2006 Post - Season Recap

As I sit here and brainstorm for the season ending recap, I find myself thinking about how I am going to incorporate all of the great things that happen this year. What was it that made this year so absolutely exceptional? Was it being able to overcome the greedy oil companies and still make it to every race on my schedule, despite their demands for over three dollars a gallon for gasoline? How about being able to say that my bike was always prepared and I had enough heart to finish every single race I was in this year. Or the blessed feeling of crossing the finish line without getting seriously injured. Maybe it was learning what it’s like to race for three hours and having my Dad and Jimmy-B join the team with their pitting efforts? Or being able to say that my Dad still races dirt bikes and I get to see him out on the track, even if he sees me for a couple seconds!? Knowing the pride in being able to say that I raced for 8 weeks straight and the final four races were in four completely different states? For my first year in 250 B finishing Second Overall in the Pennsylvania State Harescramble Series and also Second Overall in AMA District 6 Harescramble Series? Competing in 4 National Events – 2 AMA National Harescrambles and 2 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) races? Along with racing select National rounds, being able to say that I raced with the best riders in the country, and at the Ohio GNCC – the world?
Or how about all of the nights on race weeks that I had to sacrifice hanging out with my friends because they just don’t know the disciple it takes to be competitive in this grueling endurance sport. How about the countless hours I spent in the gym working out, on the bike practicing, helping my Dad work on the bikes, packing for race weekend, the hours of travel time we spent on the road, unpacking and cleaning everything up and even maintaining this website as well as sponsor relationships.
I guess it could be one or maybe a compilation of all the achievements above? But understand that it’s not something above, a trophy or plaque that I received this year, or even my new bike that can show what exactly made this year so absolutely exceptional.
Being blessed with opportunities to be able to do what you love is something that often came to mind this year. I am so thankful for having the opportunity to do what I love and it’s all of the above day to day activities and achievements that I’ll look back on and be able to say that I truly loved what I was doing. I consider myself the richest man alive because although this isn’t my fulltime job, what I get out of this sport and everything that comes with it means so much more than money. Fear, adrenaline, discipline, self-respect, personal achievement, admiration, gratification and love are all things that money can’t buy. Sure it would be great to be a professional someday, sitting on the front line with red number plates, but it’s more than about being a business – it’s fun, and it’s all the things mentioned above that I will use to someday try to be at the top of this sport. Call me a dreamer, or you can call me whatever you want, even if I fall short I’ll still be thankful for the opportunities that I was given to be able to ride that bike, hang out with my Dad, or achieve my personal goals. It’s all the meaningful stuff that matters, the money is something that just makes you work harder to be able to continue doing something that you love…and if it was easy, well then – I wouldn’t do it. Or like a line out of my favorite quote from Jeremy McGrath, “you just can’t make the sacrifices without the love.”
I deeply appreciate all of your support and help throughout the year, everyone from my loving Mother, my radical Dad, my family, and everyone else (you know who you are)!
I can hardly wait for next season and if I write about it now then I wouldn’t have anything to write about over the winter. Sponsorship deadlines will be up soon so cross your fingers for some more support for the 2007 season. The PA State as well as District 6 banquets are coming up so I will be attending those. There are a lot of things up in the air for next year but as far as moving to the ECEA (East Coast Series) it is almost certain.
Thanks again for all of your comments on and about the site. I will post random but informative news and information throughout the winter and begin the new year with a 2007 Pre-Season Preview. Thanks again for everything that you’ve done to help me partake in something that makes me extremely honored to be a part of.

AMA National Harescramble Pics!

Above: DHaggs Sr. #099
Above: DHaggs Jr. #925
Above: DHaggs Sr. #099
Above: DHaggs Jr. #925

Photos By: EventPhotoNow

AMA National Harescramble Race Recap

The AMA National Harescramble Series made its last stop on the tour in Eagleswood, New Jersey this past Sunday. The event was sponsored by Meteor MC and hosted by the Atlantic Grand Prix Series. With weather conditions nearly perfect and the sense of fierce national competition around the pits would lead you to believe that we were in for an amazing day of racing. Well, the reality of it all hit when it was 4:15 and I still haven’t raced yet and we were scheduled to start at 1:30. I was supposed to race a three hour race which would be a little difficult since sunset in the mornings paper said 6:19. Let me explain.
My Dads race was supposed to start at 11:30, but the organizers put every C class on one gi-normous line. So we sat there for about 2 hours until they could figure out who was in what class and what line they were supposed to be on. Finally they said start’em up so it wasn’t long and they were off. Now this is when I got really fired up, someone got hurt on the track and the ambulance had to take them off to the hospital and in the NJ off-road rule book you can’t run an event without medics on the scene. So they did one lap and the race was black flagged and they all had to get on the start and line up again until another ambulance showed up – they sat for another 40 minutes. At this point I didn’t even want to ride and I was seriously looking into getting my money back. I ended up going back to the trailer to eat something and then walking back up to see the second start. By the way, D Haggs Sr. holeshoted the start not only the first time but also the second time. The second time was a lot better because the first time he was going so fast that he overshot the first turn and lost his lead. The second time was a mirror image but he managed to tone it down and make the hairpin turn and keep his position at the front of the class heading into the woods. He ran a really good race, fast in the woods and strong in the fields. He thinks, nah he pretty much knows, he ended up in the top ten but due to all the previous catastrophe his scanner was unreliable. What’s important is how good of a ride he put in for the day.
I on the other hand had to get ready because I had no idea what was going on or when we would start or how long we were going to race for. I lined up and was able to see D Haggs Sr. finish his last lap up strong. There was some shuffling of lines prior to my race to but nothing like the supposed “morning race.” There were some big time pros on the front line and like always they were freak’n fast. It’s awesome being able to be out there and see them ride right by you while you try to follow their line but then in 5 seconds you can’t even see them anymore. After the dust cleared I was off and I got a great start, everyone pushed wide and I snuck right inside and came out of the first corner in third. Myself and the second place guy went at it right away. It wasn’t brought to my attention till the ride home but I was so fired up with how the day went I was pushing hard right off the start. Normally it takes me a little bit to get going but on Sunday I was on it! I made a good pass on the second place guy once we got into the woods and then it was me and first place, he was on a Honda. He was fast, I doubt that he was even a B rider but I was up for the challenge. He crashed hard and I raced by looking at him keeping my quick pace. It wasn’t long before he caught up to me passing me and out of my site. They again on the following lap there he was track side from crashing again. I passed him and pushed a bit harder this time and it was a while but he caught me again and made the pass. From then on out I found a pack of fast riders and hung with them for a while until I passed them. I felt so good and the track was AWESOME. I’m pretty sure that I love riding in the sand because it suits my riding style so well, and the way the track flowed it was if they built the track for me. I’m pretty sure that as the race went on my lap times dropped. There was some tight woods, some wide open sections where I was topped out on the bike, some cool elevation changes, and even some jumps. The woods were my favorite because they had great loamy dirt and a good portion of them had multiple lines where you could get creative; picking good lines is what I feel I’m best at. Due to the time the hardest part of the track was trying to see because the sun was so low it was right in your eyes the whole time. And when you were in the woods roots and trees were all over the place and the whole time I was trying to shade my eyes with my visor because I just couldn’t see anything. My last lap was probably my best; I was alone for about 90 percent of it. It wasn’t until there was about one mile to the finish line when the pro guys passed me again. I was still running strong and was able to do a few more laps but because of daylight the shortened to race to a normal two hours. When I came across the finish line the scanner board said 2nd and I was more than happy with that because I had an awesome ride, a great end to the day and an even better end to the season.
Thanks again to everyone who supported me throughout the year. Look for a year end recap coming soon!

AMA National Harescramble Info

What: Atlantic Grand Prix/ Meteor National Hare Scrambles

When: Sunday October 15th
Novice Race 11:30 (#099)
Pro Race 2:00 (#925)

Where: Sahara Sand of Eagleswood 942 Main Street (Route 9)Eagleswood, New Jersey 08092

Directions: Location of the event is at Sahara Sand and Gravel in Eagleswood NJ which is just south of Rt. 72 on Rt. 9 We’re right between Tuckerton NJ and Manahawkin NJ if you are looking for it on the map

Pit Fee: $10

OHIO Power Line PICS!!!

Above: David Knight approaching some very deep ruts
Above: That's me on the left, getting passed by the best rider in the world - Juha Salminen
Above: I let Juha go to see if he would get stuck, he didn't, so I took the same line
Above: And this was the shallow section of "Gus's Mudhole"
Above: If he would have went a little more to the right and you wouldn't be able to see the seat
Above: First time through your boots were soaked, everything was for that matter

Photos By: David Scearce

Power Line GNCC Race Recap

This weekend my Dad and I ventured to St. Clairsville, Ohio to compete in Round #12 of the Grand National Cross Country Series at Power Line Park. Although this race was not schedule into my 2006 racing calendar the decision was quickly made after securing a second place overall in the 250 B class for the PA State Harescramble Series the previous weekend. Race the last round of the State Series at a track that I don’t really like for the 3rd time this year for no reason or go race with the best in the country again? - It was an easy choice.
This time there would be no excuses, at Unadilla two weeks ago the conditions were terrible and the 3 hour race became a matter of survival. This time around would be quite different, a true showing of the potential of how good the 250 B riders are throughout the country. Not only was the weather absolutely perfect, the track - with some exceptions, was as good as any track that you could ask for. When you approached the facilities at Power Line Park you couldn’t help but to notice the beautiful rolling hills filled with bright green grass and colorful tree lines that were backed with a brilliant blue backdrop. It was something that you would see on a post card, only instead of dreaming how fun it would be to ride your bike up that gorgeous hill, you actually could for three hours.
We made the long 6 hour drive on Saturday morning and arrived at the park just in time to see our local quad boy Chris Borich win the pro quad race. Since we have never been to this track before my Dad and I took a look around at some of the terrain and how the track was laid out. For miles and miles all you could see where green rolling hills with light brown dirt paths connecting the woods between them, and right down the middle of the land were 4 massive power lines – hence the name Power Line Park.
In the woods you had your typical tight trails with your crazy GNCC technical hill climbs and down hills, a sweet creek section where they ran you right into a creek at the bottom of a valley, and let’s not forget Gus’s mud hole (I’ll come back to that). It was all of the open area that was the most extreme because it was so wide open and flat there were times that I was topped out in 5th gear. You would think it looks easy and that it was a good spot to relax before you went back into the black woods but it wasn’t. You could go so fast you really didn’t want to relax because you could make up some time. So what at first looked like a fun rideable track became a full out sprint for three hours, well that’s what I tried at least. Anyone in their right mind knows that you cannot go as fast as you can for three hours but in my case I pushed hard the whole time when in other occasions I would pace myself.
The start was an awesome set up. You went right up one of those beautiful hills that I was speaking of, made a left back down the hill, then a right back up the hill around a tree, then down again around a hay bail and then back up the hill into the woods. I got an alright start, probably mid pack in a full field of 30 + riders. The first lap was amazing, it was such a fast pace I never rode at that pace on such a long track. One lap turned out to be about 12 miles with the first lap losing one mile before the scanner. About 20 percent of the track was long rolling open trail, 60 percent was tight trails through the trees, 10 percent was hill climbs and down hills, 9 percent was mud holes with creek crossings, and then there was 1 percent –Gus’s Mud Hole. They claimed that it had a solid rock bottom but some would argue that it even had a bottom. I don’t even think it was mud; the “pond” has a dark grey color to it. You knew when you were arriving at this section of the track because there were hundreds of people there. With the help of the spectators, who eventually had to submerse themselves in the mud pit to show riders the best line, I made it through each time around – one time I almost drown my bike I barely made it across. That was the worst section on the track by far but there were still some other hill climbs where you had no running start, you went down a hill and then had to go straight back up it, and after 300 some riders trying this the hills became super slippery. By the last lap I got stuck on just about everyone and the spectators had to make a pull chain to get me over the top. I really couldn’t find a good flow all day but I made sure to keep pushing. The technical sections really took a lot out of me and by trying to make up time on the wide open hills I didn’t try to conserve much energy. I had a good pit halfway through the three hours; my Dad was head pitman for the weekend. He dumped the gas, I hydrated and grabbed some new goggles and gloves from him, it wasn’t more then a minute and I was back on it attacking the trail. After the first lap I came around and went through the scanner, I was in 23rd place. Never riding at this facility before certainly hurt me on the first lap, not to mention the tree I slammed which threw me across the trail with my bike still hugging the tree. When all was said and done and I couldn’t hold onto the bike anymore, three hours later I crossed the finish and picked up some spots coming in 19th in 250 B. This moved me up to 61st in the country, not bad for only racing in 2 out of 13 GNCC Rounds.
I would like to have done better and I could throw the some excuses out there but bottom line is this is the best competition in the country and when the conditions were ideal I got a real good idea of where I stand. I only raced 2 GNCC in the past three weeks and these guys follow the circuit all over the country. If I rolled in there and placed highly after only racing fulltime for 2 years it wouldn’t be saying much for the series. I did my best and I look forward to working hard at getting faster and smarter by riding with the best competition I can.
Thanks again to Pit Man D.Haggs Sr. who missed out on riding at Dutchmen just to come and pit for me in Ohio. You can catch him at the last race of the season in NJ for the last round of the AMA National Harescramble Series. He’ll be racing the amateur race in the morning and I will yet again be putting my body on the line for the three hour pro race in the afternoon. One more week!
(Server is down for pitures, I'll get them up as soon as possible)

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!

(Click on article to read)

Thank You Bill Keen!

OHIO POWER LINE GNCC!!!!!!!!

The two best off-road riders in the world will go head to head this weekend at the Power Line GNCC in Ohio. KTM rider David Knight, who resides in Europe, will replace the 2005 and 2006 series champion Juha Salmenin for the 2007 season. Throw both KTM riders in the mix with America’s very best off-road racers and you have an epic battle – me, I have an easy decision. After Sundays race at Hurricane Hills (Race Recap posted below) I have successfully clinched the 2nd Place spot in the PA State Series for the 250 B class. This means that next weekend Round #12 at Hurricane Hills would be meaningless, so it’s off to Ohio this weekend to race beside the best riders in the world! Let’s hope that the conditions are a little more adequate then two weeks ago in New York at the Unadilla GNCC. Thanks again for all of your support, look for the race recap when I get back next week! If you can’t wait until then you can get the results on Monday at http://www.gnccracing.com/ under Results - PM Bike race - (250 B)

Round #11 Race Recap

Round #11 of the PA State Harescramble Series was held this past Sunday at a muddy Hurricane Hills in Clifford, PA. Rain all day Saturday and Sunday morning left conditions looking very familiar to the previous weekend at GNCC’s Unadilla Valley.
The good news was that there were not 1000 bikes racing on the track leaving monstrous ruts. It was your typical PA State round, and since there were only two races left the points leaders in each class made up most of the racing field. Never the less there was 2 hours of racing to get done.
I was in good spirits prior to the race even though the youth classes that raced before us were head to toe in mud. I knew that it was going to be a muddy race while I was heading up to the track but I also knew that it would in no way be as horrific as last Sunday. (Thanks a lot to Biggs for letting me sleep at his house the night before) Since I rolled by myself in my “privateer” setup, my pickup, I got changed in the rain. I sure do love that “factory” ride with the Eco-line and KTM trailer. The rain seemed to stop when I was getting ready to head to the line so I grabbed my roll-offs and I was gone. I got a pretty good start and it didn’t take me as long as usual to find a good push of rhythm on the first lap. Broc, who has secured 1st place overall in the series for the year, got a horrible start and I didn’t see him until the end of the first lap. He made his way by me but he wasn’t getting away like he usually does. I kept him in site and didn’t let him get to far out in front. I ran really hard for almost all of the race, not until after half way did I realize that I was running a really fast pace. I didn’t feel too tired and I wasn’t cramping up so I slowed the pace down a bit but still tried to stay with Broc. With two laps left and Broc still in site I decided to give a hard push again to try and close the gap between us. He made a couple of bobbles on a really rocky, rooty, rutted, and whooped out up hill which let me move in on his back tire. He made a pass on a lapped rider right before a tight technical section so it left the rider stuck between us. I revved my bike and gave him a holler for the courtesy move aside but he didn’t move. I tried again to pass him but it wasn’t a good spot on the track so I was waiting to make a move after the uphill. The lapped rider fell right in front of me on the uphill and was practically lying on my front wheel. I kindly let him know that if he would have moved over when he was supposed to I would still be with the leader - in choice words. This happened on the last lap with about 2 miles to go. I did my best to try and catch back up with the leader and I did, just he got the checkered flag and I was about 15 seconds behind him. After a good battle for 2 hours I ended up taking home 2nd Place for the day, I was pretty happy with that! I really felt that if I had another lap I would have gotten him but that wasn’t the case on Sunday.
I had a really good ride overall, very little mistakes and considering the conditions, you’ll have that. Only one more round left at Flying Dutchmen which takes place this Sunday.
#099 wasn’t feeling so well so he didn’t race or make the trip and Jimmy B, well, he just can’t make’em all, but they were both sorely missed.