The BT Bittersweet Super D and Downhill Race

Photos by: Monique Spaulding

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

Bootleg Canyon’s race scene is starting to grow! There are promoters from all over the country bearing down on the Canyon looking to put on events. This is great for mountain biking and for Boulder City alike. There will be a “5 part” race series at Bootleg Canyon in 2010… so be sure to count on KHS being there to represent in full force!

COURTSEY : www.declinemagazine.com

If the shuttle lines are too long… get a wizard to shuttle you! KHS riders had their own private “wizard  shuttle”!!

Injuries are not uncommon at a Mountain Bike race… luckily this guy only suffered a concussion.

The view of Lake Mead from the top of the Downhill  start box is incredible, however, this biggest man made lake in the world is starting to look a little parched!

Binggeli, only 30 seconds before his race run start, was feeling extremely comfortable and ready to lay one down. Logan had the fastest qualifying time on the Friday afternoon.

Binggeli got off to a good start and looked smooth throughout the entire top section of the track. He took the “hot seat” for a brief moment until he  was unfortunately dethroned by GT’s Kevin Aiello (who had the quickest time of the day). He did however still manage to capture a 2nd place podium finish for KHS on the day.

I was just a few riders back from Binggeli to get on track, and was feeling comfortable and dialed for my final run.

I also managed to get off to a good start and hit the top section with good speed. Immediately after that I almost pinch flatted my front tire (losing a bunch of air and along with it any hope of a  win). If it wasn’t for the “tubeless” set-up, I probably would have DNF’d. I finished 6th overall on the day and was somewhat disappointed not to be on the podium in my own back yard!

KHS “B-Team” rider, Tony Landy gets a silver plaque and takes 2nd for KHS in his class.

KHS “B-Team” rider, Chuck Valenzuela takes the Vet Pro win for KHS in the Downhill.

Left to right: Scott Johnson (KHS B TEAM), Kevin Aiello ( Factory GT), Logan Bingelli (Factory KHS)

Scott Johnson had a great DH run Sunday and a 3rd place podium finish. As always, KHS had a very strong presence on the podium.

Pro Men Top 10

KHS has been a sponsor of the Bootleg Canyon events since their inception. Seen here is one of the many “High End” frame-sets that KHS has given away  over the years. These trails have been our official testing grounds for many years and we also do a lot of R&D testing there in the off season.

A huge smile on this kids face as he walks away the lucky winner of a KHS DH200 frame-set.

Everybody wants to be a wizard!! Not everybody has what it takes, however, Jeff Aiello has what it takes and then some. If I didn’t know better… I would call him Merlin!

The next time we return to race at Bootleg Canyon, will be in January of 2010 (which will be a great pre-season race). It has an enormous $20, 000 purse that race promoter David Collins (AKA “Crash” of Crash Innovations) has worked hard to acquire.

“The KHS Team Sponsors”

We will be in Fontana, CA 11/22 – 11/23 for the 18th Annual Challenge, of which KHS is an official sponsor. If you are there come by and say hi!

Stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

2009 California Golden State Downhill Championship – Mammoth Finals

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

Photos by: Monique Spaulding

The return of the Mammoth! It was at the National Championships in 2004 that I was last at Mammoth Mountain and it felt great to be back.

The landscape from the base of the mountain is majestic. Looking at the track from this vantage point, we could tell that it would be dry and loose.

There are many chairlifts as well as a Gondola that service this busy mountain.

By arriving early we managed to secure ourselves  the best spot, which just happened to be right at the finish line of all the disciplines and next door to our good friends and sponsor KENDA Tires.

We had a great team showing in the Super D race (which turned out to be a powerful riders track) and this played right into our favor with KHS’s own Scott Johnson ready to do business.

Johnson is on the “KHS-B Team” and has been training hard this year. He is starting to focus more closely on Super D events and shows great potential to be a Super D specialist on the KHS Factory Team roster for 2010.

Binggeli on the gas to a 6th place finish in the Super D (right behind teammate Ulmer).

Ulmer on his way to a very strong 5th place podium finish in the Super D for Team KHS.

Johnson killed this track taking the win ahead of Joe Lawill and Waylon Smith respectively.

KHS on top of the podium again. Scott Johnson wins the Super D and is backed up by teammate Naish Ulmer in 5th place.

Photo left to right: Waylon Smith (ROYAL 661), Scott Johnson (KHS), Joe Lawill (Santacruz), Naish Ulmer (KHS)

Johnson with his Golden State Championship jersey. This was an awesome win for Johnson, being that it was his 2nd consecutive Super D win for the season.

PRO SUPER D TOP 8

4X was the next  scheduled event on this very busy day at the races. The long haul up to the start box for practice was long, steep and tiring…

…now this is how it should have been done to begin with!

Binggeli wasted no time getting primed on the 4X track (fresh off his win at the Pro GRT race in Windham, NY a few weeks back). He took himself all the way to the final knocking both Eric Carter(Factory GT) and Rich Houseman(Intense / Team Houseman) out in the previous rounds.

The Final in the 4X was all Binggeli!!  He has found the feel for winning and what it takes to get it done and  I am sure we are in for many more wins from Logan in the future.

Binggeli looking cool, calm and collected ready for his interview with the Channel MTB guys.

Photo left to right: Cody Elchhorn (661 / SMITH), Logan Binggeli (KHS), Garrett Rose (THOR)

Another top spot podium finish for KHS, and the second for Binggeli in 3 races!

PRO 4X TOP 4

We had the busiest pit area in the house… right at the FINISH!

The SHIMANO kids race took place right before the infamous KAMIKAZE DOWNHILL event. It was led out by none other than Tinker Juarez who is a three time U.S. Olympian, a Pan Am Games Gold Medalist, and a World Championship Silver Medalist. Tinker was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 2001.

Binggeli seen  here in the background… catches his 30 second gap at the finish of KAMIKAZE and takes 8th place.

Ulmer put in a huge effort at the finish of the Kamikaze Downhill event. He gave it his all and finished up 4th  … an awesome result!

Photo left to right: Naish Ulmer, (KHS) Rich Houseman (Intense), Eric Carter (GT), Alex”Rally Smurf”M, Graeme Pitts (SANTACRUZ)

PRO KAMAKAZI TOP 20

Ready for a good DH practice session!

This track was so dry and dusty – the dirt is all Pumice (volcanic lava froth), it looks solid but it can actually float on water.

There were many well built features such as  drops, jumps and rock gardens which made for a pretty awesome track…good job to the MTB Crew at Mammoth!

I was doing so well in my DH final and then about half way down I had a significant crash . I am sure it would have been a good result for me had that not happened…. once again I was very disappointed!

Ulmer turned another good result finishing 12th.

Binggeli killed it with a 3rd place podium finish for KHS.

Photo left to right: John Keep, (NORCO) Logan Binggeli (KHS), Mikey Sylverstri (Santacruz Syndicate), J.D. Swanguen (Intense / TLD / ODI)

PRO DH TOP 30

Naish “living the life”… if only it came wrapped in a box with instructions !!

KHS “B-Team” rider Shawn Hawkins showed up, put on his sexy suite, removed his visor and finished with a modest 6th place overall in the Legends KAMIKAZE event.

PRO LEGENDS KAMIKAZE TOP20

“The KHS Team Sponsors”

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

Whiteface, NY – Pro GRT Finals

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

Photos by: Quinton Spaulding & Casey Fasset

Flying the “friendly Skies” with Southwest Airlines. I would like to make mention that if you are flying with a bike… Southwest is the BEST!

Boxing my race bikes is always a chore, but it must be done correctly to ensure that your equipment comes out in good condition at the other end.

The tail end of the season has crept up on us. What with all the traveling to different venues, the flights, the hotel rooms, and the people…everything has  become a blur!

Putt Putt or Miniature Golf  is one of our teams favorite down- time activities. It has turned somewhat into a competitive sport amongst us…  Binggeli being the current “Putt Putt” Champion!

Out of the box,  fully assembled and ready to attack!… the Factory DH200 KHS Race Bike.

The dirt on the East Coast is AWESOME!  From all the moisture they get it almost mimics World Cup conditions better than anywhere else in the US.

Ulmer leads out during practice!

Plenty moisture turned into “way too much” moisture at Whiteface. It pretty much rained solidly during this event, causing the track to become extremely tough to navigate.

It rained all night continuing through the following morning. This turned the conditions before qualifying from bad to worse and Sundays early morning track inspection became difficult to say the least.

Once the mountain was saturated with rain, it started to ooze some type of oil which was extremely slippery.

The top of the track had some really steep sections.

The ruts had gotten deep and challenging… front brakes were not an option here!

Spectators and officials alike had a hard time hiking down this track.

Ulmer had a solid 12th place finish. He said that he had a fairly clean run with only a couple of small bobbles in the top woods.

Photo courtesy: www.downhillmike.com

Binggeli placed 5th in qualifying allowing himself a great position on the start line  for the final. During his Final run, he had a significant get off  and crashed in the woods pretty hard. He still managed to get back on his bike, finishing in 11th place.

PRO MEN TOP 20

“Flavor Flav”… yeah that’s right, I sat next to William Jonathan Drayton Jr. on my flight back from Albany to Vegas. Flavor Flav is an American rapper/ television star and a member of the rap group Public Enemy. He made my trip home a lot more interesting… “Yeah boy!”

“The KHS Team Sponsors”

Next for us is Mammoth Mountain, CA for the State Championships Sept 3 – 6.

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

Windham, NY – Pro GRT Tour

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

Photos by: Casey Fasset and Quinton Spaulding

“Puddle Jumpers” are scary to fly on! I guess looks can be deceiving though because this was the smoothest flight of the trip. We landed in Albany, NY Wednesday evening ready for our visit to Windham Mountain which was stop # 4 on the Pro Gravity Tour.

Walking the course was our first chore upon arrival and after doing so we were super pumped to ride it. The track was steep, high speed with tons of flow and had some well built jumps towards the finish to complete it.

The preparation that the Windham crew put into the 4X and DH tracks was very noticeable. It is easy to see why they are  hosting the World Cup Finals in 2010.

Jim Wannamaker is dubbed “the hardest working man in mountain biking”.  Over the years I have come to know Jim pretty well and trust me he lives up to every word of that title! KENDA makes great tires, and we are stoked to have them as a sponsor.

4X was first off Saturday evening and Binggeli qualified 1st. This was huge for his gate selection.

Binggeli owned this track!  I could sense we were going to get our first Pro GRT 4X win during the heat races.

In the final heat Binggeli initially had a little trouble out the gate and did not get the “holeshot”.  About halfway down the track he made the boldest pass ever, flat landing off a wooden bridge taking the lead and giving him the overall win, along with a stack of UCI Points and a little cash.

Smiles all around for Team KHS.

The winning KHS 4X bike dead center on the podium!

This was Binggeli’s first time on top of the podium at a National as a professional.

Champagne never tasted so good before for Binggeli and once you’ve tasted it … you want more!

Sunday mornings DH Qualifiers came up real quick! Binggeli had a big crash during his run, and I had a good get off myself, losing my shoe halfway down the course. We did however both go through to the finals.

The DH track in Windham was so much fun, we had a blast riding it and it had everything a track needed  in order to test a rider.

Binggeli had another consistently good final. He took the “hotseat” at the finish and had it for a good stint. After the final 10 Qualifiers came down Logan placed 6th, just one spot off the podium for KHS.

I was pleased with my performance, having a pretty clean run pushing pretty hard the entire way down the track. I earned some valuable World Cup Points with a 23rd place overall.

Pro Men top 35 DH Results

Casey Fasset (seen here on the chairlift) has been following our team since the beginning of the 2009 season. He is the official KHS Team videographer, and is doing a great job of capturing what we do on the Pro Mountain-Bike tour. Take a look below at a short YouTube clip he compiled for KHS.

Next we are off to the final stop on the Pro GRT Tour at Whiteface in Wilmington, NY. This is the 5K Downhill that packs a punch and we look forward to getting there. We will be there in full force hoping to take home some medals, money and points!

“The KHS Team Sponsors”

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

Snowmass, CO – Pro GRT Tour

Report and photos by: Quinton Spaulding

We rolled into Snowmass, Colorado on the Monday afternoon following Crankworx. The weather was fantastic and we were excited to get riding.

As the chairlift was not set-up to start until that Friday, we did a lot of XC riding instead. The trail we rode the most was a “cliff band” that enclosed the entire Snowmass area named “Rim Trail”

These trails were single track and very tight with lush surroundings.

Binggeli was back for this race after having injured his hand the week before… testing his skills with a GINSU Knife!

Our condo at the Laurelwood Lodge was surrounded by wildlife – this squirrel gained 2 ounces during our stay there!

We even had the privilege of a FOX walk directly into our Condo the one night, however, I had to explain that we were with MANITOU and felt conflicted trying to accommodate him!

The view of the background scenery seen between our tents was beautiful… “Rim Trail” can be seen here.

We were stoked once practice eventually started. We could now do our thing, which included long hours in the pits, working on bikes and just making sure that they were 100% ready to go.

4X was held Saturday evening and Binggeli rode flawlessly amongst the very best in the World… Jared Graves!!

There is no “I” in team right? Ulmer pushes Binggeli’s 4X bike back to the start for the next heat.

Binggeli raced well and went all the way to the small final on the day – this left him with an opportunity for a great top 5 finish.

During the small final, Binggeli seized the moment and won the heat convincingly taking the 5th place finish for the 4X overall.

PRO 4X Results

“An early nights sleep and text your mommy!” finish to the day. Those were team orders the Saturday night before the DH finals on Sunday.

Binggeli had a great DH final on Sunday finishing just short of a podium, he managed to secure himself a solid 8th place position. Binggeli has definitely elevated his game, featuring in the top 10 at any given race. Things did not go as well for Naish Ulmer and myself in the Downhill, we both “pinch flatted” at the top of the course during the finals. That’s how it is in racing, every downhill race has many variables that have to fall into place in order to have a solid clean run.

PRO DH Results

Next stop is Windham Mountain in New York, the home of the 2010 UCI World Cup Finals. We have heard so many good things about Windham and could not wait to get out there and experience it in person.

Our sponsors are a special group and we are  privileged to have this fine affiliation with these upstanding companies…thank you!

“The KHS Team Sponsors”

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

Crankworx Colorado 2009

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

Photos by: Monique Spaulding

On our way through Colorado headed towards CrankWorx, CO 2009.

Winter Park Resort is a great place to ride… they have endless trails and a very well maintained park.

This years event was plagued by rain, however, it did clear up for the main event being the “slopestyle”.

We kept warm and well fed during the week with our
“bring along BBQ”!

Those were the only rules!

I rode with David K this entire event… it was fast and a lot of fun!

Just off to the side of the trail, a HUGE deer!

The opportunity was too tempting for one rider, he charged the deer but was no match for its speed and agility.

The “Boulevard Trail” at Winter Park Mountain Bike Ski Resort.

Logan Binggeli was unable to attend CrankWorx, Colorado due to an accidental cut to his hand. He had to allow it time to heal before the Pro GRT race at Snowmass CO, the following weekend.

I was back after experiencing  a small hairline fracture to my left hand at a previous race, but unfortunately  I was not a 100%… I failed to qualify for the finals.

The “Hot Seat” was large and well constructed  – it dwarfed anyone who sat in it!

If you were this little guy… which way would you have gone?

We departed Monday afternoon for Snowmass, Colorado only to encounter some really hostile thunderstorms. This made the drive all that more exciting.

Off to Snowmass hoping to find a real downhill race track, with high speed, steep, testing sections… Report to follow soon.

“The KHS Team Sponsors”

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

2009 US National Championships – Sol Vista, CO

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

Photos by: Brittany Spaulding

We were in picturesque  Grandby, CO at the Sol Vista Mountain Bike Park this past weekend for the 2009 US National Championships.

Team KHS always arrives early in preparation for every race event. We were set up, and ready to go for the first 4X practice session early Thursday morning.

This was a huge, fast and technical course that was well constructed by the boys at the Sol Vista Bike Park.

Buhl got her lines dialed early and was ahead of the game by the end of the first practice session.

Binggeli  looked great during his practice runs. He was a definite contender for the title besides being one of the favorites amongst the fans!

Men – Pro – Elite 4X Results

During the 4X Finals held Saturday evening, Binggeli was boxed out in round two and did not make it to the final round. However, he finished up in 9th place (which is a very respectable top 10 finish amongst the very best in the Nation).

Left to right: Melissa Buhl (KHS Bicycles), Jill Kintner (Redbull / Intense), Kathy Pruit (Jamis), Darran Harvey (Cannondale)

Buhl faired well and came up just short of taking the 4X Championship Title with a 2nd place podium finish.

Women – Pro – Elite 4X Results

The crowds and racers swelled Saturday morning for the start of the Cross Country.

This fella would do anything to “get the shot”, and if memory serves me well, I do believe he learned everything he knows from Jeremiah Dylan Dean (Dylan Dean Designs).

Binggeli and myself discussing strategies before Downhill practice. This course was technical, rough and loose on the top, which then  lead out of the woods toward some jumps big enough for my YZ250F.

Binggeli leads out for our first practice.

The trees were thick in the upper parts of the course and it felt awesome to let the bike roll and let off on the brakes through these sections.

DH Practice was going well for us as a team until I went over the bars! I crashed hard enough to completely eliminate myself from competition and was told by the Doctor on site that it was likely that I had broken a bone in my hand. I waited to get back to Vegas before getting some X-Rays, and was extremely relieved to learn that there was only a very small hairline fracture on my third metacarpal and some bone bruising.

Ulmer had the best Super D race of his Pro Career. He finished 6th (just one place off the podium and one place behind Factory GT racer Eric Carter). Naish beat Adam Craig (Giant Bicycles) who is considered a “Super D specialist”.

Men – Pro – Elite Super D Results

KHS Factory Team mechanic “G-Money”, took time out from his busy wrenching schedule during the weekend to race the Open Mens Super D. He managed to secure a very good 6th place finish ahead of Greg “H-Ball” Herbold. Herbold was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1996. He won a UCI DH World Championship in 1990, and numerous NORBA Championships in the 80’s and 90’s. Well done G-Money!

Men – Open – Super D Results

www.littlechaweenie.com

This little guy has his own website as well as a “FaceBook Fan Page”… go ahead and become a fan, no one will even know!

Binggeli during his race run.

Ulmer skies the doubles!

Binggeli coming out of the woods.

Men – Pro – Elite DH Results

Binggeli finished 24th with a clean run, but was disappointed and expected to do better. Ulmer finished 52nd.

Buhl attacked from the word go and took the 1st place podium finish re-capturing the National Downhill Championship Title for the second consecutive year.

Left to right: Katie Holden (Specialized), Kathy Pruit (Jamis), Melissa Buhl (KHS Bicycles) Lisa Myklak (Fox Racing), Jacqueline Harmony (Vixen Racing)

Women – Pro – Elite DH Results

KHS will be at CRANKWORX CO July 29 – Aug 3 2009.  From there we will head directly to Snowmass in Aspen, CO for the next round of the Professional MTB Gravity Race Tour. Stop by and say hi if you are going to be there.

KHS HAS MUCH LOVE FOR ALL IT’S CO-SPONSORS!!!

THANK YOU!

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

2009 California Golden State Downhill Championship – Round 3

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

Photos by:  Brittany Spaulding

“The Heat Is On!” Racing in Fontana, CA during July seems crazy… but yes we were there. It was a two run format which really amplified the heat factor!

The pits looked respectable, however, you could tell that things on the Cross Country side were a little slower… probably because of the 100  degree plus temps I am sure!

Downhill shuttles were “business as usual“.

Dave Collins, Race Promoter of  Crash Innovations, took a pretty bad tumble during Saturday’s practice.

This brought out the Fontana paramedics.

Unfortunately Dave was taken away suffering from a broken patella (Knee Cap).

A view of the early morning shuttle line, in preparation for our final practice.

The KHS weapon of choice at Fontana is always the Lucky 7!

David K struggled with the heat this weekend… so much so that he actually had to be hooked up to an IV for dehydration.

I had two consistent runs Sunday (which weren’t quite good enough for a podium), but I was pretty close with an 8th place overall finish.

From left to right: Rich Houseman (Fox/Intense), Kevin Aielo (Factory GT), JD Swanguen (Troy Lee / Intense), Shaun Palmer (Intense), Ian Odom (Brodie Bikes)

Pro Men DH Results

Ladies Podium

From left to right: Francine Johnson (KHS), Joy Martin, Christine Hirst,  Jennifer Wolf (all with Vixen Racing)

If you know of anyone who is interested in joining our “B-TEAM” or “R.A.C.E.R.” programs, please shoot me an email, or contact our R.A.C.E.R. (Team Manager) Vince Calvillo on our sponsorship page… just click on the email our R.AC.E.R. Team Manager “button”.

Proud Sponsors of the 2009 KHS Factory Team

The entire KHS Squad will be at the Sol Vista Bike Park in Granby, CO  July 16 -19 for the National Championships. We hope to see you there.

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

Mountain States Cup – Wildflower Rush

Photos by: Monique  Spaulding

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

I just love traveling the Highways of America, every  trip has something new and spontaneous to offer.

Traveling through Utah (on our way to Crested Butte, CO), we were treated to some awesome rainbows.

We arrived at the base of the mountain in Crested Butte on Thursday morning to pleasant weather and beautiful scenery.

KHS Factory riders Melissa Buhl and Logan Bingelli were in Europe at this time racing  the “Wheels of Speed” in Willingen, Germany. They then made their way to Maribor, Italy which is one of the friendliest stops on the UCI World Cup Circuit . Buhl on the podium in Maribor with a fantastic 2nd place finish in the 4X.

This was Bingelli’s first World Cup appearance for KHS.  Although he did not qualify for the Final on Sunday, he still put in a good effort gaining some invaluable experience that he can build on down the road as he ventures deeper into World Cup racing. He finished 24th at the “Wheels of Speed”… a good result.

Some crazy sights from the town of Crested Butte.

The peak of Crested Butte Mountain in the background.

In the village.

Next door.

The Crested Butte “SKI Resort” is  well equipped and prepared for a major “action event”. It is rumored that they have future plans for a World Cup Downhill race… on a brand new track.

The Wildflower Rush, MSC # 4 was a new track, which was  nicely laid out with many well built features. This was a “strong pedal” track and fitness was a big factor.

The finish line area had a great ski jump for the crowds. Along with riders that were launching it, it kept the crowd entertained  all weekend long.

We had some good rain showers before qualifying, which made for some pretty slick and sluggish conditions.

I had a fairly decent qualifying run finishing up 22nd out of 65 plus riders.

I shaved 10 seconds off of my qualifying run in the final, along with almost everybody else on a faster drier track. I finished 24th overall on the day and felt pretty good with that result at a National Level.

PRO Men DH Results

Matt Eglin… “The Man” at Hayes that takes care of the teams needs at all our events, outdid himself again at this race …thanks Matt!

KHS will be back in Colorado again for the US National Championships at Sol Vista Mountain Bike Park – July 16th thru the 19th. We are aiming high and looking for titles.

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.

2009 California Golden State Championship – Woodward West

Report by: Quinton Spaulding

Photos by: Monique & Brittany Spaulding

This past weekend the “KHS CREW” was at the wonderful facilities of Woodward West in Tehachapi, CA for round # 1 of the California State Downhill and Mountain Cross Championships.

I live to race my downhill bike no matter what the track. I have to admit however, that I was really pleased to see that Donny and his guy’s from Southridge Racing had prepared a newly improved track for us to compete on. It was a short track, yet it had all the attributes for a good race track that “downhillers” would  like instantaneously.

David Dasta

Jim De Haven

Scott Johnson

Francine Johnson

Johnson says that he feels so good in his gear…so good, he wears it out to dinner!

The start gate at Woodward is  just perfect! It drops you in from about 15 feet of elevation and gets you off to a fast rolling start into the top of the track.

The Shuttle trucks  worked hard all weekend  making sure racers were on the track for practice as well as for the race.

The practice lines were pretty busy too, so much so that it seemed that everyone was having so much fun on the new track getting in the maximum amount of practice runs.

As always, KERN COUNTY had all their bases covered when it came to injuries of any kind.

A quick round of “foot golf” right before the first of 2 runs in the final. Cal State races always use a 2 run combined format whereby each rider does two timed race runs. The two times are then combined to determine the winner.

I have not broken my “crashing streak” yet! I went down in my first race run which set me back in the overall. My second run was way more competitive, and if my first would have been as good, I would have had a shot at a podium finish. I finished 11th overall.

Scott Johnson put down 2 consistent runs and placed 12th in the Pro Class overall.

Jim De Haven in one of his race runs.

“Big Cheeze” in the house!  Ric Houseman did such a good job of providing live run- by- run commentary on the racing straight out of the start gate. This made for a fantastic race atmosphere, I could hear him through my helmet during my race runs… it was truly inspiring!

Mountain Bike Actions own Ryan Cleek was also out at Woodward racing DH. He recently suffered a broken Humerus (upper arm) at the first Gravity National held at Bootleg Canyon earlier this season. Ryan ended the weekend with a very strong 2nd place podium finish.

KHS “B-Team” racer Francine Johnson (spouse and teammate of Scott Johnson) finished 2nd in the Pro Women DH, with some excellent riding throughout the weekend.

Chuck Valenzuela takes a solid 3rd place in the Vet Pro class. Valenzuela is always a threat to the podium in this class.

KHS “B-Team” rider Jim De Haven captures 4th place in the CAT 1, 27 -34.

KHS “B-Team” rider Rodney Bradley earns a 5th place finish in CAT 3, 40 -45. The KHS “B-Team” is really growing, and is operating like a well oiled machine.

We all had a really good time and look forward to the next one.

Every time we leave a race we seem to see something interesting. Here is a photo of one of the many windmill farms in that area of California… they are pretty captivating.

If you know of anyone who is interested in joining our “B-TEAM” or “R.A.C.E.R.” programs, please shoot me an email, or contact our R.A.C.E.R. (Team Manager) Vince Calvillo on our sponsorship page… just click on the email our R.AC.E.R. Team Manager “button”.

Proud Sponsors of the 2009 KHS Factory Team

KHS will be at MSC # 4 – Wildflower Rush in Crested Butte, CO  June 19 -21, hope to see you there.

Please stay tuned for more updates and photos as they become available.

All the best!

Q.