Tag: Flat Track

NW Flat Track Series 2016-2017: Race #1 {of 9}…

Now, that was a GREAT way to start off Flat Track season! Team #77 had victories across the table this past Sunday, and we couldn’t be any more proud of all the kiddos!

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Penelope raced her PW 50 in the beginners 50cc dirt bike class, and her LT80 quad in the beginners 90cc quad class. At the ripe age of six, this is her second year racing in both those classes. Last year, she had a tough time keeping up with the ‘big kids’ in both classes but held in there taking 4th overall in the series (out of 6 total qualifying riders) on her quad, and 4th overall in the series (out of 4 total qualifying riders, so last place) on her dirt bike.

Maybelline raced her new KTM 50cc Pro Senior in the advanced 50cc dirt bike class, and her LT80 quad in the beginners 90cc quad class. As we mentioned before, we were having a tough time deciding what class to put her in on her quad since she had already been in that class for two years. After consulting our fellow ‘flat track veteran’ family and friends, it came down to just a few things:

-In the 2 years she had previously raced this class, she only ONCE (in 18+ races) took home a 1st place trophy (and that’s when #1 and #2 took each other out on the last lap and she was able to pass by the crash).

-Also, she is still riding a stock 80cc quad, vs. the ‘shifter quads’ that are currently running in the advanced class. The ‘Myers’ family (racing mates for 20+ yrs) also have similar age kids on the same quads that always proven for fun competition, so we followed suit leaving them all in the same classes again this year as we’ve always done in the past.

-Finally, she is 3 years YOUNGER than the maximum age requirement for the class, meaning that she is still competing with people who are both less and more advanced than her.

Obviously, if she takes a podium finish in this class this year, we plan to buy her a bigger bike and move her up next year. As far as her dirt bike went, the ‘big bikes’ (KTM’s and Cobra’s) stepped up into the advanced class so Maybelline did too! With only a few short sessions of seat time on the new bike, we were not sure what to expect.

This year, we also added another new member to the Team #77 Racing Team! Our dear friend Makayla and her daughter, Addy (age 5) came out for Sunday RACE-DAY. Addy is using one of the girls’ old LT50 quads, and is racing the beginners 70cc quad class.

Another long-time ‘flat track veteran’ friend brought out his son, Bro, to also race in the beginners 50cc dirt bike class. It was sooooo fun to have him and Penelope in the same races (flashback to circa ’94…and that was us, now parents, racing each other). We are hoping that Bro will return in the near future to race quads with the girls’ as well!

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With a line-up of 4 kids, totaling 6 bikes/quads (and all races running back-to-back pretty much), it sure led to an eventful day for Team #77 Racing!

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Nelly and Bro battled it out on their PW 50 dirt bikes (back and forth between #1 and #2 probably 5 times during the race) – with Nelly taking 1st across the finish line during the heat race. The main had seven dirt bikes total, Nelly taking 1st, and Bro at 3rd (but less than a bikes length from swiping 2nd). I think both of them are probably still sleeping with their trophies at night ;-).

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Next race was Maybelline on her dirt bike! Just her (on her KTM) and another little girl (on a Cobra), both new to the bikes and class this year, hit the track. May blew up her clutch right out of staging, but made it through both the heat and main, taking 2nd place overall.

Addy was up next! For her first time ever on the track, she did GREAT! There were 2 quads in her class that did not belong in there (it was a 70cc and less beginners class, and there was a DDR 90 and a 110 both in it) that made it an even tougher race for her. Either way, she swooped up 5th in the heat race, and finished 2nd in the main…INCREDIBLE!

Next up was May and Nelly in the quad class! With 9 total riders in the class, both girls had to fight hard to keep their places. May took 1st in both the heat and main, and Nelly took 4th in both as well! SO PROUD OF THEM ❤❤

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We got out of the track by 5:30ish on Sunday, and headed home with a bus full of happy kids and a bundle of trophies! With 26 winters spent at that track for Flat Track Racing…these sure are the nights and moments we live for…GO TEAM #77 RACING!

{{Up next: Indoor BMX Racing             THIS WEEKEND}}

#MotoMom

NW Flat Track Series 2016-2017…{Just 2 more weeks}!

Okayyyy, so I know it has been TOO LONG since I last updated this blog. But, good news – I have good excuses 😉

My main purpose for this blog is promoting and sharing the Team #77 Racing (mainly the girls’) journey racing their quads, dirt bikes, 3 wheelers, and BMX. As I am sure you could imagine, racing is SO EXPENSIVE. Over time, we hope that documenting this journey will allow the girls’ to secure additional sponsors and fans along the way, keeping a strong support system around them at all times. They both have BIG goals in mind – but how exactly we get there is another story.

With that being said, since BMX State Finals at PI (in late August), we haven’t been moto’ing at all. Lame, I know! Following finals, we took a quick trip over to Idaho for a few days to visit with my sister. The day after we returned, both girls were back to school full time. Two weeks following that, I went back to work full time. And now, we are still just as busy as ever!

BUT…it’s that time of the year again for the NW Flat Track Series out at Monroe. Team #77 Racing has been racing out at Monroe Flat Track since 1990, so this is pretty much a family tradition at this point. This year is a 9 round series, spread between 4 months. Sunday mornings, we arrive to the track by 8am, and we don’t leave until well into the evening. Half way through the season – a double point’s race takes place in Pasco, WA. The last two races of the season are run as a double header (Friday night, and Saturday afternoon). You must race 8 of 9 races to qualify – and it’s ran total points style (each finish equals a certain amount of points, add them all up at the end of the year for a total and final points count/finish).

This year, Penelope will be racing her PW50 dirt bike in the Beginners 50cc Class and her LT80 quad in the 90cc Beginners Quad Class.

Maybelline, on the other hand, we are not sure what classes she will be racing at this point. She will be on her new KTM Pro Senior 50cc dirt bike, and racing her LT80 quad again. Although both the quad and dirt bike beginners’ classes allow for kids up to 11 years old to race in them, it really isn’t fair to remain as a beginner if you’ve been racing that class several years, and you have taken away a podium finish. On the other hand, the next class up for quads is usually ‘shifter’ quads (which Maybelline’s isn’t), and then next class up for dirt bikes were some REALLY tough boys on some REALLY ‘trick’ dirt bikes.

As we get nearer to the season start, gossip sure is flowing! We recently found out (after spending a small fortune to build some race 3-wheelers) that the promoter has canceled the 3-wheeler class for this season. HUGE slap in the face to many people, but I honestly expect nothing different from this class-act of a guy. Another one of the podium finishers in the girls’ dirt bike class will also be stepping up to a ‘big girl’ bike this year and racing alongside Maybelline. Our sweetest buddy AJ (#99) will be returning for another year of Flat Track (his 2nd year) on his quad. The most adorable lil’ Zoe and her tough brother will be missing in this years’ dirt bike classes. Maybelline’s biggest competition in the quad class last year is moving up. So many changes – makes for lots of anticipation…we can’t wait!

…Just 2 more weeks…

#MotoMom