After a whole day of sitting around and watching AHRMA ride, I was ready to go once Saturday rolled around.  Unfortunately right after riders meeting, the rain hit and stayed in town forcing Mike Kidd and his crew to cancel Saturday’s program and the rain date for Sunday.  So this left my team and I with a lot of down time until the national on Wednesday.

Finally Wednesday rolled around and I was ready to go. Qualifying did not go as plan as I could not get a clean lap to show what I could to do in the first timed session. In the second session I was getting clean laps, but the tracked slowed down.  In the combined times I was going in to the night program starting 29th. This was a sure shocker for me since I am not used to starting on the third row.  I put my head down off the start and moved up to 12th, which was not enough to make it to the main. In the semi I moved myself up to the second row, but had a horrible start and was about last going into turn 1. I put my head down and was running great times in conjunction with the leader, but 6 laps is not enough to do anything on a short track. I forced myself to end the night early and get prepared for tomorrow.

Thursday started out way better then Wednesday. I went out in the first timed session and ended up 16th, which made me more than happy. Then the second session came out and the track got faster for everyone. I came off the track and to my surprise I was fourth, which meant that going into the night program I was going to be in the first heat starting second. After what happened the night before I was more than psyched for the heat. The green light went and I did not get a great start again. My little 95 pounds sure was not paying off as I just sat and spun the rear wheel. I started putting my head down, but was struggling to get traction with the bike coming off the turns.  I ended the heat in 12th, which meant I was headed to the semi again. I started off the line in 12th and pretty much stayed there. My bike setup just continued to get a worse as the race went on and forced me to load up again early.  All the energy I had built up from qualifying was just a slap in the face and was for sure depressing to deal with.  Normally being a top runner and sitting out two nights in a row is still haunting me today, but I am not going to let it get to me as it’s a long season and anything can happen as I can recall from last year.  We have about two months off until the next national and I am going to be putting my head down and pushing harder for the next race to ensure I am not sitting in the stands to watch as the green flag drops in the main. I just want to put huge thanks out to all my sponsors and fans that supported me over the past couple of weeks and without you guys the trip would not have even been a thought.  I also want to say a special thanks to everyone who has asked about my Grandfather, his spirits are higher and it is giving him the motivation needed to give him the idea of possibly making it to Springfield.  Until next time, ride safe!