well this is the bug first race.Tips, suggestions

I have my first race on sunday 10-28-01 and i am running bone stock. I wanted to get the hang of it before i spent all the cash. i have all the essincial gear. I also wanted to know about the numbers the ladie that ran the race said that i could make my own number for now and when i got my ama card in the mail i have to use the last 3 digits in that. Is that true if not what should i do?Also what should remember when raceing . by the way it is a hair scramble. thanks

[CBRSLIDER]

Pace yourself. It is a long race that is not won in the first 10 mins of the race. Don't ride over your abilities. You'll make mistakes if you do and that causes you to lose time and use energy. You are going to be nervous, but have fun with it. You'll make mistakes but remember you're there to have a good time and gain experience. Talk to the other racers. There are other first timers there also, with the same questions running through their heads. I had a faster racer from another class tell me something that I really didn't think about at the time, but it makes sense to me now. "Sometimes you have to slow down to go faster." It is definately true.

You'll realize that you can be competitive on a stock machine. Using your head is a major part of the race. After your done with the race, you'll realize that racing is about 20% machine and 80% rider.

My first race this summer was a real experience. We had our course cut short due to the bad rains that washed out the bike classes before the quads ran. The race ended up running thru a little woods and had a lot of very fast field sections. I averaged 32mph during the race. That's fast for a harescrambles race(the leaders were in the 38mph range). My second race was very tight(extremely) woods with alot of rocks, roots, trees, and dust. I averaged 11mph for the race. Big difference between the two. But both came down to the same things: pacing myself to have enough energy for the whole race, slowing down a little to avoid costly mistakes, and keeping my EX in one piece to finish the race.

Make sure that your ride is in good mechanical condition. Check all the nuts and bolts, oil, air filter, brakes, tires, and the chain. Basically, just good general maintenance will help the ride stay in one piece for you. You don't need any wild aftermarket upgrades to start with, they'll come as you progress.

Hey Good Luck to ya and have a blast. Report back and let us know how ya did.

Later,

Ray

[JabberJaw]

I took your advice my last race:

Pace yourself.
I set my pacemaker to medium.

It is a long race that is not won in the first 10 mins of the race.
I figured you had a good idea, so I waited 10 minutes after the race started to begin my first lap.

Don't ride over your abilities.
I didn't do that, however, I did ride over my foot.

You'll make mistakes if you do and that causes you to lose time and use energy.
Yes, it took me quite a while to remove my foot from between the chain gaurd and the back tire.

You are going to be nervous, but have fun with it.
I made faces at the other riders that went by for the first 10 minutes.

You'll make mistakes but remember you're there to have a good time and gain experience.
I had a great time and learned not to run over my foot.

Talk to the other racers.
I tried, but they were going by me so fast.

There are other first timers there also, with the same questions running through their heads.
Yeah, I could tell, cause some of them were limping from running over thier feet.

I had a faster racer from another class tell me something that I really didn't think about at the time, but it makes sense to me now.
Yeah, he yelled, "YOUR GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION!!!!"

"Sometimes you have to slow down to go faster." It is definately true.
You are definately right about that, it's hard to turn around and head the right direction when you are going so fast.

You'll realize that you can be competitive on a stock machine.
I found that out when I raced against the 5 year olds!!!

Using your head is a major part of the race.
Yeah, if I had been using my head, I would have never signed up for the race in the first place!

After your done with the race, you'll realize that racing is about 20% machine and 80% rider.
Maybe thats why I came in last!

My first race this summer was a real experience.
Mine too, but now they won't allow me to come back, not even to watch!

We had our course cut short due to the bad rains that washed out the bike classes before the quads ran.
Our's was cut short too, due to the fact that I hit several fellow riders, which had to be taken away on a flat board.

The race ended up running thru a little woods and had a lot of very fast field sections.
Our's did not run through the woods, but I ended up there a few times..

I averaged 32mph during the race.
If you add up my top speed for each lap, multiply that by 10, it doesn't even come close to 32.

That's fast for a harescrambles race(the leaders were in the 38mph range).
Now I know why they call it a hairscrambler race, those poor judges were pulling thier hair out during the whole race.

My second race was very tight(extremely) woods with alot of rocks, roots, trees, and dust.
I would have been happy just to stay and watch the second race, but they ban me to city limits.

Make sure that your ride is in good mechanical condition.
I checked all the twine and bailing wire to make sure it was tight.

Check all the nuts and bolts, oil, air filter, brakes, tires, and the chain.
I couldn't find all that stuff, but did the best I could!

Basically, just good general maintenance will help the ride stay in one piece for you.
I always brush myself off after each ride.

You don't need any wild aftermarket upgrades to start with, they'll come as you progress.
We had some wild behind the market parties that night, I'll tell you what!

Really, thanks for the tips, just thought I'd have a little fun :-)

[Warrioreater400ex]

HAHAH gahhhh you crack me up jabberjaw, im bustin at the seams. anyways yeah i dont "race" but have have done a few private races on an mx track... and i found something bill ballance said to be very true.... always keep goin forwards..... keep your momentum up in the turns and such, let off the gas but dont over brake etc... just keep the momentum up

[CBRSLIDER]

Hey Jabber,

I was away for awhile tonight enjoying a few adult beverages and when I got home I thought I'd see what everyone was chatting about. I hit this thread and just about lost it. You f***** kill me man. I laughed so hard I had to take a break half way thur the post to take a piss. I was bustin at the seams. Hilarious as hell. Thanks for the laugh. Hope I passed along some good info for the guy that's going to be racing. If not at least I got one hell of a good laugh outta your response.

Thanks.

Rayy

[SGA]

I'll be in my first XC Nov 3rd and read this thread word for word to pickup info for the race. Of course i'm a bit nervous because this is my first race. Then i got to jabbers post and after getting up off the floor & wiping my eyes & trying to stop laughing realized- This is about having fun! Jabber, thanks for keeping us serious types from blowing a gasket. We need you to keep this place in balance. As far as i'm concerned, some of your replies have been some of the best on the forum because you remind us life is short, lighten up & laugh sometimes. Signed; a happier South Georgia boy.

[JabberJaw]

And some people said my posts weren't helpful!!! :-)

[Warrioreater400ex]

I dont remember who said they werent helpful, but i dunno what they are smokin! haha you kill us man!! i was rollin on the floor!

[Tommy 17]

jabber if u ever leave this site i am gonna be pissed haha bc ur the funniest man i have ever seen. u just crack me up so bad. its funny i figured o i will read the racing one see what goin on and i click and read next thing i know theres jabber. haha. man i would pay to see that race on video. i bet u would really dot that in a real race.

i think it was rico that said jabber actually asked a real question the post was um mayb about tires or sumtin i read it 20 mins ago or so.

[trx400ex]

roflmfao