The AA-pros on Saturday were crashin' in the mains more than I've ever seen in my entire BMX career! In one main, 7 went down and Stumpy was the lone survivor – something you’d expect to see in 35 & Over Novice; not in the fastest Pro class in the sport. It just goes to show how crazy the racing was. Good ol’ bar-bangin', nobody-holdin'-back, no holds barred BMX racing! With this being one of the most important years for BMX, the BMX racing world can expect some highly aggressive racing and tough competition during the next 8 months. ...
After a crazy second main bash & crash, REDLINE’s defending 3-time Champ BUBBA HARRIS was hurtin' bad and icing more than one part of his body afterwards. He'd slammed himself good (along with plenty of other pros, such as Warwick Stevenson). Yet just when you thought he was hurt enough not to show up for the third main, he got back up on the gate and scored a 2nd place. That finish was vital in keeping him on the third tier of the podium.
For those counting; it was his fifth-straight 3rd place score. We suppose that Redline ad was right; "3 is THE magic number" right now for Bub’. ...
Figuring he's still hurtin' for certain, myself and many others were assuming that Harris would pull out of Sunday's racing to rest up for the next three weekends of important UCi country-points events. But there he was Sunday morning, lining up after the National Anthem, ready to take on the best BMXers in the World on one of the tracks he calls home. And he was lookin' back in true form ... that is, up until turn three.
Bub' was winning his first moto when Brandon Meadows attempted an inside move in the shadowy turn 3 and slid out right up in to him – SOCKO!! Both went down. The crash didn't help cure Bubba's already hyper-extended elbow, scraped-up back, sore wrist and scabby ankle. But he's a Pro -- and he had come here to race. And that he did – up to the front in the next two motos. ...
Sunday’s semi time: With Bubba unable to fully straighten out his left arm, many of us were thinking this is as far as he may get ...especially when he came out of the gate practically dead last. But in true Pro Champ fashion, he moved up from 7th to pick off a fourth place at the finishline and make the main! AMAZING! ... and here we thought he might not race today! ...
In the AA mains; it was classic Winter National action. Bubba and his Flight Pro XXL were up front in the first main but proceeded to get tangled up in a crash. Pencil him in for a 6th place. Again -- the crowd was beginning to doubt he'd pull off a win, let alone a podium.
But then he got it all together for main #2 and won from start to finish. Just SMOKED 'em! Bubba must've figured you have to be way out front to avoid any carnage this weekend. Amazingly, this meant there was a 3-way tie for 1st going in to the final main! The third main was tight -- as both Bubba and Stumpy blasted down the first straight, bumping elbows all the way to the first turn. With Stumpy on the inside, our Redline hero found himself in 2nd out of the turn one and went on to try every move in his SuperCamp "Passing for Dummies" book. It was like the Grands mains all over again. But this time, Bubba couldn't get by the wily veteran of AA. ...
Good racing, for sure. And Bubba tallied up a VERY tough weekend with a consistent 3rd and 2nd place score. Best of all; he finally broke the third place streak with a 2nd. Or even better yet, is the news that Bubba now sits in the No.2 spot of ABA pro points with only 6 scores in. Still, that first win of the season continues to elude him. And with NBL Florida events and the ultra important UCi Supercross in Spain coming up, we'll likely have to wait until Roseville, CA in May to see him get back on top of the podium and points. ...
In other Redline news, Dallas' modern day human dragster, DENZEL STEIN, doubled on Sunday and won class on Saturday – which helped Team Redline score a 218 team sheet (good for 2nd place on day one, by a mere 1 point). On Sunday, Redline's small roster placed third, with a 200 score and rumor has it a third place finish. WOW … not bad for a 4-Am, 3-Pro roster.
In ABA history, only one person has ever taken a No.1 title 6 times in a row – and it’s not JASON CARNE$ … (at least YET). That guy would be Eric Rupe; and he and a hoard of 30 over Pros are out to stop the Horny Toad in his quest to tie Rupe’s Vet Pro record. However they tried – including some tough comp from French Import Pierre Sauze and Black Mountain local Jason Silva. In the end, their efforts were trivial as Redline’s 5-time reigning Champ stood atop the ABA podium both days and stretched his lead in the Vet Pro chase for the silver Cup.
Saturday, Dakota Senger won his class (11x) – yet then didn't make his class main on Sunday! Funny how that works.
What about KIM HAYASHI, you ask?! Much like Bubba, she took home a 2nd and 3rd for the weekend in her first ABA event of the year. Kim had her moments of glory and was definitely a contender, nipping on the high heels of current ABA Pro Girl champ Alise Post.
And if Denzel is the Human Dragster, then the modern day “Earthquake” must be GEORGE GOODALL. Gorgeous George not only won cruiser again, but DOUBLED on Saturday, in front of his hometown crowd and fans. George was rippin' it up aboard his new Flight Pro XXL bike, and is quickly climbing his way to the top of the NAG and National cruiser standings. He was leading again on Sunday until turn two, when he left the door wide open for ABA’s reigning National No.1 cruiser dude to sneak in. Could there be a National No.1 Cruiser Cup in this guys' future?! We'll find out in November.
And mentioned last in this article but technically, the first name in BMX – STOMPIN’ STU THOMSEN, Redline legend and ABA’s very first No.1 Pro, made one his rare appearances and took on the 36 & Over Expert class, as well as the old farts in 45-50 cruiser. With “Stu Who?” adorned on his back, he diced and sliced his way to the main but just didn’t have the uumph needed to score any wins or top-3 finishes. And if you knew what he’s been through the past year, you’d definitely understand why. After this weekend, Stu told us he’ll be training more and plans on racing again this year. “I still hate losing,” he said. “I guess I’ll always be that way.”
Pics: Redlinebicycles.com