Crashing is an unpreventable event in any type of racing event.  When you are racing you have to face the fact that you will crash at least once a year.  This includes any type of crash, have it be a spin out, falling off the track, high siding, or the worst being involved in a first turn crash.  What I have been seeing is that inexperienced races do not know how to properly crash.  This may sound funny but it’s very, very true.  

A couple of weekends ago a racer crashed very lightly in the sweeper at the Onsted dirt track.  He basically got loose hit a hole high sided and ended up under the quad.  I was flagging this turn and when I got to him he looked to be in pain and helpless so I waved the medic flag.  When the medics checked him over they found that he had a possible broken collar bone.  Now I thought how is this possible when the crash didn’t look that bad?  What I concluded is that he had locked his elbow when he put his hand out to try and save himself.  This was a huge mistake as it caused all the momentum and stress of the crash to be absorbed by his shoulder, which in turn broke his collar bone.  

I have crashed many, many times and I know from experience the best thing to do is to simply go limp.  I also would know when I was going to crash and could predict how I was going to crash.  This enabled me to set myself up to come out of the crash in the best possible condition.  If you relax and go with the crash instead of trying to save the unsaveable then you will stand a better chance of coming out un scaved.  

Now I am not saying to purposely go out and try to crash to “practice” crashing!!  Rather I would just like you to be more aware of your situation when you do crash.  When you become one with your machine and know how it will react to your every little action you will stand a better chance of being prepared when you have pushed the line too far and your machine is getting a little pay back!  Really start to feel what your machine does when you make an action, this will not only prepare you for a crash but it will also make you a better rider!  Stay safe and I will see you at the track!