Sunday December 11, 2011 was a bright sunny day just west of Johnstown, Colorado. The temperature was a balmy 33 degrees and the track conditions were dry, muddy, icy or snow covered, depending on the location. All that really mattered was that the sun was out, after all it is November in Colorado.
Valley Dirt Riders holds an Outdoor Winter Motocross Series in the form of a HareScramble. If you have never attended such an event, I will fill you in on the format, as it is not a standard motocross race. First of all, the riders are aligned by class, in waves, on the starting grid. They do not use the starting gate, instead the riders form a line for each class, and each line is considered a wave. The riders start the event standing next to their bike, looking back at the flag person who stands behind them. When the green flag drops, the riders jump on their bike and head for the Holeshot. The remaining waves are then released, one at a time, at about 30 second intervals.
The length of this race was set for two hours on the 6.2 mile course. This event had five waves and 100+ riders, that’s a lot of bikes on the track at once and that’s part of the challenge. This is an endurance series that not only requires refueling for the bike, but in many cases also the rider. Many of the solo riders had friends there to assist with cleaning goggles and refueling their bikes, while they slammed down water and healthy bars. Other riders were “on their own” and appeared to have everything they would need strategically placed on their favorite chair.
One of the five waves, the team riders, all appeared to have entirely different strategies. In the team class, the riders must exchange a hairband that worked much like a baton in a relay race, and must be with the rider on the track. Some teams would switch riders after every lap, some after two, some after three, depending on their strategy or who needed to stop to clean their goggles.
The race day also offered a 30 minute scramble for the little ones on the 50 track. The turn-out appeared to be good as many parents brought their young riders out for the afternoon segment.
Overall, it was a great day at the VDR HareScramble! It’s always nice to see the new bikes for the upcoming year. Many riders train all winter, race HareScramble, Indoor Motocross and Arenacross events to keep in shape and continue to work on their skills. This is also a great time to get comfortable on next year’s bike, as many riders get a new bike each year. At the end of day, it’s all about determination and the will to be the best…when was the last time you challenged yourself to be the best?
See you on the Track…
