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Friday 8:00PM
It was a great night of competition here in Birmingham. The guys were all fired up as the tour is winding down and there were plenty of hungry riders looking for a win before their chances are up. Making the FMX Finals was Clint Esposito, Greg Hartman, Jason Rowe and new kid Chris Taylor, who took the number 1 qualifying slot!
In the Team Competition it was Shawn “The Redneck” Connors and Chris “The Preacher” Taylor taking a solid win. But I will have to give Doug Cossey and Jeff “Trailer Trash” Winstead the win in style. They stopped 30 seconds into their run and Trailer took the electric guitar from Rob who is with our tours band “It Starts Today” and Doug took Justin’s drums and they ripped out Sweet Home Alabama. They had 2 10’s and someone threw a 1. So not enough for a win, but for sure a crowd favorite.
Once again, Geoff Aaron rocked the house with his perfect Extreme MotoTrial skills. He rode with precision and did not touch the ground one time! He was for sure a big hit here in Alabama. As always back from intermission we were rocked with the thunderous explosion from the Human Cannonball… Cannonlady. Jennifer blasted out of the cannon and launched 115 feet across the arena floor! She was extra pumped about this blast she said because, “There is nothing like blasting out of the cannon when you have a live band playing for you” in reference to our band “It Starts Today”. I could not agree with Jennifer more.
On with the FMX Finals it was time to go big or go home. With 2 riders in the Finals yet to see a win this year, it was sure to be a heated ending. Thanks to Werner Enterprises we had a Hot Seat that made the riders all the more hungry for a win. Neither Chris Taylor or Clint Esposito had a win on the resume. So Jason and Greg, both with a win this year would have their hands full. First out was Clint who was having the ride of his life, until he missed a trick with 10 seconds left in his run. A tough break for sure, but one mistake you can not have when you are in the Finals. He would score a 92.0 and be first in the Werner hotseat. Next out was Greg Hartman. He had all his usual big tricks and a ladder which he extended his body all the way in the heart attack position! He would score a 93.5 and take Mr. FMX East out of the Hotseat. I do have to say it was good seeing Clint make the Finals. The kid is coming into himself.
Next out was Jason Rowe. He was looking to take another win for season and build a new wall for his growing collection of plaques. He came out and broke out a can of whoop a_s! What can I say, he was on. Jason would score a 93.75 and take Greg out if the Werner Hotseat. With one rider left, Jason was feeling confident in taking another win. Chris Tayor “The Preacher” was next out, but with not having a win, and really unheard of, to take a win from Rowe he would need some help from above. He came out and owned the course. He made his tricks look easy and worked the front of the bike, and the back of the bike. He threw at least 3 combos during his run… including one of the biggest 9 o’clock nacs that I have ever seen. He would score a 93.8, just enough to take a win. Could we have another Brody Wilson on our hands? The kid comes from nowhere and takes a win over veterans Jason Rowe and Greg Hartman. There are a lot of names on this tour that I feel it is just a matter of time and they will start being heard in the higher courts. Until tomorrow, I am out.
Peace,
Sharpie
BIRMINGHAM RESULTS (FRI):
- TAYLOR – 93.8
- ROWE – 93.75
- HARTMAN – 93.5
- ESPOSITO – 92.0
- CONNORS – 92.0
- WINSTEAD – 91.75
- COLE – 91.5
- WALTMAN – 91.0
- COSSEY – 82.0
TEAM COMPETITION:
- CONNORS / TAYLOR
- ESPOSITO / COLE
- COSSEY / WINSTEAD
- HARTMAN / ROWE
Saturday 8:00 PM:
It was another great night of competition here in Birmingham. After last nights winner Chris Taylor took a win, it would give all the riders a new hope that the big guns were not invincible. Making the FMX finals was Slade Waltman, Greg Hartman, Chris Taylor and Jason Rowe.
Before the FMX finals, they had quite a showdown in the Big Trick Tourney. The two riders to make it to the end were Matt Cole “Magic” and Jeff Winstead “Trailer Trash”. Matt came out first and threw a huge sideshow! This kid from Australia has some serious bike skills. Jeff came out next and nailed a perfect Mcmetz to a no-handed lander. In the end it was Trailer Trash “holdin it down” as he would say for the workin man. He would go on to take the win in the Werner Enterprises Big Trick Tourney.
As always 9 time National Trials Champ Geoff Aaron was a huge hit with the crowd. He makes X-treme Moto Trials look so easy, and he always hits his mark. After intermission it was the Human Cannonball Jennifer Schneider blasting out of her canon and flying 115 feet across the arena floor! The crowd was blown away and it was just what we needed to start back the second half of the show.
In the US Air Force FMX Finals it was Slade Waltman out first. He would stick a perfect run only to miss a trick with 10 seconds on the clock. It would for sure cost him the win, the question was could he hold off Greg Hartman. Greg came out and landed all of his big tricks. He had the Helicopter, Cliffhanger, Ladder, and even a huge one handed heart attack! It would be enough to take Slade out of the hot seat. Next out was last nights winner Chris Taylor. On his approach to the first jump his bike killed out and the judges gave him two minutes to fix it. Well, he did not fix it. He just borrowed a bike from Trailer Trash! To ride someone else’s bike in competition without even hitting the ramps first to get a feel for the bike is just nutz! Chris came out and tricked on each hit, however he almost crashed at least 3 times. In the future Chris, just call it quits! His run would not be enough to take out Greg Hartman.
Last out was Jason Rowe. Jason would match Greg’s run and then some. Jason raced around the coarse so fast he would gain an extra trick or two on Greg, and it would give him an edge in the end. So the win would go to “Chi-Town” Jason Rowe.
One last note, the band “It Starts Today” played throughout our show once again. There is nothing like having a live band at a Freestyle Moto X show. Check them out at
www.myspace.com/itstartstoday.
Check back next week and I will let you know what happens in Columbia, SC.
Peace,
Sharpie
Jason Rowe 94.0
Greg Hartman 93.75
Chris Taylor 93.0
Slade Waltman 92.5
Shawn Conners 92.25
Doug Cossey 91.0
Clint Espisito 90.0
Matt Cole 89.0
Jeff Winstead 86.5
Big Trick Tourney
Jeff Winstead ( Mcmetz to a no-handed lander)
Matt Cole (Sideshow)
