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Once a year, on Thanksgiving weekend, A Day In The Dirt takes over Los Angeles County Raceway with a huge event filled with more high-speed racing than you could shake a handlebar at. I went last year and had a blast racing one team event (trading my YZ125 with Alexander Smith each lap) and two grand prix races. The track is high speed, is made up of great dirt, one fast pavement section, and several drops into LACR’s giant pit (the jump in was the best!).
I was looking forward to this year’s event, and smiled when I found the large invite envelope in my in box at work. It’s done up sort of like a newspaper, filled inside with a track layout and a ton of photos of the motocross superstars who go to the event.
Then I turned the page and saw a big photo of me right there among the greats. Yep, that guy right there in the Troy Lee Designs “A Day In The Dirt” gear on the #442 YZ125 is none other than me, the world’s best-sponsored Vet Novice. This would be the point in this blog to act humble and make some jabs at myself, but let’s face it, I look awesome. Racing straight out of the invite, photo larger than McGrath’s, showing better style than Brian Deegan. Wow, I’m really awesome, and it shows.
There’s also another little photo of me next to Malcolm Smith. That’s probably pretty exciting for Malcolm!
 They say every dog has his day, and they say everyone will get their fifteen minutes of fame… Well, they say a lot of things, but they don’t always feature you in a Troy Lee Designs event lay-out every day now, do they? Hmmm?
Back to Earth now… If you like motocross more than leftover turkey sandwiches and you’re within driving distance (read: North America) of LACR, you should consider going out to this event.
 The days are well organized, the event has fun races (a couple team races, a stuntman race, an “Indian Dunes vs. Saddleback” rivalry race), you’re bound to see a few of the sport’s stars (I watched Jeff Ward grab the clutch and rocket off from a “Hand on helmet, bike in neutral” start where me moved his hand so fast I literally didn’t see it – that dude would have been a good gunfighter 150 years ago!), and at night… well, I went home at night because I needed my rest, but the jammed parking lot becomes a campground city and the parties were just starting up as the sun was setting on that Saturday night.
If you’re planning to go this November 27-29, 2009, check out www.adayinthedirt.com. Even if you’re not going, there are some cool videos there, one featuring Steve McQueen.
I’ll be at the event again this year, and between signing autographs I’m sending in my entry to be in two grand prix on Saturday and in the Coup de Grace Survival Race on Sunday. The Coup de Grace is a race with no precise beginning or ending. Once the racers are on the track the race goes anywhere from one and a half to two and a half hours. It’s not a team race, and you need to have a stock tank without a quick fill. Yeah, like I’m going to be in a hurry when I stop to pit!
 If you want to tell me how lucky, arrogant, or good-looking I am (it actually shows through the helmet!), I’ve started a thread for all my fans. I’m anticipating a lot of wonderful things being said about me. You can link to it here.
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