Mike Savage! Can I get a hell yeah?! He’s my hero. Anybody that gets a BMXA cover is a g-d icon!
I’d like to think BMX appeals to people that want to challenge themselves in life. Always looking to do better, not people that need an easy win to feel better about themselves. That’s why I never understood people that wanted to be #1 novice. #1 novice? That’s an oxymoron. The fastest novice doesn’t become #1. He moves up to expert. When I started racing I had my eyes set on expert. I wanted that so bad and I wanted to EARN it according to rules.
But perhaps I shouldn’t praise myself so much. Perhaps the only reason I wanted that was because I joined a sanction that gave you no choice. There was every incentive to become expert and no incentive to stay down. What would have happened if my local track had been NBL? Would I have strategized to be the #1 rookie? Would I have short changed myself and be satisfied with an easy win?
Well the point is moot because my local track was ABA so that’s all I knew. All I can say is I was lucky I had no choice but to shoot for the top and I believe it has made me a better person. That’s why I believe the ABA’s system not only makes better BMXers, it makes better people.
Enough preaching. Phil Delizia, Tim Sullivan, Stosh Dawejko, and Brett Snyder have all just turned pro. That means we can have a genuine PRO class at the state qualifiers next year. Hell, I’m still delusional enough to think I can do at 36 what I could at 18 so I’ll race it too. I’ll contribute to the Delizia Foundation. 🙂 Add Mabin and that makes six local pros.
Do you think seeing a pro class would give the older kids a reason to stay with it? What does everyone think?