Pit Stop with Gauldy – Sacramento

This past weekend was the Toyota AMA Arenacross series and the setting was Sacramento. For me this weekend was full of firsts. What I mean is it was the first times a bunch of these things I will tell you about have happened to me. It was a really fun trip but I wish it was longer because it seemed to fly by before it was even started.

This trip was going to be the first for me ever in the great state of California. I have never been to the west coast before and I have to say that Sacramento did not really live up to what I had pictured in my mind what it was going to look like. When I landed in the plane I was glued to the window thinking it was going to be crazy with traffic and buildings and just the busiest scenery you could imagine. To me it felt like landing in Regina, Saskatchewan Canada. It was just fields everywhere and no city really in site for 5 miles or so. I mentioned this to my crew and they explained that Sacramento or northern California does not really portray the ideal look for what Cali is really like. It was disappointing.

My next first was when we had to do the track ride with a full on HD camera. The camera was a bit bigger then usual and you could really feel the weight of it when riding. It kind of helped a bit though because it was also the first time we nailed the hot lap for T.V. in just 3 laps. First lap is just a check of the track. Second was when I jumped everything and then the third lap we taped and I spoke on the mic and then we were done. It took like 10 minutes appose to 20 or 25 like usual. All though we did only have to do it once because of the one night event, so it was a bit easier.

The next first was the best one of the weekend. I got to meet and interview Jeremy “Showtime “McGrath for the first time ever. It was truly an honor for me because this guy was my hero for most of my racing career. I thought I was going to be a bit nervous but I managed to not turn into some crazed fan and weird him out.  He actually knew who I was from the Canadian series that shows on Speed T.V. We talked about some tracks that he new about up north. I gooned him about not tripling in the rhythm when he did his hot lap around the AX track. Then he made some comments to me about my sand riding skills and said he would race me anytime. It was absolutely the best ever. We were clowning on each other like we had been buds for ever. Everybody in the event office was laughing at me for calling out the best SX rider of all time. I just did it for fun; it was defiantly the highlight of the weekend for me.

The final first of the weekend for me was going to In and Out burger after the event on Saturday. A friend of mine from Canada told me to just order the double double burger. Well they really was not much more for selection on the menu so I went for the DD and it was the worst burger I have ever had. It felt like eating a pair of riding underwear after a 30 minute moto. The fries were like eating stale hickory sticks. I was not impressed by in an out but soon later I would understand why they cam up with the name for the fast food chain. That was about 2 minutes of my life I would like back.

All in all it was a fun weekend. Kelly Smith was the big winner of the single night event. I would have to say that a lot of the reason he did so good is that he came out of his quiet little shell and was gooning and clowning on me all weekend about being Canadian, and how are army sucks, and how I say “about” and “out”. The funny thing is that the guy lives like 5 hrs from just across the border. Of course I can take anything Kelly smith can throw at me. It was fun goofing around with him though. His attitude will change in the spring when I go to his turf and wax him a Baja acres in Michigan. He seems to think he is good in the sand. I proceeded to tell him that he is only good in the mud outdoors (2000 Mt Morris) and he has no chance in the sand.

It is coming down to the wire for Green bay. There is only 30 points between Chad Johnson and Smith now. It should make for a great finish.

Gauldy