Kaleb De Keyrel wins four classes at the May CRA races
Kaleb De Keyrel started his first weekend out with the CRA on Friday, May 6, in the new riders school. Kaleb attended the class room portion of the new riders school as a requirement by the CRA because of his age. Friday practice went great and the day ended with the new riders race. Kaleb was invited to race in the new riders race for sitting through the class room portion of the new rider training. Kaleb finished second in the lightweight division behind ex AMA pro Rick Bullock.
Saturday started off with more practice and the chance of wet weather moving in. In the second practice session on the RS 125 Kaleb had a mechanical coming into turn 12. Kaleb pushed the bike up to the tire wall and got a ride back to the pits. Not knowing what had happened to the bike for sure, De Keyrel racing decided to race the Moriwaki MD 250 H in the only race of the day. The GP 1 trophy dash would be Kaleb’s only race for Saturday and it was scheduled for the second to last race of the day. The rain moved in and Kaleb’s dad put the Dunlop rain tires on the Moriwaki to prep it for the race. As the afternoon came so did the sun. The track was drying out fast and the Dunlop slicks went back on the Moriwaki. Kaleb lead all 18 laps of the GP 1 trophy dash race racking up the first win of the weekend. After talking with Doug, (Kaleb’s dad) he had told us he was worried Kaleb would run out of gas. The Moriwaki just made it on fuel for the 18 lap race. Saturday ended with a church service put on by Jim Wiles and John Anderson.
Sunday was going to be a busy day for the De Keyrel Racing team. Kaleb would have 5 races. The day started off on the wrong foot when Mason, (Kaleb’s younger brother) woke up with the flu. The team regrouped and went to work on practice. The first race up for the day was the sportsman race. Kaleb had a great race with a dry track and the second win of the weekend. By noon the rain had moved in again and was not looking like it would dry up. Doug again fitted the Moriwaki up with the Dunlop rain tires. Up next was the Ultra light Superbike race. Kaleb got a great hole shot and again lead the race from start to finish. The rain was starting to fall even harder and the puddles on the track were getting deeper. Up next was the light weight superbike class. This class would test the skills of the young rider. Kaleb again took the hole shot and was leading the race. On lap 2 on the long back straight Kaleb was passed by a rider on a Suzuki SV650. Kaleb would keep him honest in the tight sections of the track but could not stay with him on the long back straight. Kaleb rode hard for a second place finish. In the ultra light GP race the wet weather continued. Kaleb’s Moriwaki again launched him into the lead on the start. Kaleb lead the Ultra light GP race start to finish. The last race of the weekend for Kaleb was the Light weight GP class. Kaleb would again be up against the more powerful SV650’s. Going into the first turn it was Kaleb De Keyrel again with a huge lead this time. The rain was coming down hard and Kaleb was not letting off. Kaleb rain the entire race in first place till the last lap. Kaleb fought hard and finished out the weekend with a second.
It was fun to watch the young rider attack the track all weekend wet or dry. Kaleb finshed the weekend with 4 firsts and 3 seconds. Not a bad weekend at all. Looking forward to watching him race and win again.
Results link: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccckey=0AnPdEnsyUObFdHREX0U5ek5sSDhLRnNJYXRFR09kOHc&hl=en&authkey=CNDisGs#gid=0
Photos link: http://www.momentumphoto.net/events/cra/2011/may/251/index.html
The De Keyrel Racing Teams 1st Ride of the Season!
Kaleb & Mason De Keyrel and Tom Swager
On March 18 we headed south to Hallet, OK. Motor Speedway for the weekend. The plan for the trip was to test the bikes and to work out the boys first ride jitters. We arrived late Friday night, set up and headed to bed. Saturday morning, after an awesome breakfast of Heather’s breakfast sandwiches, the boys were ready to ride. They warmed up on their bicycles and Doug prepped the bikes. Jerry Morgan of Frisco, TX had delivered Tom’s 600 and the boys’ 110 to the track.
Kaleb and Mason did a great job the first session, starting out slow, getting in a groove and then stepping up the pace. Rather than mounting up rains, the boys decided to sit out a session since the weather was 48 degrees, windy, and was raining and hailing by the time the first session finished. After the rain stopped the high winds dried out the track quickly, the sun came out and the boys had a great day of practice. Brother, Levi, (15 month old) had a great day at the track also, pushing his little blue motorcycle in the pits. He must have put on 3 miles, showing it off to everyone going rooooooooom, rooooooooom, roooooooooom! Tom did a couple sessions on his TZ 250 and one first-time session on the 600. He did great and had a lot of fun.
On Saturday, Brad Heath, of Oklahoma Motorsports Magazine, interviewed Tom and the boys. He will be writing an article that will be featured in the magazine. You will also be able to view it on line at www.ihigh.com/oklahomamotorsports . We ended the day with 61 degrees, sun and windy
Sunday started out where we left off on Saturday, 61 degrees, sunny and windy. This worked out great for jetting. The goal for today was to work on body positioning. Both boys warmed up on their bicycles, had pancakes for breakfast and were ready to go. The first session was a success with the boys working hard on head positioning and getting off of the bike more. Kaleb said he did not like it, “since it feels slower,” but he continued to work hard at it anyway. By the end of the day Kaleb, Mason and Tom had all dropped their lap times down considerably. Tom on a TZ 250 and Kaleb on the RS 125 were the only 2 stroke bikes in the RACE group and Mason on the Moriwaki MD 250H was in the STREET A group. It was great practice for both Tom and Kaleb since Tom would gap Kaleb on the long straights but Kaleb would catch back up in the tight back session. Tom asked Kaleb if he wanted to try the 600. Kaleb was all over it. With approval from Connie, Hallet track staff, Kaleb took off in the STREET A group for his first ride on a 600. He rode great! We could tell he was riding cautious but he was still picking people off. He came back with a huge smile on his face. Jerry Morgan said, “Doug you just wrecked that boy. He ain’t gona wana ride that little 125 anymore.” Kaleb continued to ride the 125 in the RACE group and the 600 in the STREET A group the rest of the day.
It was a safe and very successful riding weekend. Mason was shifting great, had awesome lines and was very smooth. Kaleb was ultra smooth, consistent, and did a great job on the 600. It was a long drive home Sunday night for work on Monday. Driving through dense fog in Iowa GOD kept everyone safe. A great weekend with Family, Friends and testing.
GOD BLESS
A Cyclocross Champion
I started this summer off with wanting to have more people to train on my road bicycle with. I train on the bicycles to stay in shape for road racing motorcycles. I knew Alex at Erik’s bike shop in Roseville MN and he was encouraging me to come out and do a Wednesday night ride with them. He had told me that they do a 40 mile ride and I was not up for that yet. I continued to train on my own and finally felt I could make the 40 mile ride. I had my dad take me over to Erik’s on a hot 90 degree day. Everyone one was meeting out side and the group was going to be lead by Alex Berge and Bruce Martens. Bruce spotted me right off and started in ” You know we are going 40 miles tonight. It going to be really hot. We are going to ride about 20 MPH. Maybe you should do a night that is not so hot for your first time.” My dad and I went in to find Alex. Alex was like ” no worries it will be all go. You will be fine.” My dad left and off we went. It was a tough ride but I was not going to hold them up. I finished the ride. Bruce and I were talking when my dad got back to the store. My dad asked Bruce how I did. Bruce said ” He did great, I was really impressed. I would like you to bring him out again next week if you can. I will bring my tandem bike. As the summer went on we kept training on Wednesday nights. Then the Wednesday night Erik’s rides ended for the year and Alex and Bruce were starting Cyclocross. Alex was pumped this was his sport. Bruce asked my dad if he could take me with to the first race. My dad was reluctant, because he knew I might like it and it would cost us money. This is to be the time of year we are to be saving money for motorcycle road racing. My dad told Bruce I could go and we headed off to St. Cloud on a Sunday morning. I watched all day and had a blast. I just took it all in. Looked at what you needed to race Cyclocross.
Cyclocross Bike Mountain Bike shoes (X)Helmet (X)Biking shorts
Arm Covers Leg Covers (X)Someone to take you to the races
Someone to tune the bike Someone to teach you how to Cyclocross
The things with the (X) in front of them is what I knew I already had. The others would all be need and would cost my family money. The race was about 2 hrs from our house, so on the way home we were all talking and Bruce asked me what I thought. Right away I said “I could do that.” Bruce said that there was another race next weekend. I told them it looks fun but I don’t have a bike or any of the stuff you need. When we got home my dad and Bruce were talking and Bruce asked if my dad minded if I started to race. My dad asked what will Kaleb need to do it? Right away the list popped into my head. I new he was going to say we need to save money and he was right. Bicycling is just train for motorcycle racing. Bruce told My dad If I buy the bike and set him all up. Can he do it? My dad said if you are willing to do that. Bruce said He would train me for motorcycle racing if Kaleb would race bicycles for him and Team Balance Cycling / Erik’s Bike Shop. In less than 2 days I had a mint Sevens full Titanium Cyclocross bike that Bruce and Lisa Martens had bought for me. I won my first race I entered and had a blast. It was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I kept training Cyclocross with Alex and Bruce on Tuesday nights and racing on the weekends. My dad would take me on the nights that Bruce or Alex could not make it. I continued to work hard and won the MN state championships in the snow. I am also the 2010 Cry 10-14 JR Cyclocross Champion. None of this would have been possible if Bruce and Lisa Martens had not believed in me. If my dad would not have taking me to the races. If Alex Berge would not have tuned my bike for free. If my family would not have given up more weekends for racing. Champions aren’t the people that get the trophy. The real Champions are the people that believed that there time and money need to be spent to help someone trying to achieve a goal.
My First Cyclocross race 10-2-10
First off, Cyclocross is a bicycle race that can be on road, off road, and you have barriers that you have to get off of your bike and jump over with your bike. There are usually sections where you have to carry your bike too. The races are either 30 min. or 45 min. depending on class.
We got up at 6:00 am it was a Saturday morning. There was frost on the grass and it was 31 degrees. The high was going to be 52 degrees today. My dad made scrambled eggs, peanut butter toast and milk for breakfast. We ate and waited for Bruce Martens ( my trainer ) to get to our house. Bruce arrived with his son Liam and we all jumped in and headed out. It was Bruce, Myself, Mason and Liam in Bruce’s car and my dad and Levi in the van. We headed to Hudson WI. It was only about a 40 min. drive. We got there early and Bruce introduced us to the MN JR cycling club coaches. The coach said he would take me around the course with the other MN JR club members. We went in to sign up and got ready to ride. My dad had parked the van in the first spot in the parking lot and it was right by the first turn. The promoter can up and asked my dad to move the van. He was worried a rider might hit the van. My dad told him, I’m not worried about the van. The promoter told my dad he wasn’t either. He was worried about the rider that may hit it. So my dad moved the van. It was kind of funny.
I went out to ride a warm up lap with the MN JR coach, Bruce, Alex ( another Team Balance racer ) and Liam. When we got done with the lap we were all sitting on our bikes and the MN JR coach was talking about how hard the course was and how difficult of race it is going to be. My dad called me to come talk to him. He said ” Don’t listen to him. You just go out and have fun and do the best you can. I love you” I told my dad OK. I had 20 min. before my race so I stretched out some more and Alex and Bruce went for another warm up lap. Mason went with on Liams mountain bike. I was glad Mason tried a lap.
10:00am Race time. I lined up right in the front row. Three bikes over on the inside. I wanted to set myself up for a win right from the start. There was my group boys 10-14, boys 15-18, girls 10-14, girls 15-18 in the first wave. Than the women’s class went out behind us. I got a great start and was in second place overall heading into the woods. I new I would be good in the sand and there was a ravine that a lot of people were worried about. The race was harder that I thought it was going to be. 30 minutes as hard as you can go seams like a long time. It was great to have my dad, Bruce, Levi, Mason, Liam and Alex all cheering me on. My dad, Levi and Bruce were on a long up hill cheering. That was huge. It helped a lot. I ended up first in my class and had a lot of fun. I have my work cut out for me though. In the 15-18 year old class there are some fast guys. I am going to train even harder to try to get to there fitness level. I want to be the most physically fit Road Racer my age in the world. The harder I work to achieve my goals the more GOD will Bless me.
I would like to Thank Lisa and Bruce Martens for buying me the full titanium cyclocross bike. Bruce for training me. Alex for the Cyclocross shoes. My dad, Mason, Levi and Liam for cheering me on. The MN JR Cycling Coaches. My mom and dad for getting me to races and supporting me.
Kaleb to race the RedBull MotoGP
Kaleb to race the RedBull MotoGP race at Indianapolis. Two times a year the MotoGP series come to America to compete. The second round is held at the Indianapolis Motor speedway ” The Brick Yards”. This year at this event they have added the Moriwaki MD 250H class to the schedule. The MD 250 H class is for ages 12 -16 all riding stock Moriwaki motorcycles. This is the largest motorcycle event in the USA each year. It is HUGE for Kaleb to be racing at this event.
For more info goto: http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/redbullindianapolisgp/
Competeing in the Moriwaki MD 250H class
Kaleb will be competing in the Moriwaki MD 250H class. Kaleb also just found out yesterday that he was selected for the RedBull Rookies Cup Tryouts to be held in Spain in 3 weeks. It is going to be a busy few weeks with lots of fun. More info to come after the race at Indy and the test in Spain.
Putnan Park in Green castle Indiana
Saturday morning my Dad and I headed off to Putnan park in Indiana. We left with plans to get to the track to watch for about an hour and than get me on the track on my bicycle for some training and to learn the track. We have everything pilled in the van and my dad does not like to stop unless we need gas. Then you better be hungry and need to use the rest room. So I’m holding it as long as I can till I decide I can’t make it. Rest area here we come.
We only stop one other time for gas, food and you know. We got to the track at 3:45 and watched for 15 minutes and they ended. I asked the guy next to me why they are stopping and he said they are done. Its 5:00. We forgot about the time change. My dad tracked down a guy to see if I could ride the track on my bicycle. They would not let me. We talked to Brent and Fred a little from NESBA and headed to the hotel. After checking in I hit the pool for some laps. Than it was a walk across the street for Chicago Pizza. A little X Games and to bed. We got up early and went to a complimentary breakfast at the hotel. It was great, fruit, eggs, bagels, biscuits and gravy. The ladies got it ready early so we could get going. My dad left them a tip on the table for being so nice and we got stopped three times before we got out of there with everyone thinking we forgot our money on the table. It was kind of funny.
At the track Nesba had a track walk. It took an hour and a half to go over lines. My dad used the time to get everything ready. We parked next to the Ohlin’s guy. He came over to talk and introduced himself. It was Robert Jensen. I had watched him race at BIR in MN ( Fast ). The track was really fun. One and two where pretty fast. I road the Moriwaki for the first season and than switched to the RS 125. Brent, from NESBA road with me most of the day. Robert came over and started helping us sort out the suspension on the Moriwaki. He wanted to help us get it as close as we could for Indy. We started on the forks trying to sort them out. He would make changes. I would run 2 or 3 laps, come in and give him feed back. Then change them again and go back out. We ended up pulling the forks off to check valving. While Robert did that I hit the track on the RS 125.
I don’t get to ride very often, so when I get track time, I need to make the most of it. Robert asked my dad if I would ride all day if he did not pull me off. My dad said yes. Robert asked if I was old enough for WERA. My dad told him yes and that I loved endurance racing, if that is what he was thinking. Robert just smiled. We continued to test on the Moriwaki suspension and ran out of time. We did not even get the front forks as good as Robert thought he could get them. He wanted to meet up before Indy to do more testing and offered to come to Indy and help. My dad told him that would be great but we are not able to pay him to come. We are pushing it even going to Indy. Robert gave my dad his card and told him to send him an email and he would see what he could work out. I thanked Robert for all of the help today and we needed to get on the road.
My dad had to be to work at 6:00 am in the morning. We ran down to thank Fred ( NESBA Director ) and he told me that after the riders meeting that there were 4 guys that did not want me on the track. They thought closing speeds would be to different. Fred said he told them to worry about their riding and Kaleb will worry about his. Then Fred said he went over half way through the day and told the same guys that he talked to me and I had said that it was ok to let them keep riding because I was ok with how quick I would close on them in the corners. That was pretty cool. Fred told me I road great and that he had fun watching me. That made me feel good. We told him thanks and we had to hit the road.
We started home and I told my dad I would stay up with him and be his co pilot. About 7:45 I told him I was just going to take a little nap. I woke up when he stopped for gas. I went in to use the rest room and told my dad, I don’t know how you do it. Thank you for all you do. We went back out to the van and I went to sleep. My dad woke me up at home. I think he slept an hour before he had to go to work.
Thank you to Brent, Fred and the NESBA crew for letting me ride. Thank You to Robert Jensen for helping with my suspension. I hope we get to hook up before Indy to finish dialing it in. Thank You to my sponsors for your support. Most of all Thank You to my Mom and Dad for all you guys do. Thank You.