Alise Queen of Lady Elites and Bubba Comes Up Aces In Reno
Today marked the first National of the 2010 ABA Season. An impressive turnout of 279 motos provided elements of chance and skill, bells, whistles, wins, losses and excitement exceeding that of casino downtown.
It was also the first event that implemented the ABA’s new criteria and class breakdowns for the Pro/Elite Classes. Strange, though it may have been, to see Dom and Alise racing different classes, and having the reigning National Number One Pro Woman riding down-ticket in the Junior class, we photogs were bracing for only seeing the pros once in the mains, versus the customary three times we’re used to at ABA Pro races (Due to the UCI tie-in, only one main will be run for the Elite and Junior classes).
After a collection of consistent showings in the motos, quarters and semis, Bubba Harris saw the promised land in the first turn of the AA Pro Main Event. Arturs Matisens, Kyle Bennett and Cristian Becerine were all casualties of Arturs’ front wheel washout…and that’s where Bubba made the move that would put him atop the podium for the first time since his ankle injury sidelined him in the spring of 2008. Donny Robinson and Jared Graves were there for the two and three spots, respectively.
Elite Women was owned, in full, by Alise Post on Saturday. The main saw Post, Ashley Verhagen and Amanda Geving (who put up a serious challenge for second in the last turn, but ran out of track in the end) get to the podium.
Jr. Men Brought Connor Fields to the front in the main, confounding Tory Nyhaug and Corben Sharrah (who was showboatin’ than new white #1 on a black background).
Jr. Women went back and forth in the motos, but it was Dom in the main, followed by Brooke Crain and Talyor Wolcott (who was a little hard to spot at first, minus her IPOT uniform—one of the 2010 changeups in Reno).
