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(07.31.01)

REDLINE'S QUEST FOR TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION
by gOrk

Louisville, KY. With 32 different countries represented--everywhere from Argentina to Latvia, Equador to Australia... UCIs WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS was definitely a World Class BMX race.

Surprisingly, there are a lot of fast racers from these foreign lands.

Not so surprisingly; there were a ton of REDLINE bikes in the mains and on top of the podiums.

FRIDAY NIGHT - CRUISER MAINS: In the 16 Cruiser main, it was the showdown everyone had been talking about--BUBBA HARRIS, finally up against NBL's top dawg... C.J.McGuire, along with Argentina's finest, Manuel Lopez.

Earlier in the semi, Bub' had already proven he could beat C.J., in their first ever match-up. But for the past two years, Lopez the Argentinian has always got the best of Bubba.

This year, history was about to change!

All three contenders popped out of the gate and barreled to the first set of doubles. Lopez squeezed over on Bubba and they both collided in the air. Luckily, Bubba was able to survive it with a midair hip-check, which threw Lopez off just enough for our Redline Ripper to nab the lead. Suddenly, the Florida Gangsta' pulled up alongside Bubba, and they went thru the first turn elbow-to-elbow. By now, the crowd was on its feet and screams filled the arena. Side by side approaching the rhythm section, Bubb'ster stepped on the gas and pulled away just slightly. Through the rhythm section, he smoothly stretched his lead even more. By the last turn, the UCI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP title was his! [1 down, 1 to go!]

Redline Factory Pros MATT HADAN and JASON CARNES, along with their newfound sidekick KAMAKAZI, were all flying in the three qualifying rounds. And then came Semi's--where one little bobble cost Diesel and Carnes a qualifying spot. Meanwhile, Kamakazi continued to rip and found himself in the one-lap Elite Pro Cruiser final.

The gate slammed and our Aussie hero got squeezed like a bottle of Nutella by the two French fryers--Allier and Leveque. Trying to make up ground Kamakazi was pullin' hard when suddenly he heard a strange rubbing noise coming from his front tire. It was his Headlock system. Not only broke, but now scraping the top of his front tire! It's amazing he didn't bail, and it was slowing his front wheel in midair over each big set of doubles. This "mechanical" dropped him back to 7th.

SATURDAY - AMATEUR DAY: Allow me to brag for a paragraph--Redline bikes won plenty of World Championship's this year! ALYSSA KIMURA--who hails from our cosponsored AJ's/Redline squad (based in Temecula, California) kicked things off in the mains with a huge win on her Proline Mini.

One of the Australian girls--MELISSA MANKOWSKI; supported by BMX International's FACTORY REDLINE (Oz-chapter) proceeded to stomp her comp for the fourth straight year. Melissa scored a great victory for all of those Redline fans down unda'.

Then came KIM HAYASHI's main. Again--up against her good friend and arch rival Samantha Cools (from Canada). As expected, the two were visor-to-visor entering turn one, with Cools having the inside advantage. Hayashi, using her Redline geometry for all it's worth, went wide and high to build momentum, and dove to the inside with the mach-speed she's known for. Unfortunately, two other girls snuck directly in to her line and it became a Redline sandwich. Kim crashed... and slowly got back up to a standing ovation from the crowd. She was goin' for it; no doubt about it.

The second to last main of Amateur night was 16-Boys (no--Bubba's not 16 yet, but UCI rules go by the year you were born instead of month and day). Lined up with his arch nemesis of the past two years--Manuel Lopez from Argentina, the entire crowd was on its feet before the gate even dropped; as if they all knew they were about to witness one of the all-time greatest races in BMX History!

Gate slammed and Bubba's Proline gave him a powerful snap. Lopez was on Harris were side by side, as if someone had heli-arced their elbows together; they were that tight. Bubba would gain one foot on a jump, and then Lopez retaliated and took a one foot lead on the next obstacle. Every person in the place was screamin' for their favorite. Lopez took the lead in the 2nd-to-last turn, but Bubba struck back with an inside swoop to regain it by the last turn. With maybe half a bike lead, Redline's Superstar had three rollers left before becoming a 2-time World Champ. But suddenly; the unthinkable happened... he bobbled over the last two rollers. It was just enough for Lopez to catch up and it was a side-by-side dash to the line. By an inch... maybe even half an inch, Lopez stole the win from Bubba.

Bummer!

For most BMXers, one World Championship and a 2nd place would be the best weekend of their life. But for a competitive guy like Bubba, he was devastated.

I suppose that's what makes him so good.

SUNDAY - PRO ELITE DAY: Once the Redline Pros of Hadan, Carnes and Kamakazi attacked the track, getting thru the motos was a breeze. Quarters & semi's, though, were tough. Carnes hit the gate early in his and couldn't make up ground. Hadan was leading his quarter until the second monster-set of doubles got up and bit him. Icing his wrist, America lost one of their few good chances of a USA World Champ.

Semi time came quick and Kamakazi was still in the hunt and looking really strong. The wild 19 year old Aussie was feeling good about going all the way. The gate fell and Mr.Kazi (Kama to his close friends) didn't get the best start of his life, and was balled up by a few riders. Down the back stretch he poured on his amazing power. When you watch him ride, it's as if he has reserve NitrusOxide system in his calves--this dude JAMS! Unfortunately, he couldn't make up any ground on the 4th place transfer spot, and his quest for World Domination ended there.

Despite not making the top-8 cut--Kamakazi has definitely opened some eyes in America, and his good nature, wild appearance and cool name has already made him a fan favorite in the States.

In the typical French tradition of Leveque and Allier, Sunexs (our French Distributor) Redline-sponsored JEREMY COTTE remained strong and steady all day, and found his spot on the JUNIOR ELITE podium; snagging a very impressive third place.

To sum up the past 2 weekends -- Team Redline (America) took 3 World Championships (two in ABA, one in the NBL). Not a bad showing, for sure. And Redline bikes and Factory Redline riders (Foreign) took home their fair share of World Champ titles at both events.

Total World Domination?

You decide.

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