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On August 8th, the Saturday evening during the NSRA Street Rod Nats in Louisville, Tim & Carrie Strange organized and put on the first annual Hot Rod Industry BMX Challenge race at Derby City BMX.
The idea was hatched this past winter while Tim was traveling the show circuit with a 52 Buick and had his BMX bikes in the front of the trailer at Detroit. During tear down of the show, Dave Tucci form Tucci Hot Rods grabbed a bike and started riding. Carrie thought "we should put on a BMX race for Hot Rod Builders" Knowing that a lot of the younger generation of builders used to race, or ride BMX growing up, some have moved on to road bikes or mountain bikes for a hobby outside of the hot rod world. Well Tim & Carrie are still familiar and into the BMX world, as they both not only race but also run and support a team on the circuit through the Hot Rod shop.
They discussed various locations and venues with different people that wanted to ride, looking for the main keys...central location, awesome BMX track, great supportive track director and somewhere the Hot Rod industry would mostly be at the same time.....one event jumped up: the National Street Rod Associations annual Street Rod Nationals in Louisville. Most of the hot rod industry is there for the event, with over 350 vendors, over 11,000 cars and around 100,000 spectators...and one of the top BMX tracks in the country is at the edge of town complete with a local crew that is up for anything fun, different and would possibly help the sport of BMX.
There was a ton of interest in it, but when the night rolled around a total of 16 builders weren't scared to come out and have some fun in the dirt.
Hot Rod guys that showed up were DW Horton from Paul Hortons Welder Series, Dave Tucci from Tucci Hot Rods, Scott Sandoval from Billet Specialties, Micheal Dolch from the BSM crew, Jason Pearce from California Car Cover, Tim and Carrie Strange from Strange Motion, Bill Stevens from Star Custom , Jesse Greening from Greening Auto Company, Brandon Ott from Vintage Air, Dion Olson from Art Morrison, Patrick Richter from Wizards, Roger Burman from Lakeside Rods and Rides, and Joel Kokoska from JKM Marketing. Pretty good turn out for the first year. This was a who's who of the younger hot rod world....past Ridler and Americas Most Beautiful Roadster winners, past Monster Garage, Hot Rod TV, Overhaulin and Rides participants. Big props goes out to Burman as the oldest guy in the field at 50!
There were three groups of motos and the round boiled down to a good main event under the lights. The main included Tim Strange, Carrie Strange, Dave Tucci, Micheal Dolch, Bill Stevens, Patrick Richter, Jason Pearce, and Scott Sandoval. Tim Strange snapped and help the lead for a short second, but this was his first race back after broken ribs, punctured and collapsed lung...Jason Pearce shot to the lead with Stevens and Richter tailing, the cornering was tight and the acing was surprisingly good. Carrie Strange got scared and backed off when Dave Tucci started jumping and getting air time- this is a guy that has not been on a track since a teenager, and it was his 40th birthday. Pearce got a little squirrelly in the last rhythm, and got passed by Stevens and Richter. Main finish goes, Stevens, Richter, Pearce, Tim Strange, Scott Sandoval, Michael Dolch, Dave Tucci and Carrie Strange.
Standard Bykes donated a new frame to the winner, Strange Motion painted custom bowling pins for podium finishers, Midwest Clothing Co gave shirts and hats to main finishers, Meguiars kicked in product. Profile Racing donated a complete bike that was raffled off. There was even custom Hot Rod Challenge shirts and number plates designed by Problem Child Kustoms to all that entered.
This will be held again next year during the NSRA Nats in Louisville. There is also interest in doing this at a couple of other big car show weekends.
The night not only had the builders having fun and remembering how much fun they had when they were younger, but talks of them riding more or getting their kids into it....proof that BMX stays with you for life.... Thanks to Tim and Carrie Strange for putting on a great event.
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