HEAVEN's 10 Year Anniversary Gig

[magoo]

I must admit I headed out to Canowindra on Friday with no real idea what was going to come of the event, it sounded good. Now, after competing on the Saturday (went home crook on Sunday), I can't remember having so much fun on a dirt bike of any type for years. It was absolutely fantastic. The track was a bit hard to overtake on but was a challenge and a shit load of fun, but from all accounts today was even better. Right next door to the golf club and 2 minutes from the centre of town, if they'll have us back, next year will be even better. Thanks to Greg and all his local mates and the Heaven club for the foreight to try something different. I can't wait 'til next year

[Graeme M]

Yep, totally agree, that was an absolute blast. The track might sound a bit tame, and I guess it may not have been all that challenging to the fast guys, but above all it was FUN. Everywhere I looked I saw happy faces, and watching the races I saw lots of good tussles all the way through the pack. Your webmaster even had a (brief) moment of glory when through a bit of good luck (everyone else fell over I think) I led the Classic 125 race for a couple of laps before letting Uncle Donnie and Nathan S by. Nathan of course seemed unnecessarily pleased with pipping me right on the line.

The facilities were great, the support excellent, and organisation was oh so smooth. Dinner and presentation Saturday night was all very civilised - what a top feed. Thanks to all involved in making it happen. Please let's do it again next year (I'll spend that year practising grasstrack to make sure there is no way Nathan can beat me next time).

[Shaun G]

Awesome weekend. Saw some of the best close racing I've seen for ages with battles going on right through the field in all classes. Some new faces in the winners circle too.

The age races were great as we got to ride against guys from other classes that don't normally compete against each other.

A huge thanks to Greg and all the Canowindra helpers, the HEAVEN Committee and to all the riders that made the effot to get there.

Bring it on next year 

Cheers
Shaun

[Nathan S]

Yeah, it was a blast.

There was tons of great racing going on, including repeated close battles between Graeme, Don, Juzze and myself on the 125s. Justin had a spectacular crash while leading the second 125 race which put him out of contention, but he's certainly improved a whole lot in the last few events.
The track was actually quite difficult to master - on one hand, a raw novice could learn to ride around on it, but to ride it quickly was actually really tricky. As Shaun said, it put some different people at the front of pack on many occasions. Reversing the direction opened up a lot of new lines, and made passing easier.

Some thoughts/high-lights/observations:

The locals all seemed super cool and friendly. I think that Canowindra has the potential to be another Condobolin (Based on what I've heard about Condo - I never went to a VMX race there).
The event deserved to be A Big Thing. Its different, accessiable and good enough to be. Everyone who was involved in making it happen should be very pleased with how it all went.

Magoo won all of his age races!? I guess he was the only bloke in the 90 years and older class?

Snowy crashed a lot.

Doug won all of his pre-78/age races on Pete B's YZ125X, and was very strong on his YZ490 - but then choked when it really mattered, including three crashes in the one race.

Carl B is fast on a huge variety of bikes, and won a heap of races.

Mike W's Triumph Metisse had a most spectacular DNF when a conrod let go. He was pretty cool about it. His CanAm is very pretty even though it had minor technical dramas.

Nitram was always at the pointy end of his races (including winning a couple, I think) on his 175 Enduro CanAm. He's got an 'old school' riding style - sits down all the time, bolt upright - but it obviously works for him!

Eric yelling good natured abuse at me as he blazed past, early in one of the pre-85 races... Mongrel! I'd just gotten my best ever start, he'd gotten a shocker (by his standards) and then he's got time to rib me, as he goes past in heavy traffic!

Woody's stealth passing move on me, right at the end of one of the pre-85 races.

Dave O's many stealth passing moves on me in virtually every pre-85 races. He went past so quickly, I have no idea why he spent so much of the race behind me.

Steve on the pretty standard DT-B was always right at the pointy end of his age races, against a stack of good riders on (supposedly) superior bikes.

The young bloke (sorry, didn't get your name!) on the CR250RC and the DT360 was also impressive. I wasn't too far behind him in the first pre-85 age race, and so I figured that I'd be able to chase him down after warming up. Wrong! He put himself right at the front of the field, miles ahead of me!

Rossco the Turtle.


So yeah, it wasa good race meet!  x1000
I babbled to Anna like an excited kid, when I got home yesterday. After about half and hour of listening patiently, she said "So you had a good weekend dear?"....

[Graeme M]

Just have to add a couple of my own observations about the racing.

Snowy DID crash a lot on Saturday, I think the 1st corner should be named Snowy's in recognition of this. However, he came out on Sunday with his race face on and from what I saw, was blazing fast. I saw him putting it to a few fast names in one Pre 78 race in particular. Mr KTM, Dennis, was going extra fast in the age races on his 400. He looked super smooth doing it too. Carl B, what can I say, he was very fast and very smooth. I had a ball watching him from the grandstand. Wish I could ride half that good. And as for Nitram on the CanAm, well, I think there needs to be a protest on THAT one. 175 indeed. I think that's gotta be a full works 500 in that unassuming frame. And lastly, yes Magoo DID win his races. And he looked ultra smooth and fast doing it. Who'd have thought the old bloke still had it in him? Most of the time on race days you'd think he was asleep, yet here he is out in front!

Just noticed I described all these fast people as smooth. That was the key - to be fast, you had to work out a way to keep up the speed and the flow. That's smooth. Whereas for me, every corner in every race was a completely new experience. I wouldn't have hit the same line twice all weekend. That's the trick, right there.

[VMX247]

Good to see Nitram having a blast after the injuries he has sustained in the past --good for him for getting in there with a win. 
Hope Snowy is ok ths morning and not to bruised 
Thanks for the report-glad you had a GOOD ONE !
cheers

[mx250]

Didn't look good going up ....



....but got better as you got closer.



Da start .



Da Track.



Da tragedy

[YUMASTEPSIDE]

Very nice selection of machinery .........

       


                                   

                                   

                   

    Nathan running late as usual.....thats Steves old '74 DT 250 that put a few to shame 

                           .....as did this 175 can am 

                 


                               Roger

[firko]

I had the Jag warming up in the driveway ready to head for Canowindra when it started pissing down. I went inside, looked at the Weather Channel and got a 'rain all day' forecast so I put the car away and went back to bed. We later went to the Oktoberfest for a soothing few pilseners and some pork buckle with some chums. As much as we enjoyed the Oktoberfest, Canowindra sounded like fun and I'm sorry I didn't go now.....
I feel for Mike after seeing that big hole in his Trumpy engine. Expensive bummer mate!

[BETRIC]

Yes I couldn't agree more with the above posts, I had a great weekend, it was a great track to ride, in both directions, I experienced everything from wining a couple of races, coming last, crashing the RM a couple of times and banging bars with a few riders on the MX360 , a big thanks to Greg and the Heaven Commitee for putting on great race meeting.

[DG 26]

G,day all
A big thanks to Greg & Tracey for all there work  and a big thanks to all who came along to make it a top weekend  everyone chipped in to help
everyone cleaned up before there went home ,the showground was spotless Thanks,
Dan 166 thanks for all the help  had fun on Sunday riding crossedup2,s YZ125X top bike till i blow it up Opps :'( sorry & thanks Peter
Dennis,s KTM 504 was fun to ride heaps of grunt 
Thanks to Conawindra for having us there
Don

[oz555ktm]

 
I think this was the best weekend of racing I had for a very long time..
   
The racing was very close and I mean that when I was washing the old ktm 400 to day and to found tyer  marks on bothside of my
back mudgard.
I know that rubbing is racing But shit ..

you could win one race and than run larst in the next .
The track made the evey one equal in some way .
Guys how were fast on saturday were slow on sunday
Snowy 76 had a shiter on saturday and Sunday on fire..
Doug P was 1st and then larst
Nole L was Super Fast on the TT two wheel slide Dirt track style.
Damo had to work very hard and clean up when it was needed well done.
Betric was riding very well.
look I could go on and no so many storys to tell .
the bench racing will go on and on .
Top week end .
Greg well done Mate well Done.

[Rosco400]

Thanks Greg and all the people who worked hard to put the weekend together, would be great as a one off round each year and a pleasant drive to get there and back.

Highlights of the weekend (tongue in cheek)

Me and Browny even did a couple of hot laps around Mt Panorama on the way home getting ready for nexts weekends event. Had the BT50 and Jayco Flight scooting all over the ripple strips, even got it on helmet cam

Now with all the get offs in the slippery after water conditions, it was good no one got physically hurt, only pride took a tumble. The Hondas probably had an unfair advantage, they all had an extra Knob on em

Nathans S (Aka Trophy Hunter, professional shit stirrer but not a bad bloke despite what most people say) winning a trophy only having to hand it back because of a points tally mix up, the gods must still be smiling above

Bruce Mc (AKA Magoo) winning three from three on saturday, not sure what happened in the finals though, must haved choked like his football team gotta feel for the big fella having to go home early with a little tickle in his throat :'(

Dennis (AKA oz555maico) riding quick, reckons he would have been National dirt track champion if the 400 ktm was running this sweet two weeks ago, still needs a win to replace his old KTM jersey and nearly pulled it off on saturday, the win that is

Fernando (AKA husky parts) on a mission cutting through the pack unceremoniously blocking all in his path, another to take a pride battering tumble on his clacker

Gotta feel for Mike ( AKA dirt trumpy) dropping a conrod on the Metisse, dont think I have ever seen a motor let go as bad as that one and I think Mike held it together extremely well, I would of been swearing and cursing beyond belief. Im sure he would of had a moment when he first looked down to see metal flying in all directions, I was flagging right near it and never heard a bike implode like that before :'(

Snowy was a laff a minute on Saturday, 4 out of 6 races produced get offs, even better when all clubmates keep taking the piss out of you when you walk away with only your pride in tatters. Funny looking at how wide his eyes were opened when youve got the whole field just about to ride over you

Damo Carl Pete & Doug going at it was good to watch, very smooth racing and trading place on regular basis. Carl (czek)putting in an ironman effort, think he rode every race including Juniors at i think 57 years young, really enjoying his riding at the minute

[Curly3]

Sad to see such a classic bike let go like that.
The rod certainly did its best to punch its way out.
Commiserations Mike.

[czeck]

Hi
What a weekend, had a ball, thanks for all those people that somehow make it happen. Went to the oval next day at 7am
and Greg was already there running around in the tractor, guy deserves a medal. Thanks again.

I have about 250 photos from the weekend, a lot of good action. should I post them on here or is it just to many. Looking for suggestions. Maybe if you want them I could burn you a cd. Let me know.

rgds
CB