Post
by Ricky Byrd » Tue Apr 20, 2004 6:28 am
As Noah said, WOW is right! Night fell, the breeze picked up, the air cooled, but it was hot on Fondren Hill. Luna Slalom Jam 2004 went off without any big hitches, but with a great time, some great food and some great friends coming together for a little friendly competition. The crowds, at the height of the rounds of 32 and 16 have been estimated at 1200, with a total attendance in the neighborhood of 2000 spectators.
We had some very close racing on the short course; very few false starts and only one race crash as I remember (although one of our helpers taking a run after the street closed, crashed at the bottom of the hill and broke his wrist in the process, to much Recovery Room I think). I didn’t see very many actual races; my eyes were on a laptop screen most of the night. I heard they were good.
I’d like to start by thanking the racers and their families for coming out for this event. With out them it would be nothing. It was good to see our usual crew like Red Clay, Texas Outlaws, the St. Louie Daggers, and the Florida boys. It’s always good to have y’all. It was great to have the Von Glasows, Chapman’s, Nick & Joe, Lisa, Elisa and Katii, DCDC, the California guys like Jack, Richy and Bruce, and of course COSS, those guys rock hard. I’m so glad to have Phil Plunkett came home for a race. We skated together through high school and were best buds and roommates during our wildest years. It was good to see his parents and family again after so long. I had to apologize to them for all the crap I pulled is a kid. Now that I’m older with kids of my own, I knew I owed them that. I know I missed some of you by name, but you know I love each one of you and I know how tough it is to travel, so a big thanks to all. See you next year!
Thanks to my Road Kill Racing crew for putting up with the constant Luna talk and thanks for coming out and helping me with all the prep work and the set up and tear down. You guys and gals are the best. Let's hit it Sunday! Could not do it without a guy like Clifton Jennings, who listened to me worry about minor details till he was sick of it but was always there to listen and comment. He’s always willing to do what needs to be done. Thanks Raddog! Pre-skate-ya!
I know I’m suppose to keep my main sponsor on the down low, but I always break rules, so... Red Bull Energy Drink turned it up a notch this year with a great post race party, rooms for racers, timing tower, posters, stickers, T’s and the great Penz vehicle and Shag the announcer. Shag wasn’t sure what slalom is…he knows now and he knows it’s some sick poo. Those guys are from Arlington, TX. Get in touch with them Eddy! Another group of sponsors are our local guys, like Fondren Renaissance Foundation, The City of Jackson, SkateMS.com and The Bigger Picture who made several banners and busted ass for the event. Thanks Frank! Thanks to all of you.
We also had an impressive box of prizes for the racers donated by some generous vendors in the slalom industry. This, to me is what keeps it fun and maintains that GRS flavor. No one goes home empty handed.
Bahne Skateboards
Pleasure Tool Bearings
RoeRacing
Insect Skates
Radikal Trucks
Comet Skates
Gravity Skates
Concrete Wave
3DM
Seismic Skate Systems
Pocket Pistol Skates
Solidskate.com
Longskate.com
Bozi Longboards
ABEC11
A special thanks to Chicken and Pocket Pistol Skates for his donations to the Friday event we called The Pocket Pistol Outlaw 75. It was a good warm up gathering with some of the fastest runs ever laid down on Road Kill Hill. Thanks again Chicken.
Thanks to everyone who helped lift a barricade, set a ramp, wire a PA system, build scaffolding, pick up garbage, load hay bails or whatever. Clifton and I never could do it without people willing to help us out. Thanks!
How about Kenny’s sneak peek at the 2003 Worlds DVD. Very impressive! Get yours on order now! Get two they’re small. Thanks Kenny. Thanks to Dan Gesmer of 3DM/Seismic Skate Systems for the use of his Spreadsheet.
How many times is this guy going to say thanks? Well…not enough times that’s for sure.
Now…How about some results…
Here’s Finish Position, followed by Name, then Qualifying Time, then Qual Position.
(I hope the text format holds up)
FP Racer Name QT QP
1 GARY FLUITT 13.191 1
2 NOAH HEINLE 13.628 7
3 RICHY CARRASCO 13.488 4
4 VLAD POPOV 13.561 6
5 CHRIS BARKER 13.279 2
6 BOBBY MANDARINO 13.640 8
7 JASON MITCHELL 14.018 12
8 JACK SMITH 14.409 19
9 RICK STANZIALE 13.328 3
10 JEFF GOAD 13.536 5
11 KEITH HOLLIEN 13.823 9
12 MARK MCCREE 13.966 10
13 MIKE OHM 13.978 11
14 TROY SMART 14.263 15
15 BRIAN PARSONS 14.305 16
16 JONATHAN HARMS 14.478 20
17 DAVID PIRNACK 14.084 13
18 WES EASTRIDGE 14.148 14
19 CLAUDE REGNIER 14.402 17
20 JEREMY JONES 14.409 18
21 AKI VON GLASOW 14.599 21
22 TOM THOMPSON 14.744 22
23 PHIL PLUNKETT 14.777 23
24 AARON MORRIS 15.049 24
25 JOHN DILLON 15.484 25
26 WILL JOLLY 15.553 26
27 JEFF FARNUM 15.561 27
28 JOSH BYRD 15.831 28
29 JON SEEGER 16.050 29
30 ANDREW EURE 16.462 30
31 BEN CHAPMAN 16.633 31
32 JOE ICAOVELLI 16.701 32
I’ll get the spreadsheet post on the web in PDF format very soon.
Thanks to all for a great race. Let’s do it again sometime. Y’all come back now, ya hear!