UtahBMX.com

What's up Utah BMX!

So I rolled in to an electric atmosphere at the Salt Lake County Fair. It really makes a difference having a crowd of spectators. Most of the people in the crowd had never seen anything like it before. They were discovering BMX racing for the first time. I think that was felt amoung the riders. Usually the people in the stands have seen the sport, understand the format, and kind of know the expected outcome of each race. I could hear the crowd get involved in many of the races. This is an element that is missed around a crowd who is jaded to many of the nuances of racing.

I crashed in the sweeper on my 3rd lap. Jordan Smith and I were throwing it down on the 1st straight when I lost my front end. He was great to make sure I was ok after the wreck! Thanks JS!

Did you all see the new Jersey's Dave Williams and his crew were sporting out on the track? Speaking of Dave Williams, he was bumped up to race the experts tonight! He battled the whole qualifying lap and took a hard hit in the last corner. He held on and went on to qualify to an all expert main! Congrats Dave!

Mitch, Robby, Danny, and Colton? Way to boost the jump for the crowd. I'm still getting up my nerve to try it.

My night of racing was fun. Qualified behind Jason Melton the first round to the main. I slipped my pedal out of the gate (firt time ever on Times) and had to play catch up. I passed one guy in the sweeper and passed Jason Melton in the last corner with a little bump and run for the win. That race meant a lot to me for a couple of reasons. First, to slip a pedal and come back and win is unusual, 2nd I had some friends out to the track for the first time, so I wanted to do well for them, 3rd-Beating the former world champ is far and few between for me.

Okay- here is food for thought. After the race last night I received a few comments from people. Those who are friendly with me on a regular basis told me "WHAT A GREAT MOVE YOU MADE IN THE LAST CORNER!" and those who are not such great friends are all, "There you go again Jason, you're a dirty rider!" I've never hurt anyone racing. I've never made intentional contact with anyone. I have had a lot of incidental contact with many riders. Last night, I had a line and I took it. Contact was made. The track is tight, so we'll see a lot of that or hardly any position changes. Anyway- thanks you guys for telling me what you think.

The track is fun! Thanks Steve, Jason, Bob and ALL OF YOU who helped in any way on the track or with the race last night!

I'm gonna go put a 42 tooth on my 20 (42-15), and a 41 (41-18)for the cruiser. That's about the 54 inch ratio range. Down from 55.9 and 56.0. What are you all running? Time to gear down for this weekend! I also need to practice the anthem!

Jason Stout
The Rock, throwing down the people's elbow!

Dirty rider!? I would say your more like the John Stockton of BMX racing around here Jason. I noticed that turn 1 & turn 3, ESPECIALLY turn 3 is going to see alot of action. I for one am not taking any crap from anyone without a fight this weekend in the corners. After the 1st No-Clip race it woke me up that expert racing is serious & so are the guys I race against.

Rubbing is racing, if you can't handle it go sit in the stands.

b.

Sounds like a ton of fun, wish we could be there. I hope you get a lot of new riders from this. You will have to let us all know how many you get. I think it would just be great to race and have a crowd that doesn't know anything about the riders or bmx watching.

Jason,
I thought that was awesome the way you knocked Melton up that berm. You must have wanted it bad!! It was Awesome. I wish I could of filmed it but my camera died. Great Racing this weekend everyone!! I enjoyed it!

Alex,

when someone has the motto "when in doubt, take 'em out" I would suspect you would encourage 'Stockton" type riding.

Thanks Alex. Keep up your great racing. You have a tough class to race every night. Keep chasing them. I will just be a matter of time before you're leading the pack!

What does around, comes around. I got my turn on Fri. night!

Peace!

JS

Hey Jason, I heard on the streets that your victory dance or whatever you want to call it was frowned upon by more than a few people that witnessed it,..... bad taste, unsportsmanlike conduct or were you just on a sugar high?
Do tell........inquiring minds want to know.

b.

Jason,

I hope my comments on Thursday were not construde as negative (I think I said something about influencing people and making enemies). I thought it was a good move and great race. It was really just my way of saying I appreciated the effort and the excitement at the finish line.

I tell ya, if I EVER take a first, you better clear out the finish area 'cause there is going to be some celebratin'!! lol

Anyway, great racing!

I guess I was so far behind I missed the victory dance thing. I was just trying to pedal past Melton before he was back up and going (so far the only chance I have of beating him). Are they refering to your elbow jabbing motion? From the sounds of it maybe you better assume Alex's motto "When in doubt, take em out, Stout" jk.

Dave

Hey Utah,

I hold myself in contempt. I was excited about the win and no I shouldn't have expressed it like I did.

I do apologize for to anyone that was offended by it.

I truly am sorry!

2 weeks ago, I had a similar line- I didn't take it because someone that night told me that I was a dirty rider- So I held back. I had more people come up to me that night and say, you had the line, why didn't you take it. I answered, "cuz I don't wanna be a dirty rider." By Thursday, I had decided to be my true self and go for the win. At the finish line, my behavior was poor. If people were gonna call me dirty- then I'll give 'em something to complain about. They did.

I was high as a kite having won a race that I had no chance of winning. I couldn't believe it happened. I slipped a pedal and had to make up 3 spots. I did it, and I was excited about it!. As mentioned, I get a lot of responses on both sides. At least 5 people told me great race, good move, great v-dance for every one person that was offended by it. I do have a bold personality. Very few people stay neutral about their opinions of me. They love me or loathe me, and usually right off the bat. I respect everyone I race. I'm not at the track to be liked. Respect is what I'm looking for. At the end of my career as a BMX racer, I want people to know that I gave my best race, every race! That is respectable, and not always popular.

Once again-those that salute my flag, my style of racing, my obnoxious personality, and my opinions appreciate my enthusiasm for the sport. BMX is not a team sport, but we do have teams formed. I know that if I mess with one bean, I mess with the whole burrito. The aforementioned receiver of the bump and run has a lot of team members. It's never easy to see your teammate, your grass roots camp clinician, your track builder, your former world champ and mentor take a hit and go from 1st to 4th in less than 1 second. Mr. Melton has never, ever complained (to me) about any move either of us throws down on the track. I've mixed it up with Bruce Ritter, Steve Spencer, Brian Oblad, Jason M, Cody Lowry, Rick Egletine, Rich Hardy, The Patterson tornado, Jarom and many other racers I don't even know. NOT ONE of these people has ever said anything to me about it. They have been uber cool about it. They all know Rubbin is racing-which is why they are experts. Expert racing includes rubbin'. Not T-bonin', not injury inflicting, but just clean rubbin'.
Now team moms, soccer moms, BMX dads, teamates, kids who idolize the one's I bump have more of a problem with that. Usually the spectators are the ones who don't understand it, but comment negatively about it. Not one actual BMX RACER has ever said anything negative to me about the BnR.

May I remind you, just over 3 years ago, I showed up to Rad Canyon. Jason Melton and I talked with Ian for over an hour. I built a bike and started racing it the next week. I went to a grass roots clinic where Heather Allred had to hold me up and teach me to balance in the gate. Holly Allred _____ taught me how to pedal up to obstacles. Jason Melton helped me learn to pump the rythmn section, get a snap out of a gate, and then taught me 3 moves to use in the corners- That is what is so ironic about all of this. I call Steve Spencer "Coach". The last 3 years I've spent gleaning a lot of information from all of these riders. The result is I sit top 20 NAG for the last 2 years-and podium at most of my local races. Thanks to all of you who have taught me to race, who bring your "A" race, and encourage me to keep getting faster, gain more skills, and encourage finishing results.

Once again, I'm truly sorry about offending anyone. I won't let that happend again- at least not at the finish line! . It was poor sportsmanship on my part. Please forgive!


Jason Stout

Hhmm, very well written & said Jason, props to you. I have a feeling that your riding is just going to make everybody try that much harder on the track & it ought to make for some good racing in the future. Just stay the hell away from me, k'?

Jason Melton helped me learn to pump the rythmn section, get a snap out of a gate, and then taught me 3 moves to use in the corners

Looks like Melton created a monster!


b.

If you didn't really mean to knock Jason up that turn then people shouldnt be calling you a dirty rider. In fact some people TELL me to be more dirty so I can win, My dad says I'm too nice and need to get mean... I wonder....