This is how the trip started out!
Stillwell Performance rider Ian Blythe walked into the shop Wednesday morning with a look that told me our upcoming trip to Lake Havasu might be off to a rocky start.
Uh, I had a little problem with my van-it’s kind of stuck in the driveway. Well, not stuck exactly, more like wedged into the pine trees that lined the drive up to the shop.
In typical March Colorado weather we had received 10 inches of snow the night before, and the snow plow guy was nowhere in sight. Ian and I jumped in the truck and for the next 45 minutes proceeded to pull, tug, and drag the Blythe mobile back down to the road for another run, this time at the end of a tow rope.
Pitted next to the Factory semi
We finished some last minute bike prep and loaded the KTM into the van, packed the remaining stuff for the weekend and set the alarm for 5AM.
After 14 hours of some of the most boring interstate the west has to offer we pulled into Lake Havasu, AZ site of Round 3 of the WORCS Series. We pitted next to the KTM factory semi and went to check out the track.
Ian was stoked to race Havasu; he liked the course a bunch last year. We had spent much of the past two weeks testing suspension in preparation for this event. The course could best be described as sand, sand and more sand!
2nd on Saturday!
Friday was a practice day and we spent most of it chasing a clutch problem that had the clutch working great to start, but slowly fading away. We changed the master cylinder and hose and during the last practice it seemed to hold up.
Saturday was qualifier day, the bike was running well and our suspension setup was spot on for the huge sand whoops that made up much of the course. Ian was entered in the 450A and Open A classes. The top 12 riders from each race would transfer to the Pro2 main event on Sunday. The strategy was to qualify in the first race, finish prepping the bike and then soak up some AZ sunshine.
That idea lasted less than one lap when the clutch went south. Ian wisely pulled out, unsure what had happened and once again we went to work, not knowing at that point exactly what the extent of the damage was.
10AM Sunday morning...
The factory KTM guys were a BIG help to us, WORCS #1 plate holder Mike Brown’s mechanic Andrew Langston (Grant’s uncle) came through with some parts and assistance that got the job finished in time for Ian to line up for his second (and last) chance to qualify. The slave cylinder seal had gone out and it was the one part we did not have in our truck. Thanks Andrew!
Ian once again got a good jump, made a couple of passes and had a good, solid race, finishing 2nd overall! All right, that’s how it’s supposed to work! We were stoked and loaded up the van for a quick trip to the car wash.
Saturday evening we cleaned up the bike and decided to check the clutch one last time. Pulling the cover off revealed more broken clutch plates! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
Not what you want to see on race morning...
We buttoned it back up and decided to get to the pits early and diagnose the problem.
Sunday AM I headed back over to the KTM semi with the broken parts in hand. We diagnosed the problem as a bad clutch basket, which means tearing down the clutch and primary cover completely. Ian was a bit worried, as we did not have a alot of time before he needed to go to staging. Andrew and Donny from KTM reworked our parts in record time and we once again bolted everything back together. Those guys were just plain awesome and helped us a bunch!
Ian again got a great start in the final, rounding the first turn in 8th and quickly moving up to 4th halfway through the first lap. He went to make a pass for 3rd, hit a hole and crashed. When he got up the only part that was broken was (get this) the clutch hose!!!! $#@*&! Air got into the system and the clutch was gone-again! We had decided that unless the wheels would not turn we were going to finish. Ian ran the entire 2-hour race with no clutch and brought it home in 10th overall.
Ready to go PIN IT!
A good finish considering all of the ups and downs we had been through. He rode well and has the pace needed to be on the box, we just need some luck!
So, it’s back to riding and training in preparation for the next race in Adelanto, CA next month.
Once again huge thanks to Andrew Langston and Donny from the Factory KTM crew, they were a big help and a class bunch of guys!
See you next month!!!
