Clark Brothers Racing: Root 66 Grafton Ponds/West Hill Race

Anthony and I packed up the GTI and headed out to Grafton Vermont for the Root 66 Grafton Ponds/West Hill Race this past Sunday. This would be our first time racing this event and had no idea what to expect. We did our usual drive to the race ritual and stopped at Starbucks for some coffee and a snack.

We arrived at Grafton Ponds about an hour and a half prior to our race start so we decided to walked around, pick up our number plates and then ended up sitting under the Seib’s Bikeman tent chatting to Collin Johannen and his son Scott for a while (trying to avoid the sun). Did I mention it was hot as hell out!! WOW, it was freaking wicked hot and humid! Good thing we had a cooler full of refreshments for post race hydration.

So about 45 minutes before the start of the race Anthony and I decided to suit up and stretch our legs out by going for a little cruise down the road and back. Once we returned we spoke with a gentleman who claimed to be the trail builder at Grafton Ponds and he highly recommended that we pre-ride the beginning and the end of the course, so we saddled up and headed out.

We rode a small section of the start and then crossed under the tape and finished with the ending portion of the course. Just that little loop got us excited for what type of race it was going to be. The trails are a mix of rooty and rocky singletrack with a small amount of double track dirt road mix. It was going to be a blast!

Race time! We all got lined up in our respective categories. The wave of riders that went out just before single speed open had a collision and one of the racers broke his collar bone. Bad way to start the race. They cleared the course and single speed open was all lined up. I keep telling myself not to worry about the hole shot. Just go out and get in a comfortable pace and see how things go. Whistle blows and we are off, and everyone is going way faster than I really want to go, but I don’t want to be the last rider in my class to hit the singletrack so I pin it and pass the field and give myself a pretty large gap, but of course I red lined, and then about halfway through lap one I’m in total recovery mode (not good).

I ended up seeing Anthony on one of the switchback sections in the woods. Not feeling so hot going into my second lap I decided to back my pace down and take it easy. I think it worked because I felt better on my third lap and never saw any of the other single speeders during the race. I did get to see a great battle at the finish between Lane Maher and Steve Lehmann for the second and third spots. I have to give major kudos to Lane Maher. The kid is like 12 years old and slaying it out there. He will be a force to be reckoned with in the future for sure.

Anthony hauled the freaking mail and took third place in the Cat II 40-49. We celebrated after the race by jumping in the pond and then drinking a few tallboy PBR’s before the awards ceremony. We even got to stand on the Podium. Good thing I brought my podium shoes.

It was a great venue. I will definitely go back next year and will bring the entire family with me.

TEC