RACE REPORT --- HAGERSTOWN, MD --- 8.01.09

Hagerstown was our first race back in awhile and it was close to home. It was nice to be at home for three weeks in some respects, but I believe everybody would agree that we'd rather be racing Nationals in July rather than staying at home or hitting local races.

   Weather played havoc in Hagerstown as it always seems to. A condensed program was devised, putting a little extra pressure on the heat races. After qualifying fourth out of 51 riders, I lined up for the 3rd heat with Jake Johnson. He and I got to turn 1 pretty even with Jake taking the point going down the back stretch. After that first lap, Jake crept away to a comfortable win and I was equally comfortable in second. Jake was hauling butt tonight and I had nothing for him in the heat or main for that matter.

   After the third heat, we had to do a hurry up job getting ready for the Dash. After my horrible start in the Dash( where I finished fourth ) I realized that with the intermittent showers during the evening, that every time they wheel packed the track, they never packed the lower side of the front stretch where we start. While I got a good start in the heat, I spun it up on the starts for the Dash and the Main.  These guys this year are on the gas and I need better starts when it counts the most.

    In the Main I finished lap 1 in about sixth and pretty much stayed in 5th or 6th the entire race. Around lap 18 I came off turn four and saw a waving checkered and a standing red as I crossed the line. I wasn't sure what to make of that as we came back around on the cool off lap. I did look up at the track lights and a decent shower was coming down. Along with that, Mees and I hap about busted our butts in turns 1 and 2 in some oil dropped by another rider. Either way I was glad to see the race stopped.

   As for the flags being waived the way they were, I immediately understood why they were waived the way they were. After a long day for riders, teams, but most importantly fans, I believe the decision was made on the spot to show checkered with the red for closure to the event. We were past 60% which can call a race official. I did find it pretty humorous however on the interpretations of a race scenario that I hadn't seen in my career. The team who ended up winning the race praised the decision based on safety, which is a good point. The rider in second protested saying the race should have continued, because they were going to revert back a lap for scoring and give him third, also a good point. They were also gaining on the leader so they wanted a shot at him. I would have too.  The rider who finished third didn't say much as far as I can tell, but without brakes he was thanking his lucky stars that he wasn't stuck in a fence somewhere. 4th and 5th were in a similar situation as 1st and 2nd so they had similar complaints and protests and interpretations based on what they would gain or lose. As for me, I ended up 6th and that would have been the same if they scored on checkered or red and most likely if we had a restart. The important thing is nobody left in the ambulance and we got a race in and I had heard from many fans in the pits afterword that they appreciated the effort we all put in to get the race over. 

   Now on to the important stuff. Since Hagerstown, My family along with my nieces Lindsey and Megan have been to the National Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame in Anamosa, Iowa; Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa; The Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD; toured the Interior Loop of the Badlands; drove through Bear Country outside Rapid City, SD; and visited Mount Rushmore. Today is Thursday July 30. It's been a long five days. I'll write about our week in Sturgis down the road.