Practice Thursday was a very good idea because I got 22 runs on the track on my cruiser (24 inch BMX bike) and my PK Ripper which definitely gave me an edge on the competition all weekend long.
This year's track was awesome. The first and second straight were the same as last year's track but the third and fourth straight got totally changed around. The third straight was a step with a deep landing into three large doubles. The fourth straight was a rhythm section that was pretty deep but was still very fast and very flowy. All in all, it was a great track to race on.
My novice motos went as expected and I breezed through them. However, my cruiser motos were a complete confidence booster because I won my first one and got seconds in the next two. Cruiser is basically an open class that is set only by your age, not your skill level so I was racing some very fast people, and beating them. S-T-O-K-E-D!
On Sunday my family (Mom,Dad, Nux, Isa, and Angus) came to watch me race which always helps me to step it up. In the semis, I took it from line to line in my novice race and in my cruiser semi I was the "bubble boy" and made it to the main.
You can check out the semi videos at GO211. videos are below.
cruiser semi
http://www.go211.com/u/nblgrandnationals2009/videos/17906
novice semi
http://www.go211.com/u/nblgrandnationals2009/videos/17831
As the mains rolled around, nerves set in a little more. However, once I was out of staging and walking out of the tent and up the hill to the starting gate I got my focus back. That is one of the many things i love about BMX racing; it teaches you to really put everything out of your heard and focus on one thing at a time... getting a good snap and pedaling as hard as you can to the first turn.
A couple of months ago I was practicing my gate starts out at the Weaverville track and I realized that my snap was way better when the wait for the beeps was longer. I had real problems getting a good consistent snap when the beeps started right after the recorded voice. It was at this point that I knew that my gate in the main of my novice race at GRANDS was going to be immediately after the voice recording. And was I ready. Sitting in the gate as the voice was working its way through the cadence... "Alright riders, random start... riders ready, watch the gate..." and immediately the beeps go off and I snap... the rest can be seen on GO211.
Novice main
http://www.go211.com/u/nblgrandnationals2009/videos/17879
My cruiser main was shortly after my novice main. I was in gate 1 which got cut off about 25 yards down the first straight. I had a good snap but couldn't elbow my way into a good line in the first turn and took it super slow. Well, you can see it at GO211. I finished 7th which I am happy with cause it isn't last.
Cruiser main
http://www.go211.com/u/nblgrandnationals2009/videos/17727
All in all, it was a very fun exciting, nerve wrecking, family and friend filled weekend. Many nights were spent at the hotel pool that Christine and I would sneak into every night. Many a meal was multiple burritos from Qudoba. And many a dream was had in which I missed a moto, semi or main. Thanks Subconscious for making it so easy to sleep at night.
2010 looks to be a tough year in BMX racing as I am now an expert and the bar has been raised, very high. These guys are fast... but with a lot of determination and plenty of support from awesome people like you, I am sure that I will be able to reach some goals by this time next year. Thank you.
