SERC #1 Santos "The Vortex"

The first SERC race in Ocala, Florida was probably my favorite race yet. The course was similar to the 12 Hours of Santos, only backwards. This meant that there would be a lot more climbing. The course was very technical, and there were a lot of unexpected turns and switchbacks. The trails were in perfect condition. Anyone could nail a turn and know that they were going to hold on.

On the day of the race, I was so excited! This was the first time I was going to race Junior Sport. I knew that I was going to have some very tough competition, but I was determined to make the podium. My teammate Cody Burnett was also racing this class. Since he is 1st in the nation for Cat 3 riders and 2nd for Cat 2 riders, I was nervous. My goal was just to stay on his wheel and make it a sprint finish. I was also racing Michael Mace, who won the 11 to 14 class in the FSC against me and Troy Davis. Since this was his home course, our plan was to stay on his wheel, learn his lines, and then attack.

When the whistle blew, we were off! I was last into the woods due to a bad starting position. With Michael in front, he set the pace. I passed the rider in front of me, John Koch, and tailed behind Cody. The first lap went by fast. We learned Michael's lines and were ready to attack. No lap traffic definitely helped. Once into the second lap, Mike attacked us, but we didn't let him get away. Once into an open section, Cody took the lead place and started setting the pace. We continued fast and furious into the third lap. At the beginning of the third lap, I made my move to second place. We were then able to open the gap. We pushed and pushed. It was between me and Cody. We both sprinted to the finish, I was right on his wheel, and I took  2nd place!

My Niner Air 9 RDO was a sweet ride for this course. It was forgiving where I needed it, and stiff when I needed it. It handled the tight turns very well, and I was able to rocket up the climbs with ease. My Rockshock SID XX World Cup with hydraulic lockout came in handy. I was able to shoot of the starts and hammer the climbs on lockout without wasting any energy. My HEED by Hammer Nutrition was the best drink at the time. It gave me a boost of energy and kept me hydrated the entire race, and it tasted amazing, so I was able to continue drinking.

I had a great race at the 1st SERC. Riding three laps was a lot from race laps I was used to, but I really liked it. Hopefully there will be a Junior Sport in the FSC this coming season.

Second Place Finish!!!!  I'll take that!!