Events > OzVMX Pre 85 Series 2006 > Round 2 Report

OzVMX Pre85 Vintage Dirt Series 2006
Round 2 Report

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Round Two of the OzVMX Vintage Dirt Series. Fairbairn Park, 12 March 2006

OzVMX members obviously took my message to heart in the writeup of Round One two weeks ago and sent in the big guns to try and make sure I didn't get to see the view from the victory stand in Round Two either. The venerable Bruce 'Magoo' McFarland and the indominatable Darren Ribbon from the 'Gong region turned up on your behalves to ward me off and to make sure us local boys didn't get too attached to the OzVMX Vintage Dirt Series trophies. And for good measure, they brought with them exact copies of two of our bikes - Darren mirroring Graeme 'vmxman' McElligott's CR500 Husky (OK, so its an XC - what's the diff?) while Magoo was going to throw his CR250RD at mine. Only stalwart Dennis Myers was on his pat malone with his '81 KTM 495. Oh yeah, and that fast Cooma bloke Edwin Kraft on his mint '84 YZ250.

The local lads did everything they could to rig the thing by signing up for the 'Over 35s' class as well, meaning they got double the track time - practice time - of the visitors. Unfortunately, this strategy didn't pay off for Vmxman who, five corners into the first 35s race, threw the big Husky down on the leadup to a tabletop, leaving Dennis and me to take evasive action and hope for the best. I stalled and tried to bump start, to no avail, and by that time thought it might be the humane thing to do to see if Graeme survived or not. I looked back to see him doubled-up by the trackside and flaggies pulling the Husky off rear wheel first.

Conscience got the better of me and I ran (ok, stumbled) over to ask if he was alive or not. He mumbled something, meaning I could POQ. By careful timing, I made sure I rejoined in front of Dennis so he would think I did him too (hey he might be local but he's still competition). End result though, Graeme was down for the count with badly bruised ribs and soft tissue damage. Appears he hit a rut off angle which skewed the bike sideways then of course he's hit the throttle as you do, followed by the big highside off into the jump face. Pit chair for the rest of the day for him.

The first of the real races had the advantage going to the locals even more when Magoo fluffed a plug on the startline for Pre-85 practice, meaning he went into the first race dead cold to the track. Notwithstanding that, before we knew it, Magoo was floating along second to Krafty. We all did our best to catch the pr$%^ but God knows how he was on the gas halfway out of every corner and flogging up the straights to take second. That was made up for by Darren taking in the scenery with a stuck throttle and going cross country for a bit (not fun on a 500cc two stroke). As this was a repeat of practice, he retired while still alive.

Second race and the 33 degrees heat was taking it out of me. Magoo and Krafty left me for dead. Mr Myers never got off the startline - the Motoplat spat the dummy it seems. What I didn't know though was that halfway through the race, Magoo had gotten wobbly, thrown down the leg for a prop only to tweak his near knackered knee. Pain told him to go straight to the pits and hang up gloves for the day.

Saddened as I was by this turn of events, I felt it necessary to front up to the final race to really put it to Krafty - on everyone's behalf. OK, so I was totally knackered by then, and not helped by having a pit tent full of retired VMXers all pulling rum and coke premixed cans and talking shit
volubly while I'm trying to find me helmet and go sit on the startline for ten blazing hot minutes.

Long and the short of it, I didn't give it to Krafty much at all, but I did (despite one sideways stall coming into a corner) finish the race, giving me....let's see now - second for the day I believe - I'm on that dais at last!

Not that my pit supporters gave a toss - I could hardly park the bike for the empties after the race and the hot air in the tent. Talk about over-compensating for not riding - they each won ten national events in the benchracing stakes that arvo I'm sure. Vmxman and I quietly loaded up the big Falcon and made off, leaving them to it (actually, Gezza did most of the loading - by this time I could barely move - vmxman).

15 April is your next opportunity to show us your stuff. So come and give it a go. We might even join forces with you to take that Cooma bloke off the top rung.

Gezza

The quiet before the storm...	Dennis shows off that KTM style through the whoops.	A little blurry, but it does show you that Gezza was fair dinkum as here he tries get the inside line on Magoo.
A nice 'mood' shot. The bikes drew their fair share of attention through the day.	Gezza's CR hides, hoping not to be dragged out into that bloody hot sun. Didn't help tho, that Gezza is one tuff guy...	Vmxman's Husky after the big highside. Not a mark on it, which is more than can be said for the rider.
Is this some sort of statement about KTM's? And it might just be me, but isn't that Bernie from 'Weekend at Bernie's' in the background?	A couple of serious racers discussing strategies. That bloke on the right had the day sussed.	"Geez, they were there BEFORE that race!!!"