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Story by: Tina Lugan
Honda 400EX WORCS Racing Project
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About half way through the course I started hitting a lot of rocks and deep ruts with immediate windy turns and dips. This was about the time I started to feel fatigue kicking in and I had thumb pump BAD! The Pro racers flew by me like I was standing still, getting an occasional waive or thumbs up. This gave me more inspiration to get through the lap and not push it so I could save up for my real race on Sunday. I broke no speed records, but I finished!!! That’s all I hoped to do all weekend, so I was proud of myself.
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Tina Lugan fought through the thumb pump as she stayed on the gas until the finish
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We spent the rest of the day resting on the beach and lake with our pups and took advantage of the cool water to soak in for a few hours, which I think really helped. After a late night cook out with our fellow racer friends, we headed back to town to get some much needed rest as I had a double day of Photography and racing both on Sunday.
On Sunday I discovered that my Women’s race was going to be held at a completely different course. Not only had I not rode the course, but I hadn’t even seen it until right before my race. I was a little bummed that I was not going to be riding a much more technical course, but maybe for the sake of me not racing for so long, this might be a good thing.
My tire pressure had been adjusted for the deep soft sand for traction and I knew what to expect, on this course it was much of the opposite, which consisted more of dirt along the lake. No elevation changes, but still a few sections of rock and whoops with a couple hairpin turns. I watched as the other line of racers in front of me take off to get a good idea where I needed to pick my line into the first turn as I had no certainty.
To my surprise, I had absolutely ZERO jitters and was ready to race! Flag goes up and we are off! I got instant hook up off the line and zero hesitation! Into the first turn three of us girls battled for the holeshot and I never lifted. It was a close one! I almost had a holeshot of my Honda 440ex!! My Goldspeed Sand tires once again proved to be just what my Honda needed!
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Tina Lugan nearly grabbed the holeshot on her Honda 440ex in the Women's Class
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Into the straight away, I stayed tightly behind one rider hot on the gas. Without any warning, we approached a hairpin turn. I slammed on my brakes and gave it a good pitch, then stalled my engine! I was so frustrated as I have never done this in years past, but I also had never raced an endurance race with arrows on the course either. I got hit from behind from another female racer causing her to stall; I frantically started back on the course.
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Tina Lugan charges across the high speed dirt section of the course
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My first lap was not as quick as my other laps were –still trying to learn the course. My Elka Shocks were totally dialed and felt plush in the whoops sections, which was a large part of certain sections of the course. As I headed towards the scoring area, it was a fifth gear pinned section that was a blast and also a good place to catch your breath to take on the next several laps.
As much as I wanted to do this race as just an overall experience, that competition side of me was kicking in, and I had to resist the numb feelings in my hand and push through with no pitting for water and keeping up the pace. As I passed through and seen the white flag, I heard a bunch of cheering and my Husband yelling “YOU CAN DO IT, ONE MORE LAP”! Praise the Lord I was thinking to myself. I gave it all I had and felt my spot on the podium might be possible! Dig Deep I kept thinking to myself, it’s almost over. As I was nearing the rock section along the waterfront I was battling for position, but my hands had enough. With only a few minutes away from the check flag, I would have to settle for a 4th place finish.
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Although Lugan was feeling a little tired in the last few laps, She pushed ahead to finish fourth in the Women's C Class
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I cannot even begin to express my feelings as I’m writing this, how my heart and mind was feeling. What a rush of adrenaline and just an overall feeling I remember feeling so many years ago. I was going through a lot of emotions. Friends and supporters who witnessed my first race were missing the first part of the Pro Main to cheer me on because the races overlapped that weekend, so it was touching to say the least. A few hugs and fellow racers friends said “YOU DID IT, YOU FINISHED!”
My Husband and my Son approached me and said I did a great job and they were proud of me and that I looked good out there. Once I had caught my breath, I sat for a moment and teared up because this was one of the most memorable and exciting races I had ever done! To think for a decade of following the WORCS series and never racing it is hard to believe. If it hadn’t been for my components on my Honda, there is no way I could have EVER finished that race.
My Flexx bars gave me that extra momentum through all the rough stuff. My Precision Racing Stabilizer made the difference in allowing me to hang on and finish the race. In the sections that were hard to hang on, it kept the bars from jerking out of my hands. As mentioned before, my GoldSpeed tires provided instant hook up, and my Fly gear kept cool and comfortable the entire race.
Thank you to Precision for making such awesome product to help keep me safe on the course. GPS Off-Road Products thank you for letting me test the Goldspeed sand tires. These were definitely a huge help in my race and provided great traction as well as durability. Thank you to Ernie at FTR Power sports for making my new “permanent” race numbers and making them look so good on my Honda! Thanks to Jet trim on expediting service on my seat repair.
Special thanks to two special people in my life, I cannot thank my biggest supporter my Husband Troy enough for setting this race up for me, and Special thanks to my dear friend, Harlen Foley, for all his support and help round up parts needed for me to race.
This was the most amazing day of racing I have ever had. I’m glad I was given the opportunity to experience it. This is not the end…. This is only the beginning….
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