That’s a Wrap!

 

            Greetings all! The checkered flag has fallen on yet another great year of NDMA motocross racing and what a year it was. The doom and gloom out look on our nation’s economy didn’t seem to hinder the season too badly as race attendance seemed to hold steady. It seems that most of us have our priorities straight—do whatever it takes to get to the next race. If that means selling off a bodily organ such as a kidney or some fluids like blood or plasma, then so be it. Although it that may have some ill-affects on your endurance for 30 minutes plus 2 laps!  

           

            This year, in between racing three classes—which is six motos, myself—I made it a point to take in as much of the racing in all the classes as possible.  Here are a few unbiased observations and revelations that stand out to me from this season:

                       

“Attack of the killer B’s”

 As usual, the “B” classes were some of the largest and most competitive classes, especially 125 B and Open B.  There were multiple race winners through out the year in this class. Mitch Dahl started out dominating the B classes and then moved up to the A class mid-season, where he immediately made an impact there in the top-5. Derek Belle, Austin Lindberg, and Cody Martin all battled it out to the end for the championship where Cody was able to clinch two championships.

 

“The Women’s class provided some of the best racing of the year.”

This is a class that I was able to observe most of the year due to my marital obligations to a certain, Number 3 on an orange and pink bike. It’s been great to see the growth of the women’s class over the last few years.  At a few of the rounds this was one of the largest classes there were. The racing, whether it was in the front, middle, or back of the back was also great. Up front Allie Mittlestadt and Heather Grosz would frequently pass each other more times in one race, than many classes see the whole year. I’m glad the NDMA adopted the women’s suffrage movement and created a class for the ladies.

 

“Logan Swanson is fast!”

I was able to take in a few of his motos this year and was impressed. It’s pretty cool to see a 65 rider scrubbing speed off on the jumps. That’s next level stuff right there. Equally impressive was the fact that they drive from north western Minnesota to the NDMA races. Believe me, I know what it takes to drive from that side of the state to the NDMA races and it’s an oil refinery for all the fuel it takes. Congratulations to Logan for clinching three championships this year. 

 

“Mitch Dahl and Michael Vetter both stepped it up a level this year.”

Mitch deserves props for bumping himself up to the “A” class in the middle of the season and foregoing what seemed to be a definite championship in either of the B classes he raced. After dominating the first half of the season in the “B” classes, he stepped right in the 125A and made a presence for himself. Michael stepped his speed up a notch mid-season.  I’m guessing that since he goes to college (props to him), he doesn’t get to come into the season as well prepared as he would like. Once he got a few races under his kidney belt, he came to life, especially at the Bismarck rounds. Now, if we could just get Lance “The Trance” Thomas to race a full season. He would have been right up there in the points standings also since he was on the gas early in the season. 

           

“Justin Fisk rides pretty fast, but his mouth may be faster.”

It was a welcome addition to have him announcing at many of the rounds. Good announcing makes an average race seem excellent. I’m pretty sure if he announced a BINGO game at the local VFW it would sound interesting. Given the political season that we are in, the “Silver Tongued Devil” that is Justin Fisk may even start to show up in some of the election polls. “Bar to Bar!” as his idol Art Eckman would scream.

 

“When it comes to raw speed, Tanner, Casey and Richard are still at the front of the pack.”

Given the fact that the NDMA may have a few less riders compared to the other districts, like Minnesota or Manitoba, I still feel these guys can hold their own wherever they go. Tanner and Casey are working hard at making it to that next level on the national scene and it definitely shows when they show up at a NDMA race. I hope these guys continue to make progress with that and prove that the NDMA can raise some national level talent. Tanner had a break out year last year by making some AMA Monster Energy Lites Supercross main events, landing on the podium at a few AMA Toyota Arenacross rounds and qualifying for a few Toyota AMA nationals. Casey’s turn to break through on that level is coming. Richard on the other hand, has been there and done that. He might have a few years—or ten—on these punks but given the right day, he can still put up a good fight whether it’s on a $500 CR250 two-stroke or EFI’d 450RM-Z. 

 

These are just a few of the memories that stand out from this year. Congratulations to all the racers and I hope you had as much fun as I did this season. I could ramble on for quite a while but I need to clean my air filters. See you at the banquet for the year end dance off, where any season ending ties are broken by who can do the best “Worm.”

 

Two-Eighty-Four