Tag Archives: Knox Thunderdome
The pointy end of the season
The end of the 2017 BMX season is fast approaching with a few large meets left for the year, Knox Thunderdome, Tasmanian State Titles and the Victorian State Titles. After travelling all over Victoria this year, racing the Victorian State Series in which I placed 2nd for 40+ retro, I am excited to be going on my first interstate trip to race retro BMX at the Tasmanian State Titles in the second week of November. In reflection, my year was an interesting one, it had a change of trainers, from James Tait to Luke Cristiano, it was full of niggling injuries, loaded with self doubt and apprehension and my mind in overdrive with thoughts of the crash in 2016 that had me out of action for a while, it was these mental battles that I had to overcome as I was getting faster. I can now say that I feel
Retro BMX racing season is up and running
The 2017 Retro BMX racing season kicked off this week, with the Track Attack series, 6 race meets over 9 days, it is a brutal welcome back to the race season and is a good spring board towards training for the national titles if you plan on doing them. From a personal point of view I decided to only do the two rounds to get some time back on the bike on a track which was sorely needed, other than a few training sessions I haven’t raced since the Victorian BMX state titles in November of 2016. I really didn’t expect too much as the training I have done recently was more based around strengthening my troublesome knee rather than riding fast. That being said I was still a little disappointed that I didn’t go faster than the recent open meets at Knox and Frankston in November and October of
From criterium racing to retro BMX racing
What a difference, 4 years makes, back in 2012 I was racing 1 hour criteriums on a road bike and loving it, the criterium is a very tactical race and is not always about the person that has the fastest sprint. Break aways are common as are spells of hard riding, that are designed to take the sting out of the sprinters leg. I personally had a decent sprint, but couldn’t mix it in the end with the pure speed demons, but I could take out a race from along way out and make the race difficult for those behind me, I also loved breaking away out on my own and challenging myself, most often my solo break aways would not work out, but from time to time I would spring a surprise and hold on. With these tactics I found myself at the pointy end of the field
Rider Bio: Ashley Grange
Name: Ashley Grange Home Club: Knox, Vic. Classes: 40+ Retro Bike: 1983/84 Profile Champ Best Retro Results: 3rd Lilydale back to the valley 2016 3rd Frankston Helltrack series 2016 4th Frankston Helltrack open 2016 6th Vic riders cup Wyhndam 2016 6th Park Orchards open 2016 8th Knox Thunderdome 2016 12th overall Victorian State Titles. About Me: I’m 40 years old and started racing bmx in 1982. Numerous race wins and state plates between then and when I stopped racing in 1988. My best effort was 4th in the 9 boys expert state title and 7th in my last state titles in 1988. Raced Australia titles in SA in 1986 and missed out on a spot in the final due to a heavy crash in the semi while leading. Fast forward 28 years to 2016 and I’m back out on the bike racing and loving it. Sponsors: Old School BMX Progressive
Knox Thunderdome retro class finals
Thanks to Adrian, who took the video of the retro class finals at the recent Knox Thunderdome event, enjoy. The author of the site is in the invitational final, which runs 1st and brings it in for 4th place, quite a fair way behind the first 3, but hey you have to start somewhere.
Knox Thunderdome 2016 results
Knox Thunderdome is the biggest BMX race event in Victoria next to the Victorian state titles, held over the 5th and 6th of November 2016. Thunderdome attracting a total of 24 entries over the 3 retro classes with the bulk of those entries making up the 14 man field in the 30+ retro class. Six motos and finals over the weekend saw some fast and furious racing. With the Victorian state titles comming up in 2 weeks, Knox Thunderdome was the last chance to race in open competition before the big one and no one was holding back. Simon Anderson was the eventual winner with Michael Herceg and South Australian Ali Scott making up the podium. Closely followed by Neale who had a very consistent weekend with all 7 races in the 37 seconds, 2016 new comer to the retro scene Brendon Marshall was stoked to come in at 5th