Reconnecting with old racing friends on the line!

It was a slow year for racing for me in 2016, but life itself had a lot more in store than usual! I did some limited racing this year, welcomed my second baby, a girl, into the world, watched my boy master some new skills (and new words), and expanded my business. Next year, I’m looking to do a lot more racing! Here’s a recap of 2016.

Firstly, thank you to my great sponsors who have stuck with me over the years! Some of which I have been partnered with for more than 10. I rely heavily on their products to get me to the finish safely, and for many, I have developed a lot of friendships. I guess I’m just lucky to be in a sport where I can meet people and those meetings evolved into friendships that cross states, borders, and time zones. My sponsors, including my wife, have helped make my career something to be proud of, and for that I am forever thankful. I have loved representing the best over the years! Read More

Quadcross Northwest headed back to Horn Rapids this year for their 2015 season opener. The weather was expected to be beautiful and it did not disappoint. Turnout looked good in many classes, including my own and I went into the weekend excited about racing my four wheeler! But, who isn’t excited about racing?

I went out for practice laps on Saturday a smidge rusty. I never felt like MX was my strong suit and I always thought that I needed a lot of practice to be good at it, versus some guys who can go out and look flawless, fast and comfortable if they’ve been riding all week or just once in the last year! Work has been busy, so I haven’t had time for riding or much of a workout regiment. Those aren’t excuses not to go racing, so after completing the last bits of my MX bike – including adding my spankin’ new CRF skid plate from Mike Campell to the bike – we packed up and headed to the track. After practice, I needed to do a little big of tuning. This was my first time on the bike after Arlan of LED Performance fixed her up last year. I am always pleased with his work! With help from Troy “The Pit Boss” Oestreich, I did a quick carb adjustment and oil change and got prepped for my first moto – race 8.

Dan Dehut and I gathering up the available real estate in the first corner.

Motoring along, trying to make up some ground.

Horn Rapids has a concrete pad at the gate, which can be tricky to get traction on without the right know how or tire set up. Maxxis absolutely rules in the tire department, and I have taken off from concrete once or twice (I won’t say whether it was at a race track or not though) so when the gate dropped I got a great jump. I powered down the straight and got the holeshot! I made it over the first two table tops before I got passed and held 2nd without challenge the rest of the moto. I felt really good after, but it usually takes me a long time to warm up which is challenging in MX because we only get 5 laps! Read More

Quad75Dezert is leaving the Northwest and heading South for the Best in the Desert’s General Tire Vegas to Reno Race. The 530 mile race takes place on Friday the 17th and will conclude that day in Reno. Normally riders Jorie Williams and Brandon Brown would be taking the Q10 race bike from Beatty, NV to the finish, however this year’s race has applied a lot of changes to the program, some of them very last-minute.

The original plan was to have three teams under the Quad75Dezert banner. Jorie Williams and Brandon Brown on one bike, Kenny Sanford and Jamie Kirkpatrick on a second bike, and Sean and Mary McHugh on a third bike. Sean and Mary have been helping the Quad75Dezert racers in Mexico with parts from their TCS Motorsports company as well as coming down to pit and chase for the team. This year, the husband and wife duo decided to take on a challenge of their own – get in shape and race the Vegas to Reno. Their plan seems to be the only one unchanged. A misunderstanding has left a shipment of much needed parts nowhere to be found for two of the race bikes, and currently Jorie Williams is out with an infection, resulting in needing his wisdom teeth removed just days before the race. The McHughs are nervous, but ready. “It’s still not quite feeling real yet,” Mary McHugh said via phone, “We are going to be in Vegas on Friday, the race is going to start, and we are going to see what we can do!”

Some photos from last year’s  (2011) Vegas to Reno race. Read More