AMTRA.com.au

Last weekend I raced the Big Buck GNCC. The 4th round of the GNCC series and the last round of our Setra series. The points chase between Greg Wallace and myself has gotten close. If Greg got first and I got third or worse, then our scores would be tied and Greg would win on a countback.

The weather has warmed up over here a lot recently, spring is upon us and the leaves are returning, greening the scenery up nicely.

Off the start I made the first turn in about 5th, pulled a big mono off the line and had to ease off to avoid flipping.
Within the first 1/4 mile they had run us into a tight pine thicket of single track, cant get your bars between the tree's. GNCC's dont normally have much tight stuff. There were forty or more stationary bikes stuck in the tight stuff. Bikes were steaming, people were yelling, it was almost impossible to go around. I followed some fella's to the right of the trail, having to move your bars back and forth between small pines to get moving. eventually got through this bottleneck. Then the trail opened up into four wheeler type trails. Lots of roots, rocks and clay. Some creek crossings. The trails were fun and fast, flowing really well..  But the rider on my bike was riding like a squid. :D  Once again my right forearm pumped up solid. I soldiered on to the pits on my first lap. I stopped where Lynn and Cassie were and had the girls massage my right arm for a few minutes. Then took off in a cloud of dust to finish my first lap... The tight pines were much better after everyone was spread out.. My right arm stayed pumped up for the whole 2 hours and 20 minutes it took me to complete 3 laps. It was 13 miles per lap.
I crashed four times on the last lap. Went over the handlebars one time at a muddy creek crossing in front of 70-80 spectators ::)
It was probably my worst run all year. I finished 21st out of 25. 4th Setra rider..  My 4th place in the Setra riders meant my year end score would not change, They only count the top nine scores for the year. I would have to have had a 2nd or better to increase my total.

Greg finished 11th out of 25 and was the 2nd place Setra rider. He increased his year end score by three points.

The final scores of the season ARE

Stewart Houston 209
Greg Wallace     205

Whoo Hoo, Got my first SETRA series win in 45+C Harescrambles

Thanks for listening to my ramblings during the season ;D

Have misplaced my camera somewhere, Lynn said she took some pics. Will post them when I find the camera.


some links to short videos

http://visionmoto.webs.com/apps/videos/videos/show/8098990-2010-pirelli-big-buck-gncc

http://www.offroadjunkies.com/2010/04/14/2010-pirelli-big-buck-gncc/

http://www.dropshots.com/jb5waters#date/2010-04-13/21:52:34

Congratulations Stewart.

Looks like the weather was fairly warm going by what the crowd are wearing, no doubt the temperature didn't help the forearm.

Well done on the series win, did you think you had a shot at it at the start?

Thanks MatR and Tim.
I usually enjoy riding the enduro's more. This past season they had 80% of the junior races at the harescrambles. I wanted Senna to ride all the junior races, so I took my bike along and started racing the adult harescramble which started an hour after his race.  I won the first couple and was leading the points, so I just kept following them and let the enduro's slide for this year.
I still enjoy enduro's more but I want to give Senna the chance to ride and race while he is interested in it. (I know girls will come along eventually and he wont want to hang out with dad)
He cant wait till he is old enough for enduro's, so he can line up with his old man and try to whip my butt.

That's awesome Stewart well done. Having done a bit of work through the pines I know how scary it can be bar banging every tree and hitting greasy branches at 45 degrees and the hidden stump from the last crop of pines to be planted there.

By the sounds of it the young fella is going to have his work cut out for him.