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Reported
by Darren Lott. Photos by Kent
Kochheiser
and Dave
Auld.
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OK.
This one's going to seem like it's "all about me."
Because for once it was. I entered and won 4
events. It's probably a record. It was nice to be
on my game.
Not
that I didn't have plenty of advantages. Dave Auld
came to keep me on my toes (as always); Kent came
to take pictures and help with pitt work; Arlene
came to take care of spiritual, emotional, and
nutritional support.
A
friendly Paramedic pointed out I was the only racer
to have attended every year. (He'd' only know if
he'd volunteered for every race as well - thanks!)
The first year, RAIL let me be the first to take a
first run down the track. So I really feel like
this is my course.
The
courtesy was extended again this year. It was
drizzling so everyone wore rain gear. Tim Cayer had
full blown rain suits for $15. Can you say
"subsidy?"
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Some of the
racing was incredibly tight. Paul Busse was
contending for a #1 season finsh, and gave no
quarter.
But he did give
a few Hay rides...
A few others
took Hay rides on their own.
Ansted is
particularly notable for a VERY FAST, tricky
straightaway followed by a hard 90 before the
finish.
It almost always
comes down to a game of Professional
Chicken.
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Another feature
of the track is that it's extremely narrow and in
some places rough. It's still very enjoyable and
you aren't forced into the rough (like Barrett),
but it does make it very technical.
I spent the
entire first day practicing Buttboard to the
exclusion of luge. I don't like to become
accustommed to the extra traction of a luge before
racing my Buttboard. It pays off.
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Chris Chaput
called just before I left. "Dude, you'll be the
only one with the ABEC11 SECRET WEAPON -
Grippins!" On Chris's advice, they were the
only wheels I packed.
Turned out
almost EVERYONE was in on the secret. It was a sea
of gripping green. Was I upset?
NOPE.
Becuase these
are probably the best wheels I've tried so far for
Buttboard racing. I tend to destroy a set of 70m
wheels every racing run. I was getting 2 - 3 times
the mileage out of the Grippins. Fast, grippy,
smooth, long lasting.
I like 'em. (So
did nearly everyone else.)
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Aside from Pro
Luge, there was another cool event on Saturday. It
was called the "Bucket Brigade Relay." A fun
excercise in task loading, inspired by the many
"Butboarding Bash"events we've held in So
Cal.
A rider from
each team was given a bucket of water. The first
team to cross the finish line without spilling too
much water was the winning team. How much spillage
was too much? We'd find out at the the
finish.
Organizers Kim
and Neil Orta selected teams, hoping to balance out
the talent. For your leg of the relay, you could
pick a bike, luge, speedboard, dirtsurfer, or
Butboard. For the fasest and final leg, I was
pleasantly suprised to see 75% of racers selecting
Buttboard.
(Right: Jeffrey
Schonzeit didn't spill a drop as he blazed around
the final turn.)
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Neil set up one
more Buttboard based event: EXTREME
BUTTBOARD!
On your
mark...Get set...Everyone GOES.
I think Andy
Lally instigated and certainly upped the ante of
this event by donating a RewSports luge to the
winner.
We were randomly
seated on the grid in rows. Your finish determind
your position in the next heat. Only thing was ...
LANE ONE SUCKED. So winning gave you an
undesireable starting position for the next heat,
and ONLY the final heat counted! My strategy was to
sandbag and give myself the best position for the
final heat.
Kent Kochheiser
took the great picture (above) of the final and
said it was 15 seconds before the next rider
appeared.
Despite my best
plans for a strategy, the intense traffic made it
better to get ahead early, and stay out
front.
Bad starting
lane? Deal with it.
Extreme
Buttboard (AKA Sunday Mass)
1st Place-
Darren Lott
2nd Place- Victor Schumacher
3rd Place- Tony
4th Place- Tim
5th Place- Roland
6th Place- Chris
7th Place- Ashliegh Cayer
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If you follow
this sport, not much more needs to be said about
Ashley Cayer. No one ever takes more Buttboard rus
than old "Iron Neck." 15+ a day? She's the
Man.
Junior Buttboard
1st Place-
Ashleigh Cayer
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Am Buttboard
1st Place-
Victor Schumacher
2nd Place- Tony
Mistretta
3rd Place- Tim
Novak
4th Place- Jenna
Morrison
(BTW Tim Novak
donated SkateLuges as prizes. It was great to
finally meet him in person. A neat guy and really
fun to ride with.)
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Pro Buttboard
1st Place-
Darren Lott
2nd Place- Paul
Busse
3rd Place-
Roland Morrison
4th Place- Sean
Clarke
5th Place- Jeff
Schonzeit
6th Place- Chris
Hicks
7th Place- Chris
McBride
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Chris McBride made his racing
comeback. He was a little tentative at first, but
when he joined Tony Mistretta and I in the Bucket
Brigade he lit the course on fire.
We won.
But then again, I think eveyone
who participated went home feeling like a
winner.
-Darren
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