This weekend marks the first Loretta Lynn Area Qualifier for the Northeast region at the Budds Creek Motocross Park in Budds Creek, Maryland. Since I got first involved with motocross, it has been the first qualifier every year and always draws a big turnout. It also the first big race of the 2008 racing season here in the Northeast. You have riders that been training in Florida for the past 2 months come up home and get their area qualifiers in. Then, you also have your local guys that have been riding a couple of times or not at all this off season and are trying to make it from their class to their respected regional qualifier. You have riders coming from the northern areas of the Northeast coming down due to not many races are running which is due to the wintry weather that still lingers up there this time of year. But one draw back is we might see the best talent from this area make the trek to Texas the next 2 weekends for the Lake Whitney and Oakhill Amateur Nationals. What makes this Budds Creek qualifier so exciting is you never know who will show up to qualify sometimes. Last year, Jo Jo Keller came out of no where and surprised many in the Vet classes with the speed he still has after years and years away from the track. Who will show up at Budds this time?
For me, this is my first visit to Budds Creek since their pro national last year, which I went to help Racer X for their Motocross Show. This is also my first visit to Budds after the thrilling Motocross of Nations that was held there in September. I am excited to see some of the changes they made since that race and how the facility looks compared to my last visit. Jonathan Beasley and his staff, like every year, put in the extrordinary time and effort during the later winter months by holding local races almost every weekend to get riders ready for the qualifier coming up this weekend. It also gives the Northeast racers a chance at some track time without worrying about snow, ice, and the brutal cold weather that seems to just cut off motocross racing here for a few months.
Since I, and most of us, have no clue on who will show up at Budds this weekend....let's take a look back to last year...
Last year's area qualifier at Budds Creek had the most rider entries compared to any area qualifier in the country. It was pure mayhem to say the least. I did two videos from Budds Creek and one of them was a Rider Spotlight video on the Balkovic brothers of Jarek and James. Jarek swept all his motos that weekend and guess what, he would pick up the #1 plate at Loretta Lynn's for the 65cc (10-11) Stock class. Like Jarek, there were many other riders making their start on their journey to Hurricane Mills, TN. Pro rider Randall Everett always shows up at the first area qualifier in the A classes usually and dominates his motos with ease. His scrubs over Henry's Hill are nothing more than amazing. So check out for him in the A classes. And there are more for sure but I'll see what happens when I get to Budds this weekend!
To check out some highlights from last year's Budds Creek LL Area Qualifier, click here to check out the video in the archives, which received the most hits out of any video shown on motoxposure.com last year!
On the filming side, I will have camera in hand all weekend filming whatever I can get. May it be an interview or two, Patrick Brady goon riding in the A class, or just some random fun in the pits, I'll have the camera rolling to catch all the action that happens at Budds Creek! So, don't get all nervous when I come up with a camera either at the starting gate or in the pits!!! It is your time to shine!
I will also be there promoting my latest DVD, Moto Xposure 3: The Xposure Continues. I will be selling copies there all weekend. I won't have a setup or anything but if you see me walking with a backpack full of Moto Xposure 3's on and a camera in one hand, just shout me out and you can get your copy right there on the spot for $20!! If you have not seen this DVD, you are missing out on all the fun and excitement from last year's racing action from the Northeast region! Time
to pack for Budds. Hope to see many of you there!
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