Introducing Hubert Bastie

Joining Travis and John Harrison as new blog contributors, is Frenchman Hubert Bastie. Hubert is a nurse/paramedic, a racer, a wildman, a DTRA and Dirt Quake regular (Super Mario, Marge Simpson, Ninja Turtle), even though he lives and works in Paris, France. He loves two-strokes and competes in various different types of amateur competition, and also rides on the road. Here's what he says about a recent race...

Two month ago my old mate Oliver told me about a race close to Paris (for once) called Ultracross. A mix between motocross and supercross. He was so enthusiastic to race it because there was a Enduro class. Yeah maybe... I looked at the website. Whaaaaat! There is a Vintage Class! I filled in my entry form in one second.

- Me: Oliver, I'm gonna race with you mate!

- Oliver: Sorry, I forgot that I have a job interview this day.

- Me: Ok. I'm gonna make it on my own.

Two weeks before the Ultracross - Driiiiing driiiiing 

-Me: Hello?

-a Girl: Hello Mister Bastié?

-Me: Yes.

- the girl: I call you about the Ultracross. Unfortunately we must cancel the Vintage Class cause you are the only one to enter, so do you have a modern bike?

-Me: Yes, but I want the ride my Husky, so let me ride with the fuel-injected ones.

Racing in France is a different thing. It's all about winning and having the biggest van with the biggest trailer and the biggest tent. Unfortunately I have no tent, no trailer and a small dirty van.

Nobody cares about my bike during tech inspection because they didn't understood how fun it is to ride a vintage compared to the modern ones.

Nobody cares about me till my first race. I start dead last. By the way, it is my first start on a real motocross starting gate. But I overtake 3 or 4 guys every lap. The commentator and the crowd start to focus on me. I became the little fun thing in a too serious race. Between the races I become the crowd favourite and people queue in line to ask me what year my bike is.

I make three strong races and got the 8th place out of 22. Overall. I was damn happy, but had nobody to share my happiness. Don't mess with a vintage bike!

On the way Back home I saw the Facebook page of the event. The report shows two photos : The first is the Pro Class winner and an other of me and my Husqvarna jumping the finish line.

Strange world.

HB89

Read about Hubert's Racewear, the kit he competes in, in Sideburn 25.