ABA’s “Jr. Devo” Race Series Starts to Swing

No, it is not a midget version of the Popular 80s band. ABA announced late last week, the formation of a special series, run in conjunction with USA Cycling, to help USAC coaches pick candidates to participate in the Junior Development (Jr. Devo) camps, held at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Chula Vista. More info on the series can be found HERE. The first three races in the series were held at the ABA's Great Salt Lake National this past weekend. Shannon Gillette filed this report on how things went the first time out. ABA BMX makes history with the USA Cycling JR. Development Series at Great Salt Lake Nationals, hosted by RAD Canyon BMX. With the HUGE announcement made earlier in the week, the excitement and the Olympic vibe was in the air for the younger riders and their families as they now know they have a shot at getting an invitation to one of USA Cycling s JR. Development Camp at the much talked about Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA.

There were lots of questions from the riders and their families that needed to be addressed, so we decided to have a meeting for every one interested. After a great Q&A session about this first installment, the riders hit the track for some random gate practice. Prior to the first moto I talked with several of the riders to see what they were feeling the about race. Many said it was awesome and exciting to be a part of the bigger picture. They had been wondering what they needed to do to get an "invite" to the OTC Camps and they were happy to have everything spelled out for them now. Most realized it was up to them now to get the job done and finish in the TOP EIGHT in the series.
The USA Cycling JR. Devo race kicked off each days racing, just in front of the PROs, and I couldn't help but think as I was watching that some of the young riders would be in the PRO ranks in just a few short years and that I may even be looking at some future Olympians. Maybe some day they'll look back on the SLC events and say that's were it all started for them on their road to the Olympics.
The racing on RAD Canyon's newly asphalted turns was very exciting, fast, and furious to say the least. Right out of the gate the riders diced it out all the way to the line in each of the three scrambled motos. It was cool to see some of the top national-caliber riders sticking around on the Friday Night pre-race to compete and watch the night s events. Factory riders usually skip the pre-race all together at the nationals, so it was good to see them out on the track racing and promoting their sponsors as they should be.

I think this series will bring a lot of new faces to the proverbial table for the USA Cycling coaches to look at, and that is a great thing! The talent runs deep in the USA but the coaches can't be everywhere all the time. This weekend was proof that this series will be full of surprises in the '94 and '95 birth year classes. After this weekend there were some riders that might not normally have been in the spotlight so to speak. This series gave them a chance to line up with who many perceive to be the "Favorites" or riders that had been to past OTC Camps and show the world what they had to offer. I know there were riders who turned some heads and opened some eyes to the crowd on hand. It's exciting to think there just may be the one rider out there that will basically come from no where to make an impact of the scene and get recognized for their efforts. There just might be the Cinderella story waiting to happen!
Congrats to all the racers that competed in the first ever USA Cycling JR. Development Series. It was a history making event and you were all a part of it!
Shannon Gillette
Here's a look at the result's from all three days in SLC!

Friday Night
1 LAIN VAN OGLE, REDMAN ROCKSTAR
2 CODY (THE BEAR) KELLEY, BIG DAVE/FLY
3 VITELLI (V ROD) SACCONE, BUST OUT BMX/SUPERCROSS
4 JORDAN "THE MISSILE" MIRANDA, CLAYBORN FACTORY
5 ZACKARY (DOWNTOWN) BROWN, BMX ELITE
6 TY JOHNSON, BAKERSFIELD BMX
7 JEREMY (JET BOY) CHANDLER, BROADWAY BIKES
8 BRAXTON YORGASON,

Saturday
1 JORDAN "THE MISSILE" MIRANDA, CLAYBORN FACTORY, BAKERSFIELD, CA
2 SUTTER (SUT DOG) CHOISSER, BIG TOOL-TANGENT-INTENSE, ROCKLIN, CA
3 VITELLI (V ROD) SACCONE, BUST OUT BMX/SUPERCROSS, HAYDEN, ID
4 ROBERT GULVIN, FACTORY ANARCHY RACING, GOLETA, CA
5 CODY (THE BEAR) KELLEY, BIG DAVE/FLY, RIVERTON, UT
6 "TOP RAMEN" CONNOR MCENTIRE, OCTANE RACING, ANTHEM, AZ
7 JEREMY (JET BOY) CHANDLER, BROADWAY BIKES, TUCSON, AZ
8 COREY SALAS, GHP, SIMI VALLEY, CA

Sunday
1 LAIN VAN OGLE, REDMAN ROCKSTAR, AUBURN, WA
2 VITELLI (V ROD) SACCONE, BUST OUT BMX/SUPERCROSS, HAYDEN, ID
3 SUTTER (SUT DOG) CHOISSER, BIG TOOL-TANGENT-INTENSE, ROCKLIN, CA
4 CODY (THE BEAR) KELLEY, BIG DAVE/FLY, RIVERTON, UT
5 ZACKARY (DOWNTOWN) BROWN, BMX ELITE, BONNEY LAKE, WA
6 TY JOHNSON, BAKERSFIELD BMX, BAKERSFIELD, CA
7 RICKY "THE ROCKET" AMUNDSON, CENTER CYCLE RACING, PORT ANGELES, WA
8 "TOP RAMEN" CONNOR MCENTIRE, OCTANE RACING, ANTHEM, AZ

USA Cycling Jr. Development Series
Point Standings After First Three Events!

VITELLI SACCONE – 90
CODY KELLEY – 87
SUTTER CHOISSER – 63
LAIN VAN OGLE – 62
JORDAN MIRANDA – 59
JEREMY CHANDLER – 56
CONNOR MCENTIRE – 54
ZACKARY BROWN – 54
TY JOHNSON – 52
ROBERT GULVIN – 30
RICKY AMUNDSON – 27
COREY SALAS – 26
BRAXTON YORGASON – 22

Next stop is this weekend in New York for the ABA BMX Empire Nationals at Horseheads BMX. If you think you have what it takes, be sure to sign-up for the second installment of USA Cycling JR. Development Series events in New York. Remember this series open to any and all riders in both boys and girls glasses with a birth year of '94 and '95. Good luck, and we hope to see you all there!

*Editor's note: Thanks to Shannon and ABA for the report, and Dan Mooney's photo of points leader Vitelli Saccone