This week was a great week for Joe and me. Joe was able to get the monkey off his back for starts and I was able to get tons of things done that needed to be. I am continuously working during the week - with Acorn Woods Communications doing the press releases and keeping up with our other clients, managing the Sales/Marketing side of things at Competitive Edge MX Park, getting ready for the 3 rd Annual Women’s Motocross/Supercross Foundation this coming week and running to all the races…it’s amazing that I get anything done at all!
Joe spent his week like normal, concentrating on bike set up on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Competitive Edge. He trained with Gerald and David on those days as well, so during the week, his days are filled with bikes constantly!
We flew out early Friday morning to San Francisco so that Gerald would have time to get the bike ready for the weekend. We arrived by 9am and headed out to the track to help set up the canopy and unload the semi. Once we got there, it started raining…imagine that!
We spent a few hours at the track getting things situated. We left the track by about 3pm and headed over to Target to get some warmer clothes and food at the mall. Let me just say that none of us had done that in a while…it was an experience! We met up with some old friends and enjoyed dinner before the race.
We got to the track about 10:30am, just in time for the track walk – or so Joe thought. With the weather rolling in, they opted to keep the tarps on the track for as long as possible. They cancelled the first round of practices and postponed the track walk till 2:30pm. It was one of those hurry up and wait scenario.
Joe had a good practice time and would wind up in the second heat race. He came out mid pack and ran 7th till he cross rutted on the second triple and cased the heck out of the jump. He got tagged by another rider while down, but ended up getting back on the bike right away. I am sure there is some pictures out there somewhere of how gnarly that looked!
I didn’t have anyone with me in the nursery that Live Nation supplies to the rider’s families, but lucky for me, there were some moms that I had gotten to know very well through the WMXF and they offered to watch Leum for me while I ran the mile back to the pits, down 5 flights of stairs and over the bridge. I got back to the semi to find Joe okay and ready to give it another try. He was bummed; I am not going to lie. His only comment to me was, “I had my spot taken away from me last week, this week, and I took it away myself.” With the shake of his head in disappointment, Joe hopped on the bike, pushed his electric start and rode up to the stadium to line up for the LCQ…and yes, I ran back across the bridge and up 5 flights of stairs in hopes that my son hadn’t worn out his welcome yet!
Joe started out about 8th in the LCQ with all 22 riders in the race all bunched together. There were so many great guys and only 2 make it! Joe ended up 6 th in the LCQ, but not for a lack of trying.
It’s hard. I have seen him start out as an amateur, turn pro, gain a national number for 6 years in a row, watch him break his neck, be there to see him fight through it and now it seems like everything is just slapping him in the face. It’s tough, but if I know one thing, Joe is tougher.
Wish him luck in Anaheim 3…he will be the rider out there determined to push past this stage of obstacles. Heck, he has been to the bottom; the only way now is to the top!
