Red Lake 200

1/31/2010

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Yikes season is not unfolding like I would like..

Tough weekend, started with the stock sled not starting due to -10 temps and sitting outside all night.  With three people working on it I had to head to the parade lap ran the parade lap on the mod sled and it started making noise.  Oh uh well nurse it back in and get a look.  The chain is lose and all the oil had leaked out.(faulty Seal)

Well since I was he second race and being one lap race I toke a chance dumped oil in the chain case and cranked the tension up. Seemed to run good and I was doing well.  Was doing 96 MPH on the dreameter on the last section of the race and heard a nasty noise. Crap!!!! Well there went the chain!!!  2 miles from the finish DNF.  Well unfortunately another Yamaha rider hit a fire hydrant and I was able to steal parts from is sled to repair it that night in the trailer.  Got the mod sled fixed.

Pulled the Stock sled tank out cleaned the cyliders and plugs and got tha fires. Since this was a two day race I didn't take the start in Stock so even though the sled now ran I was out in that class. 

Race two on sunday was the Improved Expert 85  right on the first road aprach sled got real squirrly and just ejected me. Climbed back on thinking that was odd.  Hit the next bumped and ejected again and heard a loud noise. 

Well you phazer riders know what broek. My reenforced front arm br
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I500 Race results and story

1/15/2010

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Ok back from the first day. I am in 9th in expert 85 improved. I am 19th in expert 85. There are only three Yamaha's left as Erdmans sled blew a clutch. and the two other nytros are out. Jamie Paquin broke a front torque arm and limped it in but ran long on the repair and took a 30 min penalty.


The cats are fast after there new reflash. My clutching was off for the conditions and I also take a "header" at 65 MPH on a river turn. Shook me up a little but got remounted and back on the way. Aslo crahsed in a windblown field when the sled swapped out.


So we got it re clutched and we will see what tomorrows race brings. We ran 170 mile or rouch ditches and slush filled rivers with some open water today. Tomorrow some more river and alot of ditch running.


So off to the shower and will fill you in on tommarrows run.

Ok in from Day two. it was 180 miles and almost ran out of fuel on the first leg.


Ok back in from day three. This was a rough day for me.... Lets say the first run went great. Clutching was on as I hit 95 on the Min Maintenance gravel road.

It was great first leg into the fuel stop I had passed 2 guys. After the fuel stop rough rough ditches with some some sections. This is were it got dicey!!! I had passed 2 more guys.

Was running a nice long straight smooth section of the ditch at 80 MPH, Due to the flat light I didn't even see the section of 4 foot rollers...

Luckly someone was behind me and say me get bucked off the sled at cartwheel twice sled rolled twice and buried its self in the rock hard snow up to the upper A-arm. He was pretty much out of the race so he stopped and helped me get my bearings and pick up the sled.

Rode the next three miles pretty tentivly as my head was still spinning and feeling light headed. After a while started to fell good and layed the hammer down again.

The third and final leg after the fuel stop. was going good till I heard a clunk and watched my upper A-arm bolt snap off from the incident. Well darned if I was not going to finsih I was 40 miles out so I stood on the outside running board and rode her in.

I was the only Yamaha that finsihed.

I ended up in 5th in experte 85 improved and 13th in expert 85 stock. Tough weekedn for me but hey I finished the I500!!!!

This was the roughest track I have been on and was tough on the body and sled.

Less than half of those who started finished.

Wind blown ditches with frozen hard drifts created some real messes. I crashed a few times on time breaking the lower cover off the sled allowing snow to pack the clutches. So every deep drift would oile snow intp the clutches. After the second fuel stop we ran a short rifer section and back to the ditches on one road aproach it was whopped out and I swapped out and broke a front ski tip

Yikes 50 miles till the end. I tried to run hard but the tip keep digging in I finally nursed the sled in. the last 15 miles were interesting rough dangage ditched with rocks stumps and sections of open water. yea water skipping int \a 90 degree bank with a left turn... That was fun


Well back to the repair session since now power tools allowed during the 1 hour repair we made a duct tape lower cover to kep the snow out. After replacing the ski and setting the toe we found the track almost loose enough to derail. Got everything fixed te best we could. Also the left frame is tweaked.


well another 180 miles in the book looks like this years race will be pver 500 miles.

another 31 sled out today so we are at 51 sled out for the day.



I am the only Yamaha left so we will try to bring it home in one peice.

I sit 7th in expert 85 improved and 15th in expert 85 stock.

hopeing for a clean fast run tommarow
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Minnesota,Cross Country,Racing,Yamaha,Seth Thorson,Snocross