March 21st, 2011 - ABA Winternationals
The ABA Winternationals were this weekend in Surprise Arizona, The week started out great, Shannon rolled out early and picked up the trailer to take out and set up the pits, Courtney rolled out a few days later with all of the new posters, and a few more ez-ups, started out to be a great weekend, Bubba got followed around by NBC Universal for the taping of the show, a great start to a great weekend, and the tail end of the trip home as we were sliding across 3 lanes of traffic into oncoming traffic while the trailer and truck were hydroplaning in the storm at Midnight kind of summed it all up. No one got hurt, we all got out alive, a hell of a story, but not the finish we were looking for.
So let's see, where do we start on this, obviously the Speedworld Track is Bubba's home track, he had been practicing it like the mad dog that he is and was pulling the first straight like nobody's business, but when he rolled into the pits Saturday morning, with his wrist swollen up like a balloon, we knew it was going to be a rough weekend. But he was ready and was going to give it the Bubba try and made some amazing passes in the Rythym and Pro Set, but a little cut off before the first jump on Sunday kept him out of Sunday's Main, but as he fell he had his wrist high above his head to keep it from getting worse. A trip to the doctor is on the board and a possible new cast.
Kenth rolled in with his legs cramping a bit, but still put on a heck of a show, the Vet class is as serious as ever, adn the new additions of Pohlkamp and Columbo jsut seem to keep fueling Kenth's drive. If you have not been paying attention to the Vet Pro class, I suggest you do as it is serious. Kenth walked away from the weekend with a 5th on Saturday and a second on Sunday.
In Elite Women, Courtney just got back from back to back to back to back weekends BMX one weekend MTB the next, then back to BMX, then another BMX, after DeSoto it was decided that she needed a break, She was out at the track supporting the team and you could see she was itching to ride, but in the end really ended up enjoying watching for a weekend and getting ready to start tearing it up again.
Dani was on fire in Junior Women this weekend, on Saturday she went 1-1-1 in Motos and came so close to taking the win in the main, So on Sunday with a full rack, she went 1-2-1 with Brooke and come main time she shot out like there was a full bag of CHocolate Chip cookies waiting at the finish line, she had the lead the entire way around the track an in the rythym, jsut hit one lip a little off and slid back to second, But Dani didn't give up and kept charging and if the already long track had another 2 feet she would of had the win, but she had to settle for a pair of 2's for the weekend. And of course Dani wanted the win, but kept a smile on her face and was keeping the pits laughing.
In Junior Men, Nate came in feeling a bit over worked and flat on Saturday, he won a few hot laps but as it drug on, he stopped just short of the main. On Sunday, Nate showed up as a different person, and put on a show lap after lap. In the Semi, Nate hit the Pro section first with Rusty and Posey in tow, it looked so siick!!! ntil Nate and Rusty hit mid air and Nate went off the track into the soft stuff and ended his day. Like Dani, Nate was having a great time in the pit's and now that Nate and Jeremy have figured out the trailer roof can hold them, they have made it hier new home away from home and attack spot for the water bottle attacks. Don't say you weren't warned if you all of a suddenly get drenched this summer at the races.
On the Am side, Saturday was a loooong day. For the TV filming they changed the schedule for the Pro's and they were running every 15-20 minutes it seemed, So by 4:00 in the afternoon the Older Am's were just getting to take their first laps.
Shannon had spent the morning chasing Bub, Kenth, Dani and Nate with water and the Road Bike for Cool down rides and was ready to go home and have dinner by the time his main came around. He won his first moto and then sat till 9:00 and took a 5th Saturday night, and then followed it up with a 7th on Sunday.
In 17/18x, Jeremy just missed the main on Saturday and came back with a vengence on Sunday, Won his first moto, won his quarter, had trouble in his semi, but got caught up and in the main got all balled up in the first turn and had to settle for a 5th.
In 17/27g, Lauren wanted to back up her results from Oregon where she took a seond and third, but in the main on Saturday she got shut down hard and ended up with the 8th and then after flying in the morning , she didn't make her on Sunday.
And the youngest rider on the team, Ashley Shrader, made her first National apperance of the year. Her first lap was in the morning right after the first round of Pro's and she went out there and killed it and transfered out first round, then the waiting game started, from 12:30 until her main at 7:00. and took a 5th in Class, and on Sunday she stepped it up a notch to take the 4th. She was already starting to plan her training for Chula when she left Sunday afternoon.
Now we had a special treat this weekend with a few of our Freestylers showing up to race and watch. Larry Edgar was racing in 17/18 Inter and won both days easily. Redman kept calling him out as a bagger and to do a Back Flip, Larry in typical Larry fashion was laughing the whole way around the track. Larry and Kevin Peraza along with Kevin's older brother David kept everyone entertained by stealing the MJT's, Supercross BOLT LT Sidehack and having thier way with it, jumping drainage ditches and all the little jumps in the parking lot. Both of them jsut wanted to have a little fun before they got too serious for the Extreme thing in Vegas this weekend.
