Dan Smith BMX

Last weekend I ended up in Burlington, NC. At about 105-110 degrees the racing was brutal. The track layout wasn’t bad and the doubles were flowing but these were by far the worst turns I have ever raced on. Slowing down when going into and through them was not an option it was basically manditory, unless you wanted to take yourself out. They were flatter than flat. On saturday I finished the motos with a 3-7-1 and had a good lap in the main and took 2nd. On sunday through the motos I took a 5-2-2 and made the podium again in the A-pro main with a 3rd. I was pumped about two good finishes to end the weekend in the intense heat.

Last weekend we made the trip out to South Park. I havent been there since ’06 but I was pumped to ride the fast track. Saturday I ended up taking 3-2-1 in the motos and finished on the podium with a 3rd in the main. I was riding well and felt good on the track so it was a fun day. Sunday in elite open I took 5-3-1 and polished off the weekend with a 6th in the main. All in in all it was a good weekend with nice weather and fun racing. Next stop is NC next weekend.

At the nationals in cape cod we had a small A pro class and on day one I had some technical difficulties that cost me the win and I settled for a third. But on sunday I rode better and ended on top of the podium with a first to finish up the weekend.

This past weekend I raced my first ABA race ever. Right when pro practice was about to start on friday it started pouring and rained 6 inches in under 4 hours! Somehow the Culbreths and the Hampton crew got the track ready in time for saturdays race and then track was running smooth. I felt good riding the track but my gate starts were not clicking for me at all during the weekend. I raced well in the main event and made the podium with a 2nd place which I was happy about. Sunday there was a rain delay to start off the day. Everyhwere we go this year it rains! Im getting really tired of it. But the track was dry by the time the mains rolled around and I hit the gate and was in last off the start. I worked my way back from 8th to 3rd in two straights making a podium spot again.

My first Pro main win.

In mid may we went down to NC for another weekend of nationals with my teammate Josh Wedge and S&M’s Evan Eisenhard. Saturday had a rain delay after the first round of motos. Racing in wet red clay is kinda scary becuase its so slippery you dont know what is going to happen. The sun finally came out and in the finals in Elite A  I took a 2nd for the day. Sunday came and the rain still was coming down. The track dried out quick after the volunteers were working hard on it. After winning a couple motos in Elite Open, the main came around and I picked up my first Pro main event win since I turned up back in 2008 which I was very excited about.

A month later I was on a plane down to Florida to ride one of the east coast’s best tracks, Okeeheelee BMX. This track is so much fun and really fast with the soiltacked surface. This weekend was a real eye opener for me that I needed to start training and riding a lot more. Every year it is hard to get back ino the swing of things after the cold winter months but it’s just another task to tackle. On saturday in Elite A I didnt have any impressive laps and just made the main and wound up taking 6th. On sunday, I felt a little better on the track and was finally getting used to the extremely hot weather, even though it was time to head home. In the finals I ended the weekend with a 5th place in Elite Open.

On April 1st we headed to Virginia for  a weekend of racing. After a heavy rainstorm the track dried out quick and was riding very fast and smooth. On saturday in Elite A I had a pretty good day and took a 2nd in the main. On sunday in Elite Open I wasn’t riding to the best of my abilities and was having one of those off days you get every so often. In the main I ended with a fifth.

Hit the gate. Watch me go from 8th to 2nd!

We just got back from racing in Columbus, OH over the holidays. Although I was racing with a strained calf and couldnt pedal to my full ability I still came out with some good results. Day 1 I took 2nd, 3rd, 2nd and 2nd in the semi. However in the semi I hit the gate and was in dead last and passed my way up to 2nd in two straights which is un herd of! Then in the main event I ended up with a 3rd place behind Jeff Upshaw and Mike Kapes. On day two my finishes were 1st, 1st and 2nd. The second round I got stuck on the outside and wound up going from 6th to 1st in just two straights so my passing game was on this weekend. In the semi I was in good position over the first jump and unclipped and couldnt work my way back up to a transfer spot for the main so Iwas really bummed about that.