HS#14 - Okeechobee, Fl - Helmet Cam

Click to Play

This is the last race of the 08-09 FTR Hare Scramble season. I managed to win 1st place and the Season Championship by 2 points.

HS#14 – Okeechobee 1st Place – Season Champion!!

I started out with a good start right behind William Campbell and by the third corner I was in 1st. About half way through the first lap of the 12 miles course I had a nasty wreck and Jerry Mena took the lead. I managed to fight my way back to 3rd place on the 1st lap and came across Jerry on the sideline holding his shoulder screaming “It’s all yours” (He had dislocated his shoulder)… I was heartbroken… I wanted to battle Jerry to the finish, but I knew I had to win this race to win the championship (2nd place would make me lose overall by 1 point to Jeff Moan) so I just focused on the rider who was in front of me. I battled back and forth with Tom Healey #630 for the next hour. With about 5 miles to go I made the pass and put some distance between us. When I came through the chicane I knew that not only did I win the race but I won the Class Championship.

William Campbell on the right with another hole shot!!

After the race, relaxing and giving Jerry some pointers on how to avoid the trees and roots! Ha Ha (I hope you get better soon)

The toughest trophy I have earned yet!!!

My bike took the worst beating of the season. I broke my left radiator cage, my left hand guard, both of my radiator shrouds, crushed my silencer, broke my headlight, and knocked a 2 inch hole in the trans cover There was actually palmetto root jammed in the hole which helped keep the fluid in. But it was all worth it!

The Final Race is here!!!

Tomorrow, Sunday May 9th is the final race of the 2008-2009 Hare Scramble season. The adjusted points for top 3 in this championship going into this race are as follows:

Jerry Mena– 413
John Wishon– 408
Jeff Moan- 406 (taking work credit for this race – auto 50pts)

So first for me beats Jeff by 2 points... second place means I get beat by Jeff by 1 point.
Jerry needs at least 2nd to beat us both, If he gets 3rd and I get 1st... we tie!
So no matter what...

I got to get 1st this race!

After 9 months, 13 races, 450 miles of trails…
To many bumps, bruises, ER visits, MRI’s, X-rays, and medications to count…

It all comes down to the last race where I have to get 1st to win the overall championship…

No Problem, No Pressure!

Thanks to everyone that has supported me through this season. My family, friends, and sponsors. (Matthews Currie Ford, DeCal Works)

HS#13 – Bunnell, FL – 2nd Place – 1 more to go!

What a great tough race… I got a great start at about 3rd (important to be up front because this one was going to be dusty) and in the 3rd corner Jerry had a nasty dirt sandwich to put me into the trail in 2nd. When I came around the first lap I looked at the counter and I was in 2nd, 30sec behind the leader. At about the 5 mile mark I caught the lead rider and passed him, 6miles later I came through the chicane expecting to see first… 2nd!! what the @#%$! Everyone was screaming he’s right in front of you (I am still not sure how that happened when I was never passed by any rider in any class this entire race). In the middle of lap 2 I caught the lead rider, again! I screamed for him to move over (Whew Whew Whew), again! When he did, I passed him… again!, and then I made sure I pulled away from him, after 5 miles or so with the magical lead rider way behind me I came into the finish and saw… “2nd Place!” WHAT THE %$@#!!.. He some how mysteriously finished a minute ahead of me… (Of course the first race without my helmet cam)

I just hope that those 3 points I lost doesn’t cost me the championship in the long run. Oh well! That’s racing! 

Shaking hands with Jerry Mena (secretly plotting to block Jeff Moan) at the start.

Jerry just getting the jump on me at the start…

Jerry being nice enough to wait for me at the 3rd corner… (ouch!)

 

Me thinking “how nice of Jerry to throw himself in front of the other riders to let me go by” ;)

One note… Jerry managed to catch up and finish 3rd… With a possible broken leg!! You are the man Jerry!
Get well soon!

Coming around for lap 3… no Jerry of Jeff in sight!! Whew!

2nd Place… 1 more race to go for the season championship

Current adjusted points into the last race. (Too close to call)

Jerry – 413
John – 408
Jeff - 406

See you guys at HS14 !

HS12 - Senior C Helmet Cam

Click to Play

This is up to the middle of "The BEACH" on lap 1... That's when a tree ripped my helmet cam off.

HS#12 – Ona, FL – 7th Place

This is a race that I shouldn’t even have raced… I went into this race sick with bronchitis and slight fever. Not to mention my back had been bothering me pretty bad (racing with the massive herniated disk against doctors suggestions). But as stubborn as I can be I raced anyways. The points championship is to close to not give it my all. Well I got a good start 3rd place and within the first 5 minutes I was in 2nd with a pretty good lead. Then my body started letting me know that I shouldn’t be out here. I could got get into my groove, my hands were weak, forearms were killing me, short of breath, and the whoops were killing my back. After a few minutes Jerry Mena was right on my ass yelling for me to get going or move. I didn’t think I would make even 1 lap. Well, after 3 - 10mile laps of the most insane sugar sand whoops I have ever seen I managed to pull a 7th place finish (my worst in the last 8 races). Since the race I have been in bed sick as a dog for 3 days straight…. I hope I can recover before the next race or I can kiss my chance of beating Jerry and Jeff for the championship goodbye!

Some different views of the Enduro Cross section

 

  

 

New Graphics for the YZ450

New graphics for Cody’s YZ450…. Sweeeettt!!

OSDR HS#12 Preview

Click to Play

This is a preview of the Old School Dirt Riders Race this weekend Apil 11th and 12th in Ona. FL

My first Holeshot - FTR HS #11 - Samasula, FL

Click to Play

FTR HS #11 - Samasula, FL - 6th Place

My first holeshot of the season... after 10 races of just missing it... I finally got it! Got a good lead then let evey one catch up in the first mud section when my bike decided to take a nap in the mud. After explaining to my bike that this was not the time to be laying down on the job... I spent the next 8miles battling Jeff Moan back and forth for the lead. That was when my rear brakes went out!!!!! I ended up finishing 2 laps in 6th place. Congrats to Jeff Moan for his 1st place finish!!! This season is getting to close to call. I started this race with an 8 point lead... now here is the calculated points standings with 3 more races to go!!!

Jeff Moan - 322

Jerry Mena - 321

John Wishon - 321

HS#10 – Bartow, FL – 5th Place

What a race!!! The hardest earned 5th place I have ever got. This was a dusty, rough 3 lap 12.5 mile course that just beat the hell out of me. As always… I loved it! I also managed to pick up a couple more points for the season championship which is looking like it is not going to be decided until the last race (4 more to go). Right now, only 10 points separate the 3 top riders (Myself, Jeff Moan, and Jerry Mena) Good luck to you guys and I will see you at the next one.

“B” - Official FTR Promotion

I received my letter from FTR that I have earned my promotion to “B” class. This was my goal at the start of the season. I will finished this season in C class due to the tight points battle for the C class season championship. After 4 more races I will start wearing my “B” with pride.

FTR HS 9 - Gatorback - Senior C - 02/2009

Click to Play

This is the start of the race and the pile up at the first hill.

HS#9 – Gatorback Cycle Park – Gainesville, FL – 3rd Place

Got off to a good start right on the rear fender of Jerry Mena in 4th… came around to the first hill and 1/2 way up I got taken out by another rider and spent 2-3 min underneath everyone's bikes. Then spent the next 10 miles trying to catch Jeff Moan and Jerry. This was a monster of a race 4 laps and 40 miles later I ended up in 3rd… My son Cody who ran Open-C on his 450 finished 3 laps and ended up 16th in his class… (his class is a hell of a lot harder than mine) Awesome job Cody!!!

My son Cody on the track section of Gatorback

Cody taking a break on the first lap… Ouch!!!

Way to dig deep Son!

HS#8 FTR - Myakka, FL - Senior C Helmet Cam

Click to Play

HS#8 – Myakka, FL – 1st Place

What a grueling race! I got a bad start again… coming off the line in about 12th place. I knew this was a nasty course with deep mud, deep sand, and tight woods with bad roots to try to overcome. The course was about 13 miles long and I knew that it was going to be a long tough 3 lap race. After the first lap I had moved my way up to 8th place and on the second lap I had climbed to 5th. Jerry Mena once again gave me a run for my money and kept us both at a blistering pace. We spent the last two laps going back and forth with each other fighting for the lead. This time I managed to get the edge and at the very end when Jerry got hung up on someone stuck in the mud and I made my move and got the pass and the 1st place win. Yea Baby… 1st place!!! Sounds so good!!! Congrats on 2nd Jerry… See you at Gatorback.

My buddy Jeff never made it out of the Mud Hole!!

New Sponsor Graphics

Here is the first look of the new graphics for my sponsors… MatthewCurrie.com and Decal Works… Pretty Sweet!

FTR HS #7 - Brighton, FL

Click to Play

Florida Trail Riders Hare Scramble #7 01/25/2009 - Seminole Showdown V - John Wishon #139 Senior C

HS#7 – Brighton – 3rd Place

I got a terrible start on this race and ended up at around 8th into the first corner. That is Jerry Mena below with the hole shot 100ft in front of me. I spent the first 13 mile lap in bad traffic fighting my way through the pack as well as other classes. All I kept thinking was how the leader must be just pulling away farther and farther. After 41mins of grinding my way up through I was surprised to find out that I worked my way into 2nd place. 200 yards later I was passed by Jeff Moan and that's when the fun began. I knew that we were fighting for 2nd and we went back and forth for the next 8 miles. I was ahead of Jeff trying to get some distance when as I come through a berm I see Jerry just picking up his bike and realize I just moved into first. For the next 5 miles the 3 of us had an all out battle going back and forth between the top 3 positions. Jerry got ahead of me near the end and I washed out in a corner trying to catch him back and ended up in 3rd. Jerry got 1st, Jeff got 2nd, and I had a blast… It was anybody’s race and this time Jerry got it… I will try to get him next time! What an awesome race!!!!

Jerry just in front of me as I am trying to reel him in.

Replacing the Case on Cody’s YZ450

During practice last week my son Cody broke the chain on his 07 YZ450. The chain got bound up against the motor and broke the left side of the case. So I had to order a new case which meant a massive teardown and rebuild. So this is where we are so far with the motor gutted and swapping over bearings. I HOPE we remember where everything goes (gulp)… If not we will know soon enough.