2005 12 Hours of ATV America - Team Stories

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Originally posted by WalshKFX
PRO Class 3 Amigos #97

I really enjoyed this race. We race motocross here in New England at the NEATV-MX Series. It all started with trying out the 6 hour race. We werent sure which class to run because our main rider (Mike Bard) runs Pro class and is the 2004 Neatv Pro Champ. The other rider Fred Johnson is the 2005 Neatv 4 stroke a Champ, and Myself, Tony Botticello, am the 2005 NEatv 4 stroke B and Open B champ. So at the 6 hour of PA race we chose the pro class and our main goal was just to finish the race that was our complete opposite style. We ended up finshing 2nd place in Pro and 8th overall that race. With that confidence we build a perfect bike for the 12 hour race. With the help of our sponsors, we build the best bike I have ever personally ridden. We went into the 12 hour race with a good attitude and we just wanted to go one lap at a time. We ran top 5 for a hour or two and then we made our way into the 3rd spot in Pro. We were able to maintain the postion untill the last 2 hours of the race when Lost Creek moved up quickly from their earlier problems. We maintained under 50 seconds slower that Team Honda. On the last lap of the first half our axle snapped. This left us switching out the axle at the start of round 2. We got in and out in 10 mins and rode consistant into the night. With around 1.5 hours remaining, the tranny went in our bike and we had to retired a little early. It was a fun and challenging race but well worth it. Team Honda it was great messing around in the pits and great battles on the track. I have alot more respect for the pro teams and it was fun battling with them. In the end with came out with 8th in Pro and 32nd overall, but most importantly we gained alot of respect and proved we have what it takes to be competative. I would like to personal thank all the sponsors and our pit crew for everything. Lou it was nice pitting next to you and Harlen nice to see you again and thanks for the stickers.

- Tony B

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it nice meeting you too tony,you guys were hard core witrh your pit crew man....good job

A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY FOR ENTERING JESI, MEGHAN, AND KRISTEN ON A SUZUKI Z250 FOR A 12 HOUR RACE. THE ONLY THING WE DID TO THE QUAD IN THE WHOLE 12 HOURS WAS GAS IT UP AND PUT A BUNGEE CORD ON THE HOOD WHERE A BRACKET BROKE. FINISHED 45TH OVERALL.
THE NEXT DAY, JESI PUT GAS IN IT AND RACED AT A C.R.A. RACE IN SALEM, OHIO AND FINISHED FOURTH.

Quote:

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Originally posted by WalshKFX
PRO Class 3 Amigos #97

I really enjoyed this race. We race motocross here in New England at the NEATV-MX Series. It all started with trying out the 6 hour race. We werent sure which class to run because our main rider (Mike Bard) runs Pro class and is the 2004 Neatv Pro Champ. The other rider Fred Johnson is the 2005 Neatv 4 stroke a Champ, and Myself, Tony Botticello, am the 2005 NEatv 4 stroke B and Open B champ. So at the 6 hour of PA race we chose the pro class and our main goal was just to finish the race that was our complete opposite style. We ended up finshing 2nd place in Pro and 8th overall that race. With that confidence we build a perfect bike for the 12 hour race. With the help of our sponsors, we build the best bike I have ever personally ridden. We went into the 12 hour race with a good attitude and we just wanted to go one lap at a time. We ran top 5 for a hour or two and then we made our way into the 3rd spot in Pro. We were able to maintain the postion untill the last 2 hours of the race when Lost Creek moved up quickly from their earlier problems. We maintained under 50 seconds slower that Team Honda. On the last lap of the first half our axle snapped. This left us switching out the axle at the start of round 2. We got in and out in 10 mins and rode consistant into the night. With around 1.5 hours remaining, the tranny went in our bike and we had to retired a little early. It was a fun and challenging race but well worth it. Team Honda it was great messing around in the pits and great battles on the track. I have alot more respect for the pro teams and it was fun battling with them. In the end with came out with 8th in Pro and 32nd overall, but most importantly we gained alot of respect and proved we have what it takes to be competative. I would like to personal thank all the sponsors and our pit crew for everything. Lou it was nice pitting next to you and Harlen nice to see you again and thanks for the stickers.

- Tony B

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we were on the blaster right next to you. we were rooting for you all day!

anyway, on to my teams story
first, we raced a blaster. Originally, it was me, Meek and Ben Arthur. Meek was the only one that had never ridden a blaster, and ben is literally one of the fastest blaster racers on the planet. so we did have a fairly solid team. altogh meek had never ridden a blaster (or even a two stroke of any sort) he's a very calm, cool, smart rider, so i thought our chances were better than anyone would think. two weeks before the race, Ben broke his collar bone racing mx at pymatuning raceway. so at the last minute I scrambled to find another blaster race with alot of speed. Joe Marguieria fit the bill, so we talked at the ironman (one week before the race) and it was pretty much set in stone that he would race, just had to double check and make sure he want working, but he was sure he didnt have too. Teusday before the race, i call joe, and geuss what, he has to work. now 2 days before i leave, i am trying to find anyone that wants to race the 12 hours. i line up a few more maybes and finally jeff vanasdal (santor racing) is on the team. Thursday I spend inthe truck al day. From louisville to indy to pick up Meek, lil Jeff, the trailer and all the gear. from indy we head to Wooster Ohio(hour south of cleveland) to Snyder Motor Sports to prep the quad and load the race quad, and the two spare quads we were taking. 630 am friday we are off to the track. walk it, double check the quad, add some stickers and get the pit set up. race morning, we decide with meek being the cool headed one, he should start. Now, i can start my quad sitting down, or even just pushing the kicker with my hand. but geuss what, 3 kicks to get it started. which also happened the last time i tried a le mans start with it. anyway, we are already at the back of the pack, but considering how long it took to fire, we were happy with where we were. Meek ran 3 laps and it was my turn. Jeff and I decided to run 2 laps each turn, to keep us from getting tired. Each pit, we also filed up with feul, we had the dry break quick fill set up, so we thought it cant hurt to give it a spash if we are in the pits anyway.Really nothing eventfull happened until Meek hit the mx track at about the 3.5 or 4 hour mark. the swingarm pivot bolt backed out a few inches and when meek landed, the whole swingarm jerked to one side, bending the pivot bolt and leaving a gapping hole in the rear cases as well and cutting the SS rear brakeline in half. An hour and 15 minutes or so was spent on the motor swap thanks to the bent pivot bolt, swingarm, and peices of engine case all in one mangled mess that would not come out. Shawn (snyder motor sports owner) along with Jeff Snure (of snure interlocking, great guy to have in the pits, and after the race for the machine shop we will need) and Ben Arthur (who came to watch) we finaly get running again. also thanks to the 3 amigos team for the cheers when they saw us hit the track again. pretty uneventful from there on out. we ran some very impressive lap times (considering that A, we were on a blaster and B, it now had a bone stock motor with the exception of a 30mm carb and air filter) but being 6 laps down or so, all we could do was try to finish. Then night fall hit and we quickly learned that two stock lights would not be near enuff. the people we had been passing all day, were getting buy us like we were standing still. we did finish the race, which was a blaster first i believe. we did what we came to do and had a blast. we also learned some lessons for next year when we give the blaster another chance
we finished 13 of 18 in the B class and 55 of 70 overall

Bradley, I thought that was you guys. Nice job at the race and you guys worked fast getting the bike back together.

thanks! we could have done that motor swap in 2 laps or less, but the pivot bolt took forever to get out because it was bent so bad

heres the quad-
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...eeler/12hr.jpg
the team on top left to right is jeff vanasdal, me and jason meek. on the bottom is the pit crew jeff snure (awesome machine shop owner, ask me how to get a hold of him if you need anything!) shawn snyder (owner of snyder motorsports, built the quad) and our semi injured, original 3rd rider ben arthur-
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...r/12hrteam.jpg
meek hitting one of the jups on rausch creek's awesome mx track-
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...cs/meekair.jpg
one lap later, the pivot bolt came out-
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3.../12hrbreak.jpg
here is what the pivot bolt did to the motor after meek landed the jump-
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3.../12hrmotor.jpg
we swapped motors and ended up finishing the race 13th of 18 in the B class and 55th of 70 over all

congrats to Hertz Racing, Rob, Tom and Sean all rode hard and put in fast laps. they deserved their finish I was glad to see them on the podium.