Vann Martin results Lake Elsinore‏

Vann and his mechanic (Allan) drove out to California early so that they could ride some of the tracks out there and I was hoping that they could get to ride on press day, but we were not able to do that.

Instead he rode at Paris, Milestone, and Glen Helen. I think it was really good for him to ride out there, plus he hasn’t rode the 450 since Loretta Lynn’s and seeing how he was going to race it at Elsinore it was good for him to get some time on it.

I guess Elsinore was a new track, but it was a DIFFERENT track, that’s for sure.

They piled on the mulch, but it was still concrete underneath, plus it was really long, almost 3 minutes.

Qualifying didn’t go all that great, it is just tough to learn a track in 8 laps, I mean he had all the jumps down, but putting the track together is tough when it is so long.

He qualified 34^th, but at least he didn’t have to run the consolation race. I think it would have been good for him to get a little more time on the track, but those last chance qualifiers are brutal!

First moto, there was a pile up in the first turn and Vann just kind of got stuck behind some of the riders that fell. He came around the first turn in about 30^th, which is still better than he was starting in the 250.

The temperature was right at 100 degrees, and while that is pretty hot, it was nothing like it is here every day. By the halfway point, there was so many riders that were just cruising around. Vann passed 4 riders in one lap! He worked his way up to 19^thand just when he passed for 18^th, he lost the front end and fell right in front of the other rider who didn’t have anywhere to go, and ran Vann completely over. When he got up, he was in a bad position and it took him a few seconds to get the bike turned around and refired. He finished 25^th.

Second moto his start was a little better around 28^thor so. He was really riding well and was right behind Jimmy Albertson, with Kiniry right behind him. He stuck to Jimmy and worked up 16^th. With about 4 laps to go, Kiniry was able to get by him. Vann was still riding very good but with 2 laps to go, he got cross rutted on a section right before the finish. He crashed really hard and hit his head pretty good. He still got back to his bike and got going. He got to the last corner and he saw Dungy coming up on him, not wanting to mess with the champ, he pulled over to let him go, not knowing that Pollitelli was right there and he snuck by him in the last corner. He finished 18^th.

He pulled off the track to a flagger and asked how to get back to the pits. He was a little dinged out from the crash and spent the next hour in the Asterisk truck. He ended up with a slight concussion, a hole in his tongue, and gash in his chin and a pulled muscle in his calf.

We learned so much in these last four races. I kind of wish that it was still going as he has been getting a little better every week. But I am also glad that we can take a break now and regroup.

I am still very proud of him and his accomplishments, hopefully we can take what we have learned and turn it into an even better 2013.

Thanks everyone for your support, I can’t explain how much it means to us!