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USA BMX Grands concludes the 2018 season by crowning four new Amateur Champions
The USA BMX Grands - known by many as "The Greatest Race on Earth," just took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma and concluded the 2018 season by crowning four new Amateur Champions.
- November, 29th 2018
4 min read
The USA BMX Grands - known by many as "The Greatest Race on Earth," just took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma and concluded the 2018 season by crowning four new Amateur Champions.
Here are your new USA BMX Amateur Champions for 2018.
'With a win & only a win' was something we heard a lot from BA Anderson on Sunday night from Tulsa's River Spirit Expo. And ALL Danica Anderson did was win!
Needing another win in the 11-12 Girls Cruiser to claim the National #1 Girl Cruiser Title we saw much of the same from Danica. As she easily won her moto, the Lil' Avalanche rolled into history becoming the first multi-generation National #1.
Danica's father, Richie Anderson, was a 2-time National #1 Amateur, and her Uncle Ronnie was the National #1 Pro in 1985.
With a flex of the guns from the starting gate, Hayden Passanisi signaled he was ready to shake of his injuries from earlier in the season and roll to a title. As he muscled his way to winning his 8 Cruiser moto, Passanici grabbed the overall points lead and never let go. Hayden's final cruiser victory of the weekend netted him the 2018 National #1 Cruiser Title.
Passanisi's 2,662 points were too much for defending National #1 Cruiser Marshall Gerke to overcome. In winning the 2018 National #1 Cruiser Title, Hayden joined his coach, and local Chula Vista, CA track operator, Tyler Brown, atop the podium this past weekend in Tulsa.
There haven't been many titles, cups or plates, Box Factory Team rider Ronnie Kim hasn't won. But the title of National #1 Amateur had eluded Kim, that is, until the 2018 Grand Nationals.
Ronnie cruised to ROC #1 on Friday night on both his cruiser and 20-inch before setting his sights on the Grands and National #1 Title. The National #1 Amateur Title fills an already full trophy case, as Kim is a three-time World Champion, and has propelled himself to six-straight NAG championship trophies.
Haro Racing's, Peyton Ridenour powered her way to the National #1 Amateur Girl title on Sunday in Tulsa. Needing to win her main to overtake newly crowned National #1 Girl Cruiser, Danica Anderson, Peyton never looked back.
As she took the gate in the 15-16 Girls main event, Peyton joined three other riders in her moto that needed a 'Win and ONLY a Win' to move past Anderson's 2672 points and onto the stage.
On a weekend where the the inside lanes seemed to provide an advantage at the start, Ridenour nailed the hole shot from Lane 5. Never looking back, Ridenour fended off a late surge by Esja Shriver to take the National #1 Amateur Girl title.
J&R Bicycles.com Chase/Box overcame a packed field that include third place, Elite Bicycles-Fly Racing, and the Grands #1 Bike Shop Team, BMX Sharks, to take the National #1 Bike Shop Team award. This was J&R's 7th time winning the National #1 Bike Shop Title, which is a USA BMX record.
Factory Full Tilt Racing charged hard to 2nd in the Grands Factory Team standings on their way to the overall National #1 Factory Team Title!
Fritz and the team fought off the hard charging Answer/Rennan and Throdwn Factory Teams who placed third and second in the Factory Team standings respectively. The 2018 Factory Team title was a first for Full Tilt Racing.