With 144 motos, near-record temps, and blistering action on the track, Day One of ABA’s Mid America Nationals brought groms and grandpas from the Great Plains to the Great Lakes, and beyond. The A Pro action was on the boil as well, with a tie for points between Mike Moeller and Jason Larev seeing the overall go to third round winner Moeller. Am accolades go to Olijuwan Davis, for holding off the Big Daddy in 19-27ex, Justin Richmond for providing double trouble to all things 11 year old, and Jordan “The Missle” Miranda (for graciously sharing nicknames with the pro winner…and winning 15x). Check out Saturday’s Photo Gallery.

Sunday Update: With one more moto on Sunday than Saturday (145), the race got off to a great start and, though the air temp stayed tolerable due to the early start, the heat was on from the gate to the stripe. Mike Moeller won all three rounds of the A Pro class to take home the win, with Saturday runner up Jason Larev making it deja vu all over again. Alan Hudson was looking double-F-Fast on Sunday too, and scored the third (albeit virtual) “podium” spot. The amateur classes had a snoot full of Sun Brü riders up top with wins scored by Dennison “Big Daddy” Smith (19-27X), Justin “The Juice” Richmond (11X and 11C), Abbie “Hot Rod” Johnson (7G), Victoria “Grasshopper” Hopperdietzel (15G) and, in his Brü Debut, Zach Rehder (28-35X and 26-30C).

One of my favorite photos of the weekend came as the second-to-last shot of the weekend. It was in the 41-Over Expert Main, of Blue Springs local Bryan Jones (thanks to “Mr. Dependable” on Vintage for the ID). Great shot, IMHO. Check out this shot and the whole Sunday Gallery.

Photo Galleries

Saturday Gallery	Sunday Gallery

Next Race: BMXNOW will be at the NBL Midwest Nationals in Warsaw, IN on June 5-8

The Illinois State Championship Qualifier at Rockford BMX was well positioned to provide some national-scene riders some practice, against some formidable Illinois talent. With just three weeks til the ABA Midwest Nationals, this served as a great dress rehearsal for riders, concession stand cooks and, yes, even photogs. The track, which is always manicured better than Paris Hilton’s toenails, is in primo shape, and Mother Nature did her part to serve up a pristine day of ABA BMX racing. Sixty-some motos saw national main makers like Felicia Stancil, Tyler Whitfield, Jon Jon Rapp (above) and Justin Richmond gate up and get down.

Check out the photo gallery (yes, I have a new favorite shooting spot…the last turn), and we’ll see you on June 19, when the final round of the UCI North American Series hits town, along with the Midwest Nationals, and the 10th anniversary of the Vintage BMX Rockford Member Gathering…all happening in what will, that weekend, be the center of the BMX Universe—Rockford BMX.

 

If ever there was a race with a black cloud over it, literally, it was this one. Rain, Super-Cell Thunderstorms and that infamous Chicagoland wind were all in effect as late as Friday night. With a rained-out pre-race (which was, ultimately, run after Saturday’s Regional), people were burnin up the VintageBMX.com topic on the race, trying to decide what to do. In the end, it was no thang at all, thanks to a hyper-diligent track crew at the Waukegan BMX track. Steve Stanziano, Hector Mendez and their posse brought the kitty litter to bear, along with a heapin’ helping of BMX gusto, to not only get the race in…but get it in on a track that, if it were a horse race, would have shown “Fast.” The 32-moto turnout would, certainly, have been higher if not for Ma Nature’s big boomer show on Friday.

Above, Kovachi Wheels‘ Joey “Goose” Woltjer came North of the Mason-Dixon line (on a weekend where his sponsor was entertaining an ABA National crowd in his hometown, no less), to score a perfect in 19-25ex, with mom, and other hometown fans looking on. Other up-front notables in their respective classes were Fly’n Felicia Stancil (with a double perfect), and USAC Jr. Development dude Jordan Ryan.

SUNDAY UPDATE: The moto count was about the same (and though I looked at the moto boards, and SAW the exact number, it escapes at the moment). First gate dropped at 8AM, and we were packed up and lunching on track-cooked BBQ by 11. Most of the people who pulled perfects the day previous were so blessed this day. I’d have to say the most exciting expert racing of the day was between Jordan Ryan and Dan Tritz. Jordan got the win, but it was no duck walk.

Check out the Saturday and Sunday photo galleries on photosareposted.com

 

BMXers have been champing at the bit for their first taste of BMX Racing on network air since the Olympics. Well, BMXNOW got the scoop just a few mins ago that the first air date (showing the first stop of the UCI Continental Series, held in conjunction with the ABA Sooner Nationals in Guthrie, OK) will air on May 25, 2009 at 7:00PM. The show will be repeated on May 26 at 3PM and May 31 at 6PM (all times EDT).

Download the rest of the schedule here