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2017 Sooner Nationals Race Report
“Track was so fun! Great job on the build.”
“Nice track this weekend! One of the best indoors.”
“Best track since I have been back racing in 2011. Keep this up!”
“It was technically challenging but very good for novis on up! Love the design”
The talk of the town was all about the track design leading up to Friday’s first gate drop. Some folks loved the huge turns, some loved the multiple lines that could be taken on the second straightaway and some love the jump filled third straight. No matter which part was your favorite, there was something for everyone to love on this track. Just over half of the Grands dirt was used to construct this Okie masterpiece.
With the President’s cup moving back to Louisville for 2017, Friday was back to being a double point pre-race, even though you wouldn’t have known watching the Pro Open Class. Some of North America’s finest treated the crowd to some fantastic racing.
Saturday brought unseasonably warm weather in Tulsa (86°) and 185 motos. We’ll begin with the most dominating performance of day one Sooners. SE’s Ava Corley dominated in 9-10 Mixed Open, 10 & Under Girl cruiser and the 10 Girls class. We hear that the entire team will be rocking some throwback jerseys at the winters. If you’re watching the 10 Girls class, just look towards the front.
Lone 510 Bay Area BMXer representative Andrew Trejo snagged a win in 9-10 Open and followed up that performance with a seventh in 10X, the largest expert class of the day. His older brother Nicolas would mirror his finishes in the 13-14 Open and 14x classes.
13-14 Girl Cruiser saw National #1 Jaycie Sinclair come from third place to victory. The Spring, Texas local is now riding for New York based Alltow Wrecking Crew.
In 36-40 cruiser Haro’s Chad Street imploded over the first jump and went straight over the bars. The crash also took out Minnesota’s Damon Dais, event though he somehow made it onto the top of the next jump. Rusty Reagor got through the may lay unscathed and took the win.
This was a weekend to remember for New Yorker Matt Dallas in 41-45 cruiser. After getting swopped in the last turn by Belgium native Jean Marc Durviaux, Dallas battled back and captured the win at the line. Clean racing gentlemen.
In the Intermediate ranks 10-year-old Brody Farris won a crazy main event where riders were struggling to make it to the finish line. With his win, young Mr. Farris moved into the expert ranks for Sunday. Also getting his last win in intermediate was Hostile BMX’s 12-year-old Jackson Tobias.
Lakeside, California’s 12 Girl Brooke Craft put a nice move on “Lil’ Meeka” Mikaela Yanez in turn two to secure the win and her team mate Madelynn Desantis followed right in her foot steps with a win in 13 Girls.
7X was full of action in the first turn where new Factory Full Tilt pickup Mason Cottor’s tires just couldn’t hold up to the angle on entry and he went down. Gutsy move for such a little guy. Style king Carter Cochran would take the win for Ride Co Bike Shop.
Traveling the country sometimes comes with downsides like lost luggage but Throdwn’s Ty Beadle didn’t let it stop him in 10X. Beadle won handily while rocking some jeans and a jersey.
Venom’s Colten Landwer went from third to first in a stacked 13X main. He passed up Haro’s Sammy Nichols who is one of the hardest riders to get around and long haired Dylan Wood.
Jack Plummer went unchallenged in the 16 Expert main with Factory Speedpeddlers Jared Wright picking up the deuce and newcomer Joseph Burnard finishing on the box with an impressive third.
28-35 Expert now has another ultra fast rider to contend with, Thomas Vallejo, who was rocking the plain wrap kit out front. We think he’ll be getting a ride sooner than later.
The Pro Open class on day one was all Tanner Sebesta and Kenny G. Rookie Pro Alec BOB definitely kept them honest with a close third. On Sunday Bow was in second behind Gustafson only to be booted over turn two by Elliot McGrath. This move allowed Golds Gym Rookie Tyler Petty to move into the two spot and Noah Ricke to pick up third place bucks.
On day 2 Charolette Heckendorf completed a double double by grabbing two more wins in 6 & Under Mixed Open and 6 Girls. This young lady hails from Minnesota and rides for Elliot Mcgrath’s Staats squad.
51-55 Cruiser saw MPR’s Ben Troia narrowly hold off “Old School” Scott Sloan. Day one winner Robert Raymonde got caught up in traffic and finished in fifth.
Logan Davis moved himself up to Inter with a nice win in 14 Novice for the Oklahoma Brotherhood squad. The next main event saw quite the jumping skills down the third straight by 16 Novice Wylee Craig.
Derek Halbur took the jump filled third straight nearly perfect and made a beautiful pass for the lead in the final turn in 9 Inter. Two laps later Connor Mcgrath wins 11 I and moved himself into the expert ranks.
14 Girl Natalee Daughtery had one of her best weekends with a double-double against some of the fastest young ladies around in Skittles Gayheart and Jaycie Sinclair.
Cyrus Mattson brought home a couple of wins for Venom Racing in 12 Expert. This young man has a big future ahead of him if he keeps collecting the wins.
The best race of the weekend goes to the 17-18 Expert main on Sunday. With 4 lead changes Sully Finch was the eventual winner of the battle between himself, Race Lee and Triston Judd. What a race!
If you haven’t had the pleasure of racing inside the Ford Truck Arena in Tulsa, you’re doing yourself a disservice. It is hands down one of the best indoor venues around and with the surplus of dirt available you’re always guaranteed a good track.