It was all the way back in June when we had Round 1 on the Eastern Tour at Six Flags Darien Lake and now here in September we roll into Norwood; a venue famous for its short course, choppy waves, and enthusiastic fans.
The racing format on the EWA is different than Flat Rock's NYSWA program. At Norwood, each class has 3 independent heat rounds where riders generally get a look at each lane and each rider at least once and points are given based on your finish in each heat; 1 for 1st, 2 for 2nd and so on. The top qualifiers in each class, the riders with the lowest scores, are in the final.
Back at Darien Lake, Team Highside's Semi-Pro rider Matt Schebaum #99 finished 2nd in the 600's and 7th in the 800's overall. With only Norwood and Epping left for 2010, there is little room for error as far as the season's points races go...
Saturday at the track the conditions were perfect with clear skies, mild temperatures, and calm winds. The good weather brought out the fans and after a moment of silence to remember 9/11, the weather wasn't the only perfection on the day the fans got to witness.
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| Photo by Nicole Boyce |
At the start of the Semi-Pro 600 Final, Schebaum #99 and the rider in Lane 1 were side by side off the line. After the first corner, Matt found himself in a close 2nd place, following the leader, Andy Ferrucci #2, for three laps. Around lap 4, Ferrucci #2 went wide for his one required equalizer lap giving up the lead to Matt. Now out front, Matt Schebaum #99 tried to pull away as much as possible to gain enough time to take his wide lap on the last lap and still have some distance on Ferrucci #2 who was still behind him in 2nd place. When it came down to the checkers, Matt went wide around the last turn equalizer lap as Ferrucci set up on the inside course buoy.
Team Highside's Semi-Pro rider Matt Schebaum won his first ever Final of his career. Building up enough of a lead after taking it on lap 4 to cross the checkers about 5-6 sleds lengths in front of the 2nd place finisher.
"I kinda knew I had it by the last lap or two" said Matt later on. "I was coming around the far course buoy setting up for my equalizer in the next turn and saw that I had a decent lead on Andy and that without any mistakes on my last turn I would have him. This is something I have been working so hard for since I started racing in 2007. Some other newer riders in Semi-Pro have had their first final win come quicker but I feel I've worked for it, my whole season seemed like it was leading up to this. It's paying off now and this couldn't be a better time."
Tradition on the EWA circuit calls for the winner of the Final to take a victory lap with the checkered flag in their life vest. But since Matt was also in the very next race, the 800 Oval Final, he had to skip the celebration and go get ready.
"I remember thinking to myself...Man, I win my first final and because I have to go cool down and fuel up for the next race I can't even do my checkered flag lap. But that just means I have to win this one too and I can do two victory laps after..."
He did just that. Holeshotting out of Lane 1 in the Semi-Pro 800 Oval Final and leading the entire race to round out a perfect day. 1-1-1 in both classes during qualifying and going 1-1 in both of the Finals. As one other rider said, he was "untouchable".
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| Matt Schebaum #99 on his victory lap after winning both the Semi-Pro 600 & 800 Finals on Saturday at Norwood. Photo by Nicole Boyce |
The weather on Sunday was calling for rain showers and wind which means one thing at Norwood: waves. Starting Sunday's renewed program, Matt took another two 1sts in heat round 1 of the 600 & 800 classes. A 2nd and 2nd respectively in the second heats. And another pair of 1sts in the 3rd heat round. While it was not the perfect qualifying day he enjoyed on Saturday, it was still good enough for Lane 2 in the Semi-Pro 600 Oval Final and Lane 3 in the 800 Final.
The days order called the 800 Final to the line first. With two riders on the inside off the start, Matt made his way from 3rd to take a 2nd place finish behind Dustin Quinn #419. After another quick cool down and fuel up, he was on the line in Lane 2 for the Semi-Pro 600 Oval Final. With a good number of holeshots already in the books during the last two days of qualifying, this was the race he could use another one. The same rider was on the inside as in the 600 final the day before, but this time Schebaum #99 rocketed off the line and took the inside line after the Lane buoys and took the lead in the first turn. He would lead the race from there on out and finish the day 2-1; 2nd in the 800 Final, another 1st in the 600 Final, and 1-1-2-1 on the weekend.
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| Although the weather wasn't, Matt's performance despite the waves on Sunday was almost perfect yet again, going 1-2 overall on the day. |
With such a successful weekend, Matt is in solid position in both the Semi-Pro 600 & 800 EWA season points heading into the Eastern Championships at Epping, NH October 8-10 and will be once again alongside Pro rider Luke Janiszewski #14 under the Team Highside tent. One of the largest snowmobile events in the country, the New Hampshire Grassdrags & Watercross is considered the "HayDays of the East", marks the final watercross race of 2010, and this year is the host of the Camoplast East/West Challenge, an annual meeting of the best riders from the IWA and EWA watercross circuits.
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