Hot Water Racing

[ShelbyJohnson]

Well another epic Hot Water race in the books. I had blast. Some of the loose rolling soft-ball sized rocks got a little scary in parts. I had a good start and was 3rd or 4th into the brush, and then just around the first little 90 left hander before the 1st good hill climb I stalled. Played catch up from there for a while and did my best to keep the guys ahead in sight. I swapped places with Justin Webb a time or two and Kelly Hicks a time or two as well. Then I come through scoring in 4th? Found out later Scott Gould had flatted on the rear on a trials tire! Them rocks were angry. 2nd or 3rd lap up on the ridge line I see Justin off his bike and upright giving me a hand signal. Not sure what misfortune happened but hoping it's something minor. Somewhere in there I was feeling good an cracked it open a little more and then wadded in between 3 trees on an off-camber and I was on the downhill side. Took a bit to recover and whilst I did Kelly and Coy Lewallen shot by. I gathered back up and pressed on. Somewhere on the other ridge line, the fast flowey one I gained back up to Kelly and Coy and then we got behind a slower rider. Kelly got through, and Coy and me were stuck. It took a bit but finally got through and pushed again. Coy gave a lane and I chased Kelly again. On the brushy grassy section past the curvy road section I had showed Kelly a wheel or two in there on the 4th lap and thought I could maybe catch him there. I caught a glimpse of him ahead and then around a corner whadda ya know he's sitting there (later learned he'd run out of gas). Once I got past Kelly I got the first clear air I'd seen in 4 laps. I put my head down and rode hard to gap Kelly because I knew he would be coming. Got behind another racer in no time at all and he was not giving a lane at all despite my throttle blips, hooting & hollering. Finally found a spot where I could not break the rules and went around him. At the scoring gate I had regained 4th. Mark Sparks had taken the last step on the podium 32 seconds ahead of me. So back in class last year Jason Raines said, "You're quicker, slower on two wheels, than you are going fast and not on two wheels some of the time." I went back to that crash I had on the ridge line and figured had I been a bit more conservative I might have not lost much time there and maybe could have challenged Mark for a spot on the box. Good lesson learned and another epic Hot Water.

Thanks to Tres Amigos for an outstanding race! I REALLY liked how the long course start was organized. Very creative. The course was great, marking great, and trimming and cutting was great. Really great job all around. Thanks to the land owners for all their effort, the grill, the really cool t-shirts and extra little things making the venue a great place to race. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thanks Amy and Karen for another smooth race registration. Always on the ball and makes that part of the morning nice.

Thanks to the timing and scoring staff. I know you had to deal with dust and roost and hopefully it was not too bad. And talk about fast, getting those results online amazing fast. Great job Ruth and all your helpers.

Thanks to the A-Team for all the help and track-side support. Very much appreciated.

Also want to thank Dunlop, traction was great, Vortex racing, X Brand goggles, Cycle Gear, Factory Connection suspension ( key ), and FMF racing. Nice to have the help y'all.

Finally thanks to Mrs. Gunpowder for holding down the home front. Ready to hear some more race reports.

[Tanner]

Great write up Shelby. I always enjoy reading your race reviews.

[Patrick]

"Them rocks were angry". Yes they were
Tres amigos Great course and I like that it was long which made for less encounters with the pros
Thanks for letting us ride on saturday..... it made for a very enjoyable weekend

Ruth and minions. Great work. Set the bar high so we can tie a rope to it later when something goes wrong with scoring.

[JWEBB]

Those rocks was angry!! They was everywhere too!
I had a terrible start and was still on the line when all my class was in the woods and was gone. Finally got going and began at least catching some dust, made it up to 4th after the first lap. Midway through the 2nd lap Shelby is pushing me and I'm holding him up, let him go by and thought I would let him lead and try to stay with him. A few hundred yards and he gets caught between a couple of trees, I sneak around and push through the check again, 3rd place! Scott Gould was there cheering and telling me Terrance was right in front of me. I start pushing a little more hoping to catch some dust from him, make it to the first long uphill where you ended up seeing the road and hear the rear tire flopping around, pull over and check sure enough it's cut and my day is over.

My son, Evan Webb made his first start in the Short A class this weekend. Was a little nervous on the line. He also didn't get a great start. Came through the check running 5th after lap one and was looking good. Said he battled some with Christian Godfrey, which I knew was quick, so that made him feel better about the jump in class. Came through the check 6th, then at the road crossing he had something happen that I've never seen. The rubber chain guide on the front of the swing arm came loose and caught in the chain and bound up in the countershaft sprocket. When I got there Zac Crowl and two more guys (sorry I did not get there names) was working on it trying to get it freed up but was unable too. Thank you for that guys I really appreciate your efforts.

So overall we did not have the best day but we enjoyed every min. of it. Great track, except for the angry rocks. Thanks to everyone that had a hand in putting this one on.

I would also like to say Congratulations to Dylan Hopper for his win in the Short C class!!!

[ShelbyJohnson]

Justin I hate that you flatted. May be time to put in the extry-heavy-duty tubes or bibbs cause Sturkie is next! Glad to know you were unharmed.

[JWEBB]

Thanks Shelby. Yeah we will defiantly need heavy duty for the next one.
I was running the Tubliss set up in the rear last weekend, just got a small cut in the tire and lost pressure.

[ZacCrowl]

Which is why I don't like Tubliss, I don't feel like it's any better than a tube. I'm back to a UHD tube in my VeeRubber trials tire. Not as reliable as a bib, obviously. Hate that Evan had issues, sure wish we could have gotten him going again, but that thing was LOCKED up in there!

Hot Water was a repeat of nearly every race for me this year. Brett and I less than 5secs apart all dang day! Geez, why won't he just let me win without so much stress.
The great thing about Brett and I, in my opinion, is that we are both fast in different ways. He's smooth and chooses good lines, I'm bouncing off trees and seem to be looking for the roughest lines, but somehow we end up coming thru the check nearly holding hands every lap. This has been some of the funnest racing I've had since I started. Chad Echols and I had some battles like this too.

Kaylee didn't fair too well, she was sleeping on the start and didn't get off the line. She had lots of work to do to get by anyone on the tight single track. She was making progress towards the podium until a tree sprouted up right in her path. She had lots of bruises and cuts, but still wants to race again!

[bobby769]

Pics, who has Pics????

[JWEBB]

Bobby check out Brown Racing Photos on Facebook. Shelly has a bunch on there.

[ShelbyJohnson]

My hands are still not recovered. This is the most sore my hands have ever been after a race.

[Sappruski]

Mine too Shelby....... One is still a little swollen..........

[echolsc]

Caleb had a great race. He got to mix it up with Braxton a bit. He got his first podium of the season in the short A so he was stoked. Cole struggles with staying off his head the first lap in the c-open then became a new rider if the second lap. He was really riding well and them on lap three he blew another engine. Man that's 2 top ends in three events. That's ok I'm taking steps to see if we can prevent that. 3 hours on a piston is not quite enough for me. Zac if Cole keeps progressing he may force his old man back into shape and maybe we can do battle again.

[hickkell]

I am certain that he is going to whip you into shape. He is doing Great running with the big boys!

[echolsc]

Thanks Kelly, I'm not sure what is more fun for me racing with you guys or watching this little guy evolve. I would have liked to watch him mix it up one more year with Ross and all the other boys but he wanted to ride the c class. I told him he could ride whatever class he wanted.

[ZacCrowl]

Chad, this old man aint got much left in the tank so you better hurry! I can't hold these young'ens off any longer. Time for me to move back to the vet class again.

[tmulhern]

A little late to the game but T Finally got his race report up

http://www.mulhernracing.com/ahscs-hot-water/