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A couple of weeks in Mammoth Lakes are just what we needed. The temperature right now in Houston is hovering around 100 with 65% humidity! While it is the best place in the world to train, it is like living in an armpit! Our crew was there a couple days early and attended the Vet moto days, along with the open practice day.
Naveen got our bikes set up a little better and the guys got some more track time. The only vet rider that we took with us was Murray Kaiman. Murray is a local business owner that loves to moto and now has checked Mammoth of his official moto bucket list. Naveen and his crew were busy as one legged dogs in a room full of rocking chairs, chasing their tails trying to get all the Honda customers bikes set up, along with our guys. This race is really big on the west coast with over 4000 entries over the week and a half of racing.
Murray made it though his qualifiers and finished out very well for the weekend. This may have been his first race at Mammoth, but he has defiantly put this in his schedule for next year!
Results:
On the mini days, Naveen put his skills to work on the CRF150. Because we have been there for a few years, his experience with this small 4 stroke motor is beyond belief. This year he kind of adopted a kid there that needed some help. Troy Graffunder basically started out just asking for some jetting needs. Before you knew it Naveen was doing everything he could to make sure that Troy had the best running CRF150 that he could with the circumstances. Troy turned out to be a good kid and a great rider
We were happy to help Troy achieve his goal of winning a couple mains in the 85cc 14-16 class!
The kid has some skills so keep your eye out!!
On Thursday, the big bikes rolled out onto the track. Again, it was super busy at our trailer with 5 HHR riders and about 500 million Honda riders, crazy does not explain the intensity. All the guys on our crew did an exception job and got everybody's bikes dialed.
Friday the racing started with the Open class, followed by Saturday with the 250's, then Sunday 450's.
We had five riders make the trek to Mammoth. Everybody had some ups and downs, but no one got hurt, and we all came away building for the next race!
Chris Plouffe
Vann Martin
Kyle Swanson
Alvaro Cardenas
Jonah Cormier
Moving forward is what it all about!
Our crew did an outstanding job!
Before we left the guys in the race shop worked 36 hours straight getting everything ready!
It really paid off when every rider under our tent pulled at least one Holeshot.
I really want to thank everybody that helps us out, and thanks to Naveen and his crew for putting in the time.
| Honda of Houston Racing | American Honda |
| Powered by Naveen | Moto Tassinari |
| Pro Honda Oils | Yoshimura |
| Fox | Hinson |
| VP Fuels | Twin Air |
| Dunlop | Pro Clean 1000 |
| Renthal | Twin Air |
| D.I.D. | Matrix |
| Hot Cams | PPG |
| CRF Stuff | Leo Vince Carbon Products |
| Factory Backing | Tamer |
We just wanted to send out an update on the last couple races for Vann.
First off we went to Freestone for the Amateur day race on May 30th.
He was the first one to jump completely over the wall and land on the first whoop.
It was really lowering our lap times and he got it down to a 204.9. The track, while still rough and rutted, was not near as bad as it was the day before for the pros. Plus with Vann getting all the way over the wall, has to be good for at least 2 seconds.
Vann Holeshot the first moto and seemed to be running away with the win. Then he started slowing down and was actually passed by one rider on the last lap. Turns out his clutch cable broke on the first lap. A couple of weeks ago the same thing happened at the practice track. He rode his 2 30 minute motos anyway because it could happen at any race. Good thing because that is just what happened! So if it happens again at Loretta Lynn’s he has plenty of practice!!
He rode 4 classes, so that means 8 motos. With that many motos, it is inevitable that some are going to be really close! Such was the case when he went to the line for the first College Boy class, and it was a good thing because on the line, his 450 got a flat. With the 2 minute board up, he ran and got his 250. Needless to say he didn’t get a good start; in fact he fell in the first turn. There were 14 guys in the class and he passed all but one. The second moto he started just as bad and worked up to 2nd but just could get enough drive to pass the 450 in front of him.
It was a good weekend, but he was not very happy. His goal was to win every moto and he came up short.
Results:
The next race was the Loretta Lynn's regional at Thunder Valley in Colorado.
We had never been to this track, but watched every race we could on T.V. and the computer to try and learn it.
The dirt was really weird and it had some really big jumps. There would be ruts as deep as your tank in one corner and then super slick hard pack the next.
The start is uphill, and then goes down for about a second, and then a long ways uphill to the top of the track.
All the way there I was telling him that he did not need to win this race, if it fell in his lap, take it, but the important thing was to get qualified!
The first moto was 450 B Mod, he tried starting in second and it turned out that wasn't a very good idea.
With a last place start he went to work fast as they were 4 lap races.
On the last lap he caught the leader and went to pas in probably the worst place because there were about 20 axle deep ruts.
He got cross rutted, flew over the bars, and the bike flipped about 3 times!
I was freaking out; thinking our trip to Loretta Lynn's could be over.
Turns out he was just banged up a little but not a great way to start the weekend.
Then went on a rampage and got either first or second for the next 6 motos.
The next morning he was moto number 3. He Holeshot the moto and instantly started pulling away, but the track was a little slick and he lost the front end over one of the doubles, stacking it up in front of a full gate of enraged 450 B riders. He was a little skinned up but ok and went on to finish 7th.
A couple motos later was 450 B mod and he was all over the leader looking for an opportunity to pass when he slowed, again I was wondering what was going on. When he pulled off the track, he had blood everywhere! Turns out he took a rock to the face splitting his lip open and blooding his nose.
The last moto of the week was 250 B and on the start he almost pulled a loop out Larry! On the first lap he kept looking down at the rear tire, turns out he had a low rear tire. He limped it home to 5th, but still got second overall!
All in all a good weekend, he raced 15 motos, 5 moto wins, qualified for all 5 classes, and that is why we went there.
His starts are good, his speed great, and his fitness is awesome!
College Boy 2 - 1 - 1 - 1st Overall
250 B Stock 2 - 1 - 4 - 1st Overall
250 B Mod 1 - 2 - 5 - 2nd Overall
450 B Mod 7 - 3 - 2 - 3rd Overall
450 B Stock 1 - 7 - 3 - 4th Overall
