2015 Land O Lakes Nationals Race Report

Filed under General on August 08, 2015 | Comment(s)

Photos and Words: Jason McGuire

August 7, 2015, St. Cloud, Minnesota – We are four years removed since the last time USA BMX held the Land O Lakes Nationals at Pineview Park BMX. Finally, the big rig returns for a big weekend at Pineview Park BMX. 

The track is home to Team USA Olympian Alise Post. Alise grew her career from the ground up here, while her parents Cheryl and Mark Post, ran the track and built it into the current Minnesota powerhouse that it is. Sadly, the BMX community took a suffering blow at the beginning of 2014 when one of the most beloved track operators in BMX, Cheryl, lost her battle to cancer. For many, the world stopped turning. Cheryl was without a doubt the heart and soul of Pineview Park BMX and many can contest that it was her smiling face and love for the sport that kept bringing them back year after year. This weekend, the sun shines as Cheryl watches down over her husband, amazing staff and track. 

As a first timer to the facility, I was overjoyed to see what I had been missing out on. Even during my two-year stint of living in Minneapolis, I never made it over this way. When we arrived, lush grass and thick trees are everywhere in sight.  Nestled between all of it lies a beautiful facility with a track as the star. Pineview Park BMX is everything that has been raved about for years. The track is built beautifully with well sized technical jumps, big deep and bowled out dirt turns, a flowy rhythm section, and not a bad seat in the house. Mark and his crew have put so much effort into the track that really shined through during the intense rains on Thursday. The track held and was in beautiful shape when we arrived Friday morning. 

When roaming the pits it almost feels more like camping than being at a BMX track. The trees provide the ultimate getaway for a moment with copious amounts of shade, cool air, and quietness. It is no surprise that an Olympic athlete and multiple national champions have come from here. It is a pure recipe for success and will certainly be the place to be in all of Minnesota this weekend. 

As races begin on Saturday, we will be bringing you updates via social media throughout the day. Don't forget to swing back by here at the end of the day for the complete recap of day one and a gallery of action filled photos. Keep it rubber side down and we will see you at the races!

SATURDAY:

Day one of the Land O Lakes Nationals kicked off in great fashion with the sun shining and riders pumped on the track. For most of the morning, practice went smoothly and everyone I spoke with loved the track. There is definitely a good mixture of technicality and flow, leaving riders a perfect track. Now if only I brought my own bike...

The little tykes on balance bikes helped start the show with 12 three and four-year-olds kicking their way down the third and fourth straights. Watching these little ones was pretty awesome as they tackled some sizeable obstacles for riders of their size. The balance bike class is truly one of the best classes in BMX and is certainly the best starting point for any young rider ready to take on the BMX track. 

This weekend's A Pro class was surely light with only five riders, but that did not mean they weren't talented. Doublecross' Olijuwon Davis, Tangent~Rift's Jacob Abbe, Answer~Rennen's Derik Bergh, and Ssqaured Bicycles duo of Tyler Whitfield and Hayden Fletcher. Each one of those five was more than capable of winning, and with still overcoming an illness, big D Bergh had the cards stacked against him. The newest rookie, though sick, felt he needed to impress on one of his normal local tracks. Impress he did as Bergh held off strong charges from Abbe and company. The main show coming during the final main when he launched the giant 35-foot triple into turn two while the rest of the class stayed low. Bergh was ecstatic about his first win as a rookie pro, and we won't be surprised if that is the first of many to come for the young Minnesota pro. 

With the silky smooth transition into the amateur races, the 17-20 Women's Cruiser class was a barn burner down the first straight. Keep in mind that this was not the main, and rather the first round of qualifying. Two Ssquared Bicycle riders Adrian Sanders and Jamie Windholz we bar-to-bar and matching each others pedal strokes. The race was good until turn one when carnage ensued. Both the Ssquared riders would go down, taking Krista Bernick down with them. Unfortunately, Sanders would not race the remainder of the day, so the best wishes to her. In the main, however, Windholz recovered nicely and took home the win. Definitely a great set of teammates to watch the battle on the track when they race together.

Fritz Voigt has taken a big initiative this year in putting his Full Tilt Bike Shop team in contention for the National #1 Bike Shop title. Part of his push comes from having some awesome riders, some of which that are definitely factory team caliber. Of those, the 15-16 Girls class has been having a tough time dealing with Cassidy Crotty as of late. Last year Crotty finished with an overall NAG 6 plate. This year she has been pushing to improve that and was sitting NAG 4 leading up to this event. Crotty took advantage of her Pineview Park BMX track experience and sealed the deal on another win today. With less than 100 points between her and Olivia Armstrong, who currently sits at the top of the ranks, she has gained a bit more ground. If she can finish off the year with a couple of more big wins, we could have another Full Tilt rider fighting for a National #1 title at the Grands...

Hands down the best race of the day came from the 19-27 Expert class, and to no surprise it was a paint scraping battle between three of Full Tilt's fastest amateurs. The trio of Trenton Duvall, Zack Bahr, and Brady Lavoi all blew out of the gate like the first set of bottle rockets on the Fourth of July. Zack and Brady went into turn one laying in each others lap, but the exchange would let Duvall swoop underneath and get in the mix. Zack had troubles and would shuffle back to third. The next two straights was a back and forth with Brady and Trenton, each not wanting to take the lead. Out of the final turn, it looked like Brady was going to pull away, but the hard charge from Trenton came all the way down to a final lunge at the line. Trenton pulled off the win at the line, and with the crowd so pumped at the way to race turned out, we cannot wait for tomorrow's rematch!

Day one of the Land O Lakes Nationals is in the books, and while not a giant race, the racing was top notch. Day two is right around the corner and with high hopes Mother Nature will play nice, we are in for another action-packed day. Remember to follow us @usabmx on all of your favorite social media outlets for updates throughout the day, and check back here tomorrow night for the complete weekend recap...

SUNDAY:

Rolling into day two of the USA BMX Land O Lakes Nationals at Pineview Park BMX, it was a coin toss on whether or not the weather would hold long enough for us to power through the 136 motos. The first two rounds of qualifying went quite well and the clouds seemed to be breaking up a bit towards the end. Unfortunately, that was short-lived as we entered the semi mains with another storm cell circling the area. 

Semis came and went in rapid-fire fashion, and during our short intermission between the final semis and the pro main event, the little droplets of rain started to fall. With the pros locked and loaded it was game time, and what better way to kick off the mains than another win from the Minnesota native and rookie pro Derik Bergh. Big D led the way for Tyler Whitfield and Olijuwon Davis, picking up another rookie win for the year. 

With amateurs ready to rock the gates were dropping as fast as the raindrops. The open classes got the best end of the entire mains as the track was not yet experiencing a ton of rain. Once the championship classes hit, though, the skies opened up and unleashed a steady rainfall until the final gate dropped. 

In the 13-14 Girl’s Cruiser class, Star BMX Products rider Stephani Morin took her knowledge of riding in the rainy Midwest and put it o good use. The track did not phase her one bit and she led the group of six to the finish line. For the most part, riders had no issues as long as they rode smart and did not try to get over the top with low passes or being overly aggressive. 

In 9-year-old Cruiser, There was another big showing out of Blot Out Graphics rider Calan Smith. This little guy has been putting down some impressive laps this year and has only continued to get better with each race. His team is also a newcomer to the USA BMX National series, although the team owners have had some solid experience running other teams. Smith was definitely a good pick for the team and has really grown to become a solid ride, with a ton of potential. A big reason for his win today was staying smooth and riding smart. He did not let the pressure of winning get to him and the rest was easy as pie – even if it was soggy from the rain.

The Hayes sisters were at it again for day two. The daughters of famous old-school BMX racer Bubba Hayes no doubt have their father’s ability to perform on the national level. Both Emily and Ashley have shown some impressive skills on the track with speeds that can take them to the top. The two sisters are pretty even when they race, and the rain made it even more obvious as they matched each other with every move. They, like others, stayed smart with their riding and did not get too crazy in the wet and slick conditions. In the end, Emily would just edge out Ashley by a wheel length at the finish line. Look for big things from the Hayes duo as they year, and their careers, continue down the track.

19-27 Expert does not take the top honors for the best race of the day today, but the gents in 16 Expert do, and boy they ignited the crowd with the whirlwind of action that ensued. Out of the gate, it was a tight battle between Staats rider Jason Boyle and Full Tilt’s Wyatt Primus. The two locked into the turn and somehow came out with the rubber side down. The pack behind them came together and a pair hit the ground. Out of turn two it was Primus with the advantage and Boyle was on the hunt, but looked to be a little too late. The last turn approached rapidly and it was on the exit where everything went wrong for Primus and he fell to the ground. With nowhere to escape, Boyle hit him but was somehow able to keep it on two wheels, although unclipped. He scrambled like a mad man and made it back on his pedals, but the rest of the pack was breathing down his neck. The final 100 feet was one of the most intense moments of the weekend and the crowds erupted with excitement so loud there was no muffling from the rain. Boyle gave it everything he had, but it was Nicholas Tanzymore from Merrillville, Indiana that just edged him out at the line. Nick’s brother, Tyler, was also in the race, but was part of the carnage and would finish seventh. Hopefully, the bragging board at home doesn’t get too intense! 

There was truly no better way to wrap up the 2015 USA BMX Land O Lakes Nationals. After the final gate dropped the rain started to float away. While the ground was soggy, everyone was pumped up after the mains. We just want to shoot out a special thank you to the staff at Pineview Park BMX who helped us put on an amazing event. We also want to thank all of the USA BMX members and their friends and families who came out and raced with us this weekend. 

Pineview Park BMX was an absolutely awesome place, and personally I cannot wait to make a return trip. One thing that is certain, Cheryl Post’s legacy lives large behind the gates of this gorgeous facility, and Mark has certainly kept it more than alive. If you have never made it up to Pineview Park BMX, be sure to put it on your BMX bucket list. For now, we sign off. Safe travels to all and remember to stay #cherylstrong!