Dixieland Nationals race report

Filed under General on May 20, 2022 | Comment(s)

race report & pics by James Pennucci

Cobb County BMX, AKA Margieville, is one of the sweetest looking tracks in the
Southeast, and Margie Hadfield’s crew had the updated track looking and riding spectacular for
this year’s Dixieland Nationals. The weather was just as crazy as usual here, with the forecast
showing hot and sunny, but that didn’t hold out and it was mostly cold and rainy, with the
sweatshirts being the best-selling item for the weekend. Not so great weather doesn’t keep the
BMX community down, everyone still raced hard, if anything it makes the racing just a little
more exciting.

Tangent-Rift's Nick Adams made his Georgia Pro debut this weekend and crushed it picking up two wins,

with Johnathan Suarez coming in a respectable second both days as well. On Friday Brayan
Querales grabbed the third, and Feddison Flanders took the third on day two.
From 10 and Under Girls Cruiser all the way up to 41 - 45 Women’s Cruiser the same
rider won both days, giving Camdyn Cole, Landon Burian, Alexis Alden, Isabella Nelson,
Gabrielle Crane, Rebecca Robison, Bobbi Jo Patrick, Alysia Mitchell and Renata Campos-Moreira
all double wins for the weekend. Renata Campos-Moreira, didn’t have it easy on Day Two
though because Ginger Markham wasn’t going to just take second place, the two battled all the
way until the final turn where Renata came in under Ginger and nudged her up into the turn
and into second place.

Most of the Boy’s/Men’s Cruiser moto’s ended the same as the Girl’s/Women’s with the
same rider being victorious both days. 10 Cruiser rider Crosby Backer was the first to break the
trend, he took the early lead with Day One’s winner Warner stuck on the outside and in traffic
heading into turn one, Warner worked his way through traffic into second place but just
couldn’t catch Backer. The next rider to upset the trend was 15 Cruiser rider Cole Kopczyk on
Day Two, Sean Nicosia had the early lead and was way out front on the second straight when
Cole powered right past him and took the win. 17 – 20 Cruiser rider Preston Evans was the final
trend breaker, again the First Day’s winner Blake Powell was stuck back in traffic and Preston
just ran away from the rest of the riders taking an easy win on Day Two.

From 7 Expert Girls up through 41 Over Expert Women the same rider won both days
with a few exceptions. 11 Expert Girls rider Lauren Rodriguez came out of gate 8 like a rocket
coming all the way over to the inside and flying past Day One’s winner Jennavecia Klemz,
Lauren held the lead all the way to the finish. The only other Woman to break the Two-Day Win
trend was Korie Gilbert, she too came out of gate 8 and easily took the lead into turn one, Day
One’s winner Kaitlyn Larson caught up to her but was unable to make a pass.

6 Expert Rider Nicolas Moulton easily won both days, 7 Expert rider Depler Williams won
on Day One, Ranan Eddy went to pass in turn two on Day One and took himself out, but on Day
Two Eddy went for a similar pass in the final turn and made it stick allowing him to win. 8
Expert Rider Greyson Sneed pulled out front early and won on both days. 9 Expert Rider Jaxson
Howell won on Day One, but on Day Two Preston George got the early lead and even though
Jaxson tried to make a pass in the final turn Preston was able to fend him off and keep his lead.

Day One in 10 Expert Andres Andrade went under Crosby Backer in Turn Two and went on to 
win, but on Day Two Marshall Warner took the early lead into the inside of Turn One and was
able to keep the lead allowing him to win. Local Rider Wyatt Hicks won both days in the 11
Expert Class, and Bryce Cauley also won both days in the 12 Expert class. 13 Expert rider Griffen
Keleher jumped into the lead as he entered Turn One just ahead of Day Ones winner Tommy
Bruney, Tommy tried for a last turn pass but was unable to pull it off leaving Griffen the Day
Two winner. 14 Expert Rider Kai Leblanc won on Day one with Clay Sheffield following close
behind, on Day Two Sheffield took the early lead and went on to win. 

From 15 Expert Sean Day all the way up to 26 – 35 Expert Tyler Smith the same rider won both days. 
Even though this was 17 – 20 Expert rider PJ Obrien’s debut weekend in that class his best finish was a second,
on Day Two although by the finish he was able to catch but not pass the leader Jordan Callum.
In 21 – 25 Expert Kit Bjerk won both days, as did Tyler Smith in 26-35 Expert. 36 – 40 Rider Greg
Custer had an issue on the first obstacle on Day One allowing Charles Hunt to win, but on Day
Two Greg was able to win. 41 – 45 Rider Ryan Bunker took the early lead on Day One and went
on to win, however on Day Two even though he made it to the First Turn first he was unabkle
to get to the inside of Paul Moreira, Bunker pressured First Place rider Moreira for the full
length of the track but was unable to make it to the lead. 46 – 50 Rider Gonzalo and 51 Over’s
Renato Silva were able to win both days.

We're just going to end this with a little tribute to Charlie Daniels. ...you know how the song goes.