Action in Akron

The marathon that is/was the 2009 NBL National season is in the final mile. Just one more pair of races, and everyone sprints to the finish line in Louisville over Labor Day Weekend.

Akron is the “Big A” series final and, though not an Elite Series race, Saturday’s race turned out two racks of Elite Open, and one Rack of Elite Women. The gals were here to finish out their special part of the series, and receive their special HRP Series Number plates after their Sunday main.

In Saturday’s racing, 109 motos, and a steamy, sunny August day, kept the heat on full boil. Jeffrey Upshaw didn’t see anyone’s back tire all day long, winning all motos and the main, and Rachel Smith was running the table in rounds one and two, until Madison Pitts found her gear in round three and the main, for the day’s win. Some good expert racing kept the crowd’s eager eyes on classes like 10X, where Bubba Gonzales captured the “Mileage Plus” award, and the (perfect) win, and Felt teammates Vaughn Herrick and Brock Heffron had perfect days in 9X and 12X, respectively. And one of the upsets of the day was served up in 10-Under Cruiser, as Nick Deters held off both Bubba Gonzales and Vaughn Herrick to get the main event win.

On Sunday, the first gate dropped promptly at 8AM, with 91 motos in the clip. All eyes were on the Elite Open Women class, as the outcome of the finals (thus, the Elite Open Series cash bonus) was going to be decided in the motos and, perhaps, come down to the main, itself. Speaking of the main…Allie Dragoo got the holeshot, but Rachel Smith sopped up that margin going into the first turn, and took the lead. Then @Madisonpitts made the move sometime after turn two, taking over the top side til mid-way down the rhythm, when Rachel stalked the lead, and passed Pitts going into the last turn.
Within the 90-degree last turn, it came to be neck and neck again, and it looked like it would be a drag race to the finish—and the title. PAUSE! (Now might be a good time to mention that, with three aces in the motos, Maddy knew that all she had to do was stay within three places of Rachel, and she’d be best in points). PLAY! No drag race would occur, as Pitts let Rachel by her and was content with the careful second on the day, in order to cinch the series. Big A top step honors included $500 in bonus bucks, a lovely bouquet of flowers, and the “runnable” skinny digit on a custom HRP number plate. What about the men’s side of the equation? Well, it wasn’t as much a duel as the aforementioned, but it is always pure, soulful, BMX Racing to see Jeff Upshaw doin his thang. Jeff took a perfect on the day, and also manualed his way into the thousand-dollar, winner-take-all top step for the Big A Elite Open honors. Check out the special Elite Open/Elite Women Main event photo gallery