Re-cap Final National Nov. 10/11 @ Valley DT1 MX Park

  On Saturday, my 88-year-old evacuated Dad from the Southern California fires and I .We ran across Stephen Machado number 881B. Rose his wife said "he's 73-year-old". Machado's a strong competitor , in the 52 novice class. Machado was sitting in fifth place with the national points. He's always up there battaling with the leaders. In the pits he rides a beautifully detailed 1978 XR 75. Friday there was a vote to make the club age changes to be 30 – 40 – 50 – 60 – 70. Machado said "I have to disagree with Tommy Pearl on this 10 year increments plan. I felt there would not be enough guys in the 70-year-old class". Machado said "the Bay chapter keeps adding more fast guys into my class and that pushes me back. I was actually thinking about joining the South chapter".Machado finished the weekend, 9th out of 20 racers. Luckily, Machado said "The voting did not pass that ,10 year increments change of classes."
 
   

In the 45 novice class and sitting first in the national points chase was 214G David Martin . On Saturday , Martin stated some general comments "over the Hill gang classifies riders and the age groups. I want to say how well they do it , properly. Damn near eliminates sandbagging. I'm a novice I like to THANK over the Hill gang and how they have checked my evaluation rides on my sign a paper. Like, when I signed up for the Fernley national. They asked, where I raced at previously for my two rides and what the dates were . They kept checking to make sure, I'm a legitimate racer and I am in the right class. I appreciate that about the over the Hill gang."Martin said "going into California city the points were close between Lowery, Kim Kinslow and Anderson. Anderson crashed in the Friday practice and received six staples and a concussion. Anderson came back strong.When I left home in Las Vegas, I checked.  I'm on top of the national points finishing sixth in the first Moto today. Lowery and Anderson are locked in a year end battle for this whole year. This is their last Bay chapter race. They are battling an upfront and I'm staying out of it. I'm in the Ryan Dungy mode. I'll let them crash out, then I'll just ride bye them." I spoke to Kinslow on Saturday night. I said do you realize how close you are in the national points with Martin and that you're tied in second place with 311B Russ Lowery? She said "I don't want to know. I just want to go out there and race and if I start thinking about the points it's just going to mess me up. I just need to concentrate on the track". Kinslow finished sixth place for the weekend followed by Martin in seventh place out of 17 riders. Anderson and Lowery finished their last race for the season in third and fourth respectively.
 

127G-45 intermediate David Riley said I had a great fourth Moto but I came in hot through the S turns and I bumped into 68R. I didn't mean too. I tried to signal afterwards... I'm sorry about that. Riley was fluid over the the jumps. He won 3 Moto's. Having an outstanding weekend on the traction filled dirt of the DT 1 MX Park. 116G Sean Jackson won Moto three and finished up in third place for the weekend . After Tulare, Jackson had closed the gap on first place 77B Gary Cook and almost sewed up the red background plate for the national series. Cook finished fourth place. Check the final series points for the final standings.
 

Local points leader 45 expert Mark Flinders number 107G got good starts on day one and faded to fifth place in the first Moto and finished third in the second Moto. That was a Flinders kind of a track. Jumps all over the place. Later on Saturday, I caught up with Flinders. Flinders said "I just drove 3000 miles in a semi-truck trailer and half the trip was with a full load. I just had time to get to the track and be ready for this weekend. I've been up a lot of hours." Flinders came out of the gate charging hard on Sunday staying right up with the leaders. On his third lap, he passed stalled bikes any had to changed lines when he ran across lappers . Flinders was out cornering riders in the 45/52 masters from the first gate. On the last lap Flinders was still keeping pace with the local boys. Leading Flinders by 4 seconds was 524V Russell Wallace and Flinders was only 1 second behind 206V Arin Arnbrister . Flinders finished third overall for the weekend ,going 5-3-3-3. 

Newly classified, 30 master 907G Jamison Cerrick was on the line with 6 other 30 master's. Including the Bay #1 2017 champion, Walker Martin and MX-SX- AX-Offroad Trainer with 22 years of pro racing and former test rider 335V Rusty Holland. Holland won all four Motos. I always see him show up at DT -1 MX Park at the over the Hill gang national events each year. Holland lined up way to the left as usual. Cerrick lined up just to the left of the doghouse in Moto one.Kiick went out and farmed a hardpacked line. Compacted the soil for a pro-rider. Cerrick said "I bumped myself up into this class. I've got some new tires then this should be fast. This is a pretty mellow track and should be fun. I'm going to hold it wide open and hopefully get out to the front. I'm out there to have fun. I'm not worried about anybody!"  Cerrick got off the gate well and charged around the track mostly battling with Martin.Cerrick bested Martin three out of four Moto's. Three of the four riders who finished the weekend ahead of Cerrick were local V-30 masters.Cerricks lap times were within one second of track owner Paul Timmerman. Could going Jamison!
 

  Experienced 65 novice national points leader number 831G Kirk Muraoka went into the weekend with a cushy lead of 20 points over 122R Tom Malloy.That weekend Reid Franke showed up. Franke, often gets the holeshots. Franke lines up far right (looking out) and stays on the gas to swing around the outside to take over the lead, into the first left-hand turn in each Moto.  Franke said Saturday night "I did what I came here for". In Moto three, Franke did his usual start and at the end of the first lap Muraoka passed Franke. Later on in the Moto, Muraoka, Pearl and Franke pulled away from the rest of the pack. Then surprisingly Pearl passed Muraoka just before the white flag lap. Then, another change in position when Franke passed Muraoka on the white flag lap. Franke out jumped Muraoka on the second row of tabletops, in the center of the track. Muraoka said later "where did Pearl come from was he spectating". In Moto four, Muraoka wasted no time again and past Franke early and lead. Pearl was near last in the start and by the third lap he was in third place. Franke caught back up and was not fading as he often does and was showing Muraoka a wheel in the S turns. Muraoka wasn't letting the pass happen on the last lap.Muraoka said afterwards while holding his trophy "  I went through a right-hand turn and did a single jump and I kept my speed up. However, Franke was catching me everywhere else on the track " . Muraoka added " I'd like to thank the guy who motivated me.  Nevada based, Perry Black, he asked me to come out and do all five Nationals and told me that there was a 65 class."

Great job Chris, the best I've ever seen!!

Awesome job Chris
Elvis 537R
Viva Las Vegas

"Great job Chris, the best I've ever seen!!"

Awesome job Chris
Elvis 537R
Viva Las Vegas

   
Thanks, I really appreciate the positive feedback.
It was a time that I couldn't race and was able to chase down some top national riders.
Everyone I spoke to was high on the club and glad to be there!
I wish I could've gotten to every one in the South chapter and heard their story.
There were so many stories from the others that I couldn't get too.
I hope to get to everybody as time goes bye.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
Here is a photo of the fire that was just down the street past my house.
Couldn't have picked a better place to go to than the Tulare national DT 1 track