View Full Version : Vegas to Reno
Ben Jamin
Good luck in the Vegas to Reno. Bring it home for the AZ racers!
#110 Dbag
I Practice like a Pro
Race like a beginner!
Good Luck Ben, Adam & Jason!!
I know you guys will tear them up!!!
Matt Scoutten
'98 XR 400
Whiplash #505
TRAJISTO
06/27/03, 3:45 PM
It looks like Destry and Shane took the overall(although still unofficial). I guess the surgery was a success.
Congrats!,
Travis Epperson
"Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking"
Dawn Stone; Star Island Motorsports KTM; Copper Country ATV & Cycle KTM; Fineline Suspension; Axo; FMF/909; No Fear; 661; Acerbis; Smith; Prescott Fire Dept.
TRAJISTO
06/28/03, 3:14 PM
Ben,
I believe congrats are in order for your team as well! Overalling the Open Experts:D. I heard that race was way fast. Destry said he was over 100mph for 10 minutes at a time.
Way to go,
Travis Epperson
"Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking"
Dawn Stone; Star Island Motorsports KTM; Copper Country ATV & Cycle KTM; Fineline Suspension; Axo; FMF/909; No Fear; 661; Acerbis; Smith; Prescott Fire Dept.
I'm pretty sure Ben was the overall non pro bike! They were the first non-pro motorcycle through our first photo stop near Tonopah at race mile 273 of 515 total miles. We couldn't catch those guys on any of our other stops. Here's the photo I got of Ben (or one of his team members?) on the #330 bike.
uploaded/Jeff Henson/200362905318_Ben330.jpg
I have about 60 pics I took of the motorcycles at two different locations. I shot them with my digital. I'll post them in the racers photo section as soon as I get them shrunk down.
I have no quad pics because I shot them with my SLR on slide film. We're covering the ATV race in ATV Illustrated Magazine.
I heard of a few broken bones on our race radio, but it didn't sound like their were any life threatening injuries during the race. ATV Whiplash racer Lynn Prosser and her team one the quad expert class. She was way out front at the 370 mile mark.
It was a great weekend, but I was really drooling to be out there racing.
Congrats Ben!!!
Jeff Henson
Whiplash #21
BITD #Q70
TRAJISTO
06/28/03, 9:14 PM
Unfortunately I heard that a California rider named Todd Cary died during the race. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. To many of these tragedies happening lately:(!
Sincerely,
Travis Epperson
"Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking"
Dawn Stone; Star Island Motorsports KTM; Copper Country ATV & Cycle KTM; Fineline Suspension; Axo; FMF/909; No Fear; 661; Acerbis; Smith; Prescott Fire Dept.
Sorry to hear that [V] My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.
Jeff Henson
Whiplash #21
BITD #Q70
I just finished posting pictures of the motorcycles in the
Racers Edge- Photo Album
http://www.ridingarizona.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6130
Jeff Henson
Whiplash #21
BITD #Q70
quote:Originally posted by TRAJISTO
Ben,
I believe congrats are in order for your team as well! Overalling the Open Experts:D. I heard that race was way fast. Destry said he was over 100mph for 10 minutes at a time.
Good job AZ riders, very cool[8D][8D]!!
Sorry to hear about Todd Cary, that sucks. We all take the gamble. The risk is there every time you suit up. Are thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.
Lizrdlipz
06/30/03, 6:11 AM
Ben,
Congratulations to you guys![^] I'm really happy for you guys. :DYou deserve to win, with all of the serious pre race preparations you all had to deal with.;) I can't wait to hear the stories you'll have to tell...[:p]
Steve Feld #31
We are back.
As most of you know by now we put on a good ride Friday. We started 21 O/A, and 9th out of 14 in class. The first pit Adam came in 7th in class at the 40 mile mark. I then got on the bike, and picked off 2 riders by pit two. Between 2 and three was the best section that I got to ride, it was like the old Snowflake. Very tight, twisting through the pine tree, with some sand washes that a chore to lug the 650 around in. I managed to pass three more riders through that section, and came into the pit with the overall lead, but we still had to Open Experts in front of us. Jason took over and gained another three minutes. He came in right behind the first open expert into pit four. When Jason reached pit five we clearly had the the lead, but still had 300 miles to go. Adam jump back on at pit five with about a 3 minute lead. He made up another 3 mintues or so between five and six, but between six and seven Adam crashed, nothing hurt except a shoulder. When lost about 2-3 minutes, no big deal. I jumped back on the beast and had the silt bed section from hell, but I figured if I can keep it pinned second place won't be able to see through the dust screen, and it worked. Going in to pit eight, we had a 6-7 minute lead. From eight to nine (That's where the picture of me was taking, right outside of Tonopah) it was more silt, as if you couldn't tell by looking at the bike. We came into pit nine with 9-10 minute lead. We change a rear tire to get fresh nobbies, air filter, and check the oil for safe measures. 5 minutes later we were on over way. Jason tore off in to the distance and rode to pit 10 where Adam was back on for his final ride, sore shoulder and all he gave a few more minutes distance. We than had to drive out to BFE where I got on for my last time, and just set it on cruise control. In between 12 and 13 I got the pleasure of passing a four stroke pro. That made my day. From 13 to 14 was the fastest I have ever gone on a bike. It was flat out almost from those two pits. When I later found out that I was hitting the rev limiter on a 650 I knew we were flying. It was now Jason turn to take it home for us. He had a nasty rocky section for about 13 miles to go through, if he made it through that we were home free. Standing there at the finish line waiting, and waiting, and waiting, gets a little nerve racking, but Jason was flying through the section, and came in about 13 minutes ahead of the next open expert. All in all we had a flawless race, no flats, no one hurt ( well maybe a little soreness on Adams part), we did it!
First O/A expert by 3 minutes
First in class by 13 minutes
8th O/A out of 110 racers.
We turned a few heads on this one!
Congrats goes to Destry, and Shane the had an average speed of 62.8 miles on hour they finished in 8:12.
The awards was tough to sit through yesterday, when Casey Folks had to tell everyone there was a death. He was very emotional, and I give my hats off to Destry, and Shane for give there winning's up to the Cary family.
Ben Hutchinson
Whiplash #32
BITD #330
Sponsors to thank:
Pit crew,Tucson Steel Dor, MotoWorks,MKB Construction, IMS Products, Sprocket Specalists, Maxxis, Big Gun Exhuast systems, Cycle Gear, Tag/One Industries, Doggone Graphix and Z Moto.
BTW I was hoping no one would see that picture. Some how I saved it after I landed.
Ben Hutchinson
Whiplash #32
BITD #330
Sponsors to thank:
Pit crew,Tucson Steel Dor, MotoWorks,MKB Construction, IMS Products, Sprocket Specalists, Maxxis, Big Gun Exhuast systems, Cycle Gear, Tag/One Industries, Doggone Graphix and Z Moto.
Destry Abbott
06/30/03, 7:00 PM
Vegas To Reno
(June 27, 2003)
Pre-race
I drove up to Vegas early Wednesday morning, with my daughter, so I could break in the race bike. I met up with some of the Kawasaki staff and our other team of Brian Brown and David Pearson. (Shane wasn't going to be able to make it up until Thursday, because of work.) Everything went really well for both of our teams during testing. Now it's time to sit back and wait until Friday for the race. The race is going to be 510 miles with 14 pit stops. It sounds like it's going to be a super fast race. Shane and I drew the first pick off the line, which is going to be nice. Second off is our other Kawasaki team and then the KTM team of Curt Casalli and Joey Lanza. The fourth position went to the Honda team of Johnny Campbell and Steve Hengeveld with another Honda team leaving last to round out the open pro class. I'm really feeling good about the way I've been riding and I'm hoping for a great race. I feel that if everything goes smoothly, we have a good chance at winning. Time to go relax!
Race Day
The race started at 5:15 a.m. in Alamo, Nevada. I was the first bike to take off and everyone else was going to be taking off in 30 second intervals after me. As soon as I took off, I was feeling pretty good and wanted to try and put some time on the rest of the teams early on in the race. By pit one, all the open pro's were in the same starting order, but I had a minute and forty-five second lead on the next team (which was our Kawasaki team). I stayed on the bike until pit 2 where I gave the bike to Shane, with a little over 2 minutes to spare on our other Kawasaki team. I felt really good and the bike was working great! Shane rode the next two sections and was able to put some more time on the rest of the field. Somewhere in the first few sections, I heard the KTM team was having some mechanical problems and dropped back quite a bit. Now it looked like the win was going to be between the first three bikes. I got back on the bike at pit four, with our other team a few minutes behind us and the Honda team a couple of minutes behind them. I had another couple of good sections and by the time I gave the bike to Shane, we had about 7 minutes on the Honda team. Our other Kawasaki team unfortunately had a couple of problems. First they got a rear flat and had to ride on it for a while and then had to change a sparkplug after having a weird problem with it. Shane rode a couple of more sections again and rode really well and smooth. When I got back on the bike for my last three sections, I felt we just needed to ride smart now and bring it to the finish. I gave the bike to Shane at pit eleven to bring it in for the win. I think we had just over an eight minute lead at this point. He was able to back it down a little to make sure nothing went wrong, yet keep a nice lead on the other teams. Going into the last pit, he radioed to let us know the bike was starting to run rich and wasn't going too fast. John Braasch, Curtis Walker, and I were in the chase vehicle when we heard this. This made us a little nervous:) At the finish, we found out that the bike actually ran a little rich and then suddenly started running good a little before the finish. We were super happy to win this race and have everything go so smoothly (except the very end). The race was even faster then I thought it would be, but it was also a lot of fun. We averaged 62 mph over the 510 mile race; that's the fastest race we've ever ridden together. It feels really good to get a major win for Kawasaki and everyone else that helps. John Braasch built another bike that was awesome! Now it's time to go back home and ride in the slower single track stuff that I like:)
Top 5 Overall:
1. Destry Abbott/Shane Esposito-Kawasaki KX500-8:12:36
2. Johnny Campbell/Steve Hengeveld-Honda XR650-8:15:49
3. Brian Brown/David Pearson-Kawasaki KX500-8:34:26
4. Chris Blais-Honda XR650-8:53:26
5. Daryl Folks/Elmer Symons-KTM 450-9:04:07
Racerfisk
07/01/03, 6:28 AM
Very nice race story Destry. Thats why we all love this format. :D
Congratulations on a great win. Those times posted looked like you guys could not afford to slow down to much - That big 650XR was right behind you. 62 mph average for 500 miles is UNREAL! That is FAST stuff! I know racing in Mexico those short streches that are 5th gear pinned get a little exciting for me. Can not imagine going that fast for so long! Again Congrats - You earned this one! Enjoy a little single track now [8D]
Adios / 747
Sponsors: Ben's Cycle Works MP Environmental Services Jan's Checking Account
Racerfisk
07/01/03, 6:35 AM
Sorry Ben - Posted a little to quick last time [V]
:D Congrats to your team also - Great Win!
I saved a Chapman Racing Sticker for you!
Later / 747
Sponsors: Ben's Cycle Works MP Environmental Services Jan's Checking Account
So sad to hear indeed another racer died, my prayers to their family.....
What happen to Todd Cary, was it a nasty wreck, medical condition???
I have no limitations, only my quad has limitations......
whiplash #374