Hey guys, one of our very own cafe husky members will be trying to qualify for the Red Bud National this 4th of July. Blake Young, who has been racking up wins in AMA dist 17 MX this summer aboard a Husky TC 450 will be at Red Bud trying to make the big show. Unfortunately Husky had bigger priorities than filling out the homologation paperwork, so he will not be on his TC, but on a CRF450R, whatever that is. Qualifying and motos will be updated here so you can check in to see if he made it into the main race. http://wire.ama-cycle.org/ And the first motos will be aired live here if you want to watch. http://www.allisports.com/events/redbud Lets all wish him good luck.
...at first i thought this was the post from last years Hangtown when the GP Cycles Husky TC450 wasnt homologated. Go get 'em Blake!
Red Bud Hey guys/gals, Just got back from my first Outdoor Motocross National, at Red Bud, last night and WOW what an experience! If any of you followed the timing or already looked up results from the morning, then you all saw that is wasn't my best of weekends. It sounds dumb, but honestly the weekend was a GREAT success in my mind for my first ever Pro experience. I could talk about everything that I experienced and saw but that would take forever...so I will keep it to a minimum. We got there early Friday morning around 9 a.m. and got my dads mechanic pass at Will Call and was then on our way into the Pro pits. Just being in the pits with everyone was super cool, we were parked within 100 ft. of J-Law's, Michael Byrne's, and Chad Reeds personal motorhomes. All the big names were out walking/driving around the pits just like there weren't anyone special ( because the pits weren't open to the public on Friday, all the big names were super laid back just hangin out all day). We did our Tech Inspection and Sound Test Friday afternoon and passed with flying colors (had to make sure I had all the required AMA logos on my gear/bike, make sure my bike was quite enough, and have the "eject" system installed into my helmet). Got to bed early and actually got some really good sleep (leading up to it, I just knew that I would be laying awake all night but luckily that wasn't the case). Saturday morning we (me and Dad) attended the riders meeting and was in line for my first Pro practice session. The first 5 minutes (of the 15 minute practice session) are what they call "FREE" practice which means you aren't not on the clock being timed (so it was 2 laps and then on the 3rd lap you were suppose to be up to speed......yeah right haha). Just riding around the track with 10-20 thousand people watching, banners lining the entire track, and photographers in about every corner was an experience of a lifetime.....it felt really cool. Anyway, on the third lap of the first practice (which was my first lap being timed) I ended up falling pretty hard on a plain and simple straight away with a roller in it (just got cross-rutted and ended up swapping the back end until I could hold on to it any longer....up and over the bars I went). I tweaked my shoulder really bad (which was already hurting a bit from a fall the weekend prior) and only completed the rest of that one lap in the first practice session (so I showed only completing one lap in the 1st practice session and it was around the 8 minute mark....ouch...not good). I went back to the truck, dad worked on the bike and got it straightened back out, and I put some ice on my shoulder. Went back out for the next practice session and had a different mind set this time.....just finish all laps in practice and enjoy it. Needless to say, I was not fast at all in the second practice session but didn't fall once and enjoyed every minute of it. With my slow times in practice, I was one of the last gate choices for the Consolation race which put me way outside. I was more than nervous if that makes sense and was about ready to poop my pants while sitting on the line getting ready to start (not literally, but was VERY nervous). I got a really good jump out of the gate and was about 20th position after the first couple of corners (out of 40 other Pro's). I was super pumped to be as far up there as I was for my poor gate pick and still being my first Pro race. Well, the nerves got me and I ended washing the front end out in a corner on the first lap. I kept the bike running and got up as fast as I could. People were falling all over the place and/or were just not riding super fast. I ended up catching up to and getting 26th overall in the Consolation Race out of 40. Some might not think that is too good, but out of 40 Professional racers (and I HIGHLY doubt any of them this was their first Pro race) I was able to beat 14 of them......I thought that was pretty damn good considering I was on the ground on the first lap. This wasn't like a District race where out of 10 guys there might be 4-5 fast ones and the others are just OK.....everyone here was here for a reason and that's because they were a Pro. Dad kept telling me all day and the days leading up to it that if I could just beat 1 other Pro then it would be a success for my first race....needless to say I ended up doing a lot better than we thought. That is about it for now, just thought I would share my humble experience at my first Professional Motocross race. For those of you who were following on line and commented earlier, thanks a lot for your support. We head to Millville, MN in two weeks and I am obviously hoping to improve (I have taught with Tony D up there for several years and feel very comfortable on that track....I have already jumped all the big jumps on that track therefore I would be hesitating too much in my practice sessions). Thanks again and talk to you all later. Blake Young * Most importantly though, I am leading the Open A AND +25 points for the Illinois D-17 State Points Championship....and have turned a lot of people onto Husqvarna's I do believe.
Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good efforts. Sounds pretty darned exciting and we'll be waiting to follow your further adventures at the track.:ride:
Awesome. And i totally agree, You should be stoked, you are riding in the big leagues and doing it. Hope you much success going forward. Remember that the rest of the field is just a bunch of mortal humans like you, take it to them.
I am amazed by the guys who can ride at that level. Seems that the mental game is one of the hardest things to deal with. Congrats on the race, what are your plans for the rest of the season?
Awesome and thanks for sharing. I litterally do need to crap just minutes before big races. Must be some kind of evolutionary thing. Just before the big hunt against the wooly mammoth, cro-mag needs to be at the top of his game? Amyway--give us an update next time for sure.
Absolutely awesome Blake! For your first shot a pro national I think you did extremely well. Like you said, you learned a ton and can apply that to Milleville in 2 weeks. Combine what you learned with a little luck (no crashes) and you could be in the main running with the big boys. Congrats man.
Thanks again everyone and like Clay said, my next Pro race is in 2 weeks at Millville. I only have the funds to race one other one this season and it will be Steel City (the next closest one to me). Hopefully next year, with some support from Husqvarna and hoping that the TC 450 or TC 250 will be legal, I will be able to do half a dozen or so.....as always it just depends on the financial situation. Thanks again and I will certainly post some pics up once I have time to do so and will post update when Millville comes around. See ya around. Blake Young
I think its an air bag that sits in the top of the helmet that when infalted, pushes the helmet off of your head instead of them having to pull up on the helmet and risking further damage if it was a neck injury. Your livin the dream Blake, keep up the good work. Wish you could contend more races but with the economy the way it is I understand. By the way, how was Larocco's leap? I seen a interview with Ricky Dietrich and he said he was to scared the first time he raced there, but he was pretty excited about clearing it this year. I also heard RC talking about blowing the front wheel when he over jumped it. It takes some big cahonnes to jump that gap. Good luck, wish you could do it on a Husky.
I can't believe he's been racing on a Husky all year long and then just jumps on a Honda for a National like it's his familiar pit bike...AWESOME! Good look for the next one...I'm sure you'll do better. David
Thanks Blake, You just brought back my very first Pro Motocross National at Hollister Hills 500cc MX National. Aug. 22, 1986 I was 21. Rick Johnson is leading the series with David Bailey. Johnny O'mara, and Jeff Ward are battling for second. I qualified for the main with a 6th place in my qualifier. Those days there were 60 riders showing up trying to be one of 40 for the main event. Blake is dealing with double maybe triple the riders trying to qualify for the mains today. I can vividly remember the sights, and smells of the entire day as Blake did. It is like a tatoo, it gets in your skin and is there for life. A 25th and a 24th netted me 24th overall. I was pumped. The next weekend was the last 500cc National of the year in Washougal Washington. David Bailey and Ricky Johnson are tied in points. Me and my mechanic drive my Dodge D-50 pick up to Washington. I qualify again this time 5th place. I notice my Yamaha YZ 490 is really rich in my qualifier and lean it out a notch on the needle. Moto #1, I get a decent gate pick and line up between factory Yamaha riders of Danny Storbeck and Doug Dubach. The gate drops I rocket out of the hole with the YZ's front wheel 6 inches off the dirt, full throttle all the way to the first turn...HOLESHOT What the hell am I doing out front?? #530 on a stock YZ 490? I got a primo photo in Cycle News. Okay here we go. Second turn Ricky Johnson goes by, this was quite the hair raising experience following Rick Johnson the worlds greatest motocrosser 3/4 of a lap around Washougal circuit...Until Bailey and Wardy flew by. I mean literally flew by. I came around the 1st lap in 5th and was having a great moto until a crash 25 min. in while running 14th. Picked up to finish 21st in moto 1. Moto 2 a 23rd put me 21st overall just out of points by 1. I went on to ride mainly Hangtown and Wahougal Nationals for ten years. Missed qualifying 1 time in '89. Definately a memorable experience that Blake has just experienced that will be engraved forever. Good Job Blake keep it up, stay away from injuries and find those o so important sponsors. Jim Owens.
Great story Jim. Thanks for sharing. Man that must have been an incredible experience leading a pro national.
