2008
WORCS Round 3 Havasu Race Report
Living in Lake Havasu
from 1986 to 1992, you would think that I would have an
advantage at racing in my hometown. Unfortunately, I
did not start racing until 2003, and the 2004 WORCS race
in Lake Havasu was my first WORCS race. Back then, the
dirt bikes and quads raced the same weekend. The track
location for the WORCS Lake Havasu rounds is designed to
use as much of the sand washes, hills, and beach as
possible. The track is located in the overflow camping
area of the famous Crazy Horse Campground and RV Park.
The track only exists for the WORCS event each year. A
favorite round for spectators to take in the sunshine
and triple digit temperatures playing on the water isn’t
always the same mood for the racers when it comes time
to go to the line. This is the only race of the year
that due to the size of the sand whoops, race times are
shortened to prevent as much track deterioration and
bottlenecks as possible on this 3 mile tight course.
With the first two
rounds being a wash in points due to mechanical
problems, I wanted to make sure I didn’t have any
gremlins stowed away in the race trailer to bring to
Havasu. Custom Axis accidentally shipped my newly
re-built rear shock that I lost last month in Mesquite
via ground instead of overnight. However, Custom Axis
quickly came to the rescue by building a loaner shock
and sending it overnight directly to the track Saturday
morning.
I cut Friday practice
short as the track was basically the same layout as last
year and wanted to save my practice bike if the loaner
shock for the race bike didn’t show up in time. I also
decided to get as much rest as I could Friday as I had
been fighting a respiratory illness, and didn’t want to
breath additional sand during practice.
Saturday morning my
shock arrived as promised, so I installed the loaner
shock and spent a couple laps during un-classified
trying to dial it in. Production A proved to be another
large class, again getting broken up into two groups and
resorted at the end using lap times. The start did not
work out as planned, and I struggled in the back of the
pack for the first lap. The loaner shock was obviously
not internally valved for this type course, as the rear
of the bike was bottoming out on the whoops, and
scrubbing valuable speed. I radioed into my pit and
talked with Johnny Shafe, Factory Polaris rider, about
the lack of performance of the rear shock, and the fact
that I wouldn’t be able to make the top 12 out of the 46
riders to qualify for Pro-AM being under the weather. I
decided to pull out of the race after 2 laps, and prep
for the afternoon Open A race on the practice bike.
The heat was not
helping me being sick, and attempting to race again was
probably not what the doctor would have ordered. I
started antibiotics Friday, but my energy level was
quickly draining, and I rested as much as I could before
the Open A. There were 35 entries into the Open A, so I
had my work cut out for me. I loaded up on medications
and went to the line. My start was better, but still
not where I should have been. I tried to stay focused,
but breathing sand and being light-headed was killing my
speed. This race was one of the toughest for me to
finish. I started to black-out a couple times and would
slid off the seat onto the nerf bars before I could
regain my vision. I finished the race completing 6 laps
in 52:11, placing 19th. With the throw outs
of the riders that double qualified in both the
Production A and Open A, I qualified for the Sunday
Pro-AM main event.
I woke up Sunday
morning to face a tough decision. Due to getting sicker
over the past 12 hours and with fluid in my lungs, I
decided to skip racing the main event. With mechanical
problems the first 2 rounds of the year, it seemed
ironic that an illness would add round 3 to the list of
throwaways this year.
Luckily my parents
still live in Lake Havasu, so I was able to spend the
next 5 days recovering under the best doctor’s care…..my
mother.
I look forward to the
cooler temperatures and big trees of Round 4 in Auburn,
Washington next month. With both bikes working perfect
and my health back to 100%, nothing can stop me now. I
thank everyone for the support I received in Lake
Havasu. I never realized how many concerned friends and
family I have at the track until I get sick and try to
take an hour long undisturbed nap in the trailer.
Best Wishes,
Kramar
