FTR Round #4
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 | 4:10 PM
TF Racing, Action Kawasaki, and DirtWise Riding Schools backed Jesse Ansley finished a hard fought 1st in the Mini A class at the FTR hare scrambles round number 4 in Maxville, FL. The race took place Saturday November 23, 2013.
What a fun weekend, with winning my class and going to my first college football game! I raced the bike I blew up in Daytona. The bike worked really well, especially for this course. The whole property was nothing but a pine tree farm.
I had an awesome jump off the line and was first going around the first couple turns. There was a road crossing a couple turns into the woods that we had to cross. I stepped on and attempted to step off but the bike rotated backwards. I planted my foot down and it jarred/stung. It hurt but it only took me minute to get back to normal. I felt like I was ripping on the first lap but I could hear bikes behind me. There were a couple switch backs were you would see bikes coming the other way so I knew how far they were behind me. By the end of the first lap I pulled a little from them and I could no longer hear them. This course had an enduro cross section on the course (optional) with a pipe, rocks, and logs. It wasn’t that challenging but it was really fun, it switched things up. For some reason they rerouted the scoring chicane and I didn’t realize it. I came blasting through there and almost busted through the ribbon. It caught me off guard and I was stuck in a tight place. I somehow squeezed through the tight trees and passed the scoring chicane. Everybody was cheering for me at the gas stop and it put a smile on my face. Here comes the road crossing again and I switch things up. This time I go to the left and the ditch was corroded down and it set me up to jump the whole road. It saved a lot of time and energy. There was a bridge about 2 miles in. In the riders meeting they said 1st gear over all of them. They put a 1st gear bridge in a 4th gear section. I respect the rules and every lap I would slow down all the way down to 1st gear. Right after I got off the bridge you know I was back on the gas. The course was not dusty at all. Some spots were a little muddy and that is where I almost fell. My front end washed out and I almost nailed a tree. If my front wheel wouldn’t have gripped I probably would have some of my teeth stuck in that tree. The only other major mistakes I made were when I blew a turn and almost crash really bad on a road. When I blew the turn I was trying to pass somebody and the lapper went to the left. I thought he was letting me by and I went straight. Then I noticed the arrow pointing left. Whoops! Then when I almost wrecked on the road there was a kicker at the top of the road. And I hit it thinking I could jump the whole road (different road then before) and the kicker throw my back end up in the air. Panic Revving I was, I think my heart stopped. Lappers are always the same but it seemed like I had to get closer to them this race than any other time. I walked away with the win and I was really happy.
For Sunday’s pro race it was again “The Sandman” Garrett Edmisten but not too far behind him was the 109 of Matt Boni. FTR had a special guest, Mike Alessi, come and hang out to watch Garrett and Matt do battle. Top Amateur was A250 rider Max Coughlin.
Thank you to TF Racing, Action Kawasaki/Yamaha, DirtWise Riding Schools, HBD MotoGrafx, IMS gas tanks, FMF Pipes, Dunlop Tires, Fox shoxs, PowerBand Racing, Seat Concepts, SADRA, Total Building Solutions, G2 Photos, Shoei, Pit Posse/Outlaw, 100% goggles, and my family and FTR friends. Thanks for all the support.