Via BMXNOW.COM

The ABA released its 2012 National Schedule to Track Operators on Friday, ahead of an expected public announcement today. Not surprisingly, the schedule found its way on to Vintage just after 12 Noon, and the thread had 11,000 views and 181 replies by Monday morning.

This is the first opportunity the combined ABA/NBL organization has had to bring the long-time ABA and the newly-integrated NBL tracks into the same series.

The Track Operator memo, posted on Vintage, stated that while it was the initial expectation of the organization to run an ABA-branded leg and an NBL-branded leg of the series (utilizing the unique transfer system of each), those plans had been abandoned after it was clear track operators on both sides of the former aisle preferred the series run under one format and one flag. The ABA transfer system will be that format.

That said, the initial intent to have an “Eastern Division FInals” and a “Western Division Finals” has survived. Easterners will be in their familiar environs in Louisville for the “Bluegrass Nationals,” while Westerners will put all their chips on the Blackjack Nationals in Reno, per usual.

The Vintage thread is 13 pages long, and there is the expected dosage of complaining and protest over what areas of the country got shorted (Nor-Cal and the Northwest, being particularly vocal).

Classic NBL races that survived in the merger include Morristown, TN (the Volunteer Nationals, on March 2-4), and Pittsburgh/South Park’s “Stars & Stripes National” on July 6-8).

The Midwest Nationals will be shifted to July, from Father’s Day Weekend in June, due to a conflict with the US Olympic Trials in Chula Vista. That weekend, the Trials will be joined by the ABA US Open Nationals (traditionally run in September). No immediate confirmation on whether the National BMX Hall Of Fame dinner and ceremony will also be adjusted to fit the June schedule, but it seems likely.

March 30-April 1 will probably be the biggest weekend on the calendar, excluding the Grands. Four events, happening all in one weekend. If there was one “flyaway” weekend, where a trans-continental plane trip made sense, this would be it, so start saving.

The weekend features the So Cal Nationals on Friday and Sunday, the USAC Amateur National Championships on Saturday (World Championship qualifying for all in the semis), and the USAC Elite National Championships on Sunday (run on the SX track). Friday and Saturday will also feature the first UCI BMX Supercross World Cup of calendar 2012, on the newly-built London-replica track. WOW!

As the above graphic represents, the pins are well distributed on the map, and most people have at least three races in range, as well as the big “flyaway” races such as the Chula Vista race in March, and Louisville or Reno in September.

BMX News plans on covering at least 15 of the 2012 events, possibly more, via contributors (so if you have writing and photography skills and there is a race without a bullet point that you plan to attend, be sure to reach out to us). We have prepared a second PDF (linked below) that has our “scheduled to appear” coverage plan. Naturally, these plans are subject to change without notice.

Download a PDF of the 2012 USA BMX National Schedule

BMX News 2012 National Coverage Schedule

2012 USA BMX Schedule Discussion on VintageBMX.com

Interbike is an annual Bike Industry tradition dating back to 1982. Of course, back then, there were also the Bicycle Dealer Showcase (BDS) shows in Long Beach and New York, and a host of regional shows, such as the Chicago Area Bicycle Dealers Association (CABDA) show.

It was an era when you could not see the newest and coolest stuff from the popular manufacturers unless you hit one of these shows–particularly Interbike, as its unique calendar positioning–in the fall- put it in the prime spot for dealers looking for the season-making trends leading into the Holiday buying rush.

Of course, with the Internet age, we can see the latest and greatest products literally minutes after they come off the CNC machine or out of the welding fixture for the first time. This puts a question mark on many people’s plans year after year, as to whether it is “worth it” to travel to a trade show, aside from the four days of socializing.

Notwithstanding the seemingly-valid argument on seeing the new products via Skype, that last point should not be minimized in any way. Business is done among the familiar, and the guy you shared a cab with on the way to the airport, or high-fived at the blackjack table (or other strictly “stays in Vegas” activities) could be tomorrow’s customer, partner or distributor.

In BMX racing, the need to attend the show could be seen as reduced even further by the fact that our segment of the industry is very tight-knit– when a manufacturer sneezes, a dealer on the other side of the country says “bless you.” Again, for all the above-mentioned reasons, even in the racing side of the biz, there are familiar faces at every turn.

For the Mountain Bike and Road Bike crowd, the show is a massively successful and well-attended event. The two days prior to the exhibit floor opening are devoted to the “Outdoor Demo” which takes place at Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Park in nearby Boulder City (a stone’s throw from the Boulder City BMX track–home of the Redline Cup Finals, West).

BMXNEWS returned to the aisles of the show this year, and brought back some choice morsels of new stuff you’ll be seeing on the bikes of the factory and well-informed in the coming months.

ANSWER BMX

John Sawyer and Ryan Birk welcomed customers and media into a private hospitality suite, where their plans for 2012 were discussed openly and freely, and with a “this is gonna be AWESOME” kind of energy. It’s remarkable that, only 12 months ago, a chance meeting on the way out of the show was what brought John into the then-ailing Answer BMX picture as its new owner. Barely 365 days later, it could not be a more different situation, and THAT is one of the wonders of the face-to-face business that is done at conferences like Interbike.

Historically, Answer’s line of components has been geared toward the younger racers (apart from its wildly-popular Scythe and now Dagger forks). For 2012, they are stepping up the game and expanding the line to include a bevy of options for the big guys.

Picture the above photo as including an outboard BB and a Rennen 44t chainring

The drawingboards in the Answer mission-control bunker were piled-high with possibilities for a pro-sized crank kit that had all the upgrades baked in. The goal was “making a crank that was just as light, just as stiff, and high-performance as a Shimano DXR or Saint,” and it was a core goal to differentiate the Answer offering from the several other brands that piled in with their own rendition, during the Answer development process. The result was a kit that features a ceramic-bearing bottom bracket and genuine, US-made 44t Rennen Chainring. They will offer a menu of sizes to suit all comers, with a 170, 172.5, 175, 177.5, 180 and a 182.5mm. Price point is still being penciled out, but look for it to be “sub-$400.” Finishes available will be black and white from the get-go.

As the big guy component line came to be, a headset was also among the items that was a must-have. The new Answer headset positions itself in the higher-strata of offerings from Cane Creek and some of the other “not Chris King” players. Colors will be Red, Blue, Black and Polished, and price point at about $49.

Along with the above, will be an Answer Pro stem. Innovation, again, takes center stage in the Answer line, with an included “spin-around” shim that allows you to extend or retract the reach on your controls by 5mm on the Mini and Pro sizes, and 2mm on the Pro XL. We love it when the inevitable condition of BMXers growing up is factored in to the design of parts, as it essentially gives you a national entry fee and some concession stand cash, just by turning that shim around! Available sizes: Mini (35-40mm), Pro (40-45mm) and Pro XL (50-57mm). As Henry Ford said: “You can have any color you want, as long as it’s black”…Available now for $67.95.

And finally, there will be an Answer brake set in both pro and mini sizes, with a cool-as-ice-cream lever. Watch BMX News “Product Spotlight” section for more on the stoppers, in the coming weeks.

STRENGTH BICYCLES

Along with his acquisition of the Answer BMX brand, John Sawyer also took possession of the Strength BMX brand (you may remember that name from the Luke Wilson/Bubba Harris era, as Bubba was aboard a Strength prototype during his most recent time in the Answer uniform).

John and Ryan are bringing Strength back to life for 2012, via an innovative frame constructed out of magnesium. You old schoolers will remember that magnesium has been used a few times in BMX racing’s history–most famously in the breakthrough Mongoose Motomags of the 1970s and 80s.

While doing some research into magnesium as a possible material for use in the Answer fork line at the Taipei Bike Show, Ryan spied some frame blueprints sitting on a side table. So began a six-month development cycle of prototyping and testing this largely-untested frame material. And from all appearances, they hit a rare tract of unexplored potential in BMX racing product evolution.

The Strength frame will be available in seven sizes (Micro-Mini to Pro XXL at launch, with a Pro Cruiser coming soon after), and will weigh in at right around two pounds for the larger sizes. Ryan added, not jokingly, that the micro and mini sizes will likely be as light or lighter than the carbon forks most riders would run with it. Price point is noted as “not cheap” (but the lightest, coolest stuff never is, right), but in line with top-line aluminum frames, at around $499 retail. They will also be offering the Strength frames as a kit, which will include the above-mentioned Answer headset and Dagger fork. On launch, the sole finish will be the pictured pearl white, with a broader palette probable down-range.

Ryan also clued us in about a later project of Strength complete bikes, with an aluminum frame.

YESS PRODUCTS

Canada puts the “North” in North America, and there are some sharp cookies up that way, with a budding BMX racing scene. Yess Products is one such cookie. Long an on-continent source for bike builders with a dream (their custom shop is a hotbed of two-wheeled-trickery in both MTB and BMX), Bill and Renny Husada brought their own house-made BMX racing frame design to market earlier this year. We’re starting to see more and more Yess frames under out-front crankers at nationals down here in the “Nifty-Fifty,” so the word is spreading fast! At Interbike, they were showing two of their latest.

The Yess frame comes in 10 Sizes (Mini, Junior, Expert, Pro-, Pro, ProXL, Pro XXL, Expert Cruiser, Pro Cruiser and XL Cruiser), with “Rider Area” lengths ranging from 18-22.5. On-site powder coating allows buyers to color their world in a wide range of finishes. Each and every one hand made, with pride, in British Columbia.

What is a killer frame without a killer fork. Yess is bringing the above expert fork to market, and is currently working to make some design refinements to the traditional Yess Pro-Sized fork. Shown in Expert size on the demo bike of Justin Hailey, the expert Yess fork is made of 7005 aluminum, weighs 410 grams and will retail for under $150. Stock finishes will be matte black and gloss white, but as noted above in-house powder coating allows Yess to do custom frame-fork color pairings.

ANARCHY BMX

BMX racing tends to play “hot-potato” with brand names. A brand may hop between four or five owners over the course of a decade. There are various reasons for this, but generally it involves an acquisition of one company by another, or the previous owner losing it in an all-night poker game after the NORA Cup (ok, maybe not so much the second one–usually it’s not poker).

Smilin Bill Ryan acquired the Anarchy BMX brand when they liquidated their assets in US Bankruptcy Court in 2009-2010. Reinvigorated by Bill’s vision, Anarchy is back for 2012 with a newly-designed frame, and designs on a new base of fans for the circle-A. The way Bill tells it, there will be an Anarchy team, with two pros repping the line. Five sizes will come to market (Expert XL, Pro, Pro XL, Pro XXL and Pro Cruiser), in three colors (“natural,” as shown, gloss black and acid green). The Anarchy avails itself of all the in-house tech know the Supercross BMX shop is known for, and that goes for materials too–with the familiar Easton Taper-wall downtube as the SX Envy, as well as the same head tube and seat mast. Of course, the Anarchy will be its own man, with an all-its-own rear triangle, top tube and optimized geometry. Streeting soon at $399.

SUPERCROSS BMX

While still hangin with Bill, we got some skinny on the weight-loss plan the 2012 Envy will be showin when it hits the track soon. Slimmed-down dropouts, with a stiffer, ovalized seatstay brace, ovalized flare at the junction between the seat mast and the bottom bracket, to allow for more weld area, and some advanced trickery in dialing in all the little details–this year the position of the clip-on brake cable guides was scrutinized and optimized to allow a better path from the lever to the “noodle” out back. Envy will stay at $499 for anodized colors and $549 for the mirror-polish (sunglasses not included).

Down the calendar a few pages, Supercross BMX will also be releasing its SLTi fork–which is the traditional SLT fork we all know and love, but with the addition of an integrated bearing race. The Blur line of frames will keep rollin strong as they have been, but with a re-jiggered 012 color palette (new colors: matte red–which gives you an ano look at a powder price, granny smith apple green, cola brown).

HYPER BICYCLES

After a good showing in WalMart (as BMX racing bikes go) last year, the mass market Donny Robinson bike is back for 2012, with a new paint-scheme which echoes that of the bike Donny will actually be riding (and that he just started talking about on Twitter yesterday). The all-white livery is said to be a silent tribute to dR’s decade-ago Powerlite AA-pro teammate, Mario Soto, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in his prime (at 22 years old) on January 16, 2001.

The 2012 dR replica will still retail for $99, but will be sold exclusively through walmart.com (and can be available for pickup at any local WalMart store in North America within a couple days). This, like the first dR replica, is an impressive starter scoot, and makes an awesome loaner bike at the local track. Think about going in with a buddy or two and donating a couple to your track.

Jud Ciancio, fresh off his NBL title win at this month’s Grand National tells us that we will see a renewed dedication to racing by Hyper in 2012, complete with a redesigned, reengineered frame. Though samples were not available to show in time for Interbike, News will get a gander at them in the coming weeks and post the first photos up for your droolage.

PROFILE RACING

A nice island plot of real estate in the “BMX Zone,” Profile had the full wagon rolled out at Interbike. All the freestyle goodies popular with that crowd, as well as the Elite hubs and classic Profile chromo cranks that racers of all ages put on their Santa list.

This time out, Corey, Gus and the gang had something ExtraSpecialPrimoGood to show: The new Profile Elite Cranks (main photo at top). We first saw these at last year’s Disney Cup under cloak of secrecy, and only after a John Gotti-esque vow of silence. For their first flash before a live audience, the Elites were gussied up in megabuck gold plating for show-goers to ooh and ahh over.

The Elite cranks were designed and prototyped by the hands of Profile Racing founder, Jim Alley–who was the creator of the earlier generations of Profile cranks as well. Awesome to see the long-time innovators of the sport’s favorite products still breaking new ground, 40 years after the first machines were turned on.

As with many new goodies on the racing side, the ABA grands is the target street date for the Elite Cranks, with many of the popular mail order vendors hand-shaking on their initial orders at the show.

On the come-out roll, Profile will release 175 and 180mm, but 160, 165, 170, 172.5, 177, 182 and maybe even 185 will be coming soon after. Street price is still being chewed on, but with indication they will be less than “the main competitor” (who do you s’pose THAT could be). The kit will includes bossless arms, outboard bearing bottom bracket, chromo spindle and four-bolt spider (optional Ti spindle will also be available).

Finishes are still being finalized, but it’s likely there will be a satin-nickel coating, an “ED coating” which has many properties of flat black oxide, and the rest is strictly on a “we’ll see” basis. Gus indicated that these new bad-boys would not be available in the signature “Triple Chrome” as many old schoolers might like to see. This is partially a matter of cost, but also owing to the fact that “show chrome” is not what it used to be. The EPA has imposed strict regulations on the process and materials platers can use, which has a dulling effect on both their business, and the end product.

CONTINUE TO PART II

Story and Photos By Mike Carruth

Day Two of the 2011 ABA Hoosier nationals came all-too-early for this reporter. In fact, as I was racing out of Starbucks and onto I-294 breaking the bonds of the 312, the first gate of Sunday racing was on-course.

No biggie, really, because I despise shooting in the rain–refuse to, is more like it–so I would have been just another soggy spectator had I been up at 6AM, as was the plan.

My hysteria about being late subsided as text messages were returned telling of the damp conditions. It was then that it dawned on me that sleeping in my own bed, and heading back to day-two of a national is not a condition I am at all accustomed to…THAT was the “off” thing for me today. Normally, it’s a four-hour flight, or a 10+ hr drive, check in to a hotel and catch-as-catch can for any kind of vegan fare that can be conjured up. But today, it was all the comforts of home–including the alarm clock I have not yet figured out how to use after 16 years (why do laptops last 18 months, and alarm clocks last 18 years?).

Indeed, I have not been to a national within home-sleeping range since Itasca BMX in 1982 (it rained that day too). Oh there have been nats here–at The Hill, and even Imagination Glen, but not since I got back into it in 2008. Rockford is just far enough away–at 94 miles–that a hotel is mandatory on Fathers Day weekend.

DID YOU KNOW…there has not been a BMX race in the Chicago City Limits in 32 years? (“The Great Race” at the Chicago Amphitheater, on the 1979 NBA/Schwinn tour). We need a world-class track in the Windy City-proper!

I rolled up to a grey-but-dry Imagination Glen, just as Justin Posey was taking home a first round win in 17-18x. Seemed like a fair amount of “second-verse, same as the first” happening in the age classes–though that was by no means guaranteed to stick.

The pro class had a little post-haste pow-wow and decided that the threat of rain was…well…threatening, so decided to ditch motos two and three and run the main at the top of the order going into second round. Of course, having just arrived on-scene, I was not clued into that until I noticed no pros gated up for third round. Thus, the final feet of the second lap, when Justin Riddell put the mega move on Andres Holguin in the last turn to win it held a special significance. Jon Jon Rapp was on the right-step for the second day in a row…nice work for a new pro card holder.

In the semis-to-mains break in the action, attention turned to the finish line as ABA past-president Clayton John made a special appearance to honor Imagination Glen/Steel Wheels BMX Track Operator Jackie Altizer. If you go to a lot of nationals, you’ll recognize Jackie’s smiling face as you pick up the weekend’s T-Shirt at racewear in many cities. But we, in the Chicagoland scene, know her as our tireless TO who, along with an all-pro crew of dedicated volunteers, dodge-and-weave the Midwest weather from the outdoor to the indoor (sometimes in the same day ). Taking off my “business” bandanna, and putting on my BMX Dad hat for a moment, it really is a rare gift that we enjoy in the Tri-State (Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin) area. Year-round racing, even when the lake-effect snow is measured in meters, and 20-ton snow plows are doing 360s on I-94 (as on “Young Guns Challenge” day in 010). We love you Jackie, Ken, et. al!

The rain held off in such a fashion that we were getting pretty cocky about the fact we were going to get the whole thing done in-the-dry…”glad that RAIN held off” was a common replacement for “what’s up?” around the fenceline. Well, the object lesson is “don’t tempt Mother Nature.” Literally, as the first main event gate dropped, the sky-drip started.

It wasn’t a torrent, but just enough to make shooting uncomfortable (poor me), and a few riders to ditch the fogged-up goggles on the hill. Somehow, we all soldiered on

The girls classes had some serious “it ain’t over til it’s over” finish line action. Brelyn Swendseid came a micro-knobby away from shoplifting 15G out of the clutches of Shay Glynn at the stripe, but Shay kept her at bay for the win. Then, in 16G, Courtney Purcell put the hurt on Sam Brown just as Dan Rumple made the call. And in the next gate, Tori Hopperdietzel applied the afterburners just in time to best Michele Patterson out of a double. The Grasshopper also doubled up in Cruiser on the weekend for Extreme Team.

One thing I love about National BMX Racing is the fact that from five and under to 41-over, there is riveting racing to revel in. Six expert was a great example of that today, as Liam Elo had a commanding lead from the gate to turn two, when the Jedi, Zak Miller, came a callin. Saturday’s third place was not allowed to repeat, as Miller took the lead just out of turn two, and went wee, wee, weeeee, all the way home (or whatever sound little ‘Monkeys make when they are going all the way home). Elo ended up with the deuce, and it was Texan Kiel Ross for the third.

And that was only the fifth age class gate to fall. Plenty of pushin the limits to come, as it would turn out.

Jump it a few classes, to 8x, and it was on like Donkey Kong between day one topper, Kiegen Perlberg on the Mike’s Bikes Redline ride, and Kohl Piluso in the Hyper colors. Piluso scooted in for a Saturday second, and was not looking to go home with a double deuce. Perlberg led it once again til the final feet, when Kohl mounted a charge and edged past at the stripe. Third and fourth was a deja vu, with Nate Coyman and The G-Man, Gavin Freewalt rounding out the top four. Speaking of “The President,” Coyman also doubled up in 8 Cruiser for the weekend.

Over in 9x and 9C, it was all about Young Gun, Nathan Davids, who scarfed up a Double Double (if you’ll excuse the West Coast caloric reference in this Midwest context).

Bringin’ the heat in 14x, Ryan Zinzow, once again jumped out to an early lead, but Justin Knapper was not about to leave it at that. Out of turn one, he was on-the-gas-to-pass Ryan, and thundered down the second straight with a stretched-out lead, which stuck.

Cooley and Ceslok battled in 15x, with DC getting the day one win, and Big B taking it wire to wire for the day two honors. Chalk up a double for B in 15C as well.

No fight to the front in 16x on Sunday, as Tyler Whitfield put a solid showing in and took it to em for the double-double. But the intrigue isn’t always at the front, as demonstrated by Layne Gainer in the last turn. Hootman was running second to TyWhit, and took the prime line–when on the high-side, Gainer scooped over him and into the two-spot. That was a manly move, considering the carnage seen in that turn through the semis in many-a-class.

Posey posted another win on Sunday in 17-18x. And as to the historical backstory we promised you from yesterday’s report…it was actually a national at The Hill in Elgin, IL about eight years ago that was the thing. It was the 9x main, and seems some joker took that opportunity to holler out “Justin…your tire’s flat” just as the cadence was started. JP did what any nine-year-old would do, and looked down to see what was up….SMACK! went the gate, and all the other guys got out with gusto. I guess that is the BMX equivalent of “Hey, your shoelaces are untied!”–which, of course, is something you only need to learn once. Notwithstanding lessons previously learned, all hecklers were silent on this trip to Chicagoland, and Justin did what Justin does.

If 16x was the nail-biter on Saturday, that designation was firmly held by the 19-27-exers on Sunday. Tony Favata was large and in charge, in true Wrecking Crew fashion down the first straight, and deep into the second…Egdorf was in tucked into the two-spot, if temporarily, and Chase Hines was scanning for some daylight in third. Max made a dramatic move to the outside entering the turn, and we could see a hi-low to glory from a mile away…but the “scanning” that Chase was doing was on radar-lock, and he made the move of the day, going from third to first to come out of turn two on top. For those following at home, mark your scorecards with Max in for the two and Tony for the tre.

The 404 crew was in full effect in 28-25x, and Charlie Hunt was not going to chill with Pats 605 flier Mike Weatherford doing a double on him. Great lap for the Morphine machine, and always good “english” on the bike, making for some prime photos.

Of course 404/ATL cannot be invoked without some due given to 36-40x. Doran Bradshaw doubled up in 36-40 Cruiser, but turned an off-podium fourth in class on day one. As different as the weather was between the two days, so, too, was DB100′s mojo in Sunday’s class main. Dude got it to the front and led it to a nothing-but-daylight trip for the 36-40 win. Long-time legend, Shan Hatfield scooted in for second, and Day One champ Pedro Brown was on the right step.

By the 41-over Ex main, the rain had stopped again, and the sun was making an effort to poke through the thick blanket of upper-strata-blah. Scott Moreland was, again, at max wattage to close it out with a Dan’s Comp double double…but not without an early challenge in Sunday’s class main by holeshotter, Jim Wahl. Wahl was second on Saturday and suffered a small serving of Sunday smackdown by Frank Nuccio who took the day-two-deuce.

(ok to exhale now…)

The crowd was out of the parking lot in a tidy three-hours-and-58-minutes, and headed to nearby MDW or ORD on the flyaway…and some to a local big-box store to snack-up for a double-digit Interstate date. “See you in Chula?” was the goodbye of the day (yes, by the way), and we were home and tuned in to the dreadful Bears game in time for the second half. A profound reminder of why it is so much more enjoyable to watch BMX Racing than mainstream sports. Each gate, you have a new opportunity to root for your favorite “player.” When will the world wake up?

Check out Sunday’s Photo Gallery!

While the NBL Grands were underway back in Louisville, the classic ABA Black Jack Nationals were rolling strong in Reno. Both cities will play a solid role in the go-forward national schedule under USA BMX, with the Reno Race being the “ABA” Divisional Championships, and Louisville being the “NBL” Divisional Championships. News will have more on this, and other emerging details of the 2012 season later in the week.

Meanwhile, BMX News contributor Cole Proctor was in Reno, and filed the following story and photos package. Good stuff!

—Mike Carruth

Re-Cap and Photos by Cole Proctor

The talk around the arena was that the track seemed long-ish, “Bro this track is super long, has Reno always been like this?” Yeah it has…I mean, was only 950ft. With the last two indoor nationals being Vegas and Tucson this track seemed like forever. The first straight was technical and fast, with long jumps and steep transitions. The second straight had more flow then the past Reno tracks Lots of mellow rollers in between the doubles. As for the third straight, there was a “Decision maker” Same length as the amateur side, but on the outside and with steeper lips. The question was, Should I go wide and jump the section for the inside? Or should I stay low and close to earth hoping to pull whoever took the gamble of jumping through the section? The last straight was more like dirt jumps, with close, fast transitions and tall lips. This track fit every style of racer.

SATURDAY
Saturday started of with a bang– 207 motos strong–the Black Jack nationals have begun! As racing went on through out the day, the “decision maker” seemed pretty popular with riders 13x – 19-27x.
After a couple dozen semis, it was time for the mains. The A Pro main was one for the books. Napa Valley Crush rider Blake Paulson with his first Pro win and Factory Tangent rider Josh Oie wins enough money to put him over the top, and bump him up to AA. Sean Gaian and Carlie Ferree both locked up wins in the USAC Junior development. And SE Factory flyer, Javier Colombo, won Vet Pro.

As Day One of the Black Jack nationals ended, the night had just begun. Living here in Reno, there was little need for us to go to the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in years past. But this year I did, and had a blast! It was full of rowdy BMXers, Burning Man “Burners,” Rib Cook-off enthusiasts, and AVID girl Volleyball players. The place was packed! After the race, “Down time” was in effect, but it wasn’t so mellow. With kids and adults alike smashing golf balls at the driving range, racing the go-karts, shooting each other in laser tag. You know there was a lot going on. The night eventually softened and it was time to focus on Sunday’s race.

SUNDAY
Racing ran quick, with an “out-of-the-parking-lot” time of about 2:00PM. But don’t think the action was any less intense–Sunday was jammed with great racing, gate-after-gate. As mains came around, A Pro had everyone on their feet. Jacob Peebles came up on underneath side of Blake Paulson to take over the lead then lost in it the “Decision maker” to Lee Lewis. The ‘Flea’ taking the win in A Pro. Lain Van Ogle blasted Factory Crupi’s Justin Anderson in turn two of 16x to take the win, and in 19-27x KJ Romero tried taking the lead away from reigning number one Am, Josh Klatman, but fell short in the first corner.

The net impression on Sunday’s racing was that everyone was putting in 110%, and it was all-out war to the finish line. Words were exchanged, some tears shed, and hands shaken in sportsmanship. BMX At its finest.

A great Weekend in Reno! A nice, fast track, that had something for everyone, solid comp, and lots of after-race fun. What more could you ask for? The Black Jack Nationals were a success!

Check out the Black Jack Nationals Photo Gallery

Coming into one of the most hyped nationals of the year, the summer circuit’s heavy hitter, The Las Vegas Nationals, VEGAS BABY!, and it sure didn’t disappoint..

Arriving on Friday was a little nerve-racking for people who did not go a few years back. It was kinda like a treasure hunt having to find your way around the hotel, to the arena, and where to put your bikes. “The blind were leading the blind,” for sure. Eventually, you’d find the track…and as you turned the corner into the locker room, you get smacked in the face by the super-long registration line. Judging from the size of the line…we know it was going to be the biggest race to date of 2011.

The race might have been big, but the track…not so much. Rumored to be around 700ft, it was likely one the shortest national tracks ever. During the first practices, you would hear around the stadium that he track wasn’t the normal standard super smooth indoor track… bumpy turns and kinked transitions. As the weekend went on, the riders learned how to get around it without risking an over-cooked blowup in a turn.

As Friday’s pre-race ended, “party night” began. The vibe at the Southpoint Hotel & Casino was one to remember, there were all kinds of people there. There was a skeptic’s convention, a karate tournament, and even a bowling competition. With all these BMXers in one place, the elevator lines were outrageous! And don’t get me started on the restaurant lines…out of control! But, you adapt, and go a little early, or a tad-bit late rather, that the normal dinner time. Overall, the nightlife was great fun! There was bowling, the movie theaters, an arcade, and an epic pool / spa to relax after a long day.

Waking up Saturday morning was a little easier than your normal national. Not having to drive to the track was refreshing– taking an elevator to the track, versus loading up the car? Any day! As the races got underway, the “lockers” (where bikes were required to stay when not in staging or on the track), could easily become a problem for the racers. I’m speaking from personal experience… my dad had the key to the locker and my moto was coming up. Uh Oh. I was forced to hop the 10 foot tall locker stall, and hand my bike over to one of my buddies a flagged down for some help. Not a very good feeling…going into your race with no bike… I confiscated the key from my dad and I had it the rest of the weekend. Problems solved! Saturday was a long one! A total of 317 motos, ending around 8:00PM, wow.



Security was tight! But there still was mischief. On Kevin Shankel’s PRO debut, his bike got stolen. One of his local buddies went out on the lookout and found it at the culprit’s house, only missing the seat post clamp. 


Sundays races were crazy all out sprints to the line. With it being the last day of the national racers were letting it all hang out not worried if they crashed. Sean Gaian killed it for factory Intense, not losing a single lap, same with Redman Rockstar’s Gnarly Carlie Ferree on the girl’s side.

The photos tell the story of the on-the-track action, so here they are.

Check out the ABA Las Vegas National Photo Gallery

Results for the ABA Las Vegas Nationals

No, those are not the starting gate tones you’re hearing…they’re off-in-the-distance Wedding Bells for ESPN BMX Racing beat reporter Pat Nugent and his fiance Casey Multan. The weekend before last, Pat popped the question while the two were on a stroll through the Bronx Zoo. At the appropriate time and place–in front of Tiger Mountain, a silent shoutout to their “fine orange tiger” at home. Casey was floored, and say “yes” (natch!). The big day is likely to occur in the fall of 2012.

BMX News obtained the above spy photos of the actual moment the proposal took place, via a New York-based paparazzi with ties to the BMX scene.

No official word on where they’re registered, but we’d have to assume Bloomingales, Bed, Bath and Beyond, B&H Photo and Dan’s Comp. Congrats to the Happy Couple!

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Connor Fields tweeted that he “Cleaned (his) room, did laundry, emails, booked a few flights…” Could this mean we’ll see the Con-Man in the gate at a National or SX race near you. Anxious to see that Chase BMX ride out in the lead for the first time.

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After a seven-year pause on her Pro Card, Michelle Cairns is back among the Elites. She made her return to the stage at the recent ABA Music City Nationals in Nashville. Michelle says “at the age of 35, racing elite women BMX is pretty darn cool. I plan to put in the work to be competitive and see where it takes me.” She also added: “Rusty Dial has also had a big part of my return to the pro class. I had a lot of positive feedback in Nashville and that helps keep me going. My famliy and friends here in Florida are behind me 100 percent and most of all I believe in myself again for the first time in along time.”

Way to go, Michelle, we’ll be keepin an eye out for you in the viewfinder.

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Speaking of Rusty, You gotta check out this video clip he posted on You Tube last week. Offering a tongue-in-cheek response to some of the guys on Vintage calling him and Tony Hoffman “Jesus Freaks.” Good stuff!

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Work continues in earnest this week to finish the Greater Madison BMX Track in Wisconsin. Early photos of the in-progress build show some amazing potential, and News is ready to rock, Batman style, the second the NewsPhone rings with opening day details. Check out the photos

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Speaking of BMX Tracks we love and the people who love them, the “from-flat-ground” rebuild of Imagination Glen BMX in Portage, IN is also coming to completeness. ABA track maestro Billy Allen was on-scene to pilot the Cats, and Dexter “Dragon Wheels” Pritchard has been keeping us locals in the loop about how it’s going. And, like most things that are oh-so-Newsworthy, the IG rebuild has its own Vintage thread–so get on over there for the latest. Watch for the ABA Hoosier Nationals and Supercamp coming to the newly-reawesomed track!

BMX Racing has a rich history of “replica” bikes, dating back to the mid 1970s. The definition of a “replica” is, traditionally, a bike produced during the career of a famous rider or team, in the style and image of the bike that the rider is actually riding at the time. Hyper Bicycles has stayed graphically true to that tradition with the forthcoming release of a Donny Robinson Replica complete bike, out this March. The added bit of news on this project is that the bike will be marketed through Walmart stores nationwide. With millions of shoppers per day chain-wide, the dR Replica has a chance to put BMX Racing in front of a massive audience.

Though the initial rollout this March will be a market test to gauge consumer interest, it is still hitting 314 stores, which is bigger than most chains, in itself. Based on this test, Walmart will evaluate whether the bike gets a chain-wide rollout.

According to Donny, himself, on last week’s episode of our “Announcers Tower” Podcast, “This is the lightest bike on the (mass) market…I could easily run the frame—it’s an aluminum frame.”

It is clear that, by way of this model, Hyper hopes to sell some bikes. Commerce is a beautiful thing. But it goes beyond that. We see them making efforts to move merch, yes…but also to promote the sport of BMX Racing to a broad, general interest audience, who may not otherwise know about the sport.

And when promoting the sport is the topic of discussion, you know the ABA is never far off the lead. They have joined with Hyper to create a hangtag to go on all of the bikes on Walmart’s floor. The hangtag offers a free 30-day ABA membership with purchase of the bike—helping break down barriers to getting new wheels on the gate at the local track. Check out the hangtag.

For his part, Donny will be promoting the bike, and the sport in general through his “In Motion” Youth Mentoring talks at middle schools in places like Oldsmar, Phoenix, DeSoto, TX an other ABA National cities throughout 2010.

The bike will retail for $99—which makes it an irresistible starter bike for Joe and Jan Novice. On Vintage, over the past couple days, the forum has been alight with great ideas from people wanting to join in the fun. Tracks are talking about buying a few of them for loaner bikes, and some of the collector types have their eye on it as a “timecapsule” buy of BMX, circa 2010.

BMXNEWS will be keeping our eyes on the progress of the bike, and will show you first-photos when the time comes.

Meanwhile, here is the complete list of Walmart stores where the Donny Robinson Replica will be showing up next month.

Suddenly, in a moment inspired by watching too much NASCAR, seven people spring into motion. One is finding a tube, one is unbolting Logan’s rear wheel and popping the brakes, one is finding a pump (and the other four of us are standing around looking at the bike—like a union road crew). It all came together, in time for Logan to get third in the main. But if he were just Joe Novice, who knows?

Well, all the drama could be averted next time with a few of these bad boys close at hand. Fly Bikes out of Spain has spent the past two years developing a “no-tools” innertube. This invention does not require removal of the wheel, and comes in one strip that can easily be looped around the sick wheel, and fastened into place using a loop into which the valve stem gets inserted (see above). You may need a couple tire levers, and you’ll definitely need a pump, but the rest is a cakewalk, as shown in the video on their site.

We called a couple popular mail order vendors to see if they had them in stock (or had ever heard of them, for that matter), and the answer was zero-in stock and one on the case to get them in soon. Rumored retail is USD$8.99, but the convenience far outweighs any added cost. They are available in 20″, 24″ and 26″ sizes.

BMXNEWS will try to get our hands on some and bring you a more complete product spotlight on them in the coming weeks. How many inner tubes does it take to buy a Ferrari? We think the guys at Fly Bikes are about to find out.

BMXNEWS met up with John, Geff and their main man Josh Meyers for a chat on the Ssquared product, how it differs from other frames on the market, and also some of the long-view vision for the company.

at_011_s-squared_bicycles.mp3

Be sure to visit John and Josh in the Ssquared pits at the ABA Sooner nationals for a firsthand look at the goods.