We had a warm up race at the short track on the first day after I got there, and it went very well for me, but this one was not a national or anything, but it was at the same track the national was going to be ran at in a few days. Plus this was a day race, and our nationals down here are both night races, and this track changes drastically from daytime to nighttime, but all of us riders figured any practice is good practice after we've all been cooped up at home all winter. That first race went very good for me, as I won both my heat race and the main event. Coolbeth ended up second, then Schnabel third, Mees fourth, and Wiles fifth. So I had beat them at this first little play day, but all us riders knew that the national races here would be very different track conditions. But that first little win felt pretty good to start the week off with. Now we had two day off, which Rob and Carl and I went and got the bikes all ready once again for the BIG SHOW on Wednesday and Thursday nights.

    Wednesday finally rolled around, as it seemed like two days took forever to wait for, but it was here now. We would have practice/qualifying at 1:00pm, then a three hour break or so, with the heat races, semis, and main events starting at 7:30pm both nights.

    OK, practice and qualifying time was now, and I knew I had done all my homework over the winter, with lots of riding, working out, and everything else that goes into it. So I went out in my first practice group and just rode the bike just like I had been practicing on the ice all winter long. Wide Open! Well, I did have to slow it down for the turns though. I came in and just knew that I had put down some laps that felt great, so I went and looked at the lap times, and there it was, TOP of the list, good ole' # 3! That was like a sigh of relief after thinking about this moment for the last couple of months and how I wanted to ride down here this year. I mean I have been riding on the ice a bunch this winter, and some local indoor dirt tracks too, and feeling really fast,but it is just hard to measure yourself against these guys until you are on the same track as them. But now we were, and I was feeling unstoppable. Now it was time to go have some fun in the next couple of sessions. I went out in both my second and third group, and we had fast time in both of them too. I really was feeling unstoppable, and it felt great! Now we have that three hour break, so I left the track and went back to the hotel to get something to eat and just relax, because the nerves of being at Daytona, feeling fast, and everything were getting pretty intense. So I actually took about a one hour nap, then it was time to go back to the track, and get ready for the main part of the show, the heats and main events.

    I was on pole for heat race one, and I knew it was going to be tough, as I had Henry Wiles, Bryan Smith, and a host of others in there. I felt pretty confident, but I also knew that anything can happen on short tracks, and especially at the Daytona short track, as it is the toughest one all year. Wiles and I were side by side going into turn one at the start, he was on the bottom of the corner, so I decided to try and see if I could roll around the outside of him. I got a great drive out of turn two, and the lead looked to be mine. About then, he decides to just let his bike drift right up into me and push me off the track. I mean I seen him coming at me, and it's either I try and move over, which I was already on the far, far outside, or we collide and I go into the wall. Well, we hit and I go right into the outside wall barricades, which has a real loose dirt berm piled up against them that is real deep and soft. It sucks me in and my left hand comes off the handlebar, my feet are flopping off the bike and the bars are going every which way. I'm thinking I'm done, this ones gonna hurt. Somehow I manage to save this disaster from happening, but now I just want to kill this kid. I mean that is classic Henry Wiles dirty riding style and attitude, with no respect for other competitors safety. It's sad, because the kid can ride a bike pretty good, and he doesn't have to ride like that.

    So back to the race. I save it, and now it's time to chase him back down. I start putting in some great laps, and within a few laps, I was right on him. He was faster than me in some places, and I was faster than him in some places too, so I knew he was gonna be tough. Then the red flag comes out as someone had crashed back in the pack. I looked back and seen that Wiles and I had opened up a pretty big gap on third place at  the red flag, but now we would have a single file restart with 5 to go. On the restart, he stayed out front, and now Bryan Smith was back in the picture, as he had a great start I guess and was right there with us. I was glued to Wile's rear wheel for a couple of laps, and seen the opportunity for a pass going into turn one. I had a good run underneath him down the front straight, as we were side by side going into turn one. We both got in there a little hot, and just then, I lost my front end, as it washed out on me and down I went. It was all my own fault, but I kept the bike running and picked it back up and took back off as the whole pack had gotten by me, but I chased a few of them down and still got a 7th I think it was. I was bummed, but then at the same time, I knew I still had a semi to win now to get me into the main event. Alot of people came up to me afterwards and told me that I should have just taken him out when I low sided underneath him, but that is not how I race, and that is also why I have some GOOD sponsors and friends out there.

    So for my semi, I get a great start and am running away with it. Then with a few laps to go, I hit this huge hole coming out of turn four that I had not seen the whole race, but I  see it coming this time. So I hold on tight, and my rear wheel hits this thing and it just kicks my back end of my bike up and I almost endo, heading right for the starter that is out on the track giving us the two laps to go flags. So he goes running for the sideline, but I managed to save it and still had a huge lead. Then I go another corner or so, and red flag comes out as some has crashed back in the pack I guess. So we all head to the mechanics box area as we have to wait there until they get the crash taken care of. Right when I get to the mechanics box, I realize that when I hit that huge hole last lap, it pinched my tube, and now I have rear flat tire. But, starting this year, the AMA decided to change the rules, and not let us work on the bikes in the mechanic area? WHY? I'm not real sure of the reason yet, as it seems kind of crazy, but anyway, my night is done now. I have a flat and I can't touch my bike for repairs. So I go off the track and into my pit area, mad as heck. The I all of a sudden remember that also another new rule this year is that the AMA awarded each rider in the top ten in points last year, one provisional start card for a direct slot into a main event. WOW, first race of the year I have to use it, but I figure I am fast enough tonight, that now is as good of time as ever to use it. I have to start on the fourth row by myself, but that's better than not starting at all.

    So Rob and Carl go get the bike ready for the main event, and in the meantime, I'm working out my game plan on how to come from the back on this tricky little track. I figured it out. WIDE OPEN, Team WFO style!

    I knew it was a long 25 laps, and I had been on this roller coaster ride for the last two hours or so, and I was just hoping that I was not going to run out of steam in the final, but at the same time I knew that this was exactly the situation that I had been training for. I'd put in my time, I was ready, they better be ready, cuz I'm a comin'!

    At the flash of the light, I got a pretty good start, as I beat everyone else that was one the 4th row, which was me, myself and I. hahaha I was back here by myself. Anyway I came out of turn two in last still, 19th place. There was lots of bobbling around by people in front of me for the first laps or so, and I knew I just needed to not push it too hard too early, as I did not want to go on the ground. After a lap or two, I started getting them. It felt like I could pass anyone where ever I wanted to. One lap one guy would be high, so I would make the pass down low, then vice versus next lap. Me and bike were like one right now, and I think my bike wanted another shot at that Wiles green 17 bike just as bad as I did. I don't know who was on auto pilot, me or the bike, but we were chargin'. Every lap I would get someone here or there it seemed. Laps were winding down, and I remember thinking that I felt like I was getting a little tired, but then I talked myself out of that, and remembered what I was trying to do, and that was win this race. I had no idea what place I was in, but I remembered seeing the halfway flags a while ago, so I knew laps were winding down. I mean, I got Carr,Smith, Mees, Wood, Bergen, and a bunch of others. Now with five to go I had came up on Coolbeth. It looked like there were still between five or 7 guys in front of me, but then I knew there were lappers too that we were probably coming up on, so I had no idea what place I was in. Every person seemed harder to pass of course the farther I moved forward. Kenny and I had a great battle for 4 or 5 laps, but even though we are kind of like rivals, we still race each other very clean and fair, and that is great. I finally got by Kenny on the last lap right before the white flag. Then after the checkered flag flew, I felt good but not great, because I could tell I did not win this race as there were quite a few people in front of us at the finish. Then the officials pointed to me on the cool down lap to go to the podium? What, I had gotten up to third place? I was pumped now, as all that hard work in those 25 laps had gotten me on the podium, finally. Wiles had won, with Schnabel second and myself third. They were just lucky I was on the 4th row and they were on the front row.

    All in all it was quite the day, with alot of ups and downs and ups and downs again. But we prevailed and came out of there with a good amount of points for what had just happend. And the best thing was, that I knew I would get another shot at them tomorrow. Now I just had to unwind and try and get some rest, as it was about midnight and we had to be here again in the morning.

    My youngest son Kody had asked me after that win last Sunday here if I got a trophy? I said, "no bud, I just won some money instead". So he told me to enter the trophy class at these next two races instead of the money class. hahahaha Well buddy, I got ya a trophy tonight!

    Until next time, G'day!  Joe