Mid-Ohio wrap up 2008

[Ernie Phillips]

Since is such a slow day on the list, here is my Mid-O racing report:

Mid-Ohio 2008 was fun.  Since this was our second visit, I sorta knew what to expect in the VMX.  However, the Cross Country race on Friday was new this year.  It was a great course run through the woods, all on Mid-Ohio property.  Some described the course as "tight" but by my south Alabama woods riding standard, "tight' is when you have to wiggle your 28 inch bars to squeeze between trees.  So while Mid-Ohio CC was not tight by my scale, it was fun, fun, fun ... about as close to perfect as could be made while still satisfying the needs of Expert, Intermediate, and Novice riders.   For the Novice riders, "The Hill" was taken out.  I'm guessing that the "The Hill" was maybe 40 feet high with a good straight run at it.  You come out of a tight right hander and on my Berkshire, I would come at it – 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear – full bore.  About 2/3 way up, the little engine would start to drop off and I had to down shift to 2nd.   If you know anything about Sachs engines, you know 3rd to 2nd down shift, under load, is tricky.   Pucker time for sure.  On alternating laps, I'd hit it in 2nd gear and would feel I was loosing time, then I go at it in 3rd and freak when I had to down shift.  As the laps progressed, I decided staying in 2nd gear and just screaming the motor was the safest route.  I know the 250 and big bore riders are laughing.  But, "The Hill" was a lap after lap challenge for the small bores.

My brother Wendell (+50 Novice) and son Christopher (Classic Intermediate) both won their CC classes.  My perfect 8 race record was busted.  I got a poor start (dead engine – took 4 whacks to get going) but I had the leader in sight for 2-1/2 laps.  Then suddenly and without warning, the engine lost power and at the same instant, big noises came from below - like a busted head gasket.  Compression release too the max.  I'm very thankful that this didn't happen on "The Hill."  The problem turned out to be the spark plug coming loose and blowing out.  It took several minutes to install a new plug.  Luckily, I got going again and finished, ultimately being awarded second place.    

Saturday's Vintage MX was a mixed bag – good results, but well short of my goals.  I only had one opportunity to practice, so I decided to go out on the Penton as that is the class (Classic 125) I want to do well in.  After 2-1/2 laps, she blew again.  Did I not snug the plug properly? "Don't panic, just put the plug back in and all will be well," I told myself.  I pushed the bike off the track and leaned it against the fence.  I opened my tool kit (I'm CC guy you know) attempting to install the plug but couldn't seem to get it started straight while handling the very hot plug.  I decided to let the engine cool and walked up the hill to my pit to get a new plug.  Wendell took me back in the golf cart.  The engine had cooled a bit and I was able to install the new plug and tighten it by feel.  In the back of my mind was the real possibility that the threads were stripped but my hope was that I am just not getting the plug tightened properly.  I'm always a tad uneasy with aluminum heads, especially 35 year old aluminum heads.  Who can distinguish the difference between properly compressing that new crush washer and yielding the threads in the head?  "Take it easy Stripper Armstrong," I tell myself.  I fire the bike up and ride back to the pit.  As I come to a stop, I zing the engine a couple of times and bang – blew the plug right out again!  Oh Shine – must be stripped threads!  The emotions of anguish and relief hit me at once.  The feeling of anguish in that my motor is broke but relief that it didn't happen during the race.  And, I have time to do something.  But, what 'something' can I do.  Almost instantly, Christopher offers his bike.  That is an option but I don't want to do that.  I enter our enclosed trailer and start digging through boxes.  Previously, I've carried spare engines, cylinders, pistons, heads, ... but not this trip because, "We've got "Our Program" together now and we don't need no parts cuz we ain't breeding no horses at the race track no more." No head.  As I turn and exit the trailer, the solution stares me in the face.   Just the day before, I had picked up a project Berkshire for cousin, Brian Kirby.   "I'll just borrow the head," I thought.  With Tom Flores' help, we had the heads swapped in 10 minutes.  Bingo – back in business.

I had signed up to race both +50 (Race 3 Gate 2) on the large Maico and Classic 125 (Race 8 Gate 1) on my Berkshire.  Christopher also rode his Six Day in Classic 125 (Race 8, Gate 1).  Additionally, he was slated to ride 100 Sportsman (Race 14, Gate 1) on his Berkshire.  As Race 3 blasted off, I found myself being showered by roost by some speedy racers.  I was left rooting around in the back of the pack and thinking "Man, these guys are quick – and serious too!"  "What's wrong?"  The big Maico is not used to being roosted.  The large Maico is the Rooster!  Wake up, it's time to go.  Up on the tank, knees in tight, hang on and pull the throttle back – wooosh!   Rocket lit.  I tell myself to ride a gear higher and torque out of the turns. I steadily picked off back markers but the leaders were gone.  I'm not sure where I placed, probably back half of the pack.   When I got back to my pits, I was informed that I had started with the wrong group.  I was in race 3, gate 2.  Absent mindedly, I had blasted off with the Experts in Gate 1.  No wonder I got pummeled.  My mistake.  Initial scoring had me winning race 3, gate 2 (nothing like getting a 30 second jump on the field).   The error was picked up and I was summoned to scoring where I fess up.  I was docked 1 lap and awarded last place.

As Christopher and I lined up for Race 8 (Classic 125), I double checked to make sure we were in Gate 1 - Experts and Intermediates were grouped together in this race.  I am hoping for a 1-2 Phillips finish.  When the gate dropped Christopher and I found ourselves 1-2, with me #1 and Christopher #2. The only problem was that my #1 was last place and Christopher's #2 was next to last place.  I had tried to get a good jump by starting in second gear.  This has worked for me in the past many, many times.  Plus, it allows me to avoid that critical and hard to get right, 1st to 2nd shift.  Apparently, I had not fully engaged 2nd gear and when I dumped the clutch, it snapped back into neutral.  With the layshaft now spinning at super-sonic speeds, no gear would engage until the engine spun down.  When I finally got going and as I surveyed the situation, I saw Christopher just a few yards ahead of me.   Turns out he had started in 1st but missed that 2nd gear shift.  He floundered trying to get forward acceleration.   He beat me to the first turn, but not by much.  With nothing to loose, I took off on mission impossible.  I caught up with back-markers coming out of turn 3.  I began my attach passing on the outside, inside, through the middle.  Christopher was on the move too.  Christopher is a good rider but not too aggressive.  When a hole opens up, he will attack.  I attack always, taking cracks and slipping my bike in when and where no one expects.  Christopher leaves a crack ... and I fill it. By the end of lap 1, I've passed many bikes, but many of these are the slow, take-it-easy, just-for-fun riders.  These are the nice guys who pull off or get out of the way if you give them a chance.  But now, I'm heading for the top half of the group and these are serious play-racers. They've spread out a little.  Methodically, I'm able to pick off rider after rider.   By the beginning of lap three, I've cleared them and have just two riders in sight ahead of me.  I catch up to the nearest rider.  A black stripe (Expert) riding a Honda.  He is quick and smooth and apparently satisfied with his position.  I am not. I hound him but can't quite get by as quickly as I'd hoped.  I'm working him over, trying everything, but can't get a clean pass. I'm running out of time.  In a panic, I try to slide by on the outside on the large radius grass turn by the camping area.   I stay on the gas a tad longer going into the turn and take the outside.  We are side-by-side at mid-corner and as we exit, I'm able to get on the gas a little earlier and a little harder.  Just enough, I get a wheel up on him, clean pass.  Looking ahead, the other rider is sighted.  With less than a half a lap to go, can I catch him?  Can I pass him?  Is there enough time?  Will he make a mistake?  Will I make a mistake?  Shouldn't I just back off and be happy to have moved up as far as I have?  No!  Who knows how far back I am?  I know there are at least 3 Experts ahead of me.  And, how many Intermediates are still up there – so far ahead that I can't even see them?  After all, I was dead last just 3 laps ago.  Harder and longer – stay on the gas, keep the speed up through the corners, hit the jumps a little harder.  Ride like a young punk; go in way too deep, keel it over, sling the back end out, ...What's this?  I'm gaining quickly now.  Just two turns before the finish and the rider ahead appears to lose drive out of the corner.  Did he miss a gear?  I can't believe it.  He missed a gear!  Lucky me.  I slip by easy.  One turn to go and I hold a very tight line --  no one will be passing me on the inside.  If you want to get by, you'll have to go the long way.   I take the checkers.  I feel good.  No fatigue like last year's melt-down.  That off-track conditioning is paying off.  I feel real good.  I passed a lot of riders.  But, was it enough?  

I decide to skip Moto 2 of +50 since my starting error in moto 1 netted me last place.  As I line up for Moto 2 of 125 Classic, I decide to play it safe and start in 1st gear. The gate drops and I'm off for a good run to the first turn.  A wad of 21 riders funnel down to 10.  At the transition point from acceleration to brake and turn, I squeeze into slot 4.  Coming out, hooked up and hard, my little Berkshire is drawn up on their rear fender of a black stripe – like glue you might say.  As we go through switch-backs, then open up and accelerate through the higher gears, I look ahead and only see black stripes .... then, that must make me #1 yellow head.   Alright!  Let's have some fun and gap all those Intermediates.  If I can run with the Experts, I should be able to pull away.  As we advance around the track nearing the completion of lap 1, I take a peak over my shoulder expecting to see open track. To my surprise, there is a Six Day hot on my tracks.  Surely this must be Chuck Reuben, my muddy track nemesis.  But this is a dry track and I'm quicker than Chuck in the dry. Right?  Right.  "Hit the gas and go EP, quit worrying about who's behind you and concentrate on who's ahead.  Not the time to be lookin', it's time to be cookin'!"  After a quick and mistake free lap two, I have a little breathing room.  The 3 Experts are about 50 yards ahead of me now, nose to tail.  I don't need to catch them.  I'm not good enough to catch them.   "Relax a bit and ride to victory," I think.  I just need to ride mistake free and close this thing out.  What's this?  The #3 Expert slides out and goes down.  Within the next two turns, Expert rider #2 tries to cut under rider #1 and takes them both out.  I'm not only #1 Intermediate, I'm number 1 on the track.  All I need to do is complete this lap and it's all mine.   With this new found status as "leader of the pack", I loose concentration and make a couple of bobbles, nothing serious but enough to wake me to my senses.  Get on the gas and finish.  With less that half a lap to go, I notice one of those pesky Six Day's is closing in.  Is it Reuben or new Classic racer Kevin Outland?  As I take the checkers, I discover that it is Kevin who has closed up.  Another lap and he might have got me.  A missed gear by me and he would have certainly returned the favor. Checking the scoring, my hard charge in Moto 1 was enough, 1-1 for the day.   Kevin Outland takes second overall with a very fine 2-2 and Chuck Rueben takes home #4 wood.  Christopher places 6th.  A good outing for the Sachs powered moe-shens.  Summing it all up, Pentons go 1,2,4,6 at Mid-Ohio 2008 in Classic 125 Intermediate.  

100cc Action:  There were 26 100cc racers pre-entered for Mid Ohio including points leader Paul Stannard on a Hodaka and hot shoe Jay Wilson on a TM Suzuki.   Intermediate Penton Berkshire riders were Tom Flores from Texas and Christopher Phillips from Tennessee.  Penton was well represented in the Expert class by Mike Parker from Arkansas.  Just before Moto 1 of 100cc race (race 14), the track got a shot of H20 from the tanker truck.  No provision was made for a parade lap to see how conditions may have changed.   The track changed drastically; water on hard pack clay = slick.  Exiting the first turn, a couple of riders went down including Mike Parker.   Tom and Christopher both got pretty good starts and moved up.  Tom kept it on two wheels for all 4 laps and took top spot in Intermediate.  Christopher fell twice finishing a disappointing 8th.   16 year old  Hodaka rider, David Perrett, fell 2times as well and still managed to finish 6th.  In Moto 2, Tom was riding to secure the overall win and Christopher was riding for redemption.   Tom worked his was into the lead and Christopher positioned himself behind the top group of riders which included Paul Stannard, young gun David Perret, and Jay Wilson.  Somehow Christopher got by Paul and David and when Jay went a little wide, Christopher snuck by on the inside.  Not satisfied with 4th place young Perrett flung his rat into the air.  With one lap to go it was; Flores, Phillips, Wilson, Perrett, Stannard.  Christopher pressed Tom.  Tom missed a shift.  Tom went backwards.   Christopher inherited the lead with Perrett working his way into 2nd place for 2nd overall. Tom's 1- 3 finish was enough to secure the overall win.  Christopher rode to redemption.   Happy Penton Day.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg276/ernie7711/P7260131.jpg

100cc - Moto 2 Action: Flores, Phillips, Wilson, Perrett, Stannard

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[thrownchain]

Good story and good work. You should write for a magazine.  [8D]

[tlanders]

Ernie,

May I ask you to write the Vintage Views articles for Cross Country? Great article!!!

Teddy

[tooclose racing]

Thanks for the hour by hour and lap-by-lap, Ernie.  Very entertaining - you've really captured the highs and lows in a race day.  You have just about seen it all and done it all after just a few seasons.  And congratulations to Christopher on his efforts.  I have had the chance to mix it with a couple of those 100 guys when we had the National at Broome in June.  They're fast and consistent (i.e. they don't require blood doping like I do to get to the end of a race).  

Hope we can show up for the same event some day soon.  Heyyy...why don't you come up and do some "cherry-picking" at our Oct. 11th NE regional final at Broome-Tioga?  It's a blast with the use of the Broome National gate and course for the first 200 yards and then its up to a most excellent grass track.

[Ernie Phillips]

Teddy,  Bill Ryburn is doing a good job with CC.  I'll send him some "color commentary" to consider for Barber & Zink. And Teddy, thanks for all you do in providing events where us "woods riders" can play [^].

Bob,  I'd love to race up your way.  This year's goal was to hit at least one new-to-us event.  Casey, IL was to be that event, then, Tomahawk WV was added with Dane as Legend so we had to go there too.  That makes us over budget on going to any more new events this year.  Maybe NY could be our new event for 2009.  Good luck at Broome-Tioga!  And, don't forget to keep the carb mounts tight [8D].


Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN