Back to Battles | Thunder Valley

You ever hear the joke about the motocross track being so damn hot, that a fire started? Yeah me neither, but it happened this past weekend at the 11th round of the RMXA series at Thunder Valley.  Now, whether the fire was started by insane temperatures or Mother Nature’s inability to handle the raw speed of Colorado Motocross, the answer may never be known (it had something to do with the power lines, but that’s a boring story). What we do know, however, is Lakewood was ssiiiiicccckkkk.  After the pitiful population at IMI, it was refreshing to see packed gates full of talent once again.  So let’s dive into the day with coverage of the Pro’s, the 2 Smoker’s, the 65’s and, for an extra treat, the 50’s.

The Pro’s

Finally, the fast guys returned to the track and they were especially quick this past weekend.  There is something amazing about watching a talented racer navigate such a large track like Thunder Valley, so we all watched in awe as Cody Gray straight-up swept 450 and 250 A in a freaking sweatshirt. Joey Olson went on to capture second in 450 A going 2-2, and then sweeping +25 A. So as always, Joey Olson puts in a consistent and impressive weekend, we might as well start calling him “The Diesel” given he wears Fox gear and rips a KTM.  Another notable ride for the day was Michael Kimmerle, who fought for a 3rd place in both 250 and 450 A.  Overall the pros are still fast, so that’s always great news.

 

The 2 Smokers

 

Over the past couple of years, the resurgence of 2-Stroke dirtbikes has started and I think
we can all agree, it’s bad ass.  Whether the ring-ting-ting makes you feel nostalgic of fond childhood memories, or it simply appeals to your drive to go fast and make noise: the addition of the 2 Stroke B/C class was a smart one.  This week, Jesse Valdez went on to dominate the day going 1-1 and not only did he put in a great ride, but the guy just oozes style even in the middle of a race. Watching him ride is like watching the final season of Breaking Bad, can’t pull your eyes away. The flagger was even pretty stoked to watch him hit the Whopper. To finish out the top 3, Jordan Miller earned second and Chase Warner rounded the podium.  Even if you race the class and don’t do great, just know it’s awesome you’re out there ripping an all 2-Stroke class. So keep it up!

The 65’s

 The 65cc 7-11 class is a very developmental class.  It crosses the threshold of speed from the tame 50 into the quicker range of larger bikes, so these racers are always fun to watch.  There must have been something in the water, because in most classes the top rider went 1-1 and Brody Propernick was no exception.  Then, it was Jeremiah Willoughby who took 2nd, followed by Jack Jamison for 3rd.  So, with 20 racers on the gate, it made it one of the largest classes of the day, so kudos to every young racer who was out there rippin’.

The 50’s 

Every time the miniature rippers hit the track, your heart melts (and so do your ears), but put all the cuteness aside and those guys rip.  Sometimes riders are afraid to take big bikes and traverse Lakewood’s menacing ruts, so for 50 riders to trudge through the ruts and

bomb the hills, we give you guys the respect you deserve.  In the 51cc Class 3, Tristan Matta went 1-2 for the overall followed by Gage Dunham who went 3-1 for 2nd, but this wasn’t the first time the two met this weekend.  The night prior at Pueblo Sx, Gage went 1-1 for the overall and Tristan Matta went 2-4 for silver, so it seems like these two caught the bug as they can’t get enough racing in 24 hours.

Wrap-Up 

So to wrap up the weekend, it was refreshing to see everyone back out there, to see the photographers flooding the track and to see the sights of a thriving local racing scene we had seen at the beginning of the season.  So everyone remember the three rules of Elevated MX, stay safe, show our write-ups to your friends and say hi to us next weekend at the track!