Pre Race: My parents were out of town this weekend, so I made the trip with Parker Nolan and his dad. We got to the track at 11:00 a.m., expecting the race to start at 1. The track looked really fast with some bad mud holes. I went through all of my pre race routines, and was ready to go.
Race: I got a good jump off the line, and rounded the first turn with the hole shot. The first mile was just wide open grass track, and Tony Joiner was able to pass me. I followed him until we got into the woods, where I managed to pass him going through one of the mud sections. It was not long before he got back by me. I was able to keep Joiner in sight for most of the first lap. Once he got out of sight, I started picking bad lines and riding slow. About half way through the race, Brad Wilson and Ryan Woodard caught me. I made them try and pass me at first, but eventually let them around so I could relax and be smooth. I followed them a couple of miles, and then the controversy started. We came to another grass track, with me sandwiched in between the two Oklahoma riders. There were 2 trees that the track did an S around. I rounded the first tree, and got a little cross rutted, which sent me wide. There was not a ribbon of any sort, so I just went straight and passed Brad Wilson. He immediately got behind me and started yelling “cheater” , so I pulled over and let him by. A few turns later, I let Woodard by. At this point I didn’t really know what to do. I followed them for a while until I started to feel smooth again. I passed both of them back, and started to pull away. Going into the last lap, I could see them about 10 seconds behind me. I pushed hard the last lap, and never saw them again, until about 2 miles from the finish. Somehow Ryan Woodard had gotten around me, even though no one had passed me that lap. It made me wonder how he managed to do such a thing. Anyway, I passed him about a half mile from the finish and took 2nd place overall, about 2 minutes behind Joiner.
Post Race: We got loaded up, and went to check the results. For some reason they had me in 4th, without doing the last lap. I questioned the lady, and she said 6 people protested me for cutting the course, so they docked me a lap. I explained the situation about me going around the tree, and then letting the guy back by. I also told her about Woodard(who happened to be her son) just magically passing me on the last lap, but she wouldn’t do anything about it. The whole deal was wrong and messed up. Hopefully I can go to another OCCRA this year so I can prove my true abilities. All in all, I had a fun day, and rode well. My new KTM is awesome!
Results: 1. Tony Joiner
2. Ryan Woodard
3. Brad Wilson
4. Zach Ingram
5. Parker Nolan
Thanks to the following for their support: Bill Eddy’s Motorsports, KTM, Moose Racing, Rekluse, Enduro Engineering, Source MX, Alpinestars, Smith, Sixsixone, Acerbis, FMF, my family, and most importantly God.
