Been reading the previous threads on Desert racing, I might give it a try someday. I am eligible for the cheap meals at Dennys, so I don't plan on being first place, but it sounds like fun. Can someone "hip" me through the process. What goes on at signups? what is a bomb run? Are you able to do practice laps?etc

Basically you can signup the morning of the race usually from 6-8:30 am or on saturdays from 12:00pm to 4pm or so.. The bomb run is the start area of the race and usually is a stretch about a half mile long that takes you to the marked course. Once on the marked course, you need to stay within 50 feet of the arrows or you could be penalized( hardly ever in forced though) It's a dead engine start, and usually done with the drop of a flag and there are different lines for various skill levels. There is no practice or prerunning the race course, but you can practice the bomb run section as much as you want the morning of. There are different age groups such as Vet 30+ ( which is what I race) Senior which is 40+, and Master which is 50+. It's a great atmosphere sown at D38 and lots of cool peeps down there to hang out with. We usually camp at the races all weekend which makes for a good time as well. Let me know if you have any other questions.

D38 season opener is this Sun, Jan 31st.

Race starts at 10AM.
Jeff Cady Desert Scramble

This is good. Ooooh, wait a minute, I'm almost there myself. Maybe closer than almost.

I am glad you asked as I have been toying with this myself. Sounds like a lot of fun, but I know NOTHING of the how-to's for it.
Thanks for asking...

Hey..it can be really fun. I'm going back to it, cuz it was always a blast. Desert racing is different than all the others.

D38 is a bit differetn than before, no mroe pre-running I hear; which is similar to how BITD was doing it. Most off-road series allow pre-running or 'qualifying' runs, but what the hack, it's all riding.

Read over the rules and tech inspection stuff. Make sure you wear plenty of protective gear, and have some extra tires, in case. If you can get some friends to go with ya, then they can be your pit crew. Go over your bike, and go over it, and go over it again. On race day, plenty of fluid in the camelback, and take it easy. Watcht he route signs, pay attention to how others take theri lines

I'll be missing the opener, hopeffully the next one.

if you want to get your feet wet, check out www.worcsracing.com click on the bike site. In february they are racing in Primm Nevada. They do desert races there. The worcs series is a GP style and alittle cheaper then doing a SCORE or BITD weekend. They have many classes for skill level and bike size. It will be a combined bike/atv weekend. too. February 26th-28th. It takes a larger group of dedicated people to do desert racing. Worcs you can show up in your truck with minimal equpiment and have a ball.

One more question Woody, what is a fender card? I see in some of the videos what looks like a check point, the bikes stop and some guys in orange vests do something to the bikes, does this have something to do with the fender cards?

Yep! There are checkpoints out on the race course to make sure people aren't cutting the course anywhere. So when you pull up to the checkpoint they mark your fender card. That happens each lap and there could be any where from 3-5 check points usually depending on course milage. Next race is Feb 28th out at Superstition. Our club is actually putting it on so you should come out.. Good times and greta people to hang with.

Heres the start from last weekends race. This is a buddy of mine who races in the open novice class. The bomb run at this race was a little hairy because it funneled into a rocky up hill section. Electric start is a must for getting good starts

Heres one more video also from last weekend. But this ones in HD and is pretty good! Scroll down towards the bottom of the page and you will see the "Jeff Cady Memorial race" video

http://www.racevisions.org/racevisions-movies.htm

Are spark arrestors really required? I seem to see a lot of stock CRF and YZ pipes in the videos

Supposed to be "required" but rarely if ever checked. Thats more to please the BLM more than anything. Cause ya know we may burn down the desert one of these days! lol

Do you wear a kidney belt or back support?

I don't wear those but I do wear a Leatt Brace. Thats a great thing to look into if you are serious about racing.

I don't wear those but I do wear a Leatt Brace. Thats a great thing to look into if you are serious about racing.

AMA card renewed, District 38 member, Full Throttle 100.....he we come! I'll tell you all about it if I live through it!

Right on! Thats our club ( full throttle) and I'll be working a check point during the race. Did you get an assigned number yet or are you going to pie plate it?

If you see #51m coming, stay clear, it's not going to be pretty.....thanks for all of your help Wood!

No problem I'm stoked for ya to come out and race.. I think you'll be hooked! Good luck next weekend.

Hey Wood
thanks for all of your help! My first race ever and I took first in my class...woo hoo
I'm building a new room in my house just for the trophy!
51m

Nice! I was at check 3 sitting in the Rhino taking down numbers.. Wish I would have know that was you! How did you like the course? Are you on the D38 message board also?

www.amad38.com.. I'm gonna race a wheelchair errrrrrr I mean Quad this weekend at the national.. Don't tell anybody My bike is having some work done to it and I want to race, so the Quad is it!

So, you were with the guy in the sombrero and serape?
With no past experience I have nothing to judge the course by, but I liked it. It had a little bit of everything in it, I loved the dunes part (of course) hated the whoops along Huff road and had a blast in the high speed washes (nothing like rubbing your shoulders along a cliff at 50mph) I was pinned going across the lake bed, which is about 78 mph on my bike.....could have used another gear! I was completely spent at the end of four laps, I don't know how those young-uns did five. Every muscle in my body hurts and I can't wait to do it again! I wish the best for those guys that got hurt.
51m

No that was a guy named Jason in the sombrero get up lol. I was sitting in the rhino writing down numbers. Ya plaster city and superstition is a pretty rough place to ride.. Not to many areas that are not beat up and whooped out. Are you doing the national this weekend? Thats a fun race, A loop is 50 miles and B loop is 45 I think? B loop is a killer, it goes all around the back side of superstition on some of the worst terrain that place has to offer.. Congrats on your race last weekend, sounds like you had fun and did good also!

Not doing the National (I don't think I'm ready to run with the big dogs yet) We'll be at the Tierra Del Sol desert jeep run this weekend.....although I could sneak out early Sunday morning....hmmm

Its a great race, and basically the same set up as last weekend. Plus unless you are an amateur or expert you will only do the A loop.. So 50 miles and your done for the day. And it's one loop, so it covers basically the whole paster city area and has some great terrain. Just make sure if you do race, your bike can do 50 miles without filling up.. Otherwise there will be an alt fuel pit at mile 20 or so.