Round #6 of the AMA National Harescramble Series was held this past Sunday at Bear Valley, PA – home of Rausch Creek Trail Riders. The race course was moved from the original spot to the opposite end of the 10,000 acre trail park. Anybody that knows what it’s like to ride in this area, it doesn’t matter if the track is 100 miles in any direction, there are going to be LOTS of rocks; and Sundays National was no exception.
The weather forecast was calling for thunderstorms in the afternoon but after some short drizzle in the morning by the time we were gearing up the sun burst through the gloomy clouds. The humidity didn’t feel all that bad but the sun gave off enough heat to keep you constantly sipping your camel back.
You could tell what kind of reputation Rausch Creek has just by the number of riders that showed up to race. The long tough brutal challenging course has slowly cut down the number of racers over the years. This year was especially obvious when there were only 6 Pro’s on the front line and the only factory pro was PA’s Barry Hawk.
I got a great start, second up the hill and second into the woods. I made it a point to get a good start and keep a good pace early on because I knew that the track was going to be tough - especially over a 3 hour period. The first lap was exactly what I expected it to be, rocks, rocks, and more rocks. The course was laid out in a horseshoe type loop that weaved up and down the mountain side for about 11 miles. The worst part about the track was the enormous uphill that was around the 7.5 mile marker. I came around the corner and saw about 30 bikers sitting at the bottom of the huge hill. It was straight up for about 300ft and there were big rocks scattered throughout and not to mention the other 15 guys stuck on the hill trying to get up it. There was no way to get around it, even though you could hear guys just pinning the gas and spinning the rear tires in the surrounding hillside. It was absolutely the most ridiculous section of a track that I have ever encountered in my racing years. I know that it was a national race and a nation should be hard, but it should not be unrideable. If a Pro like Barry Hawk can’t even make it up, without the help of 5 guys pushing his bike half way up the hill, then how are the rest of the riders suppose to make it up!? And there was no morning race for the amateur riders so all the beginners were expected to make it up a hill like that? After the first lap barely anyone was making it up and then people were taking another path and guys were riding backwards on the trail. How is the scoring not going to be messed up with spots like that on the track? The whole organization of the race was poor and I don’t see how Rausch Creek can get another national race next year.
Other than that ridiculous hill Noah D. and I had a good time racing back and forth. We somehow found each other out on the trail and stuck together until we got to that hill every lap. I felt good and just wanted to keep a good pace through the day and try not to repeat what happened last year. Remember I had heat exhaustion and I was stuck up on the mountain – not fun. There were a couple spots out on the track that were just dangerous and it was basically you were going to make it through or you weren’t. Even though it was an 11 mile loop there were only about 4 spots where you could rest for 10 seconds or so. The track just beat you down and it was a matter of who could keep their bike running the longest.
When I last came through the scanner I was in 5th Place, and since the scoring and track was all messed up, on the final print out they have me in 7th, which doesn’t even matter because there is nothing I can do about it. I rode well, made little mistakes and kept a good pace and that was enough to make me happy.
DHaggs. Sr. didn’t have such a good day either. He was taken out by another rider within the first 2 miles of the track and he was stuck for a good while when he went off a ledge which put him in a off-track bolder section. He made it around the rest of the track and then he hit the huge ridiculous uphill. He made it up his first time and then called it quits when he came back around to the pits. He still pulled off a good position coming in at 13th Place out of a full line.
AMohar race his Quad in the afternoon race. He made little mistakes but he didn’t let the track get the best of him. He managed to push hard for the 2 plus hours and even though he had a slow start he came back to pass half the field and take home an 11th Place for the day. He looked impressive out there for 3 laps.
Special thanks to Jimmy and Dave for making the long trip on their Harley’s; despite the fact that the forecast showed rain. They got to see some good racing and even a good chunk of the track when I took them on a hike to see the huge uphill that nobody could make it up. We ended up getting lost and after hiking all that way we never did see the hill.
And thanks to Jimmy B for making it out and getting back to his trackside photographer picture taking.
Now its summer break so take some time and enjoy the weather – see you in the fall!
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
Welcome to DHAGGS Racing. Primary sponsor of Dennis P. Haggerty Jr. #925. My Past Sponsors: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport,(Your Company Here). I would also like to thank: My Wife Christina, My Kids Travis & Aubrey, Pit Man Jimmy B, my Friends and Family, my Mother, and my Pops for being my Mechanic!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Rausch Creek AMA National Pics!!!
The Harley's DID NOT Enter the Race....But they did get Dirty!
DHaggs Jr. on the Start
DHaggs Sr. on the Start
Jr. Sr. and Mohar on the Start
DHaggs Jr. #925 Second into the Woods!
DHaggs Sr. #099
#925 HillClimb
AMohar #831
#925 Blurry
#099 Crowded HillClimb
Noah D. and DHaggs.... Almost a Collision!
Would you be able to Race a Bike over Hills like This!?!?Pictures By: DHaggs Jr. - AMohar - Jimmy B
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
SUPER-SIZED Miles Mountain Weekend Recap!!!
Round #6 of the PA State Harescramble Series was held this past Sunday at Miles Mountain MX Park in Elkland, PA. Miles Mountain also hosted an AMA National Quad Harescramble race on Saturday and all races held over the weekend were a combined event with the PA State Series and the Western New York Harescramble Series. Needless to say, it was exciting to have an opportunity to race against some new faces, so honorary team member and quad racer AMohar and I packed it up and headed 4 hours north for Miles Mountain on Friday. DHaggs Sr. was sidelined this weekend from catching “my” flu that I had the weekend before.
When we arrived Friday afternoon luckily we were able to get a spot on semi-flat ground. I made it a point to try and not be parked on the far hill like last year when my ankles were hurting from walking on a slant all weekend. We were rolling without our normal van set-up so we had a fresh new look in the pits. I think we made due just fine and in no time at all we were all set up and ready to go and register and get that out of the way.
After a goodnights sleep in the tent we awoke to the youth racers getting ready to tackle the hills of Northern PA. Just like the GNCC format, the AMA Quad Nationals run an armature morning race at 10:30 and then a Pro race at 2. At 10:15 that’s where you found AMohar – on the line. He and 32 other racers were all lined up on the 22+ C line which was the second row behind the utility atvs.
After a late start off the line it didn’t take AMohar too long to understand what he got himself into. Although the weather was partly cloudy throughout the day on Saturday and course workers said that they did get a fair amount of rain on Thursday night, what lay deep in the woods was something you would only understand if you were out there racing in it. He said the first lap was so tight that it was basically follow the leader through most of the course. It was hard to make another line off the main track because the conditions were so bad. On the second lap it opened up a bit and despite getting hung up on an off camber hill, which added a couple minutes to his lap time, AMohar was feeling pretty good and was making his way through the rugged and treacherous terrain. He waited for his third and final lap to make it his best one of the day. By the time he came through the scanner he picked off three people on the last lap by not giving up and pushing hard till the end, he ended up in 15th Place.
After the morning race we were able to watch the number one quad racer in the country, our local boy, Chris Borich take the checkers in the pro race. After the pro race finished it started to rain for about a half hour or so and I was getting a little nervous because rain was the last thing we needed for the bike races on Sunday.
Sunday morning came and the tent glowed of bright sunshine early in the morning. I unzipped the window and it was a beautiful day – not a cloud in the sky! While the youth racers took off at 8am we started to break down camp so we would have less to do when I was done racing. By the time the amateur race started at 11 we went to watch the start and see some of the technical sections to see how the riders were making it through. At 1:15 I was starting to gear up, at 1:45 I was on the line and at 2:00 we took off. Since this was a combined event with PA and NY there were a ton of good riders at the start and it was obvious when about 30 AA riders were in front of me. My line was stacked as well and thankfully I got a great spot on the start. When the flag dropped I kicked the starter, twisted the throttle and held on! I got a great start, 3rd to the fist turn and just after I was about 4th going up the first up hill. Okay so the beginning and end of my race were the best parts, the middle – I don’t know what they heck was going on!?
I was super surprised when I first made it into the woods; it was so muddy I couldn’t believe it. I’m not talking like a little muddy, I’m talking like the shinny soupy mud that’s like 2 feet deep and is as slippery as ice. Then throw some icy slick tree roots under the mud that you can’t even see and go up, down, and across the mountain through trees while trying to race with 200 other riders on the track. I remember last year being tough with the all the roots but this year was a whole different story – it was super technical and tough.
About the 4 mile marker some one tried to pass me in one of these sections, which was not such a smart thing to do and he hit a tree and it didn’t make a nice sound. He wrecked so hard I had to at least stop to make sure he was okay because from what I saw, there was no way that he could be. Then I made my way to the 7 and a half mile point where there was a huge uphill in the woods. The bottom section of the uphill was all off camber and then it made a hard right up the hill and it was super muddy and rooted. There were probably about 5 or 6 guys stuck on the hill and when I tried to get around them and make it up it – I got stuck. I was stuck for a good 5 minutes until I made it up the hill. I made it through the next several miles clean until about the 11 mile marker when I took a different line that was tight between two trees and there was a log lying between them with some roots, I hit it funny because of the mud and I went down again. My bike was lying with the handlebars down the hill and when I tried to pick it up the tree was stuck against my forks in-between my fender and my wheel. At this point I was frustrated and getting pretty beat up from the first lap, it was the longest 12 miles of my life. And one more incident happened on the first lap. Last year there was a huge creek jump, they had the same this year but at sign up they had a sign saying there were two creek jumps. I asked the riders from each race all weekend where the other creek jump was and they said there was only one. I found a course worker on Sunday morning and he said that it was just before the big creek jump and it was just a little “dip” that they called a creek jump. Well there it was just a few hundred yards from the big jump but there was no way in telling it was a jump. The workers were right at the foot of it and with the muddy conditions it was too late to get on the gas. When I came out of the woods I tried to get through the slop but then I noticed that I wasn’t going to make it. I turned around to get better momentum to make it across and when I did I went off course and got barbed-wire wrapped up in my wheel. What makes this part funny is that at the start of the race Joe Bromley announced the race promoter, who was making all of the announcements, and I knew the name sounded familiar. When I got the barbed-wire wrapped up in my rear tire the guy who helped me looked familiar. I didn’t put 2 and 2 together and it wasn’t until after the race when I asked some one who Jeremy Richardson was and when they pointed him out I realized that Jeremy and I played football together at Mansfield a few years back. What makes it funnier is that when he was helping me out he said, “your that guy with your own website aren’t you?,” which I now find extremely funny because he didn’t know it was me. Well again Thanks for your help, and like I said I love the track and the drive is worth it. So that concluded my first lap.
On my second lap it went a bit smoother with the exception of the hill-climb in the woods again. This time around there was still guys stuck on the hill and there were spotters there re-routing everyone and the one guy waved me up this one trail. It kind of made a dead end in some tall weeds but you could see another trail just a few yards away. I made my way through some brush and popped back up on the trail and it turns out that it was the same trail I was just on! So I back tracked about a half mile and had to go all the way back around and back up the up hill and take a different trail. The rest of the second lap was not too bad. When I came around for the third and final lap I was frustrated about the beginning of the race, especially because I felt so good physically. My third lap was by far my best lap, no problems and I just pushed as hard as I could and I enjoyed the track. A few miles from the finish I hooked up with fellow D6 Vet A racer Kevin Simpson and we raced back and forth through the muddy sloppy mess in the woods. The last mud hole before hitting the woods for the last time he went way right and I went way left and he made the pass and held on till the checkers.
It was one of the most frustrating, enjoyable, sloppiest, technical, and weirdest race that I have even been in. From getting stuck, to falling, to getting lost, everything that could happen did. With everything that happened I still managed to salvage a 15th Place, which I’m not really happy with but like I said I had fun and I love Miles Mountain. Overall it was a great weekend and I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any other way….well maybe DHaggs Sr.’s pork roll sandwiches for breakfast.
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
When we arrived Friday afternoon luckily we were able to get a spot on semi-flat ground. I made it a point to try and not be parked on the far hill like last year when my ankles were hurting from walking on a slant all weekend. We were rolling without our normal van set-up so we had a fresh new look in the pits. I think we made due just fine and in no time at all we were all set up and ready to go and register and get that out of the way.
After a goodnights sleep in the tent we awoke to the youth racers getting ready to tackle the hills of Northern PA. Just like the GNCC format, the AMA Quad Nationals run an armature morning race at 10:30 and then a Pro race at 2. At 10:15 that’s where you found AMohar – on the line. He and 32 other racers were all lined up on the 22+ C line which was the second row behind the utility atvs.
After a late start off the line it didn’t take AMohar too long to understand what he got himself into. Although the weather was partly cloudy throughout the day on Saturday and course workers said that they did get a fair amount of rain on Thursday night, what lay deep in the woods was something you would only understand if you were out there racing in it. He said the first lap was so tight that it was basically follow the leader through most of the course. It was hard to make another line off the main track because the conditions were so bad. On the second lap it opened up a bit and despite getting hung up on an off camber hill, which added a couple minutes to his lap time, AMohar was feeling pretty good and was making his way through the rugged and treacherous terrain. He waited for his third and final lap to make it his best one of the day. By the time he came through the scanner he picked off three people on the last lap by not giving up and pushing hard till the end, he ended up in 15th Place.
After the morning race we were able to watch the number one quad racer in the country, our local boy, Chris Borich take the checkers in the pro race. After the pro race finished it started to rain for about a half hour or so and I was getting a little nervous because rain was the last thing we needed for the bike races on Sunday.
Sunday morning came and the tent glowed of bright sunshine early in the morning. I unzipped the window and it was a beautiful day – not a cloud in the sky! While the youth racers took off at 8am we started to break down camp so we would have less to do when I was done racing. By the time the amateur race started at 11 we went to watch the start and see some of the technical sections to see how the riders were making it through. At 1:15 I was starting to gear up, at 1:45 I was on the line and at 2:00 we took off. Since this was a combined event with PA and NY there were a ton of good riders at the start and it was obvious when about 30 AA riders were in front of me. My line was stacked as well and thankfully I got a great spot on the start. When the flag dropped I kicked the starter, twisted the throttle and held on! I got a great start, 3rd to the fist turn and just after I was about 4th going up the first up hill. Okay so the beginning and end of my race were the best parts, the middle – I don’t know what they heck was going on!?
I was super surprised when I first made it into the woods; it was so muddy I couldn’t believe it. I’m not talking like a little muddy, I’m talking like the shinny soupy mud that’s like 2 feet deep and is as slippery as ice. Then throw some icy slick tree roots under the mud that you can’t even see and go up, down, and across the mountain through trees while trying to race with 200 other riders on the track. I remember last year being tough with the all the roots but this year was a whole different story – it was super technical and tough.
About the 4 mile marker some one tried to pass me in one of these sections, which was not such a smart thing to do and he hit a tree and it didn’t make a nice sound. He wrecked so hard I had to at least stop to make sure he was okay because from what I saw, there was no way that he could be. Then I made my way to the 7 and a half mile point where there was a huge uphill in the woods. The bottom section of the uphill was all off camber and then it made a hard right up the hill and it was super muddy and rooted. There were probably about 5 or 6 guys stuck on the hill and when I tried to get around them and make it up it – I got stuck. I was stuck for a good 5 minutes until I made it up the hill. I made it through the next several miles clean until about the 11 mile marker when I took a different line that was tight between two trees and there was a log lying between them with some roots, I hit it funny because of the mud and I went down again. My bike was lying with the handlebars down the hill and when I tried to pick it up the tree was stuck against my forks in-between my fender and my wheel. At this point I was frustrated and getting pretty beat up from the first lap, it was the longest 12 miles of my life. And one more incident happened on the first lap. Last year there was a huge creek jump, they had the same this year but at sign up they had a sign saying there were two creek jumps. I asked the riders from each race all weekend where the other creek jump was and they said there was only one. I found a course worker on Sunday morning and he said that it was just before the big creek jump and it was just a little “dip” that they called a creek jump. Well there it was just a few hundred yards from the big jump but there was no way in telling it was a jump. The workers were right at the foot of it and with the muddy conditions it was too late to get on the gas. When I came out of the woods I tried to get through the slop but then I noticed that I wasn’t going to make it. I turned around to get better momentum to make it across and when I did I went off course and got barbed-wire wrapped up in my wheel. What makes this part funny is that at the start of the race Joe Bromley announced the race promoter, who was making all of the announcements, and I knew the name sounded familiar. When I got the barbed-wire wrapped up in my rear tire the guy who helped me looked familiar. I didn’t put 2 and 2 together and it wasn’t until after the race when I asked some one who Jeremy Richardson was and when they pointed him out I realized that Jeremy and I played football together at Mansfield a few years back. What makes it funnier is that when he was helping me out he said, “your that guy with your own website aren’t you?,” which I now find extremely funny because he didn’t know it was me. Well again Thanks for your help, and like I said I love the track and the drive is worth it. So that concluded my first lap.
On my second lap it went a bit smoother with the exception of the hill-climb in the woods again. This time around there was still guys stuck on the hill and there were spotters there re-routing everyone and the one guy waved me up this one trail. It kind of made a dead end in some tall weeds but you could see another trail just a few yards away. I made my way through some brush and popped back up on the trail and it turns out that it was the same trail I was just on! So I back tracked about a half mile and had to go all the way back around and back up the up hill and take a different trail. The rest of the second lap was not too bad. When I came around for the third and final lap I was frustrated about the beginning of the race, especially because I felt so good physically. My third lap was by far my best lap, no problems and I just pushed as hard as I could and I enjoyed the track. A few miles from the finish I hooked up with fellow D6 Vet A racer Kevin Simpson and we raced back and forth through the muddy sloppy mess in the woods. The last mud hole before hitting the woods for the last time he went way right and I went way left and he made the pass and held on till the checkers.
It was one of the most frustrating, enjoyable, sloppiest, technical, and weirdest race that I have even been in. From getting stuck, to falling, to getting lost, everything that could happen did. With everything that happened I still managed to salvage a 15th Place, which I’m not really happy with but like I said I had fun and I love Miles Mountain. Overall it was a great weekend and I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any other way….well maybe DHaggs Sr.’s pork roll sandwiches for breakfast.
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Monday, June 08, 2009
Foot of the Mountain Pics!
The Pit Board Said - "Your SICK!"
Scanner Approach
Coming Through...
DHaggs Sr. Making His way Down the Mountain
#099 Over the Log Pile
Helmet Camera!
DHaggs Sr. and AMohar at the Start
Nice Form!
Foot of the Mountain is in a Beautiful Area!Pictures By:DHaggs Jr. and Mrs. D'Antonio
Foot of the Mountain Race Recap!
Round # 5 of the PA State Harescramble Series took place this past Sunday at Foot of the Moutain in Neelytown, PA. It was a beautiful day for racing and having not been at Foot of the Mountain last year, we were anxious to get back into the rocky woods. For the first time ever I don’t have much of a “race” recap per say. I had the flu and the last thing I wanted to do was get on a bike. My body was achy and sore, I was dizzy and my body was drained of any strength, but I found myself on my bike lined up at the starting line anyhow. The Foot of the Mountain course is rough, really rough. It is winds up and down the mountain and is full with rocks and roots. There is a little field section but it’s all off camber which doesn’t give you much time to relax before your back in the woods again. I couldn’t breathe the first two laps and when I finally could I tried to push for a couple laps but I just didn’t have anything, my body was too weak. Even when I feel %100 the track is tough, it’s just so physically demanding, there was just no way I was going to be able to make it, so I pulled off before I got worse. It was a hard decision to make and I’ve never pulled off ever in my career.
The good news of the day was team members, DHaggs Sr. #099 and honorary team member AMohar #831, who had great results. DHaggs Sr. put in some good laps and mentioned that he had a good charge going on. He pitted for fuel and ripped some tear-offs and finished up the rest of the race strong. He really liked the layout of the course and was a bit frustrated after suffering from blurred vision for the second race in a row. Regardless he managed to pull a 4th Place finish for the day.
AMohar was the last race of the day. While watching the bike race he walked a little into the woods and checked out some of the track but I don’t think he was expecting way laid deep in the woods a little further up the mountain. He got a good start and took off with the mid-pack into the woods. After seeing the whole course for the first time his first lap could have probably been his last. He said that it was rough, consistent rocks with some technical hill climbs. His line was packed and his goal was to pull off a top ten. Each lap when he came through the scanner he kept picking riders off and when was all said and done and he couldn’t even hold on anymore he finished in 6th Place. That is a great result for this track especially being his second race. Both DHaggs Sr. and AMohar brought home some nice plaques and I brought home a bag full of tissues and cough drop wrappers. Hopefully the team can get back on track this weekend at Miles Mountain.
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
The good news of the day was team members, DHaggs Sr. #099 and honorary team member AMohar #831, who had great results. DHaggs Sr. put in some good laps and mentioned that he had a good charge going on. He pitted for fuel and ripped some tear-offs and finished up the rest of the race strong. He really liked the layout of the course and was a bit frustrated after suffering from blurred vision for the second race in a row. Regardless he managed to pull a 4th Place finish for the day.
AMohar was the last race of the day. While watching the bike race he walked a little into the woods and checked out some of the track but I don’t think he was expecting way laid deep in the woods a little further up the mountain. He got a good start and took off with the mid-pack into the woods. After seeing the whole course for the first time his first lap could have probably been his last. He said that it was rough, consistent rocks with some technical hill climbs. His line was packed and his goal was to pull off a top ten. Each lap when he came through the scanner he kept picking riders off and when was all said and done and he couldn’t even hold on anymore he finished in 6th Place. That is a great result for this track especially being his second race. Both DHaggs Sr. and AMohar brought home some nice plaques and I brought home a bag full of tissues and cough drop wrappers. Hopefully the team can get back on track this weekend at Miles Mountain.
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
June 7th Foot of the Mountain Race INFO!!!
What: Round #5 PA State Harescramble SeriesWhere: Foot of the Mountain - Neelytown, PA
When: This Sunday June 7th / Race Starts 11:30
Where: Directions - 76 West - Get off at Willow Hill (Old Exit 14) - Left on Rt 75 follow 6 miles to flashing red/yellow light - Left on Rt 641 and follow that up and then back down the mountain and you will see a Red Barn - Make a left and the track will be just down the road on your left.
Pit Fee: $10
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
DHAGGS JR. Mountain Ridge GNCC Helmetcam!!!
This was our first test ride with a helmet camera - ever! Since we were in the experimental stage we now know after watching the film that the camera needs to be pointed a little higher. Both DHaggs Sr. and I (DHaggs Jr.) ran the first lap each with the camera on at the Somerset GNCC. He rode in the Morning race and I was in the Afternoon race. For time sake I have just edited some sections of the 13 mile loop from my first lap. It took me about a week to figure out how to get all of this on the computer and edit it - so bare with me on my first attempt. I still thought it would be cool to throw some of the action up here for you to check out! Enjoy...
Here is the 250 A Start and First Mile
Rider: DHaggs Jr. #925
Here is the 7Th Mile "Rock Garden"
Rider: DHaggs Jr. #925
Rider: DHaggs Jr. #925
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Somerset GNCC Race Recap!
Round #7 of the Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) was held this past weekend at the Mountain Ridge Resort in Somerset, PA. Needless to say this location hosts one of the toughest tracks on the national circuit due to the enormous boulders that are scattered throughout the 13 and a half mile loop. I didn’t have such a great result here last year, and I swore that I would never put myself though that punishment again, but somehow on Friday we were heading west on the turnpike towards Somerset. And this year was a little different – we took a trial DHaggs Racing team member AMohar who decided to race his quad. We didn’t have a problem with this because he races a KTM and he’s part of the family. But this just wasn’t any race for him – it was his first race ever! Its one thing to try racing for two hours at a local race but it’s another thing to show up at one of the gnarliest tracks in the country and just try to finish it.
As if there wasn’t enough tension AMohar had to get some new tires mounted before his race on Saturday. We arrived just in time on Friday to learn that the tire rig was closed and wouldn’t be open till 8:00am Saturday – two hours before his race. So he had to register and get his tires mounted before the race – which finally happened thanks to ITP tire crew. Quad ready, gear ready, nerves ready……10 seconds till the flag drops…and then he was off. The morning quad race ran an abbreviated loop of 9 miles which used a lot of the main trails throughout the park. With the exception of some bottle necks on the first lap he was setting a good pace and was pretty consistent with his lap times. His main focus was to go until he couldn’t go any longer and that’s exactly what he did. He took the checkered flag a couple minutes after 2 hours and he made it through his first race and GNCC. He finished in 10th Place in his class and made the team extremely proud for his racing debut.
Just after the top 3 Pros came through the finish line at the conclusion of the 1:00pm Pro Quad race it started to pour. The clouds over the mountains were black as night and it were as if a Tornado was going to hit. It poured rain and the wind was blowing extremely hard making a game of how many tents it could ruin. We were one of the many who lost that battle.
Side by sides raced at 4:30 in the pouring rain and the worst part about it was that it was cold. It wasn’t till about 8:00pm that the rain held up just enough for us to cook our food and get our sleeping arrangements organized before the rain fell some more.
Saturday morning when I opened the van door it was still cloudy and there was still a bitter cold in the air. When 10:00am rolled around DHaggs Sr. was ready to tackle the now muddy GNCC course. The morning loop was about 12 miles long and was going to be pretty challenging after the amount of rainfall the mountains received the night before. DHaggs Sr. got a terrible start, probably his worst ever. After several kicks his bike finally started and he was off on the track. He suffered a pretty bad crash on the first lap so he made a quick pit stop for some new goggles and to take a breather. He ran a helmet camera too which we took off after the first lap. He got back out on the track and took his time trying to find the best lines while he maintained a consistent lap time. He came in for a gas pit on his last lap and then finished up strong.
In the mean time while the morning race was finishing I was getting ready for the 1:00pm race which was taking on a 13 and a half mile loop. Again I found myself in a cool situation sitting just 3 rows behind some of the best riders in the world. I was also pretty excited to try out the new helmet camera. DHaggs Sr. ran it in the morning so when he was done we threw it on my helmet for the first lap. (I’ll try and get some footage on here as soon as I can.)
I got a good start, I was in the mix for the first couple of turns and then just before the big downhill I was in 5th place. The first 4 miles of the track was extremely fast, in fact the whole track was fast except for the woods sections. I enjoyed the open fields but I knew what lay deep in the woods and I was preparing myself for it, physically and mentally. I thought the track was a mix between wide-open motocross in the fields and enduro-x in the woods. The woods were filled with rocks, boulders, mud, roots and thanks to the rain the night before, little streams! I thought that the track organizers did a much better job this year of not trying to kill you with 3 or 4 miles of endless boulders. This year they seemed to run you through the toughest sections but then they gave you a little break in between. I felt awesome throughout the whole race and my main goal was to finish and get the checkered flag. I was mentally prepared this year and I have no doubt practicing at Rausch Creek the weekend before gave me and the team a huge advantage. Not to mention that we were blessed with temperatures in the 50’s!!! I know now for a fact that the heat is the cause of my sickness from previous races. This track was brutal and I pushed pretty hard each lap and I finished 22 minutes over 3 hours and there is no way that I would have been able to do that if it were humid out.
Besides a little mistake on the 2nd lap and getting stuck on the last lap I had a really good ride. I finished 11th Place in my class and did better than half of all competitors overall. I am very happy to have such a good satisfying ride after such a disappointing battle last year.
Overall it was a great weekend of racing but not such a great weekend for weather, the wind and rain made for miserable and uncomfortable camping conditions. The whole DHaggs team did awesome and we all rode well and survived one of the toughest tracks on the GNCC circuit!
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
As if there wasn’t enough tension AMohar had to get some new tires mounted before his race on Saturday. We arrived just in time on Friday to learn that the tire rig was closed and wouldn’t be open till 8:00am Saturday – two hours before his race. So he had to register and get his tires mounted before the race – which finally happened thanks to ITP tire crew. Quad ready, gear ready, nerves ready……10 seconds till the flag drops…and then he was off. The morning quad race ran an abbreviated loop of 9 miles which used a lot of the main trails throughout the park. With the exception of some bottle necks on the first lap he was setting a good pace and was pretty consistent with his lap times. His main focus was to go until he couldn’t go any longer and that’s exactly what he did. He took the checkered flag a couple minutes after 2 hours and he made it through his first race and GNCC. He finished in 10th Place in his class and made the team extremely proud for his racing debut.
Just after the top 3 Pros came through the finish line at the conclusion of the 1:00pm Pro Quad race it started to pour. The clouds over the mountains were black as night and it were as if a Tornado was going to hit. It poured rain and the wind was blowing extremely hard making a game of how many tents it could ruin. We were one of the many who lost that battle.
Side by sides raced at 4:30 in the pouring rain and the worst part about it was that it was cold. It wasn’t till about 8:00pm that the rain held up just enough for us to cook our food and get our sleeping arrangements organized before the rain fell some more.
Saturday morning when I opened the van door it was still cloudy and there was still a bitter cold in the air. When 10:00am rolled around DHaggs Sr. was ready to tackle the now muddy GNCC course. The morning loop was about 12 miles long and was going to be pretty challenging after the amount of rainfall the mountains received the night before. DHaggs Sr. got a terrible start, probably his worst ever. After several kicks his bike finally started and he was off on the track. He suffered a pretty bad crash on the first lap so he made a quick pit stop for some new goggles and to take a breather. He ran a helmet camera too which we took off after the first lap. He got back out on the track and took his time trying to find the best lines while he maintained a consistent lap time. He came in for a gas pit on his last lap and then finished up strong.
In the mean time while the morning race was finishing I was getting ready for the 1:00pm race which was taking on a 13 and a half mile loop. Again I found myself in a cool situation sitting just 3 rows behind some of the best riders in the world. I was also pretty excited to try out the new helmet camera. DHaggs Sr. ran it in the morning so when he was done we threw it on my helmet for the first lap. (I’ll try and get some footage on here as soon as I can.)
I got a good start, I was in the mix for the first couple of turns and then just before the big downhill I was in 5th place. The first 4 miles of the track was extremely fast, in fact the whole track was fast except for the woods sections. I enjoyed the open fields but I knew what lay deep in the woods and I was preparing myself for it, physically and mentally. I thought the track was a mix between wide-open motocross in the fields and enduro-x in the woods. The woods were filled with rocks, boulders, mud, roots and thanks to the rain the night before, little streams! I thought that the track organizers did a much better job this year of not trying to kill you with 3 or 4 miles of endless boulders. This year they seemed to run you through the toughest sections but then they gave you a little break in between. I felt awesome throughout the whole race and my main goal was to finish and get the checkered flag. I was mentally prepared this year and I have no doubt practicing at Rausch Creek the weekend before gave me and the team a huge advantage. Not to mention that we were blessed with temperatures in the 50’s!!! I know now for a fact that the heat is the cause of my sickness from previous races. This track was brutal and I pushed pretty hard each lap and I finished 22 minutes over 3 hours and there is no way that I would have been able to do that if it were humid out.
Besides a little mistake on the 2nd lap and getting stuck on the last lap I had a really good ride. I finished 11th Place in my class and did better than half of all competitors overall. I am very happy to have such a good satisfying ride after such a disappointing battle last year.
Overall it was a great weekend of racing but not such a great weekend for weather, the wind and rain made for miserable and uncomfortable camping conditions. The whole DHaggs team did awesome and we all rode well and survived one of the toughest tracks on the GNCC circuit!
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
Somerset GNCC Pics!!!
Felt Like You Were On Top of the World
Camp DHaggs Racing
No Tires - No Problem
ITP Tires Mounted at 8:00am in 5 Minutes!
Don't Want to Pull a Hami!
The Helmet Hides the First Race Jitters!
AMohar Get's His Taste of GNCC Racing!
First Race EVER and He Finishes IT!
An Overnight Storm got the Best of our EZUp
DHaggs Sr. - Foucused!
Going Over Last Minute Pit Strategies
Sr. On the Line
Right after the Start going down the Big DownHill
The Storm from the Night Before left some Nasty Racing Conditions in the Woods! 
DHaggs Jr Rockin the Helmet Cam
DHaggs Jr. at the Top of a Tricky Uphill Before the Finish
The Track was Tough! Can You find a Smooth Line!?
I don't know what Happened to this Picture but this is DHaggs Jr. taking off After the Pit Stop
Rocks, Ruts, Roots and Mud = Gnarly!
3 Hours and 22 Minutes Later...... The Checkered Flag!!!Pictures By: DHaggs Jr. - Jimmy B. - A. Mohar
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