Prairie City Grand Prix

The first round of the District 36 Hare Scrambles took place at the Prairie City Off Highway Vehicle Park in perfect conditions.  Usually this race is very muddy taking place in January but we have had a couple weeks off from the rain.  We arrived an hour before the 9 AM start and were greeted with a half mile line of trucks waiting to get in the gate.  With all of the racers in attendance the start was delayed for an hour to give everyone the opportunity to sign up and get ready.  There was already a full line when I got to the start but I noticed that there was just enough room for one more on the inside.  Brian wasn't as lucky and squeezed in near the backside of Craig Wesner about five bikes from the inside.  To start the race we had to run to the bike, jump on it and go.  I got a good jump and made it through the first turn and onto the pavement section in fourth place.  Brian surprisingly got a good start from a bad spot and was close behind me in sixth place.  We made a couple of quick passes and got into second and third behind defending champ Robbie Zimmerman.  Prairie City was dredged about fifty years ago and from the mining was left many piles of dirt which left us some good jumps and lots of scary drop offs.  There are also tons of round river rock everywhere which are slippery and tend to pile up in the bottom of most of the G-outs.  Brian and I always ride cautiously on the first lap to scout out the drop offs and find where all of the rain ruts are at.  I was happy to follow Robbie but Brian came up and passed me and put some pressure on Robbie.  I later found out that I had drenched Brian in a puddle and he was wet and pissed.  They picked up the pace and swapped the lead back a couple of times.  I was able to stay right behind them and get the best view of the battle for the lead.  Robbie was in the lead at the end of the first lap with Brian and I close behind, and with Craig Wesner hanging behind us.  On the second lap I had a good line figured out on the top of a fast hill around a bunch of rain ruts and passed both Brian and Robbie.  I noticed soon after Brian made a pass on Robbie.  At the end of the lap there was a big line at the barrels that we had to wait in.  I noticed that Robbie was about seven riders after Brian and I in line.  On the next lap Brian and I had a good battle with each other and passed each other a couple of times.  Brian got the best of me over a mud hole jump and had the lead going into the pits.  We had a good pit with the BC Boyz getting us all gassed up and out of there quick.  On the next lap Brian got through a rough rutted section really good and put about ten seconds on me.  Soon after I caught up to my Dad and had the opportunity to soak him in a puddle but decided to be nice and back off.  For the rest of the race I kept some pressure on Brian but was never close enough to go for a pass.  Craig Wesner moved up to third place and Brian Spearle put his KTM into fourth place, and Robbie Zimmerman rounded out the top five.    

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