Barrett Junction World Cup MAY 28-30 2004

[ToxicBro3]

[b:0800e889e7]Intro:[/b:0800e889e7]
We were all really stoked to have this race in our own back yard. Jared, Johnny and myself were all amped to go racing. The 3 of us spent the previous week or so getting ready and getting Johnnys gravity bike ready to race.

[b:0800e889e7]Friday: [/b:0800e889e7]
Practice. What can you say? We nearly live at this place so I chose not to take too many runs and wear down my only set of really worn out ABEC11's. On the other hand, Johnny spent many runs getting used to the gravity bike and getting it dialed in. Jared unfortunately couldnt make practice because he had to work. He did show up that night and joined our camping adventure. We decided that it would be better to camp at the race course instead of driving all the way back up to North County.

[b:0800e889e7]Saturday:[/b:0800e889e7]
Qualifying. We started the day off by hittin up the Barrett Cafe for that wonderful breakfast buffett which really hit the spot. Qualifying order was switched up with luge going after lunch and stock bikes last. So we had time to chill and watch the other classes qualify before we all went. I was up on the line near the back with Jared right behind me. All I wanted to do was put in a good time that would start me near the front of the newly formed GP starting grid. I felt really good about my run as I crossed the line knowing that it must have been a good time. 2:21 and change. Right on. I was happy with that. Jared followed right after me and ran a 2:23 and change. Cool. We were close and near the front. Next thing we know Dekyser comes machin down and I think I hear Marcus on the mic yeall "2:12" and were all "uh you gotta be jokin!". Nope. A 2:12 :shock: ! Anyways, my time wound up 5th on the grid with Jared taking 9th. Next up was Johhny in stock gravity bike. With this being Johnnys first real race besides the outlaw earlier in the year, most people didnt expect much out of him, well, they dont know Johnny. When he gets on a bike you better watch out. He wound up posting a time of 2:20, 3rd on the grid.

[b:0800e889e7]Sunday:[/b:0800e889e7]
Race Day. Most of the riders were stoked to run the new GP super mass luge race. I was one of them. With my 5th place qual spot I new I had a legit shot at a podium finish. [u:0800e889e7]Heat One:[/u:0800e889e7] Jared and I were talking on the line and he said he would be right up with me going into the first turn with his killer start and light weigh sled. I had my doubts but there he was on my left going into the first left hand turn. I held on his right just enough to make a run on his right going into the first hairpin. Ooops, not enough brakes, uh oh sliding, here comes the bails, contact. I lost a ton of momentum with riders passing the both of us on both sides. I felt a nudge from behind then a a few seconds later I was sideways and hooked up on Justin Crenshaw and David Dean. We went tumbling straight at the course worker chick- she had the best view of the crash :D . Deans board went down around the next corner and he didnt realize it while looking for his bord over the edge of the cliff. Well, it looks like were startin in the back of the second heat, oh well. [u:0800e889e7]Heat Two:[/u:0800e889e7]I was second to last while Dean was last, directly behind me. With his wounded hand from Friday, I told him to follow me and we would make our way back to the front. I pushed like a mad man and made up a bunch of spots on the start. However, going into the second hairpin, I got stuck behind a really slow rider that killed my momentum and I lost some 4 positions or so. [u:0800e889e7]Heat Three:[/u:0800e889e7]Ok, were starting to run low on time here and were still in the back. I get a good push however Im on the outside this time and cant make up as many spots as I did last run. Im lookin good passing Rick Wilson on the inside before the braking zone of the first hairpin. However going into the turn, Rick cant hold his line and comes across the track and we make contact. I went flying off my sled and went tumbling. I got bounced around and finally came to a stop. Wow. That was one of the worst crashes I had been in during my racing career. Back to the back of the grid. [u:0800e889e7]Heat Four:[/u:0800e889e7]At this point with 2 big crashed I was not too motivated to work my up to the front, I just wanted to survive a run. [u:0800e889e7]Heat Five:[/u:0800e889e7]The last one. I just wanted to salvage the day and come away with some descent points. I passed a few riders including a large group a the bottom who got tangled in docs. I got inside of Jared near the bottom and held him off. After a very interesting day I managed to finsh 13th and Jared 15th.

[b:0800e889e7]Conclusion:[/b:0800e889e7]
The GP style racing is cool, But 21 is just too many. Maybe we could cut that in half and take the top half of each half and combine them into the final group. That way you still get lots of runs but there arent soo many guys in one run. I am glad that the IGSA is thinking of new ways to run racing. I think its great that we got to be a part of the firts GP star.

I will leave the blanks for Jared and Johnny to fill in when they get the time for the team report. If anyone has anything to add- go for it.