

its fun being WFO for that much time...

montyjcm
08-05-2004, 06:07 PM
Good Job! I love the desert. This thread just makes me want to go again.

BTW, what version was the ATK450 quad? Don't they have 3? Those quads look sooo nice.:)

QuadJunkies
08-05-2004, 09:46 PM
Oh. that Sand straights looks like a blast!!!!!:blah: Congrats to you Jeff!!!! :macho ;) Whats the weather(riding conditions) like compared to where you are from??? A little further and you would havent been close to where I live..:)

cdalejef
08-06-2004, 06:39 AM
Originally posted by Duncanracer
about 8 hours more and you could come race a d-37 desert race, probably would be a little better for you, less high speed more rocks...

congrats on the win....

its fun being WFO for that much time... We have already discussed running a couple d-37's, best in the desert and WORCS races. :macho

cdalejef
08-06-2004, 06:41 AM
Originally posted by montyjcm
Good Job! I love the desert. This thread just makes me want to go again.

BTW, what version was the ATK450 quad? Don't they have 3? Those quads look sooo nice.:) Yes, they have 3 versions. The ATK 450 VR, ATK 450 Cross Country and the ATK 450 MX. The one I rode as a 450 MX with some prototype parts.

cdalejef
08-06-2004, 06:44 AM
Originally posted by QuadJunkies
Oh. that Sand straights looks like a blast!!!!!:blah: Congrats to you Jeff!!!! :macho ;) Whats the weather(riding conditions) like compared to where you are from??? A little further and you would havent been close to where I live..:) Thanks QJ....The weather was 98 degrees, it wasn't bad at all. I'm used to high 80's to low 90's but our weather is much more humid making it feel much hotter than it was in Utah. When I got home it was around 88 degrees but felt hotter because of the humidity than it did in the 98 degree low humidity that they had out there.
Damn......so close to QJ and didn't even know it :(

CTmxyfz
08-06-2004, 07:34 AM
Originally posted by Jeff@QuadShop
Thanks QJ....The weather was 98 degrees, it wasn't bad at all. I'm used to high 80's to low 90's but our weather is much more humid making it feel much hotter than it was in Utah. When I got home it was around 88 degrees but felt hotter because of the humidity than it did in the 98 degree low humidity that they had out there.
Damn......so close to QJ and didn't even know it :(


If i was racing MX in 98 dergees, i would drop dead on the side of the track. TOO hot for me. I like the nice cool riding weather. Aside from this, Congrats on the finish Jeff. Seems like them ATKS are going to be in the fleet of the yfzs/trxs soon.

Duncanracer
08-06-2004, 12:19 PM
Originally posted by Jeff@QuadShop
We have already discussed running a couple d-37's, best in the desert and WORCS races. :macho

Oct. 23rd, 2 day race

two loop desert scramble on saturday, and national hare and hound on sunday...

i
you can run against bilion time d-37 champion and factory gas gas racer charlie lamson....at d-37

you GNCC guys do well at BITD, yokely ironmanned vegas 200 last year i think and won it...

QuadJunkies
08-06-2004, 01:30 PM
Originally posted by Jeff@QuadShop
Thanks QJ....The weather was 98 degrees, it wasn't bad at all. I'm used to high 80's to low 90's but our weather is much more humid making it feel much hotter than it was in Utah. When I got home it was around 88 degrees but felt hotter because of the humidity than it did in the 98 degree low humidity that they had out there.
Damn......so close to QJ and didn't even know it :(

Well.You can make it up to me and come race a WORCS race with us next month here in Idaho......All Quads only BayBee.....:blah: :macho

cdalejef
08-06-2004, 02:28 PM
Originally posted by Duncanracer
Oct. 23rd, 2 day race

two loop desert scramble on saturday, and national hare and hound on sunday...

i
you can run against bilion time d-37 champion and factory gas gas racer charlie lamson....at d-37

you GNCC guys do well at BITD, yokely ironmanned vegas 200 last year i think and won it... There is a GNCC that weekend :(

cdalejef
08-06-2004, 02:29 PM
Originally posted by QuadJunkies
Well.You can make it up to me and come race a WORCS race with us next month here in Idaho......All Quads only BayBee.....:blah: :macho Whats the date?

montyjcm
08-06-2004, 02:55 PM
Jeff, how have the atks been so far? Have they been reliable?

Duncanracer
08-06-2004, 10:31 PM
Originally posted by Jeff@QuadShop
Whats the date?

sept 17th-19th i believe

cdalejef
08-07-2004, 06:03 AM
Originally posted by montyjcm
Jeff, how have the atks been so far? Have they been reliable? Yep, no problems at all.

QuadJunkies
08-07-2004, 10:40 AM
Originally posted by Duncanracer
sept 17th-19th i believe Yes.. thats the dates..:)

AndreS
08-26-2004, 02:20 AM
good report & pics, looks like the course was a blast to ride.