THR Motorsports/Precision Concepts Kawasaki rider Robby Bell enjoys a come-from-behind win at the Ridgecrest Big 6 Grand Prix.
AMA District 37 BIG 6 Grand Prix
Ridgecrest, CA
Oct. 4th, 2014
It had been nearly two years since I last attended a Big 6 race, which really surprised me when I came to that realization, so I decided to head out to Ridgecrest, California, for the sixth round of the series this past weekend.
The Ridgecrest round is always an enjoyable event for me. I think it’s a combination of the fast course layout, the sandy terrain that offers ideal traction with a little bit of water, and the fact that everyone in town is so pumped up for the race to be there.
I arrived at the race a bit late Saturday morning, which meant I missed the muddy slip ’n slide that was the unclassified practice, and I’d be going into the 90+ min Pro/Expert/Intermediate Hare Scramble blind. I didn’t feel that was big deal as the course is usually very similar each year, and the WORCS event earlier in the season used much of the same terrain as well. My ideal plan was to get a top-two or top-three start, follow along and key off a couple riders as I learned the course, and then pick up my speed once I got comfortable.
We learned on the starting line that the race was going to be started via dead engine—I should have known this since most off-road events utilize this style of start these days, but I neglected to practice any dead-engine starts except for one on the line right before the race would commence (brilliant, I know). As the starting light lit green, I gave the kickstarter a solid kick, but my bike had no intention of firing up that easily for me. In fact, it took three or four more kicks before I got off the line.
As I headed around the first corner of the course in just about last position I realized I hadn’t turned on my GoPro yet, so I made sure to do so (because I had that kind of time) and then set off to try to make a few moves through the pack. I got up to around eighth position fairly quickly and then was able to make a couple more quick moves into sixth place down a high-speed straightaway.
Unfortunately, by the time I had made it to sixth a bit of a gap had begun to form between myself and the three riders directly ahead of me, which took nearly the rest of the first lap for me to close. Once I’d finally become the caboose of the now four-rider pack, I was able to make two quick passes—one as a rider pulled a little wide and opened the door, and another when the third-place rider crashed violently while entering a corner when his front end tucked on the freshly watered dirt (it looked like he was getting up pretty quickly, though, so I think/hope he was alright).
Just before the finish of the first lap, paralleling the pit row, was a fairly basic, but lengthy Endurocross section, and I was able to get through it just a little faster than the rider ahead of me, moving myself into third position. The two riders left ahead of me were Justin Seeds (who was leading) and Jake Argubright, and they had opened up quite a lead in that first lap.
It took nearly two more laps, but by the end of the third lap I had just edged up to the rear fender of Jake, and when he dove in to the pits I was able to make the pass for second. Justin was a few seconds farther ahead then, but as we completed our fourth circuit, I managed to cut his advantage to nil. When Justin made the hard left to enter the pits for his stop, I decided to stay out one extra loop and see if I could pull a gap and maintain the lead after my pit stop on the following lap.
Over the final two laps the back markers were coming thick and fast, and I think Justin had a few more issues with them than I did, because he finally did start to lose a little time. In the end I was able to stretch out just enough of a lead to relax and really enjoy the last lap, and I was able to mark my comeback to the Big 6 series with a victory.
I really want to thank my personal supporters for everything they’ve done for me this year: Precision Concepts, Kawasaki, Alamo Alarm, MSR, Shoei, Sidi, Spy, Focus Apparel, EVS, USWE, FMF, BRP, THR Motorsports, Northland Motorsports, Ryan Abbatoye Designs, and ATP Mechanix. I feel I’m really starting to find some form as the year winds down, and I’m happy to be able to repay their faith in me with some solid performances.
I had a blast racing in Ridgecrest again, and I think the Viewfinders MC did a great job with the event. Coming up next for me is the 24 Hours of Glen Helen, always a favorite among the riders, particularly around three or four in the morning. That goes double for the pit crews who have the thankless job of staying up all through the night.
I’m thinking I’m going to try to sleep from now until the start of the race. I’m definitely going to need it!
Robby Bell
www.robbybellracing.com
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