Ford Brothers Racing Impresses in Texas, Bryce and Cody Ford Enjoy Unforgettable Weekend at 3 Palms
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 | 3:35 PM
Ford Brothers Racing Impresses in Texas, Bryce and Cody Ford Enjoy Unforgettable Weekend at 3 Palms
(Conroe, Texas. April 11, 2021) – ATV Motocross is not like other sports when it comes to a decisive home field advantage, but every so often, racing on home turf proves to be a legitimate advantage in our sport as well. Last season, the Texas ATV National at 3 Palms Action Sports Park saw both Bryce and Cody Ford put on their best performances of the season. Bryce earned a top qualifier award, multiple holeshots, led laps, and finished on the Pro Class podium all on one singular weekend late last summer. Also feeling the positive Texas vibes, older brother, Cody, put in two top 10 efforts to cap an impressive weekend for Ford Brother Racing. The pride of Springtown, Texas, would look to, once again, use racing on home turf to their advantage as the 2021 ATV Motocross National Championship was now in full swing.
Texas has been an early-season stop on the ATV Motocross National Championship tour for years now, with the exception of last season’s topsy-turvy schedule due to the pandemic – so in a way, an April return to Texas somewhat symbolized a return to normalcy for the most prestigious ATV racing series on the planet. The world’s best four-wheeled racers were greeted by great weather, an incredible facility, and a top-notch track once again at 3 Palms Action Sports Park just outside of Houston, Texas. And coming off a disappointing season opener for both riders who were snake-bitten by bad luck at Daytona, the Ford brothers were primed and ready for a big performance on Texas’ native soil.
Expectations for Pro Class sophomore, Bryce Ford, were sky-high coming into this 2021 season. A multitude of fluke hurdles popped up at Daytona’s season opener, but the youngster would experience no such thing on this weekend. The 18-year-old came out swinging right away in the morning qualifying sessions, posting the quickest time at one point in the second session before ultimately finishing qualifying in the 3rd fastest spot. In Moto 1, Bryce came out firing on all cylinders! He found himself in the runner-up spot, giving 2-time series champion, Joel Hetrick, all he could handle early in the race. While Bryce was applying major pressure for the lead, he made a costly mistake that would drop him to 4th – but with four laps to go, Bryce passed back into podium position and rode that 3rd place to the finish of Moto 1.
In Pro Moto 2, the year 2 pro looked like a veteran, grabbing the early holeshot and riding a consistent race all the way to another podium finish at the checkered flag. He was 3rd overall on the day (3-3). This was Bryce Ford’s third career Pro Class podium, and his first of the 2021 season – but his weekend wasn’t over yet! On Sunday, Bryce Ford created a stir when he rolled to the gate for Pro Am Moto 1 – a class he dominated in 2019. The youngster won each moto buy nearly 30 seconds, claiming the first Pro Am overall victory of the season, and showing just how incredibly fast the top tier professionals really are. As the sun set on the first full weekend of ATV motocross racing this season, Bryce Ford had grabbed an impressive podium in the Pro Class and a dominant win in Pro Am – what a weekend for Bryce Ford!
With Bryce posting his best weekend of racing in recent memory (or possibly ever), Cody Ford hoped to do that same thing for himself. A big brother never wants to get outdone by his little brother, but expectations have been quite high for Cody Ford heading into the 2021 season as well. They call Cody “The Forman”, and that steady business-like presence was on display all day long at 3 Palms. Cody qualified 7th fastest in the first session and 8th in session 2, before charging forward in both motos for 7-9 moto finishes for 7th overall in the Pro Class! This impressive 7th place overall finish was Cody’s best finish since finishing 7th at Red Bud 2019, 630 days prior! Cody is a consummate professional, and if he can stay consistently in the mix like this all season long, then we are going to see him pushing for a top 5 spot in the series’ points as the season winds down in late summer. Cody Ford was as good as ever on this weekend, and the Ford Brothers Racing team is proud!
"Home tracks are more fun!" The Ford Brothers Racing team posted to their official social media accounts. "[Bryce Ford finished] with a podium in both Pro and Pro-Am, and [Cody Ford] had a stellar day at 3 Palms as well. [Cody] finished the day with a 7th overall in the Pro Class, making great strides forward…Thanks to all our family, friends, and sponsors for their involvement."
Things didn’t go according to plan at Daytona’s season opener, but the entire team rebounded in a major way at 3 Palms. Furthermore, to enjoy success on Texas’ home soil made the weekend that much more enjoyable. The Ford Brothers Racing team will look to carry this momentum into Rd 3, as the series looks to make its’ return to High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, next month. See you just outside of Morgantown, WV, on the weekend of May 15/16!
* Currently Bryce sits in 3rd point overall in Pro and 1st in Pro Am