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BARF Mini-Racer! Brenden Ketelsen. -Race Report-

Will do guys and thanks for the kind words. It was so freakin hot down there, my wife almost passed out on Sunday durring the awards. I had to get her out of the sun into the A/C of the truck and gave her some Gatorade. Mark, funny you should mention writing stuff down. I'm finding out quickly how important that really is. Last season I was, well, lucky. I never changed a jet or gearing on either bike, it didn't matter if it was 58 in Stockton or 107 at Buttonwillow. We have 4 bikes now and the pocketbikes are so tempermental on jetting. That and the other competitors are starting to do all this stuff too so it's making me learn just to keep Brenden competitive.
Budman, Pics are on their way. Oh and when is Brenden going up on the racers page?
 
Just (hopefully..he is looking at the project now) getting a race site Web dude in place. Our previous left and if you have looked at the site you will see nothing has changed for 6 months.. :cry
 
I would like to congratulate Dean to winning the "Man of Steel" award this weekend!!
 
Bigdogm0m said:
I would like to congratulate Dean to winning the "Man of Steel" award this weekend!!
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So I guess I'm going to have to explain. As you've all read durring the race reports this season, I have been doing nothing but mechanicing all season. Both at and away from the track. This weekend was round 5 and yes again I was whelding tools all weekend. Before I go any further I have to say. I LOVE the people we race with. It's really a great family atmosphere both for the kids and for us parents. We've all become great friends and would do anything for each other both on and off the track. I also have to say that we all "fit" together too, you know a little demented, great sence of humor ect...

OK so here it comes. With all the wrenching I've been doing Annika aka..BigdogmOm and her husband Robert along with Mike Welsh decided to present we with a "special" award this weekend . It was the last award given at the trophy ceremony. I got the "man of steel" mechanic award and as you can see it came with actual man of steel apperal. I wear it well don't I. :teeth
 

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RcrBoy said:
Ok, enough about you...................... :rolleyes














We wanna hear how our mini Racer did! :twofinger
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Pushie pushie jeeess. LOL

OK so here it is, Race report for round 5.
Saturday it's freakin 101 degrees, now yes that's not the 103 from two weeks ago but really... let's cool it down a little for the racers and the mechanics (I know RCRBoy, enough about me). Heck, Brenden and I went through a case of water between the two fo us for the two days. SOOOO, Brenden hits the track FLYING as if the last race was yesterday. The little Blata is running good and all I have to do is some jetting :thumbup. Little B is doing great on all 3 bikes all day long. I say 3 bikes because apparently he blew up the 6.2 last time whilst in second place in the main (DNF #5 for the season). Last session on the little Blata and I go to check the plug to see where we are. I had spun it in with my fingers and given it a little snug with the wrench. On the way out it cross threads and ruins the plug threads -+ blata down. So fast forward to Sunday Sunday Sunday race fans. Race one - We go to the back up blata and start the jetting all over again, never getting it just right for the race let alone the gearing. Brenden is gridded 8th out of 13 in the heat and gets a 3rd place finish. In the main Brenden gets the holeshot and holds off the other 2 fast kids for most of the first lap and a half. By laps 2 they get around and Brenden comes home in third. He was looking really good on it, body position was the best I've seen him do and the lines were close to perfect as possible with all the traffic. A great job considering all the mechanical issues were having.
Race 2- super pocket bike
So as previously mentioned the 6.2 is dead so Brenden rode the 2.6 that is geared for the short track. He is in an intence battle with Arai (yet there's a little girl named Arai, sweet name) on her 6.2. She pulls Brenden on the big strait/sweeper which is half the big track. But Brenden is owning the corners and finally puts a good gap on Arai and brings it home in what I think was 5th place, a great job by the little guy.
Race 3 - MiniGP youth.
Brenden takes the holeshot but cant hold off Rocco. The tow are just FLYING on the little 50cc centrificals. Rocco's dad and I were just amazed at how FAST these two are, Very cool to watch. Brenden takes second.
Race 4- I sent Brenden out on his 65 in a non-points race just to get a feel for it. He was gridded last obviously but did a great job. He didn't finish last either and was very close to Brian Eddington. Brian had a gap off the start but Brenden never let it get any bigger and seemed to be closing slightly. He LOVED it. A little more practice on the starts and he'll be ready for it.
Race 5 - MiniGP
Brenden once again gets the holeshot but the screamingly fast Jordan gets around on the high side in the bowl and takes the lead. Brenden is all by himself in second and keeps it there. I have to say that Trevor was closing in the corners though slightly so Brenden has his work cut out to stay in front the remainder of the season.
With back to back races at Atwater adn the 100+ degree heat Brenden tires are SHOT. He saved a highside coming out of a left hander that amazed me. I got to say, he really has a good feel for the tires. He's saved a few now left and right side but this one was the best yet.So proud of him. He is improving every race now and is getting more competitive too. I actually seeing him closing doors and trying to go right back on people when they pass him, where as last season he would actually get out of the way of several riders - even slower ones and have to repass them. He's getting more confident on the breaks too. I watch him trying to go deeper into the corners and carry more corner speed too. It doesn't always work out for him but he's recognizing it too. I can't beleive how fast they learn at this age, it's awesome.
Special mention race- The NCminiGP sponsored a special girls only Blata race. There are 6 of them now and they deserved it. I was a goo race too. Arai came home in 1st, Bo (rocco's little sister) took 2nd and our own BigdogmOm's little miss muffler came home in a hard fought 3rd. Making the pass exiting the last corner and to the line for the checkers. Great job girls :party

Sorry, no pics of Brenden this time. The wifie stayed home and I was working on bikes constantly. Next race hopefully. A special thanks to all of you below, with out you it wouldn't be possible.
 
Dean, I took some pics of Brenden and will email them you to post
 
Here are a couple pics that BigdogmOm took of Brenden from Sundays Superpocketbike race. Brenden was running the 2.6 and did well. Thats Arai in the last pic behind Brenden on her 6.2 after Brenden fianlly made it stick through the twisties. Boy can that girl ride, she hangs right in there with the boys. Thanks Annika.
 

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Great form, body and head position.

Can't wait to see how he does on the Metrakit :thumbup
 

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I agree Rcr. I have the piston/head on order and it should be here this week. Hopefully Brenden starts nailing his starts adn then it's time to start practicing on the Mertakit. He will definately be racing it next season.
 
SAME HERE MY SON GONNA BE 2 IN DECEMBER ALREADY SITTING ON MY OLD POCKET BIKE THAT DONT RUN ANY MORE SEEN THIS AND LOVED IT!!
 
CANT WAIT FOR MY KID TO GET OLD ENOUGH TO RIDE!
 
You should bring him out to the season finale in October at Stockton. Can't wait till he's out tearing it up with Brenden and the other kids. The little ones are so fun to watch. Post up a pic of him on the pocket bike.
 
trackdayz729 said:
You should bring him out to the season finale in October at Stockton. Can't wait till he's out tearing it up with Brenden and the other kids. The little ones are so fun to watch. Post up a pic of him on the pocket bike.
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Dean
My Sincere appologies, I have been swamped at my new job, I finally got the last two rounds posted over on my site and look forward to round 6. As we spoke last, I need the scheduled updates... :thumbup

Love the shots Brenden, I bet you would give my R1 a run for its money :thumbup:thumbup
 
The next round is in Buttonwillow on the 20th and 21st followed by Southern Oregon on lobor day weekend. The season finale is on Oct 15th and 16th at the Stockton Motorplex. Come one come all and see these kids in action. It's truely a great time and the battles are great.
 
Dean
That right, I will be in Montana Labor Day weekend. Buttonwillow and Stockton here we go.

All the big sponsors will be there, so Brenden NO PRESSURE :teeth :thumbup
 
Round 6 race report:

Well, another round has come and gone. Unfortunately the gremlins came with us yet again. This was a combined NC/SC miniGP race.
Blata Cup.
We had a great turn out in Blata and in Simi-Pro pocket bike for this round. Brenden was gridded 13th in the heat race. On the grid we noticed the bike acting strange. Jetting? Nope, one of the clutch springs broke and it was engaging at idle which made is sound like a jetting issue. Luckily once off the line it was engaged and worked ok. Brenden got a decent start. He worked his way through the pack and finished in third for a front row start in the main. We took the bike back to the pits and changed the clutch springs, shes ready for the main. In the main Brenden slotted into T-1 in third, went underneath Fernando for second and was right on Rocco's tail pushing for 1st and it happened. The freakin chain jumped off, it twisted the rear axle and his race was over. It was very sad because even Rocco's dad was saying that he thought Brenden had something for Rocco today.
Simi-Pro Pocket bike:
Brenden was griddied 9th in this one and again it was a huge turnout. Just like Blata there were 18 bikes out there. Brenden brought it home for a 7 place grid spot in the main. The little 6.2 was running fairly good with the fresh motor but it doesn't have the top end it needs for Brenden to contend. Besides the fact that Rocco has a brand new $4400.00 BZM that floats the front end exiting the corners, it WICKED FAST and fun to watch. Brenden was in 3 after the first turn but the lack of top end was aparent and though he put up a great fight he ended up 6th over all.
Mini GP youth:
As I stated the grimlins were with us again. We blew a water pump seal the frist practice on Friday afternoon so Brenden didn't ride the Cobra till the heat races on Sunday. The lack of track time showed but he was coming up to speed ok. Again with the SC being with us the grid was good sized. Brenden was actually gridded 1st in the heat. But he is still a little intimidated by the larger kids and their bikes being close into T-1. He ended coming home in 8th. Brenden didn't get the best start in the main once again and was in 10th.He lost some good ground through the first 4 corners and had to go to work. He was about to pass a NSR50 as they came up to an Aprilla RS50 with a CRF100 in it. The NSR got through and Brenden didn't The RS actually dang near cut Brendens front tire off and Brenden backed off. It took Brenden a lap and a half to get buy. He worked his way up to 5th though for a good result.
Mini GP:
Brenden did ok in the heat and was gridded7th for the main. This was the last race of the day for him and honestly I though he was done. After the MIniGP youth he looked like he could fall asleep. He said he was fine and wanted to race. Boy was he right. He didn't make any passes through the first 4 corners but then he came alive. He was absolutely flying (mush have been the new $220.00 PMT slicks). He came through the pack after not going so well in the first lap. He enede up coming home in 4th.
Well he got skunked off the podium this weekend but he had fun, he made improvments through out the weekend and le learned some thing about himself. I learned about hiim too. I realized that he continues to be a good sport through all the mechanical stuff that were going through and that it's probably a great lesson to learn this earily in the game, it's building some real good charicter in him. That and his sportsmanship is growing too. I noticed him giving a pound to the every person that finished right in front of him after each heat race and main. He also goes up to Rocco after each race and they talk about how they did. I continue to be very proud of Brenden. He's my little man and our little BARF mini racer.

Thanks for reading and thank you to all that support Brenden in his quest to become "a pro rider".

Dean and #44 Brenden Ketelsen
 
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