Monday, March 25, 2013

Its the people


Like many of us, our lead rider Mark was a motocross racer in his teens.  He was plenty fast, but didnt have the obsessive dedication that others in the neighborhood did (it was a very obsessed crowd...our good friend Rod Kentner went on to win the 1978 4 Stroke National Championship at Carlsbad, against some solid factory entries).

Life happens, kids need to be raised, and after  many years without riding Mark took up off-road riding again at the impetus of some friends in central Oregon.  Once part of the dirt riding world again he wanted to see how the fast guys do it, so when the WORCS circus came to the neighborhood (Longview, WA 2004) he was there and soaking it all up. He headed over to the pits and in his mid-40s got in line with all the kids to pick up a poster signed by non other than Ty Davis, soon to be Husky hero of the west running the Zip-Ty Husqvarna team. Ty Davis was standing 3rd in the series and scored a 2nd behind Bobby Bonds that day.   Mark proudly displayed that poster in his garage for years (even though it was a Yamaha poster and Mark was riding KTMs), until one day some wind blowing through tore it off the wall.

Fast forward a few years to 2012-3, Mark is now riding a Husqvarna 310R, Ty Davis a godfather emertius to Husky racers (right behind Malcolm Smith) and via Cafe Husky I started to commiserate with 'Tinken' from Zip-Ty over our shared love of the 449/511 Husqvarna.  One day it hit me; maybe Tinken can help replace the long lost Ty Davis signature, so I offer up some Husky bling for signature. Tinken refuses, and instead gets Ty to sign a genuine Zip Ty sweatshirt which Danny stuffed into the box with our latest Zip Ty axle nut purchase and shipped off to Oregon.

I gave the shirt to Mark on Saturday morning while we waited for starting time at the NORA/OMRA Prineville GP.  He got a big smile on his face and immediately began recounting how he had stood in line with the kids at that WORCS race 9 years ago.  Mark plans to get his picture taken with the signature shirt and send a signed copy to Ty.

He then went out and demolished the 50 Expert field, happy as a kid all the way.  As he came through the scoring chute on the 1st loop he hollered "What an awesome course !!"

Im sure that shirt was full of good karma.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Watson Performance Suspension on TXC449


While we are at it, I should mention that I finally got to try out the Watson Performance shock setup on my 449.  This is the shock that Mark ran last year on the 511.  We set the sag at 100 and off I went (mind you I weigh about 70 lbs more than Mark does so this wasn't the best spring to use).

The Eddieville course has an especially diabolical criss-cross whoop section on a short uphill just after a barrel turn at the bottom of a downhill.  It is pretty easy to carry speed into these whoops, but they invariably try to chuck you sideways before you get to the top if you maintain that speed under power. With prior bikes and setup ...CRF450, WR300, TE250, TXC511...every one I have had to roll off and coast to the top to keep it settled.  On Saturday I got in a situation where power on all-the-way was the only choice.....and voila it tracked straight, stayed stuck and I came out under power and easily flicked it into the right-hander to follow.

Miraculous!!  Tom Watson for Pope, I say.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Round 1 at Eddieville, Mark wins on 310R

Team Johnson Bros./BMP Racing are off to a strong start in both the OMRA GP and XC series after Round 1 at Eddieville (Over The Bars Gang, Goldendale, WA).

This year the 50 Expert starting line is 50% Red with Mark Johnson (defending 1R) on a 310R, Nelson Lyon (just bumped up from 50 Am championship) also on 310R and Lonny Johnson (Old guy out for a ride) on TXC449.

Saturday's GP race on the dry hard packed course had Mark and non-series rider Chuck Worley run away from the field. While Mark did manage to pass Chuck's 450 KTM on a long uphill ...yes you read that right .. stock 310R passes KTM 450 on long uphill. Ultimately Chuck got back by and Mark had to settle for 2nd on Saturday but went away with the GP series points lead. Nelson also put in a solid run in his first 50 Ex race and old guy Lonny, cruised around for the exercise :-)

Conditions changed dramatically overnight, temperatures dropped and we were greeted by a thin crust of snow on Sunday for the XC races. Longer course, lots of grass track added. Decision was made to delay start and combine all classes at 11 am. By then the moisture had soaked in and conditions were epic. (Pictures coming soon) Mark had a short tussle with another non-series KTM rider about 3 corners in and then he ran away with race, but did get to dice with some of the 30 and 40 Experts in the earlier waves for entertainment, scoring a strong 1st. Last year he did it with the 511, this year 310R. Same result !!

Thanks for BMP in Salem and Watson Performance Suspension (who was at the track helping refine the setup on the 310)

Thursday, March 7, 2013

6 Hour Endurance Team Spring 2013

Mark chucking rocks on the 310R
Nelson charging out of a turn


Team BMP finally got a chance to do a little racing last weekend here in the Pacific Northwest. 




Mark giving the Watson Suspension
setup a little workout

Ryan Clay getting on the TXC511
Wonderful sunny conditions at Eddieville for the opening of the Over The Bars Gang Endurance Series Spring 6 Hour

Mark and Nelson tried to pull together a 50+ team but we couldn't find anther 50 year old who was available on short notice. In the end Nelson recruited one of the Mt. Scott MC brothers, Ryan Clay and I donated my TXC511 to the cause and TEAM BMP RACING 6 HOUR was born.

Since Ryan is under 40 we ended up with two 50+ year olds mounted on new TXC310Rs and one 30-something on the '11 TXC511 racing to 2nd place in the 30 Expert class, and they weren far off the pace for 1st. Old guys rule.

Thanks again to Bill's Motorcycle Plus for their support and assistance in putting the 6 Hour team together and to Husqvarna Rider Support for helping put Mark and Nelson on the 310Rs.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Team Racing

We're itching to get a little time on the new bike before the points series starts so we've formed an impromptu BMP Racing Husqvarna Team for the 6 Hour Team Endurance race on Sunday, March 3 at Eddieville near Goldendale, WA.

Mark will be on the new TXC310R, Nelson Lyon on the same and Mystery rider #3 will either ride our TXC511 or Nelson's WR300.  It should be fun. Since MR#3 is under 50 they are carrying the BMP banner in the Open Expert class.

The action starts at 10 am on Sunday....unfortunately, not televised !