What the FOG happened? Stoppelcross part 2: Boekel, NL. By BdJ

Nov 15, 2011

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 3520 times

It was foggy and cold at 7am when we started the engine to go to round two of the Stoppelcross series, and that didn't change all day. But at least we weren't riding in the mud, something we did at previous races in Boekel. At first I did not like the track much as practice didn't go too well and also the qualifying race was tough as I threw away all tear offs at once and then had fog on the goggles for the rest of the race and I could not see anything at all. Still managed to make the A-Final of the MX2 Hobby class which was the goal again.

Lots of BMX-ers made it to the A-final (top 20 per heat making it a 40 rider final) and when the gate dropped it was full throttle to the first turn. The 100 meter first straight had people flying towards that penny that was laying there to be picked up. I think that's an old Greg Hill trick to get the holeshot. Not me, that's for sure, the 125cc doesn't do too well against the big 250F's on a s

traightaway. But anyway, I managed to get in the mix but lost about 10 positions in the second turn when I got over the berm and had a tough time getting back on the track. At that point it was trying to do the best I could and making sure that #48 stayed behind me.

When you ride in a race, you usually have no clue what position you're at or who is in front or behind you. You just do your thing and hope the organisation will post the results on the bus in notime. That is usually the problem at the Stoppelcross races. They lose track, mix up scores, and then have to get creative getting the right riders in the right position. It's part of what these races are and unless they start working with transponders, it will never change.

The results of the finals we still don't know and probably never will. We can only guess what place we were in. After the race was over it was clear that Pieter Does (TwinAir) was the winner of our posse with another top 10 score. Rob Karsmakers (TMV) was somewher

e behind him. I stalled my bike in the last corner of the last lap but fortunately the 4-stroke behind me took the same rut. This allowed me to crank the bike back up and finish in front of the rider behind me, which turned out to be Tom Kuiper (Leatt). Got lucky there. #48 had missed a lap trying to get his bike started. Not sure how Wilco Groenendaal, Koen Smulders and Glenn van de Wetering did. Like I mentioned earlier, we will probably never know.

Paul de Jong (Paul's Boutique) had another great start in the B-final and rode his laps. Lippe (MTB rider magazine) did the same in the MX1 Hobby class. Martijn Verbakel picked up Frans Swinkels' bike (125cc KTM) and tried to work the
MX1 riders but he had not touched a dirtbike for 7 years so that didn't go too well. It was good to see him ride though.

In the end everyone walked away. The bikes were still running so it was all good. This upcoming weekend we won't make it to round three as we'll be in Berlin for the Telekom Playgrounds. If there's no snow on the ground at the end of the month we'll be present at the final round for one more Stoppelcross. Stay tuned.

BdJ