Jake Get Best Ever Finish

Destry, Jacob and Kurt on Idaho Podium

After this last weekend, all I can say is I LOVE IDAHO! Seriously, everything about this weekend was as perfect as it could have ever been! I got to Tour the Pro Moto Billet/Fastway Factory, We had a big autograph signing at the ford dealership, the course was awesome and full of water and snow everywhere, AND I FINISHED SECOND OVERALL AT A NATIONAL HARE AND HOUND!

So I’m a little excited if you can’t tell, but really, I had probably the best race of my life this weekend. Like I already said though, this perfect weekend wasn’t just about me getting on the podium.

Saturday before the event, Lynn from Pro Moto Billet invited us to hang out at the shop and see how everything works. First off, the shop is amazing. Everything about it was just really cool. From the snow bikes, to the machines that make all of the equipment, to the way that he hooked up Levi and Sarah with their sponsorship deals. Lynn has been a big supporter of mine ever since I turned pro two years ago at endurocross, and it was exciting to see where all of the magic happens at Pro Moto Billet. Before we could see everything we were running late for the autograph signing, and it was time to leave in order to sign some posters.

This year, Dirt Inc. set up the signing at a Ford Dealership in Nampa. It was pretty cool, and way bigger than the one we did last year. I probably signed about 200 posters, and they said that there was even more people there before we got there. It was fun to meet some of the Idaho crowd, and learn about people who have been following my progress these last two years. We got to bed early, and actually got to sleep in before the race that started at 11.

Race Day

Ok so this is the part you want to hear about. How was it to ride with Destry and David and Kurt? Well in a nutshell it was Awsome! I have ridden with all of them before, and finished ahead of each of them at various races, but for it all to come together up here in Idaho is just something that is hard to explain.

The club had some struggles due to the rain in the last week, but as a racer you would have no idea that they had scrambled to pull the course together. Everything was marked really well, and all of the pits were well thought out and easy to understand. The start was long and funneled us through a hole in the gate that really required you to be on your toes. Through the fence I was running 4^th and I knew that it was going to be an interesting day due to the lack of dust.

The first 40 miles went by in a flash, and coming into the pits, I could see David, Kurt, and Destry all getting gas as I was! It was so crazy. A couple times we were all laughing cause we could literally talk to each other as we rolled through the pits.  At about 2 miles out of the pits I was able to get by Destry, and I was now in third ,  About 10 miles into the second loop, Kurt stumbled in a creek bed at fell back to forth, We were that close that any mistakes cost you.  Now it was Dave myself Destry and Kurt.

We came into the alt pit where my dad was at about 40 miles from the finish. Dave and I were side by side and we left the pit. At about 20 miles to go Dave blew a turn, I was able to get by him to take the lead. At that point everything seemed to be going in slow motion. I was leading, ahead of Kurt Caselli and Destry Abbott, two people who’s posters had been on the wall in my room for years! I have to admit, it was a little scary. I mean it was like a he was breathing down my back ready and waiting for me to make a mistake. About 5 miles from the finish as we dropped into a sandwash, I guess it was my turn to make a mistake.  I know that my bike is just as fast, but being in that position, knowing what was on the line was a feeling ,I really wasn’t ready for!

I went down in the sand and watched Kurt go by and just didn’t have enough room to make the time back up. We passed each other going opposite directions along the last stretch of fence, and I put my arm up to wave and he did the same back! It was pretty cool to see him there and know that I was going to finish in second. I came in only about 10 seconds down, and before I could even get my helmet off Destry was coming in right behind me.

This was my best finish ever (at a national) and it felt really good to share it with Ed, Ryan, Jerry and everyone in the Off Road Support pits. My dad was out pitting for Sarah at the alternate, so I got to call him and tell him that I got second, and I could hear it in his voice that he was excited for me!  Thanks to Dirt Inc., I won $400 for taking second overall, so that as well was pretty cool!

I