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SRC Winter Series, Fontana, CA:
March started out strong for the No Brakes team and we're looking forward to a great month! March 8th & 9th was the last of the SRC Winter Series races and our So Cal team mates were right on hand. Laura Drexler came in with a 3rd in the Expert Women DH and Wil White came in 11th in the Beginner Men DH. And Will also came out as the SRC Winter Series Overall Winner! Way to go Wil!  St. Patty's Day Fest, Bootleg Canyon:
From No Brakes Team Member, Michael Yares, here is a race report on the St. Patty's Day Fest at Bootleg Canyon: I watched the weather. I worked on my bikes and I bailed numerous times to no avail. Wind and Bootleg Canyon, a time tested tradition.
Super D had more women and a lot less men attending than the President's Day race, about 50 or so all told. I entered the event as Vet Pro to line the pockets of the real pros. After a two hour delay on the start we were sent off down Boy Scout Girl Scout Lakeview Snakeback for 12+ minutes of dust sucking fun. It really is fun, more should do this.. Anyway, they lumped me in with the Pros and I took 3rd out of three, one a minute or so off the winner, so I guess that is great (especially on near 40# rig) toot toot. Got a beer glass and $20.
The DH was Armageddon Snake Back Reaper on down (Poop Shoot was deleted because.....the wind, too scary, who knows?) It rained early in the dark Sunday morning and made the trails vanuys. I was
only able to get one practice in Saturday due to late SD and uhh I got a flat and well anyway, I got two runs on Sunday before the new single run format for the race. the course was in great shape and fast. The weather shaped up great, so I was glad I came,
Since I was going Vet Pro, we started after the Pro Women Jackie and Buhly, then me next. No worries about catching them. We had six dewds in our group and I took 3rd not too far off Simon and Craig VanC at 4:59:99 just squeaked into the 4 minute club and about 24 seconds off of Simon, the winner. 
NMBS, Fontana, CA:  The No Brakes crew was out for the first DH NMBS race of the year. Team members Wil White, Patrick Bryce and Erich Wissinger were out racing and looking strong! On hand to lend support and cheer them on were No Brakers Moses Cruz, Laura Drexler and Kim Gilchrist. The racing and action was a lot of fun that weekend. And, it was great to see so many of our sponsors out and supporting the Urban Assault DH. |
The race action for us was varied in strategy. We had 6 enter the 45-49 Expert class with 5 showing up to start (Donny Jackson is coming off injuries and realized this is not the course to get back into it on). Les was first out of the gate and I started last, and I mean the last racer down the mountain. Les hit the Bedrock drop and thought he'd shorten the course entering the woods but found the edge of the course soft and took a slide down the ski run. Our nemesis, Craig Van Cleve took the opp and slid right by him further in the woods (though Craig to the slower go arounds at Barney's Rubble and the Bedrock). With Les' get off and Craig's long route, my "vulture" run worked out well. I made it through Barney's and down Bedrock to take second, no charging from me, just smooth and steady does it. Les got to stand in fifth... The winner beat me by 20 seconds so pedaling might have helped.
managed to stay for Sunday's Pro race and it was good to see that even the Pros were stacking in Barney's Rubble. No one seemed to get a major injury although our friend Jackie Harmony went down pretty hard in the Slalom on Saturday. The slalom course was short but sweet for quick and fun action. Local star Melissa Buhl won handily. Unfortunately the Super D was set for late Sunday afternoon so we did not get to participate (seems a mistake to schedule so late to me).
Chile Challenge, Angel Fire, NM: Wow, what a race weekend! Good times were had by all as the No Brakes crew and friends headed out to New Mexico for the Mountain States Cup. We arrived to be greeted by a snowstorm and a course that was made even more challenging for the mud and slick conditions. But, luckily the weather did a 180 and by DH race time on Monday so conditions couldn't be better.