2021 USA BMX Las Vegas Nationals Race Report

Filed under General on July 22, 2021 | Comment(s)

We're back in Vegas!

A few weeks back the rumors of a 500 moto national began to flair up. While we didn't quite get there or even set the all time record, this was the largest BMX ever held in Sin City. With 1810 riders on Saturday, we did however set the all time regular season participant record. There were a BUNCH of racers and families in attendance.

The big news of the weekend was past National #1 Amateur Ronnie Kim and Box Components parting ways. He joins the current National #1 Amateur Cole Frederick as a privateer. Can anyone swoon these heavyweights to suit up for their squads for the remainder of the season. Only time will tell.

On the track we saw a surprise winner in the Pro Open Class. Bay Area's Brandon Cato put down what had to be the fastest first straight of the weekend and took top honors. Driven Cycling Academy's Jeff Upshaw tried to give Cato some brotherly love in the last turn but went down in the process.

Also making a triumphant return to the national scene were the heirs to the Daylight Cycles thrown Levi and Dr. Hannah Huvard. Levi's been busy for the past few seasons with his band Social Distance and skiing a bunch of powdery runs in the Colorado Mountains. Dr. Hannah has been hitting the books for quite some time and is now a postdoctoral researcher at New Mexico State University. Both still know how to ride with Levi making the 15-16 Open, 15 Cruiser and 15X mains on Saturday and Sunday and Dr Hannah making the podium in 31-35 Women Cruiser on the two days that she raced. Impressive.

The 51-55 Cruiser main events were led by Vegas local and captain of team skinny dudes, Eric Sweets, but Mark Nunley somehow managed to pull the exact same last turn high-low on Sweets in each main snatching away victory. This also happened in the final lap of the weekend, 51 & Over Expert.

We have been waiting all year to see J&R’s Alexis Alden and Answer’s Danica Anderson face off in 14 Expert Girls but day was owned by Vegas local Savannah Stokes. Hyper’s newest recruit left no doubt that she has arrived as a serious contender for the skinny digit in the class this season with wins on days one and two. Alden went down in 2 of the three mains but managed a second on day two. Anderson would go 2-3-1 on the weekend. We can’t wait to see this class at grands when World champ Nicole Foronda joins the party.

The “Warrior Princess” Maya Gadbois has been on fire in the 8 Expert Girls class as of late and continued her winning ways on the first two days in Vegas. If she can snap a few more wins she too will be up for that elusive NAG Championship. Impact’s Zoe Barnes pulled off the big win on Sunday.

Its been a while since we’ve seen track awareness like Jacob Colwell exhibited in 6X. Alpha’s youngest star made a move in the last turn on Sunday that caused the entire arena to go crazy. No matter where he’s at on the track, he’s looking for the lead by the finish line.

Its almost inevitable that someone goes over a turn at some point during the main events and this year that happened in the 15-16 Expert Girls class on Sunday. Napa Valley Pull’s Kira Boustead was going bar to bar with Rift’s Breanna Winter out of the first turn. Neither wanted to give an inch and they’d end up locking arms going into turn two. Unable to turn they’d both launch over the turn. This opened the door for Breanna’s teammate Desi Romero who carved her way to victory.

It was great to be back in Vegas after such a long hiatus. Some folks love the short track, others not so much but no one can deny that the energy level rivals the best races of the year. Until next time…