Oldsmar Elite Opener Opens Up
Whenever you get the chance, I strongly recommend showing up for a large national on Thursday. It adds a whole new dimension to the experience. On Fridays, practice is getting underway, people are moving into race mode; maybe standing in the registration line…and by Saturday, the hang around factor is near-zero, as the mental focus shifts decidedly to the business of the day (whether that is racing, vending, photographing, or yelling “Pedal, Pedal, Pedal” from the stands.
So much of the reward we all get from BMX Racing is the amazing people we meet along the way. Life-long friendships take root, and much of those relationships are brought about either before or after the actual race.
We see posts from people all the time, saying that BMX Racing needs more of a “carnival atmosphere.” Maybe the truth is, we had it all along… but most of us were just a day late to take part in it.
Not this time. Wheels down at TPA by 10:30AM..a smooth glide through baggage claim…on to the rent-a-rocket counter, where the free minivan upgrade was waiting (no convertible Camaro, but whatever…at least it wasn’t the pre-reserved Aveo). In the parking lot at Oldsmar BMX by High Noon.
This weekend is not only the first Elite race of the 2012 Season, it is the first Elite race of the USA BMX Brand Name, AND the UCI North American Continental Championships. The category three points available on Saturday are the highest available, without trekking to a Supercross World Cup race, or the World Championships. Lots of countries still in the hunt for nations points, and the calendar of races before the 2012 Worlds is growing ever shorter.
Team USA riders are competing for the USAC Power Ranking points that will ultimately decide the first pick of the two or three riders going to London in August. So, this is a very, very important weekend in Elite BMX–whichever flag you’re wearing.
Layer on top of all that energy, the fact that this is also the first East-of-the-Mississippi race of 2012, so we are going to see all kinds of top riders rockin new sponsor rags, and on new freshly-dialed scoots.
The Track…wowza! It gets bigger and bigger every time we come back. Standing at the first jump, a couple of us got a chuckle out of the fact that, in 2009 when we were here for the first time, we had to stand on a bucket to get our camera some height over the first jump. Today, you’d need a scissor-lift for that same scale of height. It is a major-league track, that is about as technical as one could get without being a real-deal Supercross track.
Remember, when not the focus of the BMX universe every February, Oldsmar BMX is a local track, that needs to accommodate the six year old Novice who heard about BMX racing at Cub Scouts, as well as the local hotshoes and pros.
Track Operator, John Sawyer and his crew have kept the intensity between the lines, so it is fun for all. This year’s refresh is a new level again–with a silky-smooth surface, and grassy infield to highlight the reddish clay.
The triple into the first turn is a mount everest, that the top guys can clear with slightly-strained ease (if that makes any sense)–and watching them do it is why spectators spectate. The third straight is really where the news will be made this weekend–at least for the amateurs. A late night brainstorming session between John and Ryan Birk on some Answer BMX biz turned the topic to the track, which was just dozed over to start the 2012 refresh. Birk said “wouldn’t it be cool if the pros jumped over the am track!” And within 24 hours, dirt was being moved into place, and Josh Meyers called in to test out some rough lines.
As with every track we’ve ever been to, there is some amount of grumbling…and the S turn (or, as I have taken to calling it…the Ssquared Turn) is getting its share. But we think it is a perfect way to mix things up, jumble the pack a bit, and not make it so radical a departure that it looks like Hell Track. We’d love to see more of these kinds of unconventional sections!
Well, when you’re through the S Turn clean, your win is not in the bank yet, because the last straight is 300 feet or so of the deepest, orneriest, Ride ‘em Cowboy rollers this hombre has ever seen. Our guess is, the youngest Strider rider would dissappear to his forehead in the valley of the deepest one. So, bring your man card.
Lots of friends already in the house, getting a lead-off on wiring the track, and getting factory row looking…well…factory. Carne$ collected all his Factory Redline frequent fliers, with Alise Post making her return to the stage after six months off for knee surgery. Willoughby is back on his adoptive home soil, after going walkabout since the Grands. Denzel lookin fresh, and as always, low keyin’ lively.
We spied Corey Reid in Pro Practice, aboard a mirror-polished Redman, somplete with Factory Jersey. That was out on Vintage earlier in the week, but nice to see in the flesh.
Always great to have an uninterrupted chat with Shannon Gillette–especially when the chat turns to mutual BMX experiences of the 70s and 80s. Again…what did we say above about life-long friendships? Good stuff, Maynard!
The always-lovely Elite Women’s World Champ, Mariana Pajon is off her Speed frame, and on a white, Colombia-made rig, identified by the stickers as a “GW.” More on that coming soon.
The Dutch Team is looking red hot in the orange and white. Ivo van der Putten had some rip-roarin laps in practice, with the second straight totally dialed, and the pro section straight getting closer to mastery with each pass. Ditto for Jelle van Gorkom.
Got a text from Justin Travis. while en route to Oldsmar, telling tale that Danny Caluag will be reporting for duty this summer as Ohio Dreams’ Assistant Race Director, and resident Pro. Good things happen to good peeps! Danny C will, of course, make his debut back in VSI colors this weekend, decked in Speedco.
Had a nice chat with Jonathan Reeves from Morphine. After a season taking a pause for the cause, the team is back to a full head of steam, and ready to make a run at the cup. Look for some new products from the pink and black this year as well! Speaking of Morphine, gotta hand it to Richie Dey…dude was analyzin and optimizin the quick trip lines all afternoon. Hard workin, pint-sized professor of pedal pushin. And he looks like Ivan Drago with that black mouthpiece, for some added psych.
First time I got a gander of Shelby Stacy in her Answer Rennen gear (though not really, since we had a photo of her in it from Reno…but I’m talkin live and in person). She was rollin righteous in evening practice on the Ssquared, factory fresh from head to toe.
Speaking of SSquared, the Answer Ssquared team is nuclear powered here in Oldsmar. Tyler Whitfiled, Brandon Ceslok, Justin Richmond, Tyshawn Carr, et. al. Just look for Orange and Blue, out front, on the cleanest, most dialed hardware around.
Weston Pope is in the chase, and on a Chase, with a way-cool black-and-polished build that is just how we would build it up, in a “dream bike” scenario. Never noticed the bell-flared head tube on the Chase frame. T-rick!
Oldsmar BMX hosted a Thursday Night Pro-Am, which drew a full rack. We didn’t get to see the dash for the cash, but the $1660 purse broke out like so:
Josh Meyers (Ssquared) – $581
Weston Pope (Dan’s Comp) – $332
Elliot McGrath (Stile Industries) – $249
Justin Posey (Dan’s Comp) – $207
Cole Tesar (Felt BMX) – $125
Brandon Brown – $83
HoJo Johnson (Ssquared) – $50
Mike Caldwell – $33
Congrats guys!
Well, time to head out for another great day at the track. BMX News is doing an exclusive photo shoot with a bevvy of top Elites and teams. Should be some good off-track shots of your favorite jump jockeys posted later tonight.
Follow @bmxnow on Twitter for as-they-happen updates, and be sure to keep it here all weekend long for photo galleries from the day’s racing.
