Where's Wahly - The Florida Tour

nce the announcement of back-to-back weekends in Florida was declared, the wheels started turning in the

Tulsa Division of USA BMX. The Sunshine State of Florida has long been the hotspot for the East Coast BMX scene. From its 16 pristine tracks, a National-like State Series that continually grows, and frequent Pro Training camps, I HAD to see and experience all that Florida BMX has to offer!

The plan was simple: Hit up six tracks in four days, invite Pro/Amateur racers to join us at specific tracks, stop off at some of Florida’s factory headquarters, all while featuring local Floridian racers and families.

MONDAY: The first national weekend wrapped up in Cape Coral and my

Florida BMX Tour began.

The typical Monday morning exhaustion became restored by pure excitement for the week ahead! First stop? A Monday afternoon Pro session at Tampa BMX. The track was packed with Jeremy Smith, Spencer Cole, Cam Mason, Tyler Smith, Joshua Mclean, Will Grant, Andre LaCroix, Tyler Klumper, and amateur legends Ethan Popovich, Rayne Lankford, Tyler Rooney, and the Bramer Family. Some racers were in full training-mode, preparing for Alabama, while others were rocking flats or working on skills. This session had it all. Two hours of Florida’s best became a flashback to the summer days we all remember: just your friends and your bikes.

The pro session wound down and it was off to Stop #2 at Daytona BMX! After a 2.5-hour drive, I arrived at the first local race night of the tour. Present were the usual local volunteers and racers, with special guests, including two-time National Cruiser champ Rowdy Holzer and the entire Colombian National team. Everyone was there to experience the beautifully updated Daytona BMX. Right off the bat, the locals showed up and were ready to show off. From local rippers Ty Henry and Jess Brant to pro Zach Van Kammen, the night quickly became action-packed. Once racing began, the local scene was put to the masses with Nationalstyle coverage through USA BMX’s Instagram stories and Twitter. With visiting racers from outof-state lining up next to local legends, the night at Daytona BMX left

TUESDAY: The excitement on Tuesday morning left me nothing short of giddy. Just a morning ride on the Steel Panther and coffee on the beach set us up for an easy two-hour drive to spend the day with National No.1 Girl, McKenzie Gayheart, at her hometrack of High Springs BMX. Ran under John Pringle’s guides, High Springs was one of our favorites on the Florida BMX Tour. Tucked away between a set of baseball fields and a graveyard, we were dying to suit up and ride this technical yet fun track. Skittles and her crew, including Eli Staton, Jordyn Miranda, Joshua Trerise, Hayden Grace, Drake Velador, and Ricky Carter, showed this sketchy social media guy the local lines and how they usually spend their time at the track. Lots of laughs and constant progression! Mckenzie took over the reigns of USA BMX’s Instagram during our track session and gave thousands of viewers a glimpse of what a High Springs riding session looks like.

From there, it was back to the road warrior life and on to the home of Mr. PUMP! PUMP! - Chad Grace’s track. Upon first glance from the road, Jacksonville BMX looks incredible. But riding it was where this track really shined. While I was there to show off the epic racing that would ultimately go down, I couldn’t help myself from taking a few laps with the locals and the Colombian National Team. Once racing began, it was clear how much passion and pride these people have for their local scene. The showmanship put on by Mr. and Mrs. Grace just adds to the atmosphere. Having the Colombian National team racing in Pro Open added even more excitement, and the racing was legendary. Every racer had a nickname and story behind it, courtesy of Chad Grace, and it creates a fun experience for both the parents and smiling riders coming across the line!

WEDNESDAY: With two days under my belt, the excitement for the Florida BMX Tour was about to be turned up a notch with my first industry tour at Answer BMX. When pulling up to the HQ of #AnswerArmy, you wouldn’t know it produced some of the most legendary frames and products in BMX history. However, on the inside, it was exactly what you’d expect: a loyal crew of BMX fanatics working hard at printing, building, and shipping products all while surrounded by memorabilia that screamed BMX powerhouse. A tour from the man himself, John Sawyer, and a local lunch later, you could tell that the Answer, Ssquared, and Clayborn BMX crew

thrive on the Florida BMX scene.

Following the trip through the Answer/Ssquared warehouse, the tour powered-on to the 2021 Sunshine State Nationals site - St.Cloud BMX. With so many racers sticking around in Florida between the two national weekends, this local practice saw more familiar faces. Once again, the Colombian National team was present and accounted for. Emily Hayes and Tomas Correa, and 13-year-old expert Ignacio Mangual also made an appearance. St.Cloud is a great track with an expansive area for pits, vendors, and parking all around it. We look forward to returning for the Sunshine State Nationals toward the end of this year’s season!

THURSDAY: The final day was a bit of a catch-22. While we still had a great interview with Kirk Morrison from J&R Bicycles and a local race night at Triple Creek BMX, it also meant this fantastic experience was coming to a close. But still, we raced on. Where did we race to? On to Sarasota BMX!

While Kirk and the rest of his J&R crew were busy setting up the BMX Superstore tent ahead of the upcoming national, he explained in the walk-thru interview why this particular track meant so much to him. “This is where it all started, right here in this spot. This is where I would come set up in my van to vend local races way back when.”

TAMPA BMX RACEWAY

TRIPLE CREEK BMX

JACKSONVILLE BMX

CAPE CORAL BMX HIGH SPRINGS BMX

DAYTONA BMX

ST. CLOUD BMX

From there, I loaded up the rental car one last time and set out for what I heard was a hidden gem of the Florida BMX scene. Boy, were they right! Driving through Floridian countryside and into a grass field, there layed Triple Creek BMX. This track had it all - passionate volunteers, supportive locals, and a flowy and technical track layout. They also have one of the most unique starting gates I’ve seen. When looking at a rack on the gate, you could see who was local and who wasn’t. With an almost completely flat gate to a steep hill, the visiting racers were struggling to find the right technique needed to snap out of the gate. ...that was, until they started noticing a local secret that you’ll just have to see to believe. From National-caliber regulars to hot local riders, everybody was excited to get in some Thursday night action. All 26 motos were on fire! Battle after battle, racers and parents were prepping for the national ahead, while supporting a well deserved local scene. All of which made this local race under the lights a perfect end to my 2021 Florida BMX Tour!

Individually, all six tracks we visited were incredible in their own right. Still, together with the 10 other tracks around the state, I left Florida as a full-on fan of their local racers and incredible track operators. Along the way, I met some heavy-hitter Pros, and got to know them better. With a full schedule ahead of us on the 2021 calendar, I can’t wait to be back in the Sunshine State to meet up with newfound friends I made along the way.