Golden State Nationals race report

Filed under General on July 24, 2015 | Comment(s)

Looking out the window as the plane approached our destination, you could tell that you're closing in on Sacramento by the quilted patchwork of green shades and geometric shapes.For the most part, down below, are rice fields, scattered along with tomoatos and various vegiies you'd find in the produce department of your local grocery store. To get to Chico, it's about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive thru acres and acres of groves and fields. Some of the trees are walnuts, some are pecans, some almond .. it's NUTS, I tell ya, 

Finally you arrive in Chico - home to Chico State University, which was once named aa the top party school in the U.S. back in the 80's. Rumor has it that the college has mellowed out a bit since then, but it's still their claim to fame. Once you pull in to Chico's fairgrounds, you'll find Silver Dollar BMX and it's incredible red-surfaced super-sealed straightaways. To best describe it, we'd compare the track surface to a gritty tennis court. It's like Flushing Meadow's U.S Open's - only in red, instead of blue. It is totally smooth though, provides total traction all around and is definitely not a place you want to crash on. In the infield, we ran in to Robby Patterson, who admitted he brought along extra padding a body armor "just for the main events."

In Friday practice, a few of things quickly became evident:
1. This track is SUPER cool, with a fun and fast layout, flowing rhythm and big, monsterously paved turns to makes the moves. Silver Dollar BMX even has a it's own little 2-man gate area, a long 'n shady staging area (shady in a good way, that is), and the world's biggest sun screen lined up on the backside of berm-2 that could almsot double a a drive-in movie screen.

2. The big doubles in to turn two is going to be the place to watch; for either sweet style or gnarly swoops. All during Friday night's action we witnessed racers setting up the rider in front of them for some heavy-duty berm warfare. 
3. After so many people were panicing the past 2 or 3 months over the prediction of sweltering heat at the Golden State Nats, the forecast for this weekend looks just right. Call it luck, or just take out word for it that we knew it all along - either way, the hottest thing this weekend is going to be the action on the course. 

A GOLDEN DAY - Part 1

With only 10 A-pros in the lineup, things were going to be tight in qualifying. Back in the class were NW's 2-consec No.1 Amateur Josh Klatman (who recently graduated from college and is now a working stiff) and the bearded-one, Kevin Shankel. While both of those guys have won the Grands in the past, in the end it was a race of the Rookies.

Rift's Jacob Abbe and 510's Brandon Cato, who will both be up for the Golden Crank awards when voting opens in September, duked it out at the front of the pack, and each had a win after the first two mains. Abbe knew what he had to do, and handled the pressure well - as he blasted to the front of the A-pro pack and never looked back.

A PRO 

• 1 JACOB ABBE, FACTORY RIFT/TANGENT, EL CAJON, CA
• 2 BRANDON CATO, BAY AREA BMXERS, OAKLAND, CA
• 3 JOSHUA KLATMAN, RRP BMX GATES, PORT ORCHARD, WA
• 4 PAUL WASSENAAR, BELLFLOWER BICYCLES , BELLFLOWER, CA
• 5 ALAN HUDSON, STAR BMX PRODUCTS, PHOENIX, AZ
• 6 KEITH ANDERSON, CCH FACTORY, RENO, NV
• 7 SETH ALLDREDGE, EVANSVILLE, WY
• 8 KEVIN SHANKEL, MOTIVE POWER RACING, STOCKTON, CA

Straight outta Belgium: After scoring only one of America's two World No.1's, everybody was slightly shocked to see J&R's Ty Beadle make an appearance in Chico. You'd think he'd be a little bit jet-lagged or perhaps ready to take a break or celebrate the victory. Instead, Ty couldn't get enough racing in over in Europe and was all stoked to head straight to NorCal for the Golden State nationals. In fact, they didn't even have time to slap a #W1 on his plate.He then continued his winning ways from Zolder, Belgium and was pretty unbeatable all day. 

8 CRUISER

• 1 TY BEADLE, JRBICYCLES.COM / CHASE / BOX, CORONA, CA
• 2 WYATT (THE RUSSIAN) WORTH, FACTORY YESS, COALINGA, CA
• 3 SAMUEL COATES, TEAM CALCULATED/TURN 3, SANTA ANA, CA
• 4 DEEGAN BROWN, TONYHOFFMANRACING/HARO, SAN JOSE, CA
• 5 DANIEL (BAM BAM) TEICHERA, DARK HORSE RACING, REDDING, CA
• 6 JASPER ALTENDORF, ALCHEMY KUWAHARA, EVERETT, WA

8 EXPERT

• 1 TY BEADLE, JRBICYCLES.COM / CHASE / BOX, CORONA, CA
• 2 WYATT WORTH, FACTORY YESS, COALINGA, CA
• 3 SAMUEL COATES, TEAM CALCULATED/TURN 3, SANTA ANA, CA
• 4 DEEGAN BROWN, TONYHOFFMANRACING/HARO, SAN JOSE, CA
• 5 JOEL ALBERGHINI, REBEL RACING, CHICO, CA
• 6 MICHAEL MELICIA, MARINA CYCLE, PRUNEDALE, CA
• 7 MICHAEL MITCHELL, BAY AREA BMXERS, DUBLIN, CA
• 8 AIDEN OTTEN, GT BICYCLES, LAKESIDE, CA

The X-lax Move of the Day goes to Chico local Gianni Law put his local skills to good use as he made the sweet swoop on Staats' Muskrat in turn two, to take over the lead and scarfed on the sweet taste of victory in 13x. 

13 EXPERT

• 1 GIANNI LAW, SYNDICATE, CHICO, CA
• 2 AUSTIN PEEBLES, J.E.T. RACING, CITRUS HTS, CA
• 3 TREVOR SHIELDS, FREE AGENT, CHICO, CA
• 4 JOSHUA LOESCH, RRP BMX GATES, EUGENE, OR
• 5 TYNAN ADY, RHINO RUSH, EAGLE, ID
• 6 JACOB ALLEN, BAY AREA BMXERS, MANTECA, CA
• 7 LEANDRO TASSARA, FACTORYAVENTBOMBSHELL, TORRANCE, CA
• 8 TYLER CACCIOLA, STAATS, CARMICHAEL, CA

With the big, huge asphalt berms at Silver Dollar BMX, things were bound to get a bit crazy in the corners. In 41-45 cruiser, turn 2 turned in to a demolition derby as Canadian cat Gerry Erickson slid out while in the 2-spot. Sac-town local Jim Nelson had nowhere to go but smack-dab in to the wreckage, while the rest of the pack were forced to weave and swerve like drunken sailors.

Vendetta's Charles Robinson would win it; the first of his 2 wins today.

41-45 CRUISER

• 1 CHARLES ROBINSON, VENDETTA/ELITE BICYCLES, LAS VEGAS, NV
• 2 JON LINDBERG, RRP BMX GATES, BREMERTON, WA
• 3 SCOTT FELT, NATIONAL GHP, LA VERNE, CA
• 4 MIKE ROARTY, TROY LEE DESIGNS, FOOTHILL RANCH, CA
• 5 BRIAN SILVIS, BAD ACE FACTORY, REDDING, CA
• 6 RICH LUJAN, TRUCKEE, CA
• 7 GERRY ERICKSON, BALLISTIC BMX, LANGLEY, BC
• 8 JIM NELSON, VENDETTA/ELITE BICYCLES, SACRAMENTO, CA

 Girls mains were just as thrilling - from the little ones to the eldest. 

From the first rounds of practice up to the main event Saturday afternoon, Kialani Hines was obviously the one to beat. The race would literally be for 2nd place; and that would be a wild one as there was another smash-'em-up derby in turn one. Hines had already checked out when the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place riders began their game of twister. With the quick reaction times of a ninja, NorCal's Kaitlyn Lowry dove low to avoid the turn one carnage.Icee-Anderson's Danielle Hall was also fortunate enough to make her way around 'em tol nab the 3-spot.

17-20 WOMEN

• 1 KIALANI HINES, PPAC / LAWMAN BIKES, SEATTLE, WA
• 2 KAITLYN LOWRY, NOR CAL BMX/FLY, YUBA CITY, CA
• 3 DANIELLE HALL, ICEE/ANDERSONS 209/SNAP, RIPON, CA
• 4 DESTINY FORD, RIO LINDA, CA
• 5 ADDISON KING, BELLFLOWER BICYCLES , SIGNAL HILL, CA
• 6 SAVANNAH DAVIS, CAMARILLO, CA

Another impressive gal out there this weekend was Free Agent's Taylour Howard, who was jumpin, stylin' and speedin' all day long just like Hines. BlackBox's Madison Gomes and Extreme's Emily Harris rounded out the podium for 15-16 girls. 

15-16 GIRLS

• 1 TAYLOUR HOWARD, FREE AGENT / TANGENT, SPARKS, NV
• 2 MADISON GOMES, BLACK BOX/BASIC/FLY, RIPON, CA
• 3 EMILY HARRIS, FACTORY EXTREME TEAM, ROCKLIN, CA
• 4 MYRANDA BOXWELL, TORRANCE, CA
• 5 ANTONIA FAUGHT, TONY HOFFMAN RACING/HARO, LIVERMORE, CA
• 6 ALEXIS (BMX LEX) FITE, DOUBLECROSS CALIFORNIA, S LAKE TAHOE, CA
• 7 SENELE ENDECOTT, RIDERS PRO SHOP, REDDING, CA
• 8 ANNA NORDYKE, FACTORY KUWAHARA, PUYALLUP, WA

While some people might think that back in the old days, girl racing was slow or boring, that definitely can not be said ot today's caliber of fast and furious female racing. And when you are talking about some of the fastest of them all, you've got to mention Leyna Jones - the "Almost Famous" gal, who rides for George Costa's Answer~Rennen squad. This girl is unstoppable, whether she racing the boys in Mixed Open, or the quickest of her class. 

Leyne, still in the constant quest to become more famous, went on to score yet another triple-triple for the weekend. At this rate, she's already got a closet full of Top Gun jackets - but just like shoes, she says "you can never have enough."

12 GIRLS 

• 1 LEYNA JONES, ANSWER/RENNEN, OXNARD, CA
• 2 SAMANTHA HEIL, NEMESIS, MAGALIA, CA
• 3 ALEXIS LEIJA, J.E.T. RACING, DAYTON, NV
• 4 SIERRA ALTENDORF, ALCHEMY KUWAHARA, EVERETT, WA
• 5 AMYA (THE RAVENATOR) RAVEN, RPM AUTO GLASS, VALLEJO, CA
• 6 MANDY THURMAN, MENDO MILITIA, WILLITS, CA
• 7 LACEY CLARK, BEND, OR
• 8 JESSICA (WICKED) DARLING, CCH FACTORY, SEATAC, WA

In the end, Chico's Golden State Nationals was another great race on the 2015 USA BMX national tour. Everybody loved the Chico track - unless they fell on it, and with a great shaded RV area right next to the track, it was an excellent place for camping out. With tons of friends hangin' out in the crowd and all over the pits, perfect spectating of the races from any location - you just can't beat Silver Dollar BMX when it comes to BMX in Nor Cal !