Team Blog Entry
~ HIGH POINT NATIONAL - HEAVEN - AMATEURS ~
~ DARRYN DURHAM & TJ PHILLIPS - 250 MOTO 1 ~
~ BRIAN SHUCKHART & BEN RITTER - 450 MOTO 1 ~
What an awesome 3 days at "The Point". Lots to talk about and pictures and thoughts to get up to view. I'm just putting up a few tonight and have lots more coming your way. Very tired BUT a good tired. Hats off to Darryn Durham, Brian Shuckhart, Ben Ritter, Roy Holt and TJ Phillips - so very proud of ALL of you!
Oh yes I must say the Speedo Boys/Ghost Inc. did it again... more on that is coming soon!
WEDNESDAY - It's always a strange week of getting things up on the site after a National and amateur day of racing. Plus working at school acouple of days. So we are sorting thru some interesting things and hope to get them to you. Our minds are still on the past event - Thank you again all that put it together...
Be sure to check out Kristin's Blog for more pictures and her special designed pictures.
~ ~ HIGH POINT NATIONAL 2009 ~ ~
~ MISC PICTURES OF TEAM ALEX RICK - SPEEDO BOYS ~ AWESOME GROUP OF YOUNG MEN! ~
~ MISC THURSDAY, FRIDAY PICTURES ~
~ BRIAN SHUCKHART & BEN RITTER 450 MOTO 1&2 ~
~ MISC PICTURES AMATEUR DAY ~
http://www.pbase.com/MXLens
~ DARRYN DURHAM ~
~ DARRYN DURHAM ~
~ BRIAN SHUCKHART ~
~ I LOVE THOSE SPEEDO BOYS SPREADING THE LOVE TO BRIAN ON HOT LAP ~
~ BEN RITTER ~
~ ROY HOLT ~
~ TJ PHILLIPS ~
~ MICHAEL WILLARD ~
*
~ AMATEUR DAY ~
~ OPEN A - DAVEY YEZEK HOLE SHOT ~
~ TODD STREIT - VINTAGE ~
~ RYAN BOYER ~ WOW AWESOME RIDING! (hope that your bike injuries are going to heal)
~ DANIEL LIPPMAN ~
~ DENEEN ~ NICE WHIP 
HIGH POINT NATIONAL 2009 - Some of my Thoughts
How do I start putting down the many thoughts of these past four days. They range from preparation at home, to sitting in line all day Thursday, anticipating the great pit area to the work involved in getting it that way. Anxious to see who all is going to be there. Will all the riders that you want to see ride make it in. Do I have enough food, water, ice, clothes. Just so many things to think about. Well on the Lantzer scale we did okay with all of those things. I can't even start to comprehend what Racer Productions and crew have to get together to have an event come off like the one just did this past weekend. It truly amazes me ALL of the many things that has too happen. I have worked in our school district in the athletic department many years. In those years I help the Athletic director get wrestling tournament together, section tournaments that would involve many schools. Just a drop in the bucket to what has just come together at High Point.
The grounds where totally groomed and trimmed. The track was made into this amazing new adventure for the riders. (all riders where drooling and sighing) Grounds people everywhere working on stakes, banners, disking, watering. Putting up gigantic tents for the VIPS, vendors coming in and did I mention all of the colorful banners going up, well lots of those. Everyone was doing their part to make it the best for all. Just sitting in the bleachers on the amateur side I just wanted to soak it all in. What a beautiful site, from one end to the trees on the far right. Total Beauty!
Thursday was a good day greeting old friends in line starting with Mr. Matthews. Big smile and a welcome to us crazy ones that come early. Just a little rain came but the big white tent served as a good cover thru the down pour. Donna finally came around for money and camping stickers where placed and we were on our way in to set up. This time reminds me of what it must have been like back in the late 1800's at the Oklahoma land rush. This year it went rather smooth, not as many waiting in line like some years before. At this time is when it all begins and before you know it your taking everything down. Why does it go by so quickly. It's just way to fast.
Jerry meet Ken Moser some years ago in line and with Chuck Colson. Ken has been to every High Point National that has been. Nothing has kept him away. This year was going to be a tough one for him. Ken is a great Pens fan. (Ken has been partying a lot lately) Now what does one do in that case. He makes the decision to come and bring every TV apparatus to make sure that he will be able to see the big game. Panic set in when the TV stuff was not working. But all was well with efforts made by Chris Raymond to have the game shown at a tent in the Pro section but that didn't work but thank goodness for the McConnell's. They saved the day, Ken and Lil was apart of an awesome season of their favorite Pens. Actually the whole High Point area was celebrating the winning of the Cup. Ken remembered back in 1991 when he was at The Point on another winning season for the Pens. Another great memory at High Point.
Friday morning came with the breaking of the grey clouds and that found me up on the bleachers early looking over the beautiful track. Work was going on all around the track and the already beautiful track was getting the final touches. The grand view of High Point from the Amateur side is breath taking. The big rigs started to pour in and toward the Pro pits, what a colorful parade to watch. Jerry had already gone over to watch the rigs come in and hopefully see some of his favorite riders pull in to set up. He didn't know that the Shuckhart's where coming later that day but hoped to see Ben Ritter, Roy Holt and TJ Phillips. Of course Jerry had to stop in to Pro Action to check in with Eric, then on to Cernics. We didn't see Jerry till nearly noon.
With all of the activity going on one does not get bored. Watching people set up their pits is always interesting. I'm sure that ones that watch Jerry, Kristin and I put up the tent get a real laugh at us. Friends start to pull in. We were so pleased to have Chuck Coulson in our pits this year. Chuck has moved to So Cal and I must add enjoys the riding there immensely. Not that Chuck would ever rub all of the advantages that he has out there to us over and over. So good in getting caught up with him and the news of his family. We will miss you Chuck. Jerry is waving at you already.
Being at High Point National and Steel City National is like a big family reunion. Yes we see most everyone at Sundays events but the Nationals bring back many friends that have been away from the sport. The ones that we see every Sunday we generally do not get to visit with. Sundays are busy with rider preparation and motos to ride. So visiting is not always something that is available. I know that I miss out on that a lot with being out on the track taking pictures. So having time to talk racing is awesome for me.
With the distant from the amateur side to the Pro side during the Nationals is just too far for me to walk. I feel somewhat dislocated from the Pro side but enjoy looking over that way. There isn't a better seat in the house than the amateur side to watch the race. It is incredible, it's like the biggest flat screen TV around. This year with the great changes on the track made it even more exciting. My first thought is how are they going to do it. What an awesome jump and into a sweeping left turn and into a whoop section. Will it be too soft to land in, will they crash. Oh dear... I have to worry about everything. No problem for the riders. They took to the track like it was always that way. The incredible man in the dozer made it all happen. He put a lot of love in what he does, a perfect track.
Saturday and with the Stanley Cup won it was time for qualifying and the mains. Darryn, Brian, Roy, Ben and TJ were ready to take to the track. No problems there, they were at home and had been out there many times. All looked good in their times. Three of our riders made it in the mains, Darryn, Brian, Ben and TJ. Congrats to all four of you guys we are always so very proud of you.
(the week has quickly gone by and I had to work at school on three of them, so I am again behind in finishing my account of the Nationals and of course my favorite day with the amateurs. LL regional at the Point this weekend and I am even further behind and I'm not even there yet... See you all there)
~ pBase SITE FOR PAST RACES AND THEIR GALLERIES
~ PLEASURE VALLEY, HIGH POINT, STEEL CITY, ROARING KNOB, R & D ~
http://www.pbase.com/MXLens
Lantzermx98@windstream.net - Arlene
ALWAYS IN MEMORY OF AARON #98 - ARLENE
PLEASE DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE
Posted by Arlene on 06.15.09 @ 02:02 AM ET | Top of Page