Burleson MX

[Jeff Gilbert]

Just got in from Burleson & it was a hot day, maybe because it's finally summer :ohmy:
As I waited for my race in the over 30 N,I,E class(me in the novice) I got to watch some of the fastest over 40 guys I've ever seen. I've raced with this bunch before but can't hang. The over 30 class here isn't much slower, these guys haul butt but I faired better with them. Finished the day 6th out of 16 and it was the absolute best I could do. The thing that gets me is the beginner class. There were 6 guys in the over 30 class that rode beginner as well and they aren't beginners. Three of them I know have been racing more than 5 years but it's always the same old excuse, "I haven't raced since Feb." Funny thing is that I have seen them and raced with them all several times since then. I just don't understand what makes a grown man want to "cherry pick" for a trophy and deprive some kid or another adult that is really starting out. By the way, the winner of the 250 beginner was one I was referring to.

In all it was a fun day. I managed to get my 125 in to the 1st turn toward the front of the pack both races and avoid pile ups too. In the 1st race I was sandwiched between the wheelie king and a 450. Not sure what happened to the 450 but even after the wheelie king bolted into my line and I shut it down, I still managed to find a gaping hole to shoot through. I hung with the front of the pack for a little over a lap before fading. I had a guy on my back wheel for all five laps but he never got by. I never saw anyone behind us so I guess we were moving at a pretty good pace but just not as fast as the guys up front.

After the races I did get a morale boost when a young boy and his father approached me and asked if I could teach him how to corner fast. I told him for this track to aim toward the rut then look ahead, never where you are but where you want to go, all the time laughing to myself "if they only knew how bad I really suck at this kind of cornering.

Next week it's back to the hard pack :bang:

 

[evenslower]

Hey Jeff, how's the track? Never been but want to check it out. Maybe head out to a practice one of these days to have a look-see.

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

This is what I sent someone else trying to describe the track.

I think they have practice on Wednesday but don't quote me on that. What's the track like?
Dirt start into a left/right S turn down a curved straight and over a single where the landing is in a left hander carved into a mound of dirt. It then swings to the right and over another small single into an almost 90% right turn with no berm. After that is a bermed left 90% and over another small single then into the bowl. The bowl is a right hand sweeper that can get rough however today it was really fast once you got past the braking bumps going into it. After the bowl is another single and a left with no berm to a 45% right into the whoops. The whoops are probably a foot deep and 2 ft apart, there's probably about 6 or 8 of them but it is right after the turn. In other words as soon as you turn you are in the whoops. Afther that is a 45% no berm left and a bigger single. The track goes about 50' then swings right and it's on to the tabletop about 60-70 feet long. After the TT there's a small hump then a real high berm to the right and over another single into a 60% 1st gear turn. It's on to another high banked berm to the right and yet another right hand sweeper and over another single. Land the single and it's a swithback right/left and into the rythym section. After that it's yet another high banked left berm and over a couple of singles then a HARD right and up the finish line single. Cross the finish and it's yet an even bigger berm that is very high and to the left, over another single and merge where the start comes in.

In summary, Burleson isn't the track for you if you're all about air because there's not a lot of that. It's a fast track in sections but very technical in others. It's tilled deep and watered very nicely but dries out later in the day and has a tendacy to get a little rough from breaking and acceleration bumps. If you are good at cornering you will do well at this track. If you aren't good at it but ride it anyway, you will become good at cornering. Unless you are very fast, stay out of the over 40 class or you won't get all your laps in.

One more thing, the track is the most organized I've ever been to. They can run more motos in less time than anyone else. I can make the 1 1/2 drive each way, leave a 6:30 and be home by 2pm.
$6 to get in, $20 for 1st race and $10 for each additional race. A great price.

 

[evenslower]

Thanks Jeff.