RENO, NV (Dec. 25) – One more Season Review but this time we’ll focus on the Off-Road and Motorcycle seasons as well as Go Kart racing. Doing it in the dirt is very much alive in Northern Nevada as is sprint karting.
(REPORTER’S NOTE: Due to working yesterday and the holiday I’m a day late with this. Still want to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas.)
MRANN desert races begins with each class making a charge from their starting line. Here the Experts are heading up a hill to the first turn.
As usual MRANN (Motorcycle Racing Association of Northern Nevada) kicked off the season on the third weekend of February. The site was the traditional one located north of the Nightingale exit east of Fernley off I-80.
A week later Battle Born MX (BBMX) got the motocross season rolling with the ever-popular Sand Box Grand Prix at the Sand Box or the Fernley/Wadsworth Lions Club Motocross Track.
The day begins with races by classes then after that the Sand Box, which is a team race gets going. Each rider does one lap then hands off an armband their teammate needs to wear on the next lap.
This year several BBMX classes have either full or near full gates. This usually results in the first turn being a bit crowded.Two weeks later BBMX formally kicked off the spring motocross season back at the Sand Box. The series also raced in Winnemucca at Honey Lake in the series.
Weather canceled the usual practice race for the Northern Nevada Kart Club (NNKC) so their season began on April 15 at Desert Park Raceway.
This year the NNKC had a pair of night races. The first was when the KPIX season visited the third week in August, the club’s biggest race of the season, and later the annual night race.
NNKC hosted the final round of this year’s KPIX and it was a first for the series. Everyone enjoyed it and the kart count was very good.
The KPIX night race began as a suggestion club president Rodney Rivera made since the Reno stop was the final in their series. The turn out was so good that it might be repeated in 2019.
Every since VORRA was bought by Hammer King that series has been run by Norcal Rock Racing. Their spring race, at Wild West Motorsports Park was held on April 21.
Then a week later a classic motorcycle race was held as the Virginia City Grand Prix got rolling with it two-day show. Saturday is for the pros while Sunday is for the amateurs.
The VCGP race days are timed events so on Saturday the checkered is waved four hours after the start. With the pros corrected time usually doesn’t play much of a part in determining the final outcome.
Racers fill B Street in Virginia City before they start Saturday’s VCGP where the pros and amateurs race. Novice, women, seniors, bombers and vintage race on Sunday and they too filled up the street.
Sunday’s race is a three-hour span between the start and checkered. With Novice, Women and Senior riders corrected time usually determines the winner.
After that Wild West Motorsports Park hosted motorcycle racing as the Enduro Fest returned. Starting out as a hill climb this was more an Enduro format with riders having to not only go fast in some sections but negotiate obstacles as well.
In the sprint two national motocross series rounds make annual visits to our area.
The first was a round of the Old Timer’s national series hosted by the local chapter. The format is three motos on Saturday then only two on Sunday and riders from the western chapters come to this meet.
A few riders were in their 70’s however all but one of them only competed Saturday.
Memorial Day weekend is when the local Over The Hill Gang hosts their national round. Once again riders from other chapters come for two days of racing. The OTHG format is two motos per day and on both nationals Saturday ends with a BBQ.
In both events a rider’s combined finishes determines their final placing for the weeend.
While Super Crawl is a low speed event it more than makes up for this by how technical it is.
Early in June the action switches to Wild West again with the two-day Super Crawl. What this event lacks in speed it more than makes up with how technical it is as drivers tackle obstacles that sometimes has them almost going vertical up or down rocks.
MRANN ended its spring series on Father’s Day Weekend with the Corey Herring Memorial held at Honey Lake. As usual in a MRANN race Saturday is for the youngest riders, women as well as any bombers that show up and many times there is a team race.
Sunday was interesting due to rain and mud. Each class had a separate race due to the course being short for the desert racing series.
BBMX ended its spring series in mid June at the Sand Box.
Then the action switched back to Wild West on July 21 as the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing series did a one-day show. Despite the rain that delayed the show a large crowd of fans stuck it out and saw some great racing.
The visit of the Lucas Oil Off Road series always features speed and drivers getting some big air as they go around the course.
The drivers like this course as it has elevation changes, speed and they get some big air going over jumps.
Two weeks later the now annual Flat Track race in Carson City was held to a sell out crowd. Once the racing begins in the afternoon it’s a blizzard of heats and mains.
Depending if there is an increase in seating the event might be expanded and be run over two days. That has yet to be determined however.
The Carson Flat Track races are full of tight racing on the small bull ring.
After the Labor Day break where there is no racing, MRANN returned to action and started its fall series then following weekend BBMX began its fall series.
The week after that motorcycle action went indoors to the Livestock Events Center as the Endurocross series returned. It’s a wild event where the course is a cross between motocross and obstacle racing.
Fortunately the crowds are improving and it appears this wild and crazy event will return to the Biggest Little City next year.
Endurocross is a wild event featuring riders having to negotiate many and different obstacles at the Reno Livestock Events Center.
The fall is when seasons wind own and in early October NNKC ended its season. This year showed an increase in the amount of karters racing so things look good as a new board takes the club’s helm.
However both BBMX and MRANN had more races to go.
In mid-October the Wild West Motorsports Park staged their final race of the year was the annual Nitto Tire Nationals, the season finale for the Ultra 4 series.
The season final race for Ultra 4 is the Nitto Tire Nationals at Wild West Motorsports Park. It’s a day of wild action that features speed and some old fashion rock racing.
The course was slightly changed as these racers had to negotiate a field of rocks, actually small boulders in front of the north grandstands then go up and around a hill to the east then race down about 300 feet of rocks. Always a great crowd there to see this and the racing was epic as always.
This year MRANN returned to Moon Rocks for its traditional Halloween race at Moon Rocks. This event is highlighted by costume contests and trick or treating for the youngsters Saturday night.
That same weekend BBMX was racing back at the Sandbox.
November began with BBMX heading for Winnemucca and the following week MRANN ended it season back at Nightingale but this time the race was held south of I-80 at the end of the pavement that used to be US 40. Then the following week BBMX returned to Fernley and had a canned food drive as well as the season ending event.
It was a long season of exciting racing for all concerned.
The final racing related event is the annual RPM Workshop held at the Eldorado Hotel and Casino, now part of the ROW.
One of the several round table sessions at this year’s RPM Workshop held at the Eldorado Hotel and Casino.
This conference brings those in the short track industry here as they discuss problems every promoter faces. New promoters are encouraged to network with others in the field as they seek solutions to problems common in the industry.
There area a series of speakers as well as round table sessions and a small vendor show. Once again they’ll return to Reno next year.
For the final points in MRANN please check their website at www.racemrann.com and for Battle Born MX try www.battlebornmx.com. Those interested in karting or racing one please check the club’s website at, www.nnkcreno.com.
Right now everyone is relaxing and enjoying the holidays yet some people are starting to get ready for the 2019 season and after New Year’s more will be doing so as racers plan and gear up for next season.
Right after the New Year MRANN will hold its awards banquet and BBMX should announce its banquet after the holidays.
MRANN already has its schedule as they need to deal with the BLM while BBMX will soon. As for NNKC the new board will soon set their schedule, which should begin with the annual practice race that’s usually held in late March.
Should be another great year of racing here in Northwest Nevada for 2019.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
- Teresa’s Garage Radio Show is doing reruns today and next Tuesday but on January 8 we’ll be back doing live shows. Enjoy the holiday everyone.
Teresa’s Garage Radio Show wishes everyone a Merry Christmas. We’re in reruns today and on New Years.
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We now have five very appreciated sponsors that support his site. Please patronize them as they support your sport and help nvracingnews continue.
Two of them are first class motorcycle shops located in Reno.
Our first sponsor is Reno Motorsports. Not only do they have about anything a rider might want or need and the store also has a full service shop.
Their location is at 964 Terminal Way, by the intersection with Mill Street. Store’s phone number is 775-322-1499 and the site is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.
The next shop, and our newest sponsor is Moto Source located at 3180 Mill Street. Once again the shop has a full service shop plus about any thing a rider might need or want.
Phone number is 775-856-3855 and the website is, www.moto-source.com.
The next sponsor is an excellent place if you need collision repair on your car or truck. It’s Concours Body shop, located at 250 Telegraph Street in Reno and has a long history of first class repairs
The original owner is Gill Grieve, a long time racer and supporter of racing. He’s now in the process of retiring and the new owner will be Brian Saul, a car enthusiast himself, who is also committed to continuing the shop’s history of quality work.
Phone number is 775-329-4557 and the website is, www.concoursbodyshop.net.
If you are in to karting or want the most cost effective way to start racing please check out Nevada Kart Sport, the only full service kart shop in this region. Owner Rodney Rivera will maintain, build or store your kart.
The shop is located at 894 Deming Way, off East Glendale, in Sparks, Nevada. The shop’s website is www.nevadakartsport.com, and the phone number is 775-219-4184.
Hungry, want a great place to eat, then try PJ&Company for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and it’s a great place to watch your favorite sports.
If you’re a rider, well Wednesday evening is Bike Night, always a great time to see some great looking bikes and meet like minded people.
The location is 1590 South Wells Avenue, just north of the round about. Phone number is 775-323-6366 and their website is www.pjandco.net.
Have a business targeted toward motorsports or an off road demographic? We are always looking for more sponsors and will expose your business to the racing and off road community in this area.
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