Your best holeshot story...

newmann
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11/15/2011 10:50pm
Ddavis wrote:
When I pulled a holeshot at Perris over Brady Kiesel.
Thought you were mad?Smile
RonSkj
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Fantasy
11/15/2011 10:51pm
Ddavis wrote:
When I pulled a holeshot at Perris over Brady Kiesel.
How long did you hold him off?
yz763
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11/15/2011 10:54pm
rbigair40 wrote:
in 91 on my built dr 350 at mitchel indiana they had changed the track and you had a long straight. the previous race they let...
in 91 on my built dr 350 at mitchel indiana they had changed the track and you had a long straight. the previous race they let us go down that straight ,but this time at the riders meeting (me talking cause i now everything) they said wher turning left not going down the straight .so i lined up on the right side in the hard grass awesome when going straight (not tilled up) i blasted out catching gears looked over to see how big of lead i had and every one BUT me was turning left...... LOL the anouncer called me Rodney wrong way all day after that it was funny !!!!
I miss Mitchel. That was one of my favorite tracks. I yanked a few holeshots there in my day.
Ddavis
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11/15/2011 11:02pm
Ddavis wrote:
When I pulled a holeshot at Perris over Brady Kiesel.
RonSkj wrote:
How long did you hold him off?
About 3 corners, at most.

The Shop

mxRob
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11/16/2011 12:22am
Regis wrote:
Another thread got me thinking about this. What is your best holeshot story? In my years of racing I have 2 that stand out. 1999 Houston...
Another thread got me thinking about this. What is your best holeshot story? In my years of racing I have 2 that stand out.

1999 Houston SX 125 West - got holeshot, but Brandes parked me in 2nd turn


But the best, was 1999 Mammoth MX in the 250 Pro main event.

After the parade lap , I came back to my gate and started my ritual. I had a great good pick after a good heat race. I started my burn and my "launch" check at the perfect moment as when the gate was about to drop I had the perfect burn and traction was awesome. When the gate did drop, after 6 inches I knew I had a massive holeshot. The bike hooked up and I was clicking gears, leaning off the back of the bike as far as my little arms would let me... Around the first left sweeper, I was tucked and pitched, clicking it into 4th, then 5th before going right back down three gears. When I got to the top of the hill I stuffed it into the left turn perfectly without hardly letting off, when I went down the first little drop off hill and got on the brakes it was silent. Dead silent.

Right then. My mom let go with her distinct AWOOOOOOOO that I could pick out anywhere anytime on the track. I actually remember hearing that yell and thinking go... Run away and make these f$&@kers run you down. It was still silent as I turned right, set up and went off the top off the famous downhill... When the tires left the ground and I chopped the throttle, I could hear the announcer (who I believe was Larry Naston maybe?). Shout and echo through the valley...

... AND IT'S HARRINGTON!....

Tires hit the ground, the rear brake dragging commenced and I was wide open hitting the biggest breaking bumps faster than I had all week.

Dubach passed me before the end of that first lap and by the end of the main I was spent, a 135 lb noodle armed kid hanging on for dear life and a 10th place finish with intermittent rear brakes. But that start.... The stars were aligned for sure.
This gave me chills
Wolfman
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11/16/2011 2:07am
mxRob wrote:
This gave me chills
Me too!
Wolfman
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11/16/2011 2:15am
Probably my coolest one happened both motos at a nighttime national at Motorcycle Raceways in 1990.
I blew the motor on my RM125 in practice and had to borrow a friends KX125.

I was signed up for novice, but so was he so I rode Open Outlaw. Somehow I hit the gate on its way down on a wheelie both motos and pulled massive holeshots.
plowboy
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Norwich, KS, USA
11/16/2011 2:59am
I've never been a good starter, just not brave enough, but ONE time...I lined up on the far left gate for the long uphill right hander...I let her rip figuring I'd get there just after the fast guys...ride around the inevitable crashers...and still beat the slow guys. I got to the first turn and realized that there was no one in front of me, no one even close. It was a pretty tight track so I managed to hold off/piss off the fast boys for a lap or two. The funny thing about that race is that when I got to the line I had to crap...so I leaned the bike against the fence and ran behind a tractor...dropped a duece....and still got the hole shot...it's a funny old life.
endo
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Sarasota, FL, USA
11/16/2011 3:13am
My best was at Budds Creek Amateur day 03'. I was going through a divorce that year, and hardly even riding. My buddies from Orlando talked me into hitting the National with them. I signed up for +40B, which was a full gate behind 40A. I timed the gate drop perfectly, and as we pulled away I could see my buddy Mike's disc gaurd for about 1 foot. After that, it was clear, wide open track, and I knew I ripped a wicked holeshot! After about 2 laps I was catching some A riders. About lap 4, I have a huge lead, and come up on a lapper stuck in a rut. As I go around him, I stall my 450......... and it takes forever to get it started again. SHIIIIIIIIIT!! I end up something like 23rd, but the cool thing was that another buddy of mine from Fl who has the same birthday as me ended up winning!

The one that got away ,it still bothers me.........
plowboy
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11/16/2011 3:22am
endo wrote:
My best was at Budds Creek Amateur day 03'. I was going through a divorce that year, and hardly even riding. My buddies from Orlando talked...
My best was at Budds Creek Amateur day 03'. I was going through a divorce that year, and hardly even riding. My buddies from Orlando talked me into hitting the National with them. I signed up for +40B, which was a full gate behind 40A. I timed the gate drop perfectly, and as we pulled away I could see my buddy Mike's disc gaurd for about 1 foot. After that, it was clear, wide open track, and I knew I ripped a wicked holeshot! After about 2 laps I was catching some A riders. About lap 4, I have a huge lead, and come up on a lapper stuck in a rut. As I go around him, I stall my 450......... and it takes forever to get it started again. SHIIIIIIIIIT!! I end up something like 23rd, but the cool thing was that another buddy of mine from Fl who has the same birthday as me ended up winning!

The one that got away ,it still bothers me.........
I feel your pain...I stalled my 250F less than 100 yrds from the finish (a 2 hour harescramble)...I couldn't get it fired and had to push it up and over the finish line jump....went from 1st to 5th (in my class).
mx400bee
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Kannapolis, NC, USA
11/16/2011 4:48am
I`ve only been lucky enough to holeshot a race one time. After a 16 year absence I decided to go vintage racing with the FLVMX boys at Hardrock in Ocala. First moto I thought I`d be slick so I counted the previous 3 moto starts after the 30 sec. board. Damn near broke the rubber band before I could stop so needless to say it wasn`t that race. I was unaware that the club gives one holeshot trophy for the day for a randomly selected moto that happened to be in my 2nd moto. For about 100 yards I was the man until we got to the first turn. First trophy I ever got racing but the most important was a plaque I recieved at a race in Lake City that was in rememberance of Danny ( Magoo) Chandler. I cherry picked and rode my modern bike and finished 2nd that day but I have a plaque on the wall in honor of my favorite rider of all time.
Jefro98
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11/16/2011 4:53am Edited Date/Time 11/16/2011 4:57am
I actually have a picture of my best holeshot ( not that I had much holeshots anyway )
My gate was on the far outside but I had a good jump off the gate and once clear from the guys next to me I went WFO to the first turn, once I got there I realized I was not closed in like I usually am. I sweeped around the outside and nailed it. Didn't take long before I got past tho. I think I ended up something like 10th that moto. Laughing

Edit: I'm # 98 ofcourse.

ga_pike
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Valdosta, GA, USA
11/16/2011 6:00am
I have 2 favorites...

One was the holeshot I pulled in the 85 12-13 Mod class over Windham and Reynard.

But the best "story" was from a little track called Brownsville in D5. I was the only rider in the 85 7-11 class that day so I rode up with the 12-13 and 14-15 classes. I pulled the #1 clothespin out of the bucket and went to pick my gate. Rita Coombs stopped me and said, that I had to pick last since I was youngest and the only one in my class. (The Coombs' are good friends of ours and she was really just giving me a hard time). Anyways, I waied as the other 20 or so kids lined up. There were about 156 open spots on the extreem outside right. I decided to go all the way to the far right and when the gate dropped I pegged it WFO all the way to and through the turn... I had about a 5 or 6 bike length lead going down the first straight. My dad still enjoys telling this story today... he said as Rita walked off she said to him, "The little shit did it again!" with a smile on her face.
KawiMama108
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York, SC, USA
11/16/2011 6:01am
I'll play - here is my favorite holeshot pic of Les - from Loretta Lynn's 2007. Perhaps it was my favorite because it was such an awesome year for Les - he won 5 out of 6 motos that year in the B class - and took home 2 titles. This was from the 450B class - Les led every lap of all 6 motos that year in this class - a mom can brag, right?? Smile
http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae154/sueellensmith108/holeshot.jpg
Arkmx
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11/16/2011 6:04am Edited Date/Time 11/16/2011 6:06am
.
Loretta Lynn's 1982, First Moto of the week @ 7:30am (Thursday, first day of racing) Open A #19.

Asked my cousin to take a photo of us coming around the billboard just to have it and guess what I was out front. That is my best Holeshot story keeping it short and sweet.







Here is my bike, an 1982 Suzuki RM 465 after one of my Motos....


scooter5002
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11/16/2011 6:15am
82 RM 465. I'm droolin' here! Pitted on the ubiquitous stolen crate. No less than 3 Ford vans in the photo. Those were the days, weren't they?
Parris
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Mauldin, SC, USA
11/16/2011 6:25am
1982, High Fall MX just south of Atlanta. Holeshot the second moto and stayed up front till the finish line jump.I do'nt remember M. Duke first name raced a Husky, someone help me out with his first name?He crossed me on the jump and we both come close to crashing in the back of the concession stand. I guess he needed the money really bad?
RandyS
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11/16/2011 7:21am
slipdog wrote:
Mine was the first moto of the 125 class at Millville in '92. I finished 3rd in my qualifier so after the top 10 in points...
Mine was the first moto of the 125 class at Millville in '92. I finished 3rd in my qualifier so after the top 10 in points lined up I had the 5th or 6th pick and when I walk out with my dad, we noticed the 2nd gate to the right of the box was empty between Emig and Larocco. We pushed in and found out the rut was full of water so everyone ahead of me just passed it up, but I had a plan.

When the gate dropped for the parade lap I waited for everyone to go first and then held my front brake and roosted all the mud and water out as I left. I got back to the line to find my dad had worked it into a perfect launch pad. I knew I had a fast enough bike because I holeshot 2 of the A motos at LL's the week before and being 5'6" and 140lbs didn't hurt either. I timed the gate perfect and it was like slow motion as I slowly inched out front down that long ass start. I must have held my breath all the way down to the sand whoop section but that was it because by the time I hit the 3rd whoop Larocco blew past me like I was, well... some 18yr old that just came out of the amateurs. I held tough the whole track but those whoops had my number as I only got passed there, but I lost about one spot per lap through those things finishing 16th at the end of the moto.

The best/worst part of getting that holeshot was when Cycle News came out with the coverage of the race there was a shot of the first turn and I was far enough out front that the caption said Larocco got the holeshot. All you could see was the roost from my rear tire hitting his front fender.

Good Times!
What about Kenworthys in 96/7, didn't you lead the first lap and a half?
mxrider641
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Endicott, NY, USA
11/16/2011 7:27am
I had more than my share of Holeshots but always faded...I rode better when I got a bad start. Here are a couple of me...641 of course. The first was at some cow pasture track in upstate NY, the second was at the Harrisburg Farm Show Complex...#35X is Barry Jeffries (some may remember the name). Ahh the good old days...

Hman144
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11/16/2011 7:49am Edited Date/Time 11/16/2011 7:49am
Barry Jeffries! Dirty Harry Jr.!

Been to the Motorama races in Harrisburg in the last few years? What a meat grinder. They did change the track layout last year to one that was a little more forgiving, but sheesh, a dude's got to have a serious jones to ride in that mess. I gave up on amateur AX years ago.

H
Boarddesign
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11/16/2011 8:15am
I just got a brand new '91 CR125 and had got good holeshots at the first two races on it. Washougal was a big deal to all us NW types and for me the CMC series was the biggest races that I could make it to. When the gate dropped, I shot out like a cannon (the picture of my start was in the CMC magazine). Good things don't always last, two corners later some dude hit my back wheel and spun me (the same one Dungey spun in this year). I'm lucky that not every bike on the full gate ran me over in that turn... just most. I was wearing a front only chest protecter and while being run over again someones foot peg snagged the strap on my back and drug me a good twenty feet... when it let go he too ran me over! That was the start I will always remember, good and bad.
Sonny_Solar
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11/16/2011 8:15am
i raced the log road llq this year, it was my first race in 250b.. i qualified in c class last year but couldnt make it to lorettas.. I was racing the mod class on a completely stock bike, and was nervous as hell.. i was about 5th going into the corner of about 35 riders, the first two riders collided and fell, i hit them and my bike flipped, and knocked down Cole Thompson! He ended up being the last person up, and came back and won! I came back to like 15th, but its cool to see him racing lorettas and the monster energy cup!
Arkmx
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11/16/2011 10:05am
82 RM 465. I'm droolin' here! Pitted on the ubiquitous stolen crate. No less than 3 Ford vans in the photo. Those were the days, weren't...
82 RM 465. I'm droolin' here! Pitted on the ubiquitous stolen crate. No less than 3 Ford vans in the photo. Those were the days, weren't they?
Yes they were. I was standing in the bed of my "Ford" truck taking the photo...

The blue van I think belonged to Scooter Decker's dad from Tucson.

The white & orange van belonged to the Blose's from Phoenix. Bobby was racing.

The white van I believe belonged to the Darlene Roat's parents out of Michigan.

A "modified" Milk Crate at that. I welded a 1/4 end section of another crate to the end of the crate to get the height needed.


.
Arkmx
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11/16/2011 10:38am
Since my youngest boy does not post on here I will share what would be his best Holeshot story at the age of 8yrs old. He may never do this again so here it is....

2007 KJSC, Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas. Trace got the holshot in the KJSC and led the first lap and finished 3rd. Like I said he may never make pull another holeshot in a SX Main event in front of 40,000+ spectators, so this would be his best holeshot story for now. First ever SX race, pull the holeshot and finish 3rd. Priceless! Anyway here are a few photos of the event.... Photos by GuyB, family and others.


Trace in practice getting to the front...




Lined up fro the Main...





Trace #3, 3rd from the right end, Main event. GuyB #45 close behind taking photos.




Carnage for some off the gate...




Lap one going through the sand pit and race.

















.
CRF107
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El Cajon, CA, USA
11/16/2011 11:07am
Favorite: Local race at Glen Helen back in about 2007. Got a good jump on a 25 bike gate and it just hooked up from there. I think I had 3-4 bike lengths going into Talladega and was able to just rail not worrying about other riders piling in.

Scariest: Also at Glen Helen. Got the jump again and then just before Talladega got massive headshake, and it felt like stop to stop several times! The whole time I could see myself getting pitched off the bike at that speed and then run over by the entire field. Somehow I managed to keep it pinned and ride it out to pull out the holeshot!
11/16/2011 12:20pm
i have a couple,

1st one was the NZ Motocross final round in early 1999, i had just sat out a year of racing due to a broken femur and it was the first year i had raced the A Class, i had holeshot a race in the 1st round in the mud but a couple of the top riders were missing due to a clash with the Aussie MX round, they were there for the final round, which was held at my home track of Harrisville, i qualified about 15th do had that gate pick, but chose to go right next to the box, i could see the starters foot and knew it since i was regular helper at the club, so with a bit of help i pulled a huge holeshot, in front of a very young Chad Reed and Daryl Hurley, both who were racing RM125's at the time,

Later that year i had moved up to a KX250, and Josh Coppins had returned from europe as world no 7, there is a big race in Taupo every year at the end of october, the last race of the day i pulled a big holeshot and lead for half a lap, after returning from the back section i can remember hearing the commentator claiming he was still in the lead, i was hopping to hold the lead untill the end of the 1st lap, but i was passed about 1/2 way through,
bt260
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Locke, NY, USA
11/16/2011 12:30pm
Mine came in the 250B class in '96 or 97 at Broome-Tioga for the NYS Championships. It was a mud fest and the first 6 or 7 gates were completely under water, a puddle about 6 inches deep. Everyone was afraid to line up in them. The start straight had grass that stretched out a little ways along the inside close to the fence all the way to the first turn. The rest of the start was tilled deep before it started raining. So with no one around for 7 or 8 gates and water up over my ankles, I sat there almost giggling, just knowing the start was mine for the taking.

The gate drops, I pin it and rip a massive start. As soon as I hit the grass about 15 feet out of the gate, I got a little 1ft high power wheelie and it got quiet in a hurry. I almost threw it away though, I was so stoked with such a massive jump that I left it on forever going into the first turn, blew way, way wide, forgot to downshift to second and clutched the shit out of it to keep it going. After finally getting it turned, I was still way out front. I was already through the next left hander when the next guy was just leaving the face of the tunnel jump. I have a pic somwhere of the whole deal, just not it digital format
slipdog
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Nor Cal, CA, USA
11/16/2011 1:42pm Edited Date/Time 11/16/2011 1:44pm
slipdog wrote:
Mine was the first moto of the 125 class at Millville in '92. I finished 3rd in my qualifier so after the top 10 in points...
Mine was the first moto of the 125 class at Millville in '92. I finished 3rd in my qualifier so after the top 10 in points lined up I had the 5th or 6th pick and when I walk out with my dad, we noticed the 2nd gate to the right of the box was empty between Emig and Larocco. We pushed in and found out the rut was full of water so everyone ahead of me just passed it up, but I had a plan.

When the gate dropped for the parade lap I waited for everyone to go first and then held my front brake and roosted all the mud and water out as I left. I got back to the line to find my dad had worked it into a perfect launch pad. I knew I had a fast enough bike because I holeshot 2 of the A motos at LL's the week before and being 5'6" and 140lbs didn't hurt either. I timed the gate perfect and it was like slow motion as I slowly inched out front down that long ass start. I must have held my breath all the way down to the sand whoop section but that was it because by the time I hit the 3rd whoop Larocco blew past me like I was, well... some 18yr old that just came out of the amateurs. I held tough the whole track but those whoops had my number as I only got passed there, but I lost about one spot per lap through those things finishing 16th at the end of the moto.

The best/worst part of getting that holeshot was when Cycle News came out with the coverage of the race there was a shot of the first turn and I was far enough out front that the caption said Larocco got the holeshot. All you could see was the roost from my rear tire hitting his front fender.

Good Times!
RandyS wrote:
What about Kenworthys in 96/7, didn't you lead the first lap and a half?
Man I wish I could claim that! I had a few top 3/5 starts over the years always at Millville or Kenworthys for some reason but only one where I led the pack.

I did almost holshot both motos at Kenworthy in '97 and ran in the top 5 for almost half the first moto. That was my first race in 3 months after dislocating my shoulder at a 4-stroke national and I hired a trainer for the first time in my life and trained my ass off the entire time I was out. I felt good that day but running that pace for the first time with a heat index of like 113 had me starting to black out from heat exhaustion mid moto. I didn't know what lap it was or what place I was in I just knew it was going bad fast and I pulled off at the cross flags and passed out at the truck before I could even get my bike on the stand. My mechanic said I was still in 9th when I pulled in but that was all I had. I tried to ride the 2nd moto and almost holshot again but threw up in my helmet before the end of the first lap.

As I stated in my earlier post... Good Times!

#255
slipdog
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11/16/2011 1:46pm
scott_nz wrote:
i have a couple, 1st one was the NZ Motocross final round in early 1999, i had just sat out a year of racing due to...
i have a couple,

1st one was the NZ Motocross final round in early 1999, i had just sat out a year of racing due to a broken femur and it was the first year i had raced the A Class, i had holeshot a race in the 1st round in the mud but a couple of the top riders were missing due to a clash with the Aussie MX round, they were there for the final round, which was held at my home track of Harrisville, i qualified about 15th do had that gate pick, but chose to go right next to the box, i could see the starters foot and knew it since i was regular helper at the club, so with a bit of help i pulled a huge holeshot, in front of a very young Chad Reed and Daryl Hurley, both who were racing RM125's at the time,

Later that year i had moved up to a KX250, and Josh Coppins had returned from europe as world no 7, there is a big race in Taupo every year at the end of october, the last race of the day i pulled a big holeshot and lead for half a lap, after returning from the back section i can remember hearing the commentator claiming he was still in the lead, i was hopping to hold the lead untill the end of the 1st lap, but i was passed about 1/2 way through,
Very Cool!!!
peelout
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Ogden, UT, USA
11/16/2011 2:02pm
ripped a holeshot at a desert race when i was 14 on an 80 and took off on the wrong trail. was so worked up from being in the lead that it was about 5 miles later i realized i wasn't on the course. got lost as hell and ended up back at the pits after the race was over without every going around the course.

i was a really good starter when it came to moto, still am. i think i nailed almost every start for about 5 years straight in the 125B and 125A classes. won a bunch of cool shit, the coolest being a stunt-helicopter ride.

also grabbed 6 for 6 holeshots against Josh "Holeshot" Hansen on 125's one weekend.

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