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Second practice will be on the bottom half ending at the Pancake House. Same early start time, 4:00am at the gate. This time you are in the trees, unloading in the dark, preparing in the dark again. First light and it's go time. Maybe three full runs can be made this morning and then it's wrapped up with a qualifying pass. Qualifying is done, same as the race day procedure. For the quads, it's three at a time, side by side flag start. The finish will determine the line up for race day. If you finish first in your wave, you check the time as you may have grabbed the pole position. If you don't finish first, you don't have to check the time, you already know you aren't starting from the number one spot.. Traffic comes quicker today as you are closer to the toll gate and you have to clear the course. Either go back to town for some rest or wrenching, or make a haul up the course with traffic for another look before race day.
Race day, and since the road is closed, you are allowed some breathing room and don't have to show up at the gate until 6:00am. Find your pit area, preparation is not a rush as you will go after lunch. Time to walk the pits, see the other machines and enjoy the sights and sounds of Pikes Peak race day. The spectators share this time to also get a glimpse and talk with the racers. It's an event! Grab an autograph from the famous and celebrities. The atmosphere is electric and kind of surreal. Carved out in the woods, this race crowd knows something really big is about to happen. Fast forward...as the classes go off one at a time, you can't help but wonder what if we raced by ourselves, would our times decrease? What if we got a running start at the start line, would our times be faster? Then it's time to grid. Motorcycles go off five at a time, quads go off three at a time, sidecars go off two at a time.
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