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Prairie City This years race at Prairie City was as good as it gets there, with conditions on the muddy side of perfect. A lot of racers pulled double duty this weekend racing the cowbell on Saturday. Billy and G Man tagged along with Paige and I for the weekend. I burned two checks and ran out of gas at the Cowbell so I was glad there was another race the next day. The start was the best that I have ever seen at Prairie City, located outside of the motocross track the start featured a big left hand sweeper that didn't have any rocks. I had a good spot on the inside and was ready to race. G Man asked me on the line if my button worked. I knew it did but I also knew I was now jinxed. Sure enough on the straddle the front wheel start the bike didn't start until the pack was already going down the second straight away. Being by myself I came up on the pack a lot faster than they were going and was able to make up a lot of positions from the sixty riders that started on the front row. About a mile in the track went into the rockier side of the park where you have to be especially careful the first lap. I am getting to learn the area pretty good after racing there for ten years and was able to use that experience to get through the pack. Just after halfway through the lap we were leaving the rocky area and were heading into the faster less rocky area. I was able to pass Craig on a fast fence line road then got by Justin at the end of next big straight. I didn't see anyone ahead until we entered the Hangtown Motocross track. This year we did the track in the right direction and it was in fine shape which made it fun. I could see two riders in front of me that looked like Brian Spearle and Jordan Brandt. The rest of the course was pretty fast and the four stroke was really working good for me on this track. A couple miles into the second lap I saw Jordan picking his bike out from a mud hole. I got by him right as he got his bike started but he passed me back in the next corner. Following him I saw he was going for it so I was happy to follow him and see if he would make a mistake. He didn't so when we got to the fence line road I kept accelerating as he reached his top speed. I was getting to know the where to go and where the rain ruts were so I charged ahead and caught Spearle just as we got to the motocross track. At the end of the track I pulled along side Spearle and we had drag raced towards the gate into the 4X4 area. I got there first and into the lead. I was feeling good and was able to pull ahead of Spearle in the rocks the next lap. I came into the pits after the third lap and managed to get out before anyone else came in. I was having a lot of fun and thought it was the best course that I have ridden at Prairie City, partly because of the perfect conditions without mudholes or dust, and partly because this was the first time I had tried to a four stroke and I felt really comfortable on it at this track. Spearle got stuck in a rut and dropped a few spots to Justin Soule and Gregg Ghione. Jordan had crashed resulting in brake problems so he called it a day. So did Bryce Olsen and I found out as I came through the pits the next lap and saw him cheering me on. I pit in a couple more good laps until I saw the finish line. Justin lost some sprocket bolts which broke his hub so he dropped out on the last lap. Gregg Ghoine rode a solid race for second and Spearle recovered for third just four weeks after getting his collarbone plated. Billy ended up in twelfth with G Man just behind him in 13th. |