This last weekend marked the 28th running of the Adelanto Grand Prix. Once again hosted by the Desert Vipers MC, it was a beautiful weekend for racing! All the recent rains knocked down all the dust, and this year’s course was the fastest ever. There were all kinds of races from pro to amateur, kid’s races, side hacks, and even the old vintage bikes were brought out of storage to tear up the Adelanto dirt!
Year after year, my friends and I go out to this race. In fact, I don’t think we’ve missed one since I started riding again some 6 or 7 years ago. And every year we race amongst each other, some guys are lightning fast, some of us are not. But that one thing we have in common, racing, means we are all part of something bigger than just the race.
We come to together to support each other, to help each other, and when needed, console each other. We ride together, we race together, and we celebrate together.
This year was no different. As we all congregated together Friday night for the pre race barbeque bonanza, there was once again that buzz in the air. There were only 4 of us this year (usually we have 7 or 8), but we were all ready to rock the track and once again show each other that we still have that fire in us. My friends Scotty and Johnny were up first. Both took off like they were shot out of canons. Scotty would go on to finish in the top 5, pending official results. Johnny was a little bit farther off the pace after he stalled the bike in a huge burmed corner and it took him forever to get the bike started. But both finished, which is a victory unto itself with the brutal ness of the track getting worse and worse. Next it was my turn with my buddy Tony. Tony was actually racing on his brother Johnny’s bike, so he barely made it to the start line in time. He was so late in getting to the line, he never even had to shut off his engine (Starts are dead engine starts, so you have to kick your bike over once the flag drops), he pulled into line as the flag was dropped, and just took off. One problem, he forgot to pull down his goggles, which he luckily decided to stop and put on once he ate a bunch of dust. I on the other hand did not have as great a start. I was forced to push my way through a couple of riders in front of me that were having trouble starting their bikes. By the time I got out and got going, I was stuck just behind the main pack. It took me a lap (Approx 10 miles) to finally relax and start riding my race. I pushed and pushed, going faster than I have in any previous race. It wasn’t until my third and final lap that I really started catching people and picking them off. I reached my first goal in finishing my race, but what’s more important than a possible top ten finish, is the friendships and camaraderie I have with my racing friends. Much like the people I see everyday here at Laidlaw’s, friends and family are an inspiration to ride with!
Year after year, my friends and I go out to this race. In fact, I don’t think we’ve missed one since I started riding again some 6 or 7 years ago. And every year we race amongst each other, some guys are lightning fast, some of us are not. But that one thing we have in common, racing, means we are all part of something bigger than just the race.
We come to together to support each other, to help each other, and when needed, console each other. We ride together, we race together, and we celebrate together.
This year was no different. As we all congregated together Friday night for the pre race barbeque bonanza, there was once again that buzz in the air. There were only 4 of us this year (usually we have 7 or 8), but we were all ready to rock the track and once again show each other that we still have that fire in us. My friends Scotty and Johnny were up first. Both took off like they were shot out of canons. Scotty would go on to finish in the top 5, pending official results. Johnny was a little bit farther off the pace after he stalled the bike in a huge burmed corner and it took him forever to get the bike started. But both finished, which is a victory unto itself with the brutal ness of the track getting worse and worse. Next it was my turn with my buddy Tony. Tony was actually racing on his brother Johnny’s bike, so he barely made it to the start line in time. He was so late in getting to the line, he never even had to shut off his engine (Starts are dead engine starts, so you have to kick your bike over once the flag drops), he pulled into line as the flag was dropped, and just took off. One problem, he forgot to pull down his goggles, which he luckily decided to stop and put on once he ate a bunch of dust. I on the other hand did not have as great a start. I was forced to push my way through a couple of riders in front of me that were having trouble starting their bikes. By the time I got out and got going, I was stuck just behind the main pack. It took me a lap (Approx 10 miles) to finally relax and start riding my race. I pushed and pushed, going faster than I have in any previous race. It wasn’t until my third and final lap that I really started catching people and picking them off. I reached my first goal in finishing my race, but what’s more important than a possible top ten finish, is the friendships and camaraderie I have with my racing friends. Much like the people I see everyday here at Laidlaw’s, friends and family are an inspiration to ride with!
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