Chad Reed, Mike Alessi, Ryan Dungey, Ben Townley, Josh Grant and Andrew Short ready to do motocross battle.
The day started out at the steps of the California State Capitol. Where was Arnold?
Hangtown is ready to explode with outdoor motocross action Saturday with the first round of the AMA 2010 Outdoor Nationals. Today was just the beginning as the top riders in the series started their day on the steps of the California State Capitol. There they were representing all off-road riders in California showing some of the brave politicians that we are not all leather-clad, loud-bike riding bikers. With the factory race rigs in the background and the race bikes parked on the sidewalk (they couldn’t get close to the Capitol due to security concerns arising from a drunk truck driver incident a while back) there was a press conference where the California State Parks praised the partnership they have with the Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club on such a fine event as the Hangtown National.Later in the afternoon, the same riders who withstood the pains of attending what might have seemed to them as just another press conference were rewarded with a special one-hour practice session on the amateur-beat rough national track. And the games that started at the press conference (Josh Grant ribbing Mike Alessi about the power of his brand-new KTM 350) continued with a little game playing on the track and even in some mock starts on the starting line. Even Chad Reed got into the action, whooping it up after a stellar practice start and the small but excited crowd on hand loved it.Meanwhile Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey quietly sped around the track and looked smooth and fast, calm and collected, like he does most of the time. Ashley Fiolek was also there representing the girls who will be racing as well as turning some impressive laps. And that was not considering she is a girl! They were just fast laps.If you are anywhere near the Sacramento California area I suggest you get to the Prairie City OHV area on Saturday to witness what will surely be a great race on what is looking to be a perfect weather weekend.Both Josh Grant and Chad Reed were wearing GoPro Helmet Cams. GoPro is sponsoring the Crossover event (read below) and the footage Reed and Grant caught should be online by the time you read this. Check www.gopro.com
or www.allisports.com.And if you want to come and see a bunch of crazy Crossover athletes going for it on the same track, there is amateur racing on Friday! Magazine editors and Freestyle riders included!Of course, you could always check the television listings but there’s nothing like the smell and sound of freshly muffled four strokes in the morning…
