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AHRMA TT and SEMDTRA Short Track, Washington, GA, May 15, 2010

Hey all! Well I was very stoked to go to these two events. I love racing TT's and AHRMA has support classes for modern bikes for the TT races. I arrived at the track early because I was anxious, but it also gave me a chance to walk the track a bit and get my head straight. At 1:30 pm the gates were opened for my group's 30 minute practice session. Like I said, I really like TT races, so of course I practiced for 20 minutes straight!

When I got back in the pits I told my Dad, "Man I cannot wait for the race! I'm ready and so is the bike!" At this particular event they did not hold heat races. They held practice then went straight to the Main event. We gated up about 2:30 with about six participants in my class. I pulled up to the start line and was second from the bottom of the track. The green flag flew and I took the hole shot! It was a ton of fun being out front and I felt really great. I kept my head down and concentrated on turning good consistent laps. It worked! I held that lead to the finish for a wire-to-wire win! Man I love TT's!

That evening was the 5th round of the SouthEast Motorcycle Dirt Track Racing Association (SEMDTRA) series short track race. Since I had won the TT earlier that day, I decided to race the Open Pro and Pro-Am classes. I went out for the first Pro-Am practice and was the second rider into turn one. The track was very dry and I tapped the rear break to avoid hitting another racer and it made me highside. I landed on my left hip and my chest hit the handle bars. I got up, got the bike up and went to the inside of the track. I had the worst pain in my chest, but I wasn't going to let the pain keep me from racing. I got the bike started back up and did the last 2 laps of that practicen session.

When I got back to my pit, the chest pain was horrible. I lifted my jersey and my chest was bleeding and badly tore up. Just as I was about to ask somebody to get me some ice, the paramedics showed up! They said that crash was nasty looking so they wanted to check on me. They looked at my chest and let me know that they thought I had broken my sternum. They had me do some movements and asked if it hurt? I told them hell yeah it hurt, but not as bad if something was broke. So they left and I immediatly got ice wrapped in a towel and applied to my chest because it was swelling fast. I sat at the trailer with the ice on my chest until my first heat race.

I was in the first of two heats in the Pro-Am class. Though I was in a lot of pain, I didn't care, I was racing! I ended up getting fourth in that heat. In the Open-Pro class, I was in the first of two heats and took another fourth. With these two fourth place finishes, I was definatly getting a front row start in both classes, and that was good! In the Pro-Am Main I was on the front row on the inside. When the green flag flew, I really didn't get the start I wanted and was third going into turn one. I held third for about a lap and then dropped a position. I stayed there for awhile, but lost another spot just before the checkers and finished fifth. Considering how I felt, I was happy with that!

Then it was time for the last race of the night, the Open Pro main event. By this time, I am really in a lot of pain! Again I was on the inside of the front row. Another third place dash to the first corner, but lost a spot coming onto the back straight. I held fourth for a lap or two and then dropped two positions before the checkers flew after the 12 laps were over giving me a 6th place finish. Again, not what I wanted, but considering how I felt, I was happy to leave with two results like that.

Needless to say, I was thrilled with the first place finish in the TT, and just happy to get away with a couple of top 10 finishes after the crash. Dad and I loaded everything up and headed home where I relaxed and tried to recover before heading off to work on Monday morning! I really want to thank my family, friends and all of my sponsors. Without them, there is no way I could do this. Please support them.