Welcome to Site Lap!

Welcome to the big show! The ATV Racin' Nation has been greeted with a great big Texas Howdy as practice rolled off the line this morning and the Inaugural lines of the first ever ATVMX National at Underground MX Park were carved. As they say, everything is bigger in Texas and I think ATVMX is no exception.

We are welcomed by great organizations this weekend, which are co-sanctioning the event with the nationals, and the competition is about to see the level raised here this weekend. The Texas Quad Riders Association (TQRA) we mentioned in previous weeks, plus the Lone Star Quad Racing Association (LSQR) are both teaming up with the event. What an event it is as not only will we see the worlds best ATV racing, but also Side-by-Side racing, ATV Freestyle and three live bands including a ZZ Top tribute band. To say this event is big may be an understatement.

Now as far as the TQRA and LSQR are concerned they are two great organizations working to promote ATV racing on a local and regional level. The TQRA is a north Texas organization that also incorporates neighboring states, as the LSQR is a more southern Texas based series. Both series are and have adopted many of the same rules and structures of the national series to help make the transition smoother for those wanting to advance and to help make events such as this more unified with co-sanctions. 

The facility here at Underground MX is a very beautiful place. It has great viewing and the track seems to have a really good flow. Randy Poulter is the promoter for this event and has brought in the "A Team" with Tim Ritchey from RedBud and Bob Pistol from Sunset Ridge. Without a doubt these organizations have created the best racing surfaces we have seen in the history of the sport, so it will be no surprise when this place turns out to be a racer and fans favorite of the series. 

As the second round gets underway it already seems like the season should be at its mid-point. It has already been such a eventful year with the first ever ATVSX in Daytona, and the opening round of the ATVMX Nationals at Echeconnee, which makes it seem as if we should be in the meat of the championship, when in actuality, we have only just begun. 

A few weeks ago we mentioned a big event-taking place in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort. An end of summer motocross event will take place thanks to the success of the ATVSX at Daytona! Organizers began looking to bring an ATV race to the venue, and it has been confirmed that it will be a go. Friday, August 28, 2015 ATVMX will run there for the first time ever. The gates will be opening on Thursday so come early for a great experience. The casino will host the event so there will be fun, but also a water park, golf course and more. It will be truly be The End of Summer Motocross and will put a cap on the most historic season to date in our sport. Details will be coming soon as far as classes and structure. So be watching for that to drop and hopefully you will be able to make it. 

That's it for now for me, but obviously we will have a lot to catch up next time. Till then, God Bless Your Heart and all Your Vital Organs

In the Loop with Gloop:

As we head to Texas I thought I would pick two pictures relevant to this weekend’s commute south that I noticed on social media. I’m writing this before my travels begin, but by the time you read this I’ll be well on my way, if not already in the big state of Texas! Other than that, I don’t have much to say this week; I’m just excited to film at one of our newest venues on the series schedule. 

Catching up with Ken Hill: 

Yeehaw! A big size hello from the great state of Texas! I am writing this weeks contribution to Site Lap just a hundred feet or so from the starting line and holy cow is this place ever BIG! Texas is known for there saying “everything is bigger in Texas” and boy they are not lying! This track is enormous in size and the layout is a mix of everything from huge jumps, to wide open sections that allow the sandy soil to rob horsepower! That soil seems to be getting rough already, and we are just into the first 10 or so laps of practice. I can see the 2 plus minute lap times really taking a toll on any rider that is not well prepared to do battle on this track. Many of the corners remind me of Redbud as far as how choppy and deep they are getting. Texas may prove to be a royal butt whooping to many! 

The pit layout is pretty nice with hook ups and electric to many. The biggest issue so far has been fire ants, which have drawn the attention of everyone as they break out the many methods of killing them off. Feisty little creatures that I can do without, so I will stay on the move to avoid them! The facility is very clean and well tended to with plenty of locations for fans and teams to keep tabs on their riders. Saturday evening will feature a freestyle event as well as 3 bands performing, which means this looks to be a weekend filled with entertainment!

Now looking at this track and turning my attention to who might be a favorite for Saturday’s Pro race is about as clear as a mud puddle. We are definitely looking at a true Texas showdown, as it really can be anyone’s race to win. The big air could play into Thomas Brown and Joel Hetrick’s favor, however, I really think it is going to boil down to who gets the holeshot and can keep the pace on this monumental track. There are inside passing lines, but I cannot see them offering much help, it will be endurance and horsepower that puts you on the box here at Underground MX! Just walking around the service road and crossing the track I can feel how soft the ground is and it will be very rough and choppy so we will see who wants it the most. 

That is all from me this week. There really is not much inside info to add, but I expect to have a cattle ranch full of stories for next weeks Site Lap! There is little to no cell service here so if you are not getting updates from your family or friends at the track do not be alarmed. I wish everyone a very safe race and travels home!