Words by USA BMX: When it comes to putting words down on paper for this race report, it is not an easy task. No it is not because I have writer’s block, it is mostly because the day was overflowing with some of the best short track racing I have witnessed in Vegas for the last few years.
Rookie fever filled the arena with many of the top amateurs making the leap into the big leagues after a roller coaster 2014 season. Early on in the day, Jordan Miranda and Kenny Gustafson were looking like the two standouts – that would hold true all the way until the main events. With such a deep roster of seasoned A pro riders, some of the rookie class was left hung out to dry in the semis. That list included Hunter Pelham, Kody Wong, Tyler Whitfield and Jordan Miranda. With the main event field set, three rounds of world-class racing were about to commence. When the gate slammed down, Kenny G. once again looked to be the cream of the crop, but the last turn proved to have a dirt snake that struck Kenny and sent him to the ground. Fellow rookie Kalvin Davis quickly slid in front and would take the win. Round two showcased the complete opposite as Davis fell in turn one and Gustafson would take the win. The final round finally arrived, the spectators went wild and the adrenaline-filled air set the tone. Down went the gate and the pack squeezed in tight heading into the first turn. BAM! Disaster strikes for Gustafson as he gets together with Lee Lewis and once again hits the dirt, leaving him to settle for last. Davis was searching for the win, but it was the rookie who stayed quiet and consistent all day that led the pack. Chandler Denton, who recently joined the Ssquared~Answer squad, would cross the line first and secure the overall win. With his first win in the books, the pressure lightens just slightly. For many of these new pro riders, there is a lot on the line. Day two will certainly be another barnburner, but I have a feeling that the winner may be the silent assassin who can stay consistent and strike only when the moment is right.
As we motored on into the night, the championship classes had arrived. After watching the girl cruiser mains in their entirety, I came to realize that the 10 & under class was one of the best. One of Crupi’s new additions for 2015, Ryenn Capitani, made her new team extremely proud. She held off some tough competition in Kurstin Alonzo and Shelby Richardson to take home the win. No doubt that Crupi’s new TM made the right choice by signing this young lady for the remainder of the season.
Todd Parry is without-a-doubt one of the legends in BMX. After all these years he still comes out to the track and handles whatever is thrown his way. He is constantly striving to better his riding, even when it is hard to find many flaws. During the qualifying rounds, TP had struggles in both class and cruiser. The cruiser fall was one that many thought an earthquake just hit, his bike toppling over the top of turn two was just the icing on the cake. But as any true champion does, he dusted off and came back to handle business in the main event by taking home the win in a toughly contested 46-50 class. Stand up job sir, stand up job!
Starting last season, the girl’s racing has been more aggressive than ever before. You started seeing girls not backing down from a tight situation or an elbow thrown their way and instead, they fought back for their positions. The message has been clearly sent that 2015 will be no different. In the 17-20 class, Dan’s Comp rider Samantha Brown came into this weekend with a serious desire to show she will be the girl to beat this year. Arizona’s Sabrina Bice had that very same thought, and as they both found themselves in the main, the better lady shredder would prevail. With the pack thundering down the first straight, Bice and Brown battled all the way through the turn, with Ssquared~Answer’s Adrian Sanders hot on their tails. Sander’s could not find her way past Bice, but it was just enough of a distraction that Bice could not focus on passing Brown. In the end, Brown would take the win, Bice for second and Sanders rounding out the top three.
The 14x class has never been one taken lightly. For many of those young teens, it is right at the point in your life where power is starting to become a factor over raw talent. The correct mixture of both can be a deadly combination in the right hands. For Black Box~Basic~Fly Racing’s Alex Steeves, it may become a reality. I have been following him for some time now, and after his Grands cruiser win, he was even higher on my watch list. So why not follow the Grands with a big win in class at the biggest season opener ever held. Steeves did just that – and while it was no easy task, he handled it with the focus and determination of a season vet. If he can continue this momentum as the early season rolls on, I have no doubt he will be a special rider.
Photos: © USA BMX / Pull magazine
Source: http://www.usabmx.com
