Pros Are a No-Go in Reno

Word hit the message boards and Twitterverse yesterday that the UCI/ABA Pro designation would be removed from the Reno and Guthrie races on the 2012 ABA schedule. No further information available as of this writing, but keep in touch with the topic via the Vintage thread (link below).

ABA did confirm on the Vintage thread that both races would have A-Pro and Vet Pro racing.

VintageBMX.com Thread on this Topic

VSI Ponies Up $125K in 2011 to Pros With Ponies

News got an early peep at a VSI release hitting the streets tomorrow. The makers of T.H.E., Intense, Sinz and Speed products are bringing back an old favorite of the pro class for 2011: the per-race, open-to-all contingency payout.

Wildly popular in the ABA of the early 1980s, and commonplace in the MX world, riders who run specified gear, and podium at certain high-profile races get paid a tasty bonus for each product on the list according to how they finish.

In the case of the new VSI contingency, it’s “Podium-plus-one,” for the AAs, as the program pays down to fourth place, the other classes pay the podium.

The cool thing about this program is that it is open to all in the Elite/Jr Elite classes (except salaried VSI riders..but VSI co-sponsored riders will be eligible)–no stalking Michael Gamstetter at his regular morning Starbucks for a contract required.

Details are still being finalized, but News wanted to get this info in front of you fast, as those post-Grands plans are still taking shape.

The way it will probably work is that you, as the rider, will have a voucher on which you will check off all the qualified products you are running that day (download the PDF for the qualified products and their respective payouts).

A designated official at each race will be authorized to verify you are running what you say you are, and will sign off on the voucher. When you place first through third (fourth for AAs), you’ll send the voucher in, and get paid.

VSI is paying out equally for ABA and NBL NationsTour races, and slightly more for UCI Class 2 SX races. The UCI worlds sees the highest payouts, with $1750 in contingency cash available to the Elite World Champ who has all qualified products on board.

The official release follows:

CERRITOS, CA—VSI Products, Inc. is proud to announce that it will launch an ambitious contingency program that could result in payouts of more than $125,000 to professional and junior elite racers who use VSI products and get on the podium at ABA, NBL and UCI races in 2011.

Starting with the ABA Silver Dollar Nationals in Reno, Nevada, January 16, VSI will pay bonuses to racers
using Intense, Speed, Sinz Elite, Sinz and THE products who finish in the top three or four at each of the eight UCI/ABA weekends (16 races total), four NBL National Tour races, UCI Supercross events and the World Championships.

“We can’t afford to support every racer we’d like to, or every racer who wants to ride our stuff. This is a
way for us to give back to the sport and support all the riders who really like and prefer to use our products,” said Toby Henderson, VSI’s founding partner.

All professional men and women and junior elite men and women qualify for the contingencies, which
range from $3 for a junior rider who wins using smaller VSI items like Sinz Elite grips at an ABA National to $750 for a male professional winning the Worlds on an Intense or Speed frame. Riders who use all the qualified VSI products and win would get $190 to $1,750, depending on the race and the rider’s level.
Juniors and A Pros will be eligible for the higher AA Pro payout amounts when they race against them in
events like UCI Supercross races or combined ABA races.

“We’re following the motocross model for this program. I’m a big fan of motocross. Both sports are similar
and we’re trying to elevate BMX to that level of professionalism. I see this as a great way to give back to the sport, especially the younger riders, women and A pros who typically aren’t funded well, if at all,” Henderson said.

All riders must have their bikes inspected by an approved race official before racing to be eligible and
must submit reimbursement forms to be paid. More info on which races are in the program, the process and procedures will be announced soon.

Big props to Toby and Michael for their big-class-buck-bonanza brainstorm.

Download the Payout PDF

Rockford Race Report, Part I: Power to the Pros

“The Rock,” as it is lovingly called, is one of those must-attend races each year. A geographically-desirable location (relatively close to both Chicago and Milwaukee’s airports), as well as a masterfully-groomed facility which is constantly, and meticulously maintained by Track Operators Jake and Candy Karau, plus the 60-acre park that the track sits in, are all ingredients in making the annual Midwest Nationals a deliciously-spicy BMX soup.

Jumping right in to the meat & potatoes, Elite Men/AA Pro was about as stacked as it gets, with 28 of the biggest names in the sport winging on into RFD from places as far-flung as South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and even Ohio. South African, Sifiso Nhlapo, was truckin both days, with wins in two of three motos both days, as well as a main event slot that did not quite come up roses (a fifth and a seventh)…still nothing to sneeze at.

Rockford 2010 served as the coming out party for Nic Long riding his new Haro hardware. Hard to tell them boys apart, as they are both way-fast and are equally decked out in TLD threads (Nic is the one with the white bike). No main spot for Nic on his first outing in the new duds, but Sunday would be different.

AA Pro main on Saturday had Strombergs coming out of lane 8, and immediately challenging Marc Willers and Denzel Stein for the lead. Willers got the first call from the tower, but Stein had been going fast all day, and got right to it. By the backside of the first set of doubles (formerly, the dropoff), Stein had the lead. Into the first turn, Strombergs held an impossibly high and tight line and railed the razor-thin real estate between glory and “goombye” to zoom past Denzel into the second straight. Denzel’s front wheel got as close to the lead as Maris’ bottom bracket in the last straight, but the results were written on this one as soon as they entered the second straight. Final order, Strombergs, Stein and Willers. And yes, Maris did pump his fist into the air, for those of you keeping score at home.

On Sunday, the deck was shuffled a bit, as Nic Long, Khalen Young and Jason Rogers took the place of David Herman, Denzel Stein and Randy Stumpfhauser in the Main. Stumpy had strong showings in the motos, with two second places and a first, but a sixth in the semi sat Stumpy on the sidelines for the big lap. Herman also made it to Sunday’s semi, after a third, a first and a fifth in the motos, but got sealed out of the main with a seventh in the semi. Denzel also made it happen in the motos, with a 2-1-2 on the sheets, but a snowman in the semi marked an end to the story for this go-round.

Sunday’s Main had Long and KY coming out of gate 1 and 2. The pack balled up early, and took out Marino and Rogers who were in lanes 3 and 4. Willoughby was out in six, and vectored out of the carnage in a hurry. Into the first turn, Willoughby had about a half a wheel on WIllers, but also had that cool and crisp inside line. Nic Long went into turn one a half a wheel behind Strombergs, who was in third…and lookd, for a nanosecond, like he might light the afterburners and swoop the whole pack. He came out of the turn in third, and Strombergs gave chase. Pretty much the end of the story where that main is concerned, except for KY running off the track out of turn two while battling with Nhlapo. The podium would go Willoughby, Willers and Long.

The Women.

On Saturday, the Jr. Elite Women class made, with five riders, including reigning National Numero Uno, Dominique Daniels. Not much to report that we could not copy and past from any number of other race reports where the Jr. Class was made…Dom won it handily. Alaina Henderson, Keely Kortman and Crystal Kalogris made up the balance of the main.

Elite Women…now that’s a different box of chocolates altogether. Oh sure, you had all the familiar faces of Post, Geving, Tomei and Lilly, but toss in Kiwi cutie and reigning world champ, Sarah Walker, into the mix, and you know it’s a gonna get good. Sara said that her and her Team New Zealand mates are here in the Nifty Fifty for some training at the OTC in advance of the worlds next month. “It’s miserable, cold and raining at home right now, so tough to train” she said in a pre-podium chat on Sunday (sounds way better with the accent, trust me).

On Saturday, Alise and Sarah were in the same moto for first round, and Sara got the win. She would ace the remaining two laps as well, as would Alise. So the stage was set for a showdown in the main, and the dames did not disappoint. From the gate to the first turn, Post and Walker were as close as peas & carrots. Alise had the inside, and glided into the turn, picking up a bike length on Sarah. She quickly made that up, and was back to buzzing the Redline decal off Alise’s chainstay by the middle of the second straight. All held their breath as the second turn unfolded. That turn can be tricky, as “a little high/low” often turns into a little “high-and-bye” as the high gal propels over it. Not to be this time, thankfully, as Sarah rails the outside and is back to near-even with Alise down the third straight. Nothing of note in the last turn, but Alise starts to stretch out a bit of a lead in the last straight, and hits the stripe a good bike and a half in front of Sarah. Courtney Tomei scooted her Supercross 20-year retro jersey in for the third.

The Jr. Women class did not make on Sunday, with the absence of Dom Daniels, so the rider count in Elite Women got a bump from 12 to 15 for day two. Four of the six sistahs in Saturday’s main made a second appearance on Sunday. We swapped out Kim Hayashi and Baylie Kortman for Aussie Redliner Ziggy Callan and Baylie’s little sis Keely (who got second behind Dom in Jr. the day before).

In a bit of “groundhog day” charm, Alise and Sarah were bar bangin and hard chargin for the lead. This time, it was Sarah on the inside, coming from gate three. Alise was in lane four, and busted out an impressive muscle move on the world champion at the mid-point in the first straight. That move made Sarah ride the white line for 10 feet or so, just long enough for Alise to settle in to the top spot coming into turn one. Amanda Geving gets some ups at this point for getting to turn one in third, from the way outside.
Alise lead the race down the third straight. But Sarah did on Sunday what she did not do on Saturday, which is set herself up early and often in the third straight for a last turn attack. As if there was a crew chief saying “get to the inside” Sarah zips to the inside, and immediately challenges Alise for the lead at the midpoint in the third straight. Sarah had the primo inside line going into the last turn, and that was the proverbial ballgame, as she scooped it low and deep and glided right into the lead. Alise put the ponies down to try and make up the lost ground, but she ran out of track. Final order: Walker, Post, Geving.

Jr. Men

Whoa…this class has quickly become one that you come to the fence to see. Every lap, it’s a battle royale between the Con Man and Corben. Either guy can win at any time, and these guys are so fast that you’d have to be on a controlled substance not to put them both squarely at the top of the US talent pool for London 2012. Both guys raced two classes (for Connor it was Jr. Men and 17-18x, for Corben, A Pro and Jr. Men). A Pro runs as the first main, and Jr. Men runs seventh. About an eight-minute recovery time from a wicked fast lap to prep for a hyperdrive lap. How DO they do it?

Saturday’s six-man main blasted off like a rocket sled on rails. Corben had a paper thin lead over the first jump, and into the first turn. Connor had the outside, so making the move for the lead might be a tough do. The race stayed Sharrah-Fields into the last turn, but Connor punched the nitrous button in the last straight, and came within a valve stem of the lead over the last table. A the stripe, it was Corben, Connor and Tommy Zula.

On Sunday, the class dropped four riders and it was down to seven, with a six-man main. This time, Connor had the inside gate, coming out of four (which, at Rockford, is preferable for most to either one or two, due to the dogleg to the outside in the first straight). Corben was way out in lane seven. All that really didn’t matter, because by the first obstacle, they were bar end to bar end and raging up the middle. Corben almost got a taste of the tar on turn one, as Austin Loebe came into the turn high and hard and almost took Colby Landon on a trip over “bermzilla.” No paint was traded though and Austin slid in to the third slot. Connor laid down about as perfect a lap as we had seen that day, and parlayed all that inertia into a two second lead (using the “one-one-thousand” method, not Swiss Timing) by the stripe. The podium mugs were Fields, Sharrah and Loebe.

—Mike Carruth

BMXNEWS will bring you highlights from the Amateur side on Thursday morning, so stay tuned!

Meanwhile, occupy the time by browsing our 200+ photo gallery from Sunday’s race.