Went racing today at Finningley motorcross park in Doncaster thought I would do a write up, not because im bored.....ok its because im bored. Booked into the novice group, mainly because I am, worried there might be a few "ringers" in there as usual and believed they should be promptly upgraded to the other two faster groups so I can win.....

Last night prepping bike on trailer after a recent tyre change (first time I have changed tyres) rear had no pressure, must have nipped it...bollocks lets hope they have a spares van at the track.

I wont lie was rather exited, trackdays dont really give me a "rush" BUT mx racing does, well the start anyway. Seems harder and harder for me these days to get a rush these days, main things for me that give me a rush is often at work, fighting or car chases. But now can add MX racing to the list! I digress, what got me on the exitement bit was the fact I could not sleep, then when I did I was dreaming I had got to the track and my bike fell off and I had not realised. So when I woke I put another two clicks on the rachet straps before I left.

Get to the track and sign up and then locate a inner tube tyre changed with the help of another chap, only £7 I thought I was going to raped for £25 or something daft, scruteneering done, watch some races as they give you a 15 second count down then a board with 5 and the gate drops anytime in that 5 seconds, matey boy on the pedal who drops th gate was doing it a second after the 5 second board so im confident I know when its going to drop.

Line up for race one, the racious grid of 42 novice (dont forget the "ringers") riders line up, first come first served for your gate, I had a good one, straight line to the first corner!

15 second board....lots of revs....5 second board.....defening noise.....as I thought one second later gate drops, boom, dump the clutch and get lots of drive not quite the holeshot but top 5, guy in front is slow round the corner and I bash his rear tyre as few more do me round the the outside, its roost central, not really sure of track layout as only done two sigting laps, the melee continues as im over taken getting a feel for the track and where im actually going.

After the first lap the field spreads, get overtaken by some chap in white and pink clobber after about 3 laps on the slow twisty section, my big 450 aint that nimble round there, or rather im not that nimble round there. On and off his back wheel for 2 laps, im faster I know it, otherwise he would have got away. Eventually I get some good drive and he takes the long way round the corner, I take the short thinking I will block pass him taking his line (I may have been watching too much AMA supercross) sure enough it works, our fairing clash and I raise my hand in apology as a saunter past, twas fair move....maybe not in novice group but hell he was slowing me down.

Caught a couple more not sure if they were back markers, white and pink clobber dude did not want to play any more, some fallers but thought I must have finished 9th or 10th as the flag goes, im knackered anyway, see the results sheet 10th, however I was most bemused when I saw a guy called called Chloe in 3rd place, I never guys were called Chloe?

Get back to the pits, hydration and energy food, 1/2 cheeseburger and mars bar, I dont think it was 100% beef job.

So race 2 line up, my £100 lithium ion magnesium potassium hydrabionic battery which boasts lasting a year with out needing to be charged, cranks 33% faster fails to tease my frustrating bike into life, then battery dies, FFS. Decamp from my "good gate" and run up and down the start finish straight trying to bump start it in front of all the spectators who are thinking "should have bough a honda", im starting to agree, but maybe I should have just bough one with a kickstart.

Push the bike up a nice hill, already shagged from pushing it up and down like a numpty but got 5 minutes so nip back to my car put the spare battery on, because wouldnt' ya know its not the first time this has happened.

Re enter the line up, my gate has gone so 3rd from the end it is, could be ok if I go round the outside of the first left hander, two old boys either side who im thinking "gonna dust you both". Soooo 15 second board (you know the score) 5.......revs......dump clutch too early without enough revs....... STALL, feck, carefull not to swear cos I know my Mum and Dad will watch the glorious GOPRO fail, cloud of dust as everyone scoots off and old guys have my pants down and im clambering for nuetral cos it dont start in gear. Fires up and catch the back of the pack by second corner, slowly overtake lots of riders, its a very technical circuit with not many overtakes but work my way through, was ragged everywhere trying to get more drive as Lyndon from Torotrail said to me when I went to Spain Enduro "your throttle happy".

No idea where I finished and retire back to my car, sheets come in, 18th out of 42, that guy called Chloe again finished infront of me, someone needs to change their name by Deed Pol, so girly, anyway thats a lot of overtakes albeit some were crashing left right and centre however some other must have done crap too as I was lying in 12th overall.

Got one race left and have my eyes on the £5 holeshot prize which I failed to win on the last two races, its big money stakes here in novice MX racing.

So line up for race 3 nice and early, battery one race old started fine to get me the 200m to gates, all good. Good gate, get chatting to guy next to me who must be 6'5 with bar risers so big it looked like a chopper. Race before is just finishing time to fire up that rampant grid of furious dirty exotica, wurr........wurrrrrrrrrrr.........fekin start you POS! battery not playing ball, battery 2 dies, reverse out my gate with a half hearted attempt to bump start it as the grid flies off, there goes my £5 holeshot was looking forward to some Haribo starmix with my winnings on the way home.

Push bike up double bastard hill (yes its worse than bastard hill) and chuck bike on trailer, my confidence of a top ten finish deminished by some Austrian engineering, why the hell would you not put a kickstart on a motocross bike?!

I retire home thinking of what could have been and wondering why I went 4 stroke after the joy of 2 smokers.....ups and down but all in all a good laugh, cheaper than road racing and just as much fun, never got to see how Chloe did in her last race, er, I mean his last race. Going to a race at my other local track where I actually know Fatcats, hopefully should do better as much better suited to a big 450.

Video is just uploading to Youtube, stay tuned.

Waiting on the video

Nice write up mate,i thought it had been cancelled or i'd have come over to watch. I've been to a couple of MX meets round here and was also amazed at the talented young/fit lass'es racing if only i was 30 years younger i'd follow them on my old Honda.
That bike of yours Dan needs relacing mate it's jinx'd

Got two batteries for it! Its just soooo fickle.

Yeah it was cancelled but another race organiser took it over. Had a couple of peeps pop down and watch first race. You popping down to cadders for the sd meet this month ginge?


Getting pissed off with it, will do some more practise days, one more race then its getting sold and going 250 4 or 250 2 such a beast this bike dont even use 4th gear!

Yeah kick start is the future

Anyway video:

Nice to see you yesterday Dan. Good video, to say it was a novice group the riders looked pretty damned fast to me! Well done.

Good to see you again Dave, was good to have some some support however next time bring a 6ft brolly dolly and some batteries

Great Dan! That looks to be some very cool fun.
Love the check pass "sorry mate" I'd just be gripping the bars for dear life not waving to people

Awesome Dan. Watched it full screen at 1080p

Glad you enjoyed it chaps, need another gopro so I can record in 3D, now that would be sweet

Great video, looks like a lot of fun (and hard work