Old man an jumps?

So, I just found out there's a flat track in Baytown Sunday. I'm going to load up the Mad Dawger and go. Old flat track pro, Butch Brandon, is promoting it. It's a quarter mile at Houston Raceway Park, but they're going to run a TT there! Now, I've never raced a TT. There's to be ONE jump. TT jumps aint' exactly motocross. They're easy, high speed jumps, not the big table tops you see in supercross. Flat track bikes tend to be set up like mine with really stiff suspension compared to the motocrossers.

I'm a little concerned about the effects of a jump on a kiddy bike (XR100) with stiff suspension (Works shock and LP forks set up for flat track) with a fat guy (205 lbs). But, I'm quite looking forward to this. I then can say, "Yes, I've raced a TT!" I hope there are other Mad Dawgers that show. Over at Waller, the local saturday night races that got real popular for a while, we'd get over a dozen mad dawgers out. Lots of road racers looking to play would show up, friends. It made for a familiar atmosphere even though everyone had a steel shoe on. If enough dawgers don't show for a race, guess I'll just get my arse handed to me in 125amateur. My bike is a stroker 150, but no one will be able to tell as I get lapped by 125 two strokes. Still should be fun. They've got a short track scheduled there for Novembe. I'm a bit more familiar with the short tracks.

Ah, love the new challenges at age 52. Glad I have major medical insurance.

Tricks

Something I’ve been saying to myself the last couple of years is “you can teach an old dog new tricks,,, it just takes a little longer.” I don’t know if I’m trying to convince myself or my girlfriend.

Well, I was expecting lights, grandstands, etc. Butch Brandon talked Houston Raceway Park into letting him build a short track/TT track at the back of the property. They were running a drag race today, so at least the concessions were open, though I didn't waste any money on concessions. It was just sorta out in the dirt, no porta potties even, LOL. I suppose it'll grow. Participation was decent for a first time, actually I think it was the second race run there. The infield course and the jump were a major hoot! I'd gain ground there and lose it on the sweeper around the short track section. Heck, I was outjumping everybody. Danged tires are old. I need to find something better. They're pretty worthless. Also, I gotta ask around for sag figures on suspension. the big slides and front end push might be suspension, but it sure felt like tires. I lowered pressure from 17 to 15 and it got WAY worse for the main. I managed second in the qualifier, but wound up third in the main cause I couldn't keep the blasted thing under me on the sweeper and use the throttle.

Track was pretty rutted up on the entrance and exit to the infield portion, but all in all, I finished pretty close so I've got some fine tuning to do and I should be up there on that track. There is no groove at all, yet, though. Probably just cause it's so new. I'm sure hopin' a grove develops there. But, it may be the soil, cause the big half mile there has a very narrow groove and it's really rough usually. All the AMA guys I've talked to about Baytown hate the track surface there.

Anyway, it's good to know flat track is alive in the Houston area, still. There's another TT scheduled next month and a short track in November. I suddenly would rather run the TT!

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