Glen Helen National Two Stroke Invitational

June 26, 2018 mike sleeter

I got home from Hangtown safe and sound after a little detour to Seattle. Seattle? Ya fucking Seattle… A few of us went to the Monster Mile flat track in Sacramento to watch some bad ass racing which turned into a long night of beers and some interesting bars in Downtown Sacramento. This proved I’ve been off the back when it comes to making your flight after a night of good times with the boys. Ya, I missed my flight from Sacramento to San Diego and had to settle for a flight to Seattle first then down to San Diego. Let me just say Mrs. Sleeter wasn’t a happy camper. I was worthless Sunday around the house haha…

Photo: Darryl Eklund - MXA

Oh ya you were reading this to know about the two stroke race at Glen Helen not my light weight drinking habits. You know it and I know it! Glen Helen is a one of a kind Motocross track. It is such a one of a kind track that I was on the fence if I was going to race when I saw Press Day footage of the track the week before. Jody Wiesel built some ridiculous jumps that would kill you if your bike had a mechanical. Luckily Davey Coombs and MX Sports stepped in and got the track tamed down for a better experience for the riders. Unlike the week before when the Dirt Diggers put the 125 riders through the ringer with a really un organized event when it came to results, practice times and a so called "pro purse". Glen Helen was so organized with rider/mechanic passes and a schedule of events very detailed to make the morning stress free. I brought the entire family out to this race because I really enjoy having my family at the races with me. It just makes it more fun and less stressful for a simple reason I don’t feel like I am taking a day a way from them with Dad being gone. It was a busy week so I had to do some bike work before the race like a kook but it kept me more calm not having to worry about the massive jumps on the track. Once I got the Dunlop Tire installed, Maxima Pro Filter, and Works Connection start device I went out for our 3-4 lap practice where I was greeted with some of the best conditions Glen Helen had to offer. It was misting and overcast and the track was perfect shape.

Photo: Brendon Lutes / Fasthouse

I didn’t have a mechanic for the day because it’s just one practice and one moto so no need to wash a bike, but a long time friend Trevor Hudson cruised by to say hi and I put him to work to grab some GoPro footage and to lock my starting device when I was on the line. Once I got to the line with my GoPro camera on my head the AMA official walked over to me and I knew what was coming. No POV camera’s were aloud because they sold the rights for helmet cam footage to Garmin. I took the camera off with a understanding of why because I get it. As a promoter you need more money in the sport and people want exclusivity as a series sponsor, but it’s a bummer riders can’t create content of their race using their own camera of choice that in turn would help promote the race itself. Belive it or not this even limits the TLD/Red Bull/GoPro team to use a sponsor’s product. So why would GoPro want to sponsor the team next year if the team can’t even use the product for 12 rounds of a series?

Now that you know you wont be getting any sweet sounds of a two stroke from my GoPro via POV lets get on with how the race was for me. It was moto time and as we got to the line they let us know that the race was cut a lap from 4 laps and was now only 3 laps. I honestly didn’t care at all I because where I started is probably where I was going to finish. I got a great start and rounded Taladega in 3rd and was passed by Darryn Durham as he was charging towards the front after Kai Aielo , and Robby Wageman. On lap two Durham tipped over at the top of Mt. St. Helens and I got back into 3rdbut it was short lived, Durham got right back by me until he crashed going up Mt. St. Helens and I knew it was my time to sprint to the finish since I had a chance to land on the podium. I started to bridge the gap on Kai Aielo before the finish and it was enough for me to secure third. The track was really fun and rough. The track crew had weather on its side but after MX Sports handled the track issues it really made for a fun and demanding track which is The Great Outdoors. Robby Wageman went wire to wire and my little buddy Kai Aielo got 2nd. These two riders are what the sport needs more of. They have great heads on there shoulders, good style, but the cost of racing forces them to not compete at certain races so having a race like this can really show there skill set to hopefully land them some more support.

Thank you to MX Sports, Glen Helen Raceway and anyone else involved for making this a memorable experience, and unlike Hangtown, Glen Helen we had trophies for this exhibition race that were pretty darn cool lol...

The Bike KTM 300

Mods

Bars- Pro Taper

Sprockets - Pro Taper stock gearing

Grips - Race Cut half Waffle

Jetting - Stock

Fuel - 91 pump

Oil - Maxima Super M 40:1

Seat - Moto Seat

Exhaust - FMF fatty pipe Shorty silencer

Suspension - Stock with recommended air pressure in fork

Tires - Dunlop MX3s front and rear