Freestyle Motocross


February 17-18, 2006

Friday 8:00 PM
Blackflip Rules in Knoxville
What an awesome night here in Knoxville, the "boys of metal" were on fire tonight. They were super stoked on the new IFMA ramps and it showed in their runs. The bar was taken higher after each rider went off, and making it to the FMX Finals was Clint Esposito, Greg Hartman, Jason Rowe, and Brody Wilson.

After the Qualifying runs the crowd was amazed as the streetbike freestyle riders came out and killed it. Aaron Twite at the end of his run, back flipped from his street-freestyle machine!

Once again, it was Geoff Aaron coming out and rocking the crowd with his extreme moto trial skills. He even rode his moto trial machine around the arena without a front fork or wheel for one part of the show. This guy is out of control and it doesn't look like he is stopping anytime soon.

In the Team competition it was Greg Hartman and Jason Rowe taking a solid win. To bring us back from intermission it was Jennifer Schneider who would wake the crowd up with her blast out of the cannon. She was fitted in her newly flame retardant cannon blasting suit, what another amazing blast out of the cannon.

Time for the FMX Finals baby! To start things out it was Clint Esposito. Clint came out with his usual bag of tricks and then some. He had it all, the big double grab and for the first time in Clint's run (that I have ever seen) the cliff hanger. Clint would score a solid 91.5 and be the first to sit in the 1-800-Safe Auto Hotseat. Did somebody say Hitman? Because that's what it would take to knock Clint Esposito off his perch. Greg came out dialed in. He had the ladder, he had the one handed heart attack, and the double grab heart attack. He stuck his run and would take Clint out of the hot seat with at 92.75. Next out, Jason Rowe, riding to his new song "Grillz"… I can only say one thing… THE BOY CAN'T DANCE, BUT HE CAN BOUNCE LIKE THE BIG DOG! With the ladder added to his run and perfectly executed for the first time, he would take Greg out with and even 93.0.

One last rider to go and it was Brody Wilson, a.k.a. "THE NINJA". Brody threw more combinations than a lock to a safe at the Bank of America. Puling combo's and no-handed-lander's like there was no tomorrow, Ninja pulled in a 93.5!! The Ninja once again would take a win making that 6 for the year.

Not over yet! It was Jeff Banks from Carlsbad, Ca who insisted on back flipping here in Knoxville. The kid made the flip look easy and had four variations. The crowd went nuts and the show ended with everyone on their feet. I'll let you know how everything goes tomorrow.

Peace,
Sharpie

RESULTS:

1. Brody Wilson 93.5
2. Jason Rowe 93.0
3. Greg Hartman 92.75
4. Clint Esposito 91.5
5. Sean Connors 90.15
6. Jeff Banks 90.10
7. Slade Waltman 90.0
8. Paul Smith 89.0
9. Johnny Jones 88.0

TEAM:
1. Jason Rowe and Greg Hartman
2. Sean Conner and Clint Esposito
3. Jeff Banks and Brody Wilson
4. Johnny Jones and Slade Waltman

Then the amazingly talented Geoff Aaron came out and once again dazzled the crowd with his precision bike handling skills. He would bounce and cruise around the course making it look easy. Geoff is currently training outdoors with Team ERE teammate, Keith Wineland, and his training for sure paid off.

Kicking off the second half was Cannonlady, Jennifer Schneider with the Big Canon Bang. She would blow the roof off this place and as always was a big hit with the crowd.

In the Big Trick Turney it would be narrowed down to Sean "The Redneck" Connors and Jeff "Crusty The Clown" Banks; going for the Toyota Big Trick Tourney win. Sean came out and threw a perfect sterilizer and the crowd went crazy. But the big, nasty Jeff Banks backflip would stand out as the clear winner! Awesome!!

In the FMX Finals, Jason Rowe would come out first and stick a solid 93.75. The kid threw down big time! Jason landed a "Roweinzer" and the crowd went nuts!!! Next out was Greg Hartman. After coming back from 2 weekends of mini concussions it was good to see Greg back on form. He would have a great run but it would not be enough to take out Rowe. Brody Wilson "The Ninja" was out next and he had his usual bag of tricks and then some new ones. He is becoming almost as hard to call tricks for as Dustin Miller. I will leave it as that. Brody would score a 94.0 and knock Jason off the 1-800-SAFEAUTO Hotseat. Last out was Jeff Banks thrilling the crowd but the tricks weren't quite enough to take out "The Ninja". In the end Brody would take yet another win. That make number 7 for the year!! Way to go Brodio. But as an encore, Jeff Banks came out and thrilled the Knoxville crowd with a series of Backflip combo's that saw the University of Tennessee arena come unglued!!

That is all she wrote, baby! I will catch ya in Wilkes Barre, PA next weekend!

Peace,
Sharpie

RESULTS:
1. Brody Wilson 94.0
2. Jason Rowe 93.75
3. Jeff Banks 93.75
4. Greg Hartman 92.75
5. Sean Connors 91.0
6. Slade Waltman 90.75
7. Clint Esposito 90.50
8. Johnny Jones 90.25
9. Paul Smith 90.0

Big Trick Tournament
1. Jeff Banks (Backflip)
2. Sean Conners (Sterilizer)