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.

First Practice Since my Injury

Well today I went to our practice track and tested out my back for the first time in 3 1/2 weeks since my injury. I was a little leery about being able to ride without pain. That being said I haven’t felt this good in 20 years. I was able to ride hard for 5 hours straight and felt 100%. Now I will have to wait and see how I feel over the next couple of days… because the next race is next Sunday and this is basically whether or not I can finish the season.

HS #6 - Brooksville

I had to sit this race out and get a work credit due to the back injury, but I hope to be recovered enough to race the next one in a couple of weeks. The race looked great and I would have loved to be out there battling it out with the rest of the guys in my class. Jerry Mena (214), the current class leader, had the holeshot off the start and raced a good race to finish 4th… moving me just a little closer to him in the points since my race credit will give me 2nd place points… So I think now we are only separated by 5 points… Hey, every little bit helps :)  As long a no one gets promoted before the season ends it looks like we are going to have one hell of a battle for the season as there is only about 30 points separating the top 5 before this race. Awesome!

My buddy Jeff (166) got his best start yet and was in the front pack at 6th just ahead of the winner (16)

Now What?

A couple of days after the last race I started have severe pains in my lower back that was getting worse every day. By the 5th day I was flat on my back in incredible pain and my left leg and foot were becoming numb. I ended up have to go to the ER and they took some x-rays to see if anything was broken and put me on some kick ass pain killers. X-rays showed nothing…. Off to get an MRI… There it was, between my L4 and L5 vertebra was a massive herniated disc that was pinching the nerves in my spinal cord causing the pain and numbness.

   

For those of you who know me, know that I am no stranger to back pain… I have just gotten used to dealing with the pain and try to do what ever I can to try to prevent any unnecessary abuse (Yea Right… I Race Motocross!)…. Whatever!!! Anyway It looks like all the pain in the past was probably a tear in the tendon like material that connects the vertebra together and I just keep injuring it over and over… Well it finally just tore fully open and then chunks of the inside (cushion) shot out  against my spinal cord. OUCH!!!

Now What???

I worked my self up to the 2nd place spot for the season championship in my class only 9 points behind the current leader Jerry Mena… Now the future in unsure for me as far as racing goes. I am going to try to get a work credit for this Sundays Race (Jan 4th) and then I still have about 4 more weeks until the next race. So I am just going to try to heal as fast a I can and hope that I get the OK from my wife and doctor to give it my best to catch Jerry before the end. We will just have to wait and see!

Ice Ice Baby!!

My wife and I Chillin with Vanilla Ice (Rob Van Winkle) and his daughter at his private party he put on at Dr Feelgoods Bar in West Palm Beach courtesy of Vince Neil from Motley Crue.

For those that didn’t know Rob happen to be an avid MX rider, he even brought his bike with him to the party.

As well as some other toys…

Thanks to Rob, and Toys for Tots for putting on a rocking party.

My home boy and home girl Eric and Christy having a nice get-a-way from the kids.

HS #5 – Sarasota – Finished 2nd Place

 

What a great race… I started of the line first, got a little sideways in the second corner, and gave up 3 positions. By the 2 mile mark I had worked my way back up to 2nd place and started the battle for 1st. After fifteen miles of racing I managed to get into 1st place and kept it for a couple of miles. The last hour of the race I spent going back and forth for the lead with Spencer Paddock (current series leader)… The action was Awesome! Less than a quarter mile to the finish I made my last attempt to get the jump on Spencer by trying to get across a creek on a different line than Spencer was taking… I ended up plowing into a palm tree and giving Spencer enough time to seal the win by 20 seconds. Well, That's racing… I will get him at the next race.

My 2 biggest fans… Hailey and Heather

OSDR HS #5 Sarasota, FL

Click to Play

This is a helmet cam view of the Sunday track for HS #5 for FTR put on by Old School Dirt Riders in Sarasota, FL