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NPS 4X-Round 6
“The Track That Ate My Friends”
It was a dark and stormy night-somewhere, but not here. Where there was nothing but rain and flooding just two weeks ago was now dry, dusty, and being baked by 80 degree temps-which for England is a very hot day.
The new mountain cross track at the Redhill Mountain Boarding Center is like no track I’ve been on so far. A short start had riders gunning it as hard as they could for about 10 yards before the first big roller which was quickly followed by a large step up, which was quickly followed by an off camber table top which was quickly followed by another off camber table top….actually, a lot of jumps quickly followed the jump previous to it.
It was the busiest track I’ve ever raced on. I honestly think I spent more time in the air then I did pedaling on the ground.
The second straight dropped quickly down into a series of jumps until it ended in the infamous triple line berm that sent you into the third straight. The third straight was filled with jumps, large and small, mostly off camber, and every flat area was hard packed like concrete and the dirt clogs that covered the flat areas were like marbles. You can imagine how much fun that is!
The third line also incorporated a small table top which led into a much larger 35’ long, 10’ high table top which was a blast to hit at full speed.
After you cleared the large table top you crammed on the gas and jetted down the back side of the jump into the grass and set up for the first and only off-camber flat turn on grass in the UK. After you completed the turn you jammed on the gas again and got that front wheel up and ready for the most random single roller in mountain cross history. It wasn’t like you could roll over the thing either. You had to hit it and when you did the bikes went everywhere. Even the pro’s opted to jump the roller onto a near by spectator berm and ride out the line that way to the finish.
This track, while a lot of fun, was loose and deceptively dangerous. I lost one friend to a broken shoulder blade, collar bone, and a bad neck injury, one to internal bleeding, one to a busted up knee, two to sudden deceleration syndrome (Their brakes locked up on landing a jump and went over the bars only to slide across the concrete hard ground for a few meters.) Lots of people with road rash, half a dozen busted up hands. This track alone ate a grand total of 6 bikes, leaving their owners bikeless for the rest of the day-everything from frames, brakes, forks, and handlebars.
I started out the day feeling a little behind. The other riders in my category had all raced the day before in the national champs-a race I wasn’t allowed to compete in because I’m American.
I gave it a few practice runs, but that’s all I had times for before the racing starting.
The first moto: The gate dropped and we were out of the first line with me on the back wheel of the DBS rider, pushing out the Charge rider to the side with an elbow move I learned while racing in the summer BMX series in Braintree, UK. I stayed on the back wheel of the DBS rider to the finish line nailing down the number 2 spot.
Moto two started out great. I was told later by British Cycling judges and the race MC that I was about 6 bike lengths ahead of the other racers, looking smooth, fast, and looking like I was on my way to a number one finish-that was before the berm.
The triple line berm in the second straight was eating people like a fat kid off his diet who was accidentally locked into a Hostess factory. It was ugly. I came into the berm, lots of speed and I felt good. The bike was gripping extremely well and I went to push into the berm to get a good pump out of it to sling shot me even further ahead. That’s when I saw ground, blue sky, and lots of dust. I spun around on the ground like I was in a breakdancing comp until I came to a rest against the very berm I was setting up for. I tucked my limbs in just in time to see the other racers came by. Thank God they didn’t run me over. I don’t mind me crashing every now and then-comes with the territory, but I don’t want to be the guy that caused any other rider to meet the ground.
I jumped back on the bike and got back in the race to finish third.
The third and fourth moto went the same as the second. I could not hook up with that corner at all. I went over the bars, under the bars, took a side bar. The race marshal in that corner must have been tired of raising that red flag.
I did enough to get into the B finals which I took with a first place, finally hooking up with that corner in my fastest run yet.
Crazy, crazy, crazy day of racing!
While the results haven’t been posted yet, I either am still holding on to my number 7 position or I’ve managed to move up to 6th in the nation. Not too bad for my first year racing in the 30-39 men’s Master's class.
Round 7, the last race in the series, takes place in Hamsterly, UK, September 23. Going to be a great race!
Thank you very much for your support!
Bob Burnes
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