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sharkmx62
02-09-2009, 07:27 AM
The pre-race
Last week my friend told me there was going to be an AX race in Tulsa, so we figured we would go hit it up. The only thing slowing us down was, money and time. Saturday I had to go meet some people at a track in Ft Worth, Village Creek, then from there head to Tulsa. I didnt really want to have to get a hotel and I didnt wanna leave my bikes in the back of the truck. This is where having a badass grandad comes into play. He let me borrow his sweet Box Van for the weekend


http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq43/kellyac129/tulsa002.jpg


So after getting it all loaded up my roomates and my buddy Adam where off to the races.


http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq43/kellyac129/tulsa001.jpg

At Village on Saturday
http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq43/kellyac129/Picture336.jpg
The Parking Fun
Found our way to Tulsa around 10pm and thats when the fun began. I dont know about the rest of the rounds but at Dallas, there is ALWAYS free gated parking for amatuer day. So we pull into the gated area to have the security guard tell us to go to 11th street for parking, then we start backing up, a cop pulls up to yell at us then yells again because we arent backing up fast enough. "gas is on the right use the one on the right!!" Have you ever tried backing a van up? No easy task. Get to 11th street, which is literally 7 blocks away. F that noise. Not another car is parked there, obviously. So we hit up a restaurant and find a parking lot near the stadium


http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq43/kellyac129/tulsa013.jpg




http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq43/kellyac129/tulsa014.jpg


Park there late at night and see the sign says $5, no biggie drop our 5 in and try to get some sleep. Sleep was no easy task as the train went by every 10 minutes, a cop stood outside our car on his radio, and some guy on some gnarly drugs/booze yelled at the top of his lungs for about 15 minutes.
Wake up get signed in to find out AX has increased in price greatly, $60 for race and pit pass plus AMA card.
The Practice
More fun is-store for me. We get our pit area set-up


http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq43/kellyac129/tulsa015.jpg

And head out for practice. Well more 4 stroke loving friends this is why I waited so long to convert. My brand new 450 decides to be a ***** to start, and I get a solid 2 laps of practice, hells yea. The track was pretty easy but still would like to know it a bit better


http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq43/kellyac129/tulsa016.jpg


More Parking Fun
After practice run back to the semi because we left our cooler. Lady in the parking lot is yelling at us for not paying. I tell her I left the money in the drop-box, late lastnight/early this morning. She then goes the price is now $15 to pay. So after arguing we leave then head to another parking lot adjacent to it, its an abondoned bank where many others park. So we park there then the lady follows us to that spot and says its $30! Leave there and find a free meter spot close to the parking lot.
Heat Race
Since I missed the majority of practice and there was only enough people in both heats to fill the gates in the main, I decided to use the heat as a practice. Well this plan didnt work to well either as some goon wadded in the whoops next to me stalling my bike. Couldnt for the life of me get it into neutral. So my heat race is a total bust too.
Pre-main
Decided to sit around in the stands to watch some othe classes race. Expert class was a blast with Gray Davenport, K. Johnson, and Michael Willard all neck and neck. Willard struglled through the whoops and start but was clearly the fastest. Watched the Lites novice. Oh man, what a cluster. I think everyone went down at some point in the race. it got real gnarly when a kid crashed in the rhythm. sat on a tuff block, then some squid got squirrely ran into him, knocked his bike off the rhythm section into the whoops where the leader was charging through getting taken down hard. I was now amped for my race!
Main Event
Due to my amazing heat race, I got an awesome gate choice, far left back-row. SCORE! Got a decent jump out of the gate but nothing good, rode around strong just telling myself to ride a solid smooth 5 laps and things would come together. Naturally every lap a few more riders were down, and I ended up 4th. considering the weekend, I'll take it!

motogrady
02-09-2009, 07:36 AM
Cool post, thanks for puttin it up.
Missed the box by 1? Dayummmm.

sharkmx62
02-09-2009, 07:58 AM
Cool post, thanks for puttin it up.
Missed the box by 1? Dayummmm.
Yup one friggin spot. I didnt even see third though.

yzaddict106
02-09-2009, 08:11 AM
Nice job man. What class did you race and what part of Texas are you from?

Demon
02-09-2009, 08:43 AM
nice report Shark, sweet van.

sharkmx62
02-09-2009, 08:43 AM
Nice job man. What class did you race and what part of Texas are you from?
450 novice, plano, its a little north of Dallas

valvesR4pussies
02-09-2009, 09:35 AM
That sounded like a fun weekend, despite all the parking B.S.

devindavis410
02-09-2009, 10:35 AM
good job out there!

last year at sacramento my buddy was running 4th for most the main, untiiiiil some goon flew across the track and took him out, same goon who took out corey green (who was leading) on the last lap while getting lapped.:lol:


were you racing the arenacross lites class?

sharkmx62
02-09-2009, 11:12 AM
nah devin I still suck, amatuer day, 450 novice.
And yeah Valves once the main started it was good. I was getting pissed after the parking practice and heat race. But I enjoyed the mian a lot so it all turned out alright

yzaddict106
02-09-2009, 01:23 PM
Cool man. I know EXACTLY where Plano is. I lived there for 3 years. Right off Ohio street and Quincy. I live down in Houston now.

sharkmx62
02-09-2009, 01:36 PM
How long ago did you live there? thats actually really close to where my parents live

Is 3 palms as amazing as I here it is?

yzaddict106
02-09-2009, 02:16 PM
I lived there from 3rd to 5th grade, so that would have been 1999-2001

Obarf
02-09-2009, 02:18 PM
Cool story!! I wish more people would put up stuff like this. That sucks that after all the hassle of parking and what not, you got so little time on the track.

yzaddict106
02-09-2009, 02:21 PM
And as far as 3 palms goes, it has it's days. The biggest thing is that there are a ton of tracks. 4 big bike tracks and 2 pitbike tracks. It's pretty cool. The owner is a ******, but the facility is cool. Here are a couple helmet cams and other videos from the track:

Main Track:
YouTube - Helmet Cam: 3 Palms Main Track

"Supercross" Track (they just recently changed it):
YouTube - Helmet Cam: 3 Palms SX Track 6/2/08

Pitbike Track:
YouTube - Helmet Cam: 3 Palms Pitbike Track 6/2/08

Main Track (again):
YouTube - Stevie Kurth Benefit Race

Demon
02-09-2009, 02:31 PM
Cool story!! I wish more people would put up stuff like this. .:thumbsup: QFT! Further more people should utilize more of the main site features like blogs and the laser cannon, oops sorry Ronron hasn't finished that one yet :embarrassed:

Aus_Rider_22
02-09-2009, 07:49 PM
Cool write-up, Sharkmx.

sharkmx62
02-10-2009, 05:22 AM
Im glad you guys enjoyed it! I'll be sure and do it again next time something like this comes up!