Blazing onto the national scene

As far as inaugural seasons go, they don't get much better than this.

After grouping together the area athletes that regularly competed in the American Bicycle Association BMX circuit last summer, the BMX Rush has blistered onto the national scene this year.

"It was one of those things where we saw these same families traveling to all these events in Northern California and all over the place," BMX Rush manager Chris Oakden said. "We thought why not pool our resources and travel together. While we were at it, we could participate in the team competition."

And thus was born what has quickly become one of the top racing teams in the country.

The team, based out of Edmonds Sports Complex in Carson City, is currently ranked 15th nationally in the ABA Trophy Team standings with six races remaining this summer.

Currently, the team boasts 16 athletes between the ages of 5 and 17 although points-wise they are pitted against all ages.

Racers compete in divisions classified by age group and skill level, but the points they accumulate from each event add to the team total.

"We have really come out very strong," Oakden said. "There are 160 riders in our district and five of our guys are in the top 10."

Oakden began drawing athletes who competed regularly at the BMX track at the Edmonds Sports Complex in weekly Sunday races.

What he ended up with was a team that included athletes from Gardnerville, Minden, South Lake Tahoe and Carson City.

"Part of being on this team is dedication," Oakden said. "We wanted people who were going to commit to being at the ABA National events with us and who would put in the practice time to continually get better."

Team members take part in any number of training drills, mostly just spending a lot of time on the bike.

"We get them doing wind sprints where they just go as hard as they can for about 250 feet," Oakden said. "They do a lot of weight training specifically for their legs, some of them take part in spin classes at the gym. It's just about being able to sprint through any given BMX course."

The ABA BMX series runs on dirt tracks generally between 900 feet to 1,000 feet long with bermed turns, jumps and obstacles placed around the course.

Heats include eight racers at a time on lightweight bikes costing between $1,200 and $1,600 with thin tires to minimize spin resistance.

"It's an all-out sprint on dirt," Oakden said. "The pros get up to about 30 or 40 mph during a race, but with most of these kids they are going about 20 to 25 mph."

BMX Rush has trips planned to Salt Lake City, San Bernadino, Calif., and Ontario, Calif.. The team will also participate in the state championship series in Las Vegas and compete in a race at the Reno Livestock and Event Center.

The season runs from the beginning of January and ends in late November with the Grand Nationals in Oklahoma.

"It's pretty much year-round," said Steve Caccamise, whose son, Wyatte, rides for the Rush. "It can get pretty tiring being out on the road that much, but it is a lot of fun and there is a lot of camaraderie among the team and among the other racers you run into.

"When we're not out on the road, we're racing Sundays in Carson. There's always something going on."

Shawn Oakden, 17, is the team's captain and oldest rider.

He got into the sport five years ago after several of his friends got him riding on the track.

"I used to play baseball and that was OK, but the pressure in BMX racing is individual," Oakden said. "The speed attracted me to racing. I liked the idea that if you do good, you do good, but if you don't, it's on you.

"Being on a team in an individual sport is good because we ride around together and we are always pushing each other and trying to make each other better."

Another unique aspect of the team standings is that each athlete can contribute points at their own level.

The team's top rider over the last month, for instance, has been 6-year-old Nate Wright.

"What you see at these nationals is teams that pick out riders from all over to come compete with them," Chris Oakden said. "With us, we are all local kids. We get to know each other pretty well and we get out there and support each other during the races.

"The cool thing is, our kids are starting to get recognized. Announcers from these ABA Nationals in Roseville and Bakersfield are starting to know these kids. People see our jerseys and come over and tell us how impressed they are with how we're competing.

"It's pretty exciting."

Team members for the BMX Rush include Wyatt Shurley, Ian Pieller, Jarod Pieller, Mallory Otto, Molly Otto, Keith Anderson, Jessica Anderson, Tyler Wright, Nate Wright, Brandon Copeland, Ryan Copeland, Dakoda Baca, Garrett Nicholson, Derek Wing, Wyatte Caccamise and Shawn Oakden.

The BMX Rush roster is full for the year, but Oakden said he encourages anyone interested in the sport to come out and participate in the weekly races at Edmonds Sports Complex in Carson City starting at 9 a.m.

He said he is still seeking active sponsorships to help offset the team's costs.

Anyone interested in sponsoring the team or in more information on the team can contact Oakden at 267-4096.

-- Joey Crandall can be reached at jcrandall@recordcourier.com or at (775) 782-5121, ext. 212.