2009 National Enduro Round 1, Sumter, SC

[GAS GAS UNLIMITED]

With temperatures in the 40's, 31 pro riders and just over 600 riders signed up it seemed like a race that would be one to remember. With the best of the best there, now it is time to see who has been training and who is in the best condition and at the top of there game. I had row 43A (riding the pro/AA class) and with at least a foot and a half of snow back home I knew I wasn’t quiet as prepared as some of the other riders.
We went down to South Carolina accouple days early to break in my brand new 2009 GAS GAS EC 250 Race version. This bike is asome! The sachs suspension really makes this bike able to handle anything, from whoop sections, to double jump and even a high speed log crossing. Now with 2days of riding under my belt I knew I just had to race and see how I do.

The 1st section I took off and felt really smooth but just not fast because I was so pumped up. The second section I still felt really tight and just couldn’t get in a rhythm. At the gas stop I made some suspension adjustments because the races had more small chops than big whoops like I had expected.
After that I felt pretty good but I just kept loosing concentration and starting making big mistakes (smashing into trees and blowing corners). Somewhere right before the 2nd gas i misjudged a tight tree section and drove me foot square into a tree. At first I thought it was just a stinger but after awhile I just couldn’t shift that fast or dab my foot. I just wanted to finish so I rode kind of cautious.

In the end I had fun, I didn’t do even as close to as well as I would have liked to but I loved the bike and can’t wait to get on it again at my next race, more prepared and in a better mind set. Its time to hit the track and do as much riding, racing, and training possible before the next round I ride on march 5th in Daytona beach Florida. I will be skipping round 2 in Greensboro GA, in order to get things ready for bike week and make sure I get things 100% so I can put in a good ride for myself and GAS GAS.

If anyone is going down to Florida for the week of bike week, I have accouple places we are going to be doing some testing for the alligator enduro, Send me a PM if you want to know the location or the dates we will be there.

JOHN T. Maier
GAS GAS UNLIMITED
301 South Broad St
Meriden, CT 06450
(203) 631 0337