My Nihilo equipped KTM 65 SXS has been running great all year in both 65 and 85/Jr. Mini races. I have pulled about 500 Oakley Tear-offs, worn out 3 pair of MX Boots, 15 Dunlop tires, Driven 20,000 KM in our RAM 2500 Diesel, washed a lot of Air Filters, MX Gear, MX Bikes, Truck and Trailer in and out. Okay, my Dad did most of the work, but I did work hard to get faster.
After Walton, the season seems somehow over then you get home and relax and turn the page in your racing journal and discover the races that are coming up. So we ended up racing CNYMRA Moto Masters, Area 51 CAN-AM Challenge, MX101 Season finale, NY State Championships, and finished off September at the MMRS Muttco race.
CNYMRA Series – Moto Masters – Mexico NY
I always like to tell my friends we are going to Mexico to race and see the look on their face. I love Sand and that is what this old Mexico track is made of. I did have to work hard to pass in the 65cc 7-9 moto1 but then pulled away to a 28 second win and got the holeshot in moto 2, pulling away again. In Jr. Mini I took 5th after a long battle with some 85s on my KTM 65 SXS.
Area 51 Can-Am Challenge – Batavia NY
We started the month at Area 51 Can-Am Challenge. It is one of my favourite races of the year. There is an Old School – Grass Track Race as a warm-up on Friday then Practice on the MX Track all day Saturday with a night of racing under the lights on the Nightcross Track then back to the MX Track Sunday. It is really a CANADIAN-AMERICAN Race with over 290 racers in Nightcross, 700 racers in the MX and almost exactly ½ making the drive from Canada. A few familiar names were there: LeClair, Arsenault, Reid, Gilles, Tricco, Cryer, Cox, Giampolo, Spadicini, Wrozyna. Canadians were all over the top 5 results in almost every class. Taylor Arsenault won the Ron Nye Hard Charger Award! I came home with lots of hardware – 3rd in 65cc Grass Track, 1st in 65cc 7-9, 8th Jr. Mini Nightcross, 2nd in 65cc 7-9 and 2nd 65cc 7-11 MX, and a really cool race bib. Thanks Defiance for making them.
MX101 Series Final – Sand-Del-Lee – Richmond ON
There is nothing like racing at your home track! There you practice lap after lap, you know every bump and berm and how it will change in the day. Your friends are all there, and it is close for other friends or family to come out and watch. This was the Final race of 2013 and I was comfortably in the lead in 65cc 7-9, but four of us were fighting for 4th in 85cc 7-11. The track was mint thanks to the MX101 crew’s work. There was also the MX101 Factory Fan Awards at the riders meeting. I think it was a record; everyone was at the riders meeting! Suckers for a lottery/draw I guess! There was FOX gear, riding camps, goggles, season membership and the Grand Prize Trip to the MONSTER ENERGY CUP in LAS VEGAS. VEGAS BAAAAABBBBY as Johnny says! Well, this sucker started the day off by winning the MX101 Season Membership! YAAA BAAAABBBBY as I say now! Then I followed that up by winning both 65cc 7-9 motos for the overall and taking 5th in the first moto of the 85cc 7-11 class hobbled across the line in moto2 after my spark plug cap came off, taking 12th. I know how to put the cap on now! Thanks to MX101’s Kevin, Johnny, Ben, and Sam for putting on great races!
NY STATE MX CHAMPIONSHIPS – Broome-Tioga NY
Trivia time! Do you know why this former AMA PRO NATIONAL MX TRACK is called Broome-Tioga????? It is because when you drive in the front gate, the road is the dividing line for Broome County and Tioga County. This is a really fun track unless you don’t like rocks! The track rolls up and down hills and has a cement start gate to mess with your perfect starts! Rocks – well my sister and I were digging around the ground outside the trailer and we found a really cool fossil! We hung out with Dylan Wright and Mike Stryker on Saturday night and went across to the MUD BOG races! Pretty crazy type of racing; one truck had 1200 Horsepower and then there was a little Suzuki Sidekick that was really fast. They even had a street class, yes, daily drivers or maybe rental trucks! I had lots of fun on this old national track placing 8th in Jr. Mini (7-11) with 7/8/7 motos and took 2nd in 65cc (7-9) with 2/3/2 motos. The trophy was huge!
MMRS – MUTTCO – Grafton ON
MMRS races always have a practice day on Saturday, and racing Sunday. Muttco was a perfect stop for me since I could ride all day then go have dinner at my Mom’s Grandma’s then race the next day. This race weekend was a little different than all the rest that I have raced 65 and 85 classes in. I would be racing my trusty KTM 65 SXS in 65 and, thanks to my sponsor Jim at Wheelsport, I would be racing on my new 2014 KTM 85 SX for the first time. My Dad spent a lot of time making the 85 fit – lower seat, lighter springs, cut handlebars, and a few other tricks and then playing with suspension settings at the track to make it right for me. I discovered a few things: My KTM 85 SX is a rocketship, and I better hold on tight and watch out because I can throw my KTM 65SXS around even easier now! I went 2-2 for 2nd in 65cc 7-9 and 3-2 for 2nd in 65cc GP, then 10-8 for 9th in my first race on an 85! Thanks to everyone for congratulating me on my 85 ride! I can’t imagine how much more power a KTM85 SXS will have but they do, and you can order them now from Wheelsport in Ottawa.
So again, I think the season has ended with the trees changing and the morning runs getting colder, then I open my training/racing Journal and it’s not over yet!
Next Stop – FLORIDA MINI O’s 2013!!!!!!! Come on down and join me and the usual Canadians that make the trip!
Thomas Rendall 494
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