I was interested in trying the KOTM race last year but hesitated because I didn’t want to get in over my head. Then I read a fellow rider's ride report and knew I had to try it because he seemed to have so much fun. I read every article I could find about the race and looked at every picture and video out there. I told my core riding buddies about it and they were interested in racing too….so we had plans of riding a lot this summer in order to somewhat prepare for the race. We rode in Evarts, KY in May and that was it. One of the guys is getting married so most weekends have been preparation for that, another guy changed jobs and the other guy is going through a divorce. We’ve been really busy this summer at work (I’m thankful) and I put in several 70+ hr weeks. All of that equaled no riding. Three of us rode for a couple hours the Monday before the race mostly just to make sure our machines were ready. Even though I didn’t ride, I did try to run at least some with my son’s cross country team. I don’t think any amount of running would have prepared me for this race though.
Race day started out pretty good. My wife and two sons (9 and 3) loaded up with me bright and early Sunday morning for the hour and fifteen minute drive to Huntsville, TN. We met the others and made it to the office for our permits. After making a couple wrong turns we finally made it to the event area. We were later than I wanted to be, but the race was running late as well. We met for the riders meeting and Porkchop gave the option of pre-running the course and most of the racers agreed that was a good idea. We headed out for the pre-run and man, was it ever dusty. Even when riding slow, you could barely see the quad in front of you. The course was everything I suspected and I really wasn’t surprised by any of the terrain. We apparently ran backwards to what it was run last year. The start headed past the grandstand area with a jump down and an off-camber cut out right after that. It then headed right and over a hill with some diagonal washouts cut in it. Then it wound around right some more and down another tricky down hill and then back up a decent hill and a jump led back into the grandstand area. Next were some logs and a left turn and then some un-even ground and a right turn over two more sets of logs. Up next was a hill at about 45 degrees and 10-12 feet tall covered in logs with two logs on the backside. This hill was giving everybody fits so they decided to route the rest of us around it on the pre-run lap while they added more logs to fill in huge quad swallowing gaps. After that hill, the course went back down in a ravine and snaked around back up into the grandstand area for a left turn and then a jump. After a small straight, there was a left turn back down and out into the woods. Everything was up and down and there was only two sections that was relatively flat and bump free. These sections were only 3 or 400 yards long. This section of the course also had a really rough up hill that went forever. After that hill, the course wound through the woods at a pretty level rate and back into the grandstand area.
After everyone got back, it was decided a Lemans start would not work so everyone lined up for a dead engine start sitting on their quads. At this point, we were almost an hour late getting started. I felt pretty good at this point. The course was hard but do-able. I knew by looking around that I really had no chance to win so I wasn’t worried about that. I had decided to let the racer guys go on and I would try to get behind them and ahead of some of the other guys. My biggest concern was there was no place to “rest”. There was always and obstacle, off camber, hill, rock, tree, log and many times, a combination of all that to keep you moving and adjusting. There was only two spots to catch your breath and they were very short.
Now, I’ve never done a dead engine start. I wasn’t prepared to not be able to hear my quad’s stock exhaust. The flag dropped and I hit the start button, let out on the clutch, hit the gas and nothing. I hadn’t held the button long enough but couldn’t tell it wasn’t started because everyone else was so loud. I grabbed the clutch and hit start and made sure it was started this time. This felt like it took 30mins to transpire. By this time, my wife thinks I was in about 20th place with only 3 guys behind me. And of course, I got behind the guy that I definitely didn’t want to get behind. He lumbered along on a Sunday stroll on a quad that was complete with huge mud tires, radiator mounted up high and a snorkel system. Not to mention, you couldn’t see the trail for the dust so even when an opportunity came up for me to pass him, it was gone by the time I figured out it was there. After what seemed like forever, the course split and I was able to pass him. By that time, the dust was clearing and I was able to make up some ground. I passed another guy which put me behind one of my buddies. We approached a tricky section where you had to maneuver between rocks and then turn right down a steep downhill with a sharp right at the bottom. He had a little trouble making the turn and then on the downhill, I saw his back wheels come up and the quad flipped over on him in slow motion. I thought it would roll to the bottom but it landed on its wheels and stopped. I had to go around him because I couldn’t stop on the steep hill but I was worried that he was hurt. He ended up going a few more laps until he got a flat and his day was done. After that steep downhill, there was another uphill that looked like it had just been made. It really changed throughout the race as it got worn down and more and more rocks were exposed. After some more off camber turns and up and down hills was a monster of a hill. It was rocky, twisty and believe it or not, just a hair bit damp and slick. This was another hill that got worse throughout the day. I never really had trouble on it, but I dreaded it each time because by the time I got to the top, my arms were fried. After that hill, the course wound around back to the grandstand area and the checkpoint.
That first lap had me tired already, but the jitters were gone so I started focusing on trying to move up. I caught a Can-Am Renegade and stayed on his bumper for awhile. We made it back to the grandstand area and I decided to try to make a pass in the uneven whoop section and it worked. My 9yr old said this was his favorite part because the announcer was building it up. I think the guy was just tired though. After the pass, the course was pretty open. I actually ran the next couple laps completely alone which was good and bad. There was no dust to speak of, but I really didn’t push it either because no one was behind me and I couldn’t see signs of anyone in front of me. I was tired and put it on cruise control. It was probably lap 7 or so that the leaders came up behind me. I let them around the best I could and then fell in behind and decided I would see just how long I could keep up. I did pretty well staying right on them but my conditioning just wasn’t there. I had to back off because my arms were done. After taking it easy for a bit, I pushed on and completed 9 laps. I’m not sure how many people completed 10 laps, but I know the top 3 did. I’m not sure I could have made it another lap.
I got off my quad and could barely walk. It felt good though….a good kind of sore. My boys met me and wanted to go to the checkpoint to see what place I came in. The event staff was very friendly, and even though there were still racers on the course, they let me walk over to see where I placed. The scoring lady really couldn’t tell me. She said I was no worse than 9th but could be as high as 6th out of 23. As we were leaving though, one of our group thought they heard over the PA that I was 10th, my buddies were 12th and 14th, and the other buddy that wrecked had finished 6 laps. She couldn’t really hear though and wasn’t sure. A guy that was trying to keep up with everybody thought I was 8th. I’ve been trying to get official results but I think they are all exhausted from putting on such a huge event.
