Monster’s Crossover Race - BMXers Racing MX

FatTony

• June 12 2009
• 1 comment

Words by Jimmy Garcia. Photos by Joey Garcia.

This past weekend, the Dirt Digger’s North Motorcycle Club, the producers and promoters of the Hangtown pro MX nationals, hosted the 9th annual Monster Energy Crossover Race at Hangtown.

Each year, Pat Schutte and Monster Energy put together a list of pro athletes from every action sport out there; BMX, Skate, Snocross, Snowboarding, Skiing, Wakeboarding, and Mountain Biking.  This years BMXers were Aaron Cooke, Eric Walters, and myself, Jimmy Garcia.

This was my fourth year doing this event, and it gets better every year.  I’ve been riding moto for about 7 years now, and watching it on TV for much longer.  I still remember getting up on that gate the first year.  It’s a cool opportunity to be lining up on the starting gate at Hangtown, getting ready to race a pro-prepped track.  Some things about motocross are very similar to BMX, others are not.  I used to think heading into the first turn with a full gate of 8 was crowded.  The gate at a motorcycle race holds 40!  On top of that the first turn is only wide enough to go maybe 6 wide.  Picking lines into and out of the turns is very much like BMX.  Of course the jumps are bigger, but still the same concept.  Not pedaling is probably the most welcomed change.  Another familiar site on the motocross track is my horrible starts. I thought maybe an engine under me would help that out, guess not.  I think I went into the first turn 30th both motos.

Once again, Aaron Cooke was by far the fastest BMXer on a motorcycle.  One of these years my goal is to get a decent start and at least stay within a straightaway or two of him.  In years past, Allan Cooke, Dwayne Taylor and Joey Garcia have came out swinging for the BMX crowd, maybe next year we’ll all get out there together.  If you find yourself up in Sacramento for next year’s race, come by the Crossover race trailer in the pits and say hi.

Thanks to all the sponsors that make this fun event possible.  Monster Energy, Nordica Ski Co., Dunlop Tire, Alien Workshop, Spy Optic, Throttle Jockey/Graphics Lab, Skullcandy and Imperial Motion.

Aaron Cooke

Aaron Cooke & Jimmy Garcia

Jimmy Garcia off the gate.

Jimmy Garcia