by: Kayla Bolton , Ken Hill & Gloop Mahey
Wednesday, March 21, 2018 | 4:40 PM
This weekend the ATVMX Racin' Nation will take over SOBMX in Hamer, South Carolina for the first time. This is an exciting time for the ATVMX riders, since South of the Border has grown into arguably one of the biggest training complex’s in the United States.
Specializing in two-wheeled action, this year marks the first time that ATVMX will invade the iconic property. With the perfect sand to dirt mixture, the track will quickly come to accommodate quads with multiple lines through each turn which means plenty of passing opportunities! Known or its ability to get rough and whooped out, the round won't disappoint the ultimate ATV Motocross riders.
The facility is situated in the popular South of the Border tourist destination, which means restaurants, shops, game rooms, markets, a 24-hour diner are just minutes away. There is even a bike shop on property for any last minute parts you may need to pick up! Even though this is the first year, we’re already looking forward to the many years to come!
Keep track this weekend with Live Timing and Scoring HERE.
Special South of The Border ATVMX Information:
- This ATV National weekend we will have ATC 3 Wheeler racing. There will be 2 classes of 3 Wheelers (Amateur & Expert).
- On Saturday afternoon we will be having a FREE Miniature Golf Tournament. One for Youth and one for Adult, with PRIZES.
- Everyone will also get FREE admission to the Reptile Lagoon. All part of the South of the Border facility.
- We will be having early Signup on Thursday 5:30 til 7:30.
- Friday Practice will be 10:00am til 4:00pm.
In The Loop With Gloop:
Keeping up With Ken Hill:
So we leave Daytona with nothing really all that new. Chad Wienen I’m sure has been on cloud nine after securing another Daytona win and I am pretty sure Joel Hetrick is just stewing in his boots waiting for the chance to go back to racing and pick up where he left off in 2017. I will say that Chad seemed incredibly fit and his Yamaha sure looked dialed, especially in the sections where it was choppy and rough. Those sections appeared to give him just the advantage he needed to keep Joel and his Honda from hunting him down and stealing his thunder. Joel had no trouble pulling back up on his grab bar when the track got skinny or the jumps were in play. It was interesting watching it all go down and it shows the incredibly thin line that separates these two which will provide us with a season filled with suspense of this I have no doubt!
Reading through social media since Daytona showcased the highs and lows of racing, however this year seemed to go on without too much of a problem. Everyone who has been through the process has it down and the advice or help for new riders makes a huge difference in how things go. There were fewer problems and headaches, so kudos to you all and the staff for making this round a success. I sure know the day seemed to fly by and before many new it the race was over, and in the history books! I even got some smiles and head nods from those working security, which seemed to be a big issue for many in years past. Lets face it, the majority of us are not used to being at such a venue and we are all accustomed to a slightly less stringent order or level of security so a balance of what we usually have and what is offered at Daytona seems to be leveling out. Keep in mind it is all done mostly in the name of safety so hopefully you all had a good time with less hassle and stress.
There were plenty of riders and team members from the GNCC series that made the trek over to catch the action as well. It is always great seeing the transition between the two forms of racing and how different it all is. Many of you race both so my hats off to you because that is or has to be one insane schedule to try and keep up with. I do both and do not have to build quads for each series or make repairs, I just drive and shoot, drive and shoot! The first four national events for me are done and let me say, I am so grateful. I call it the silly season mainly because those that work these events and myself get in a zone and it all becomes a blur until we break free of the first cluster of races that fall one after another. Now that the racing is over, let the racing begin! Seems silly enough but it is a challenge that we all accept so my hats off to everyone who works crazy hours, give up a home life and meet the struggle head on to get through it.
South of the Border MX is next for the ATVMX series and I am pretty stoked to see how this new venue works out. I know the facility is really big in the bike world so hopefully it all works out well and becomes a regular stop on the schedule. I will go through the tracks website and check out their photo and videos so I can get a feel of the layout seeing I won’t get out of here until some point on Friday morning thanks to the foot of snow that is on the ground and the 8 to 10 inches more they are saying may fall today. I know tons of you are in the same boat just please be extra careful getting out of this storms path as you make your way to the track. My biggest issue with a new track is I don’t know where the good food is so if you are in that area, message me on social media or tag me so I can learn where everyone is finding chow.
That is about all from me this week as I sit here sipping on my coffee, watching the wood racks get smaller and the snow deeper. I usually have a prediction of how I feel the race will play out but not this round! This race could be anyone’s game and Chad and Joel may not be the only players in the hunt for the podium so we will all see in just a few short days who done what! Please be safe in all you do and God bless you all!