2x Team consisted of Adam Thissen (ROR), Robert Underwood, Ricky Brabec, Clint Braun (and me the bike owner Kyle Abney). We originally had Cody Wallis on the team but a last minute conflict with Finals at UNV lead to him dropping out and us adding Clint. The entire team were Baja 1000 rookies, and a couple of them are young 18 yrs just coming off a last day victory at Vegas to Reno. This team kinda came together at that Vegas to Reno event. Since I had just purchased my 2009 KTM 530 from Team R&S in ABQ to prepare for the V2R race that I was going to run with Thornton, Whitman and Zastro, I had ridden it a bit and completely fell in love with that thing! We had a great ride in V2R ending up 7th Bike Overall and if not for a time penalty for working on the bike too long on the first day we would have got 6th Overall. Anyhow, on the last day of V2R we are all hanging out at the finish-line and I just kinda threw it out to Robert, Ricky, Adam and Cody if they'd like to race the Baja 1000 on my bike. Deal was I prepare the bike and they get the sponsors for the Entry and Pits, and we'd make a run at a top ten finish in Baja. Everyone was jazzed with the idea, so the seed was planted and we were off and running. Long story and a bunch of, I can't go, have to work, have another race, have finals, etc, but bottom-line we had a team and we ran it!
So more leading up to the 2x race. Since a few of the guys didn't get to pre-ride all their sections, or just pre-rode their sections only one time I new we were in for a challenge. However all these kids as BITD riders are used to racing these kind of races without any pre-running! I felt confident we could still get a top ten, but going for an overall or competing for the OA was just out of the question. With the lack of pre-running, which especially for first timers in Baja is really important and lack of past experience with the sections it was just not to be expected a win that is. In addition to this fact, the day we did suspension testing no one really liked what we had, so lack of coming up with a common setting everyone would like was not going to help the race either. Longstory here too, but I won't get into that controversy either...
Since we got first pick and were going to be first bike off the starting line that was a blessing and a burden at the sametime, but Adam did a great job handling all that extra pressure and brought the bike to Robert in 4th or 5th OA. We remained in the top ten thru Borrego first but had a broken shifter over the Summit, and an slight airfilter fire during the Borrego pit. Yeah, a fire, but everyone was ok, including the bike. Robert had driven down to Morelia and was patiently waiting for the bike (with me waiting for the KX) as other top ten bikes after bike past us. We obviously weren't in the Top 5 anymore, I knew something had happened, but didn't know the whole story at that point. I tried to calm Robert down and emphasized to just try and get a top ten at this point. We didn't need to try any heroics as the top 5 were already 30 minutes ahead! Robert and Ricky both had great rides sharing the San Felipe duties with Clint. Robert got back on again to do Mike Sky Ranch, and cleanly handed the bike to Adam at Valle De Trinidad. When I got done with my section on the KX 500 team, and watched the KX leave for Mike's section, I left with Joe to get to Ojos where I would get on the 2x bike and do the last 40 miles into the finish line at Ensenada.
We decided to stop at Valle De Trinidad in town (on the way to Ojos) to get some tacos and let Joe get out of his riding gear. We saw Adam's dad in the Speed Tech box van and he let us know that Adam left Valle De Trinidad at 6:30 PM for the West coast night section. ...but I thought someone said 5:30 pm, so I remember that section being about 4 hrs and it was already 8pm at this time so I kinda pushed everyone to hurry up and get to Ojos just in case. Well later after more discussion it was clear that 6:30 PM was the time he left and so I should really look for the bike around 10:30 PM. Well when the bike showed up closer to 11:20 pm Adam let me know that the Rear Brake was out, and it slowed him down a lot on his ride (or wasn't slowing him down as the case was) and to be careful! :banghead:
So I was off and this finish section just has to be the worst for slit and ruts as it is used for both the start and the finish. My first helmet light battery only lasted about 5 miles to the hwy crossing and I had to stop to have someone plug in my other battery from my fanny pak and was off again quickly. I stopped at what looked to be a DP Team pit (another bike team I know) and they knew what to do and quickly got my lights going again. However these borrowed helmet lights are from 2005 team Natal and I think the battery memories are wore out as this battery also only lasted about half the way to the finish too. The bike was stilling working amazing well, bars were straight, and execept for the rear brake issue everything was great! In fact I was able to catch and pass the 105x bike for 11th bike at that point, but 500x was just too far ahead to have a chance at catching them. :worthy:
Well for me finishing the Baja 1000 is always an emotional thing for me, especially when it's on a bike and team I prepared or rode for and coming in those last 10 miles or so things sometimes kinda 'hit' me in that sense. The whole year preparing, all the money, time, and tribulations up to this point coming to the end. Then while absorbing the moment, I just happened to look back and saw 105x lights flashing behind me on the hill. He must have decided he was going to try and get me back! So those last 10 miles it was on! Battle royale to the finish and about 100 yards before we got back to the pavement, which is about 3 miles before the finish I took a slight wrong turn and ended up between a 6 foot ditch and the race course! I'm not sure how I stayed ahead of 105x because I went backwards to get back on the course and his headlights were probably only 100 ft from me when I jumped back on the course ahead of him! I got on the pavement and literally pinned it all the way to the finish, including skying it on the famous Ensenada Leap jump in the final sandwash before the finish. Popped a wheel in the final straight to the finish and got mobbed by the reporters, cameras and fans at the finish line! Sweet! I did a few interviews, filmed a Slime Commercial (even though we were running Bib's on the KTM - funny), and had a beer with Clint, my only Team mate at the Finishline?! I still don't know what happened to the rest of the kids, but I waited there for about 1hr and they never showed up to celebrate our finish!!? Kids!!!! LOL!:bonk:
Well, when I got to the podium 500x was still on the platform (that's the winner of the Over 50 Pro class!) Yeah, the kids (and me) got their a$$e$ kicked by the Over 50 Pro winners who ended up 10th overall bike. That's awesome though, good job to Oneal, Dan, Andy, Craig, and the other Grampa's on that team! Then the next bikes across the line were 105x, which he told me he got lost in the same section I did and ended up on the wrong side of the 6ft ditch too! Purvines team, congrats! Then it was the 401x Over 40 pro KTM team minutes laters. Then about 30 minutes later was the 301x Class winners and series champions of Johnson's team. I found out later that 2x, 105x and 401x all recieved time penalties and the 301x team had NO time penalties, so when the final results were posted, it had 301x bike finishing 11th Overall right behind the 500x team.
So although we were 11th bike physically across the line, got some time penalities kicking us back to 12th OA. It didn't matter we still had a great ride and I was totally happy with the ride. No one was hurt and I'm sure the young guys had a great time, learned a lot about racing Baja, and earned a life time of memories!
Well, except for my 'former' Team mates beating BOTH my teams I was super pumped!!! LOL! Congrats to everyone who went down and raced!
Thanks to everyone who helped us too!:thumbsup:
Speed Technologies
Blais Racing
Team R&S
Hoy/Fox
WR-1 Suspension
C&J Equipment
Dirt Tricks
...and others I'm sure!
Good times, great memories and can't waiting until next year!!!
ka
