AP Brakes- Kawasaki Baja Race report
The first race of the Baja Score series is always a tough one. The terrain is some of the roughest found anywhere in off road racing. Deep sand washes, four foot deep whoops, and basket ball size rocks litter the course. This is not a course for miscues as one mistake can get you an “E” ticket ride to the hospital. Unfortunately Ryan was a victim and would only be able to take a short run into the finish.
Our 2X bike drew first start position while 5X started fourth. Robby took the start and as the clock struck six a.m., he was off. Most times being the first racer on the course is good as you have clean air. Baja can be different. With thousands of spectators lining the first twenty five miles, it can be a traffic jam as many drive right down the course to find a place to watch. After dodging many vehicles in the first thirty whoop infested miles , Robby brought the 2X bike to Steve with the lead. Brent struggled a little in the dust and and handed off to Conner in fifth.
With the 2X bike in the lead, Steve continued to pull time. Unfortunately this was short lived. Steve began to feel a vibration which turned out to be a rear flat. With a forty eight mile section, including a twelve mile lake bed, he was forced to back it way down and nurse it to the next pit. The wheel started to come apart and tore off the mud flap and part of the air box. By the time he got to pit two, he was down to fourth. A quick rear wheel change and he was back at it, but now his arms and hands were junk from hanging on to the shuttering bike for so log.
Conner was putting in a good ride. Just after pit two, he passed into third, overtaking the struggling Steve. He held that position all the way to the entrance to Matomi Wash. Steve was able to get back by as his arms began to loosen up. Conner pushed to stay close, but soon crashed and fell back a little.
At mile 147, Robby got back on 2X for the 100 mile run to the finish. It would be a tall order to catch the leaders as he was down fifteen minutes. 5X took a rear wheel at mile 147 and Brent climbed back on.
Robby charged hard, making up time, but derailed the chain and had to stop for a quick repair. ( a chunk of the flat tire bent the chain guide) Brent put in a solid ride, maintaining forth place.
Between pit five and six, Robby was flying and put nearly five minutes on the lead team, and moved into second. Brent continued a steady pace and was closing in on third.
The last thirty miles was sand washes, then wide open roads to the finish. The 2X bike, with it’s broken airbox, started to slow down. Robby began to nurse it, unsure of why it was running a little slow. With the rear tire throwing dirt directly onto the air filter, it was amazing it held up this long. With all this happening, he was still able to close the gap on the leaders. At the finish, 2X was only 4:05 from the lead, finishing second overall, second class 22.
Brent also had a good run toward the finish and handed off to Ryan for the last portion of the race. 5X took third overall, third class 22.
All in all, everyone rode well. The flat tire was something that really put us down. It couldn’t have happened in a worse place. The longest pit to pit section with a lake bed where speed is everything. Our bikes were faster and handled better than our 1000 bike and we really feel we were on our way to winning. Second and third isn’t what we came for, but it keeps us in good position for the championship. To have both teams make the podium is actually quite good in our first year of racing, especially with only three weeks of preparation. We will have plenty of testing time now to get ready for the Baja 500. We will be ready.
Bob Bell
