Factory CycleCraft Team

Factory CycleCraft Clinic at St Cloud BMX

2013-05-06T11:11:00.002-07:00

Factory CycleCraft Clinic at First Coast

2013-04-02T18:35:00.001-07:00

CycleCraft BMX Starts the Year on the Podium

2013-01-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

Epic rivalries in sports create the best drama. They hold us to our seats all the way until that last rider crosses the finish line. In Florida BMX there is a three way battle for the Money Team title between Redline/M-1, Hyper Force and CycleCraft BMX. The three are matched so evenly that any lead is slight, any edge is fiercely earned and every moment is gripping to watch.

The Factory CycleCraft team kicked off the new season with a blazing performance at Florida Cups 1 & 2 at Charlotte BMX. Several of their riders won the day putting the Factory team back in the fight for that coveted title. Here are their results.

Pro Men - Photo by Nicole Lamb

The pro men's class was a tight battle with CycleCraft's CJ MaGuire making the Saturday main but slipping a pedal coming out of the gate. He made up for it on Sunday with a powerful start and a 2nd place finish. CJ will be part of the most competitive Pro division we have ever seen. It should be very exciting to follow.

Randy Winfrey battled Redline's Johnny Comerford for the 35-40 expert class. He won that fight on Sat with a win and stayed in top three to finish off the weekend.

Paolo Moreira snuck in a race on Sat taking on Peddler's Matt Moberly and making the Experts shutter with a 1st place win.

Paulo Moreira takes 1st on Sat

Tony Lehman was true to form with consistent performances. He placed 2nd on both days proving once again that a rider over 40 can be very valuable to any solid factory team.

McKenzie "Crazy Socks" Gayheart continues her friendly feud with Ally Mangold. The two of them put on such a great show with Crazy Socks taking the lead every time on both bikes. She walked away with 4 wins and a grateful crowd.

Patrick Deats faced a packed Cruiser class but he stayed comfortable in the front pocket up against Pat Sheridan and John Pringle. Patrick took 3rd on Sat and 2nd on Sunday.

Justice Gagnon was flying high at Charlotte BMX. His signature manuals always stood out as he battled for that top spot. After plenty of elbow to elbow action he took 2nd on both days.

CycleCraft was celebrating over their newest rider Kyra Chiappini. Her red hair was blazing away at the front of the pack in nearly every race. Despite taking on a huge class against the likes of Paige Bobzin and Halle Friedel, Kyra put forth an epic effort taking 1st and 2nd on the scorecards. Check out her cunning pass and win in this video.

Joey Leto has skills that no one can deny but his class is made up young men who are all ready to show their worth. Joey fought for an edge and stayed in the top three all weekend.

Thomas Marchese and Ryan Halligan both gave their all in stacked classes. Their wild swinging efforts were entertaining to watch but both missed the main this time around. They remind us that the only thing better than a good try, is looking good while you try.

Ryan Halligan - Photo by Sherri Matthews

The CycleCraft team landed third overall for the weekend in the Money division but with the points being so close, stay tuned for more epic battles to follow.

Check out the CycleCraft BMX Team and Products:
www.CycleCraftBMX.com

CycleCraft Announces its 2013 Factory Roster

2013-01-02T04:50:00.003-08:00

Factory CycleCraft rolls into 2013 with new sponsors, a new rider and great expectations. CC has a few great new product sponsors: Madera BMX race parts, TFS 24/7 BMX Race parts and Special Tees. Back with CC is Profile, Fly, Answer, J&R Bicycles, Powers Bike Sop, Kenda, Smoothie King and Monster Energy. Special to the team is Daytona Toyota Direct Team Support. Madera will be huge as well something CC will be promoting for Profile both in and out of State.

Fueled by these great sponsors, CycleCraft is proud to announce their 2013 Factory Roster.

Photo by William Trimble

2013 Factory Team

Mckenzie Gayheart 10G

Kalee Reynolds 14 G

Kyra Chiappini 12 G

Joey Leto 12 X

Justice Gagnon 14X

Josh Fry 15X

Ryan Halligan 15X

Thomas Marchese 16X

Randy Winfrey 39X

Patrick Deats VERY OLD X and Cruiser

Shane Hall 20X

CJ McGuire PRO
Tony Lehman Old but Fast X

Factory CycleCraft retains its core team including NAG ranked riders Randy Winfrey, McKenzie Gayheart and Joey Leto. They will be headlined by Disney Cup winner pro rider C.J. McGuire.

New Rider Kyra Chiappini - Photo by Michelle Pineda

The Factory Team has been slimmed down to a lean, mean racing machine ready to begin many years of fun. The only addition for 2013 will be Cape Coral's Kyra Chiappini. They bid goodbye to several great riders: Michelle Huey, Kody Garrett, Bobby Owens, Michelle Cairn and Allison Marchese who will peruse her High School Cheerleading career. CycleCraft appreciates all of their efforts and they will be missed.

CC has retained a few Product riders: Paulo Moreira, Kevin Caccavale and Dylan Reynolds (Older brother of Kalee). These guys are product Devo and Team trainers as well as Clinic instructors alongside with Factory squad.

CycleCraft has had their best six months of frame sales in the history of the company. They are blessed to almost always have in stock all sizes or not more than a 4 week wait. They are able to order every 4 to 8 weeks. They have found that "Made in USA" has given them a great advantage in the market over other competitors who are going out of country due to lead time and red tape.

CycleCraft is proud to also stay on as SSA Florida Cup Sponsors. They will be competing in both the Cup series and National series in the coming year.

Check out their products and riders at their New Website!
www.CycleCraftBMX.com

Factory CycleCraft turns heads at the Grands

2012-11-30T09:41:00.003-08:00

Several members of the Factory CycleCraft team made the trek to Tulsa for the greatest race on Earth. They represented three states in the Race of Champions and then faced 670+ motos in the Grands itself. Over the course of one epic weekend CC riders took on all comers with some dramatic results.

First on base was Mckenzie Gayheart. It doesn't matter how high the mountain because this little speed demon from Fort White, Florida can climb with the best of them. During the ROC she took 6th in 10 & Under Girls Cruiser class. In the Grands main she had a bad start and was falling behind but then a huge pile up in the first corner opened a door. "Crazy Socks" flew through that door making the ultimate comeback taking 2nd place!

Randy Winfrey 36-40 Expert had quite a year. His performances in the National series put him on par with the best in class right up to the finals of the big show. He held steady through all the motos and even took 5th in the main event.

Thomas Marchese (15X) and Justice Gagnon (13X) both had their hands full on this enormous track. In a race where every moment counts they both fought to keep their time but lost out by mere seconds. Thomas for one was optimistic about his future prospects, "I will be taking the level up again. I will be a contender for class, N.A.G and maybe even the overall AM title next year."

As for Justice, he was equally excited, "I didn't do very good on the first day cause I got sick and on the second day I won both of the motos then qualified out in the eights, then wrecked in the quarter. The experience was still fun had a great time this year and hoping to train harder and go back next year."

Kalee Reynolds (14G) found the most competition she has faced all year. "So close from making my Semi, first time ever having Quarters! I now know what I need to work on. Really proud of myself on how far I`ve made it! Next year is a whole new year ! I`m gonna be there in the main, on the podium! I want this more then ever! BMX is in my blood, its a lifestyle not a passion!"

Michelle Huey (15G) started the weekend on the ground. She crashed out of the first moto doing a face plant and getting rather scratched up. However she is one tough beauty queen who knows how to get up and dust herself off. She battled all weekend coming very close to moving forward. "Had a great time in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Didn't do great... Now race home for a fashion show."

Josh Fry (15X) had one of the biggest groups in the entire event. We're talking about 78 riders with names like Collin Hudson and Ryan Zinzow. "I had some bad luck this year. I wreaked out on cruiser, made it out of motos to 8ths and was in third and wreaked." Josh has always been a trooper and with a pinch of luck he can easily rebound next time around.

Joey Leto (11X) took a very solid 3rd in ROC cruiser. His 7th place finish in ROC, 11X was after he wrecked in first turn with 2 other kids. In the Grands 11X was loaded with 75 riders, 4th highest rider count of all the classes according to the ABA Facebook post. In addition to battling through all those top riders, he was battling a fever all day Sunday during the qualifying rounds. He felt OK the day before and transferred out of the motos with 1st in class and cruiser. They tried to pull him from the race on Sunday, but he refused. The fact that he made it to the mains at all on Sunday with a fever was remarkable. After his first round of 1/8s he was in tears from the pounding in his head. He spent most of the day sleeping in the car out of the noise and the dust. On the way out of town they took him to a walk-in clinic and got antibiotics to fix his respiratory infection. One tough kid.

Results after the race showed some amazing finishes for the team. McKenzie Gayheart finished NAG 3 in 10 & Under Girls Cruiser and NAG 12 for 10 Girls for the year. Randy Winfrey also ended up NAG 3 for 36-40 Expert. Joey Leto finished NAG 11 in 11 Cruiser, and NAG 16 in 11 Expert.

The Factory CycleCraft team had an amazing time at what became a historically large turnout. If you wish to follow the CycleCraft team, it's products and it's riders, check out these websites.

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

CycleCraft SouthEast Frame Raffle

2012-11-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

CycleCraft SouthEast is raffling off a Brand New CycleCraft Race Frame. The winner will have their choice of size and standard color. Take a look at the options at CycleCraftBMX.com

Raffle Tickets are only $10. each

Tickets will be sold at Daytona BMX and through the Paypal on the CycleCraft SE website. The last day to purchase a ticket is Dec 11th. The raffle will take place at Daytona BMX on Dec 12th, 2012. All proceeds will benefit the riders of CycleCraft SouthEast for the upcoming 2013 season.

Contact Bill Henry for details: (386) 690-4055

or e-mail: bill@cyclecraftse.com

CycleCraft Riders Score Big at the Disney Cup

2012-10-29T16:03:00.001-07:00

CycleCraft BMX used their hometrack advantage to bring home 2 Disney Cups while lead sponsor Smoothie King raised $700. for the Kyle Bennett memorial fund. It was a great weekend all around.

CycleCraft's Pro racer Cj Mcguire has done it again. Coming off an impressive victory in the Charlotte BMX Pro/Am, he followed it up with top honors at the USA BMX Fall Nationals. Cj nailed 1st place in the A-Pro class on both Saturday and Sunday. Those two decisive victories were all he needed to earn a coveted Disney Cup.

Cj Mcguire seemed unstoppable all weekend! Photo by Sniper-shots

Josh Fry 15 Expert traveled down from Munford, Tennessee only to face a wall of resistance. Josh kept his chin high fighting through motos against 32 riders. By Sunday he found the light of the main and scored a 7th place finish.

Shane Hall 19-27 Expert felt the pressure of facing 40 riders in his class. Shane clawed his way to the main on Saturday to take 8th place.

Joey Leto 11 Expert mixed it up with some of the best in his class. He took home 3 2nds, 1 3rd, and 2 4ths. You read that right. Joey was a work horse over the weekend pulling in top 4 finishes in 6 main events.

Joey Leto held his own making top 4 in 6 main events!

Tony Lehman 41+ Expert had his work cut out for him. It was one of those races where everybody showed up and they were all ready to rumble. Facing the likes of Shawn Diprete, Bill Madden and the returning Raul Gomez, Tony was pushed to his limits. However, he did manage to put his foot in the door and took 8th on Friday night.

Kalee Reynolds 14 G made the trip down from Georgia for a little fun in the sun. Despite darker skies than usual K-Town pulled through by making the mains and staying in the top 6. She would score as high as 4th in a solid field of racers who were wrestling the odds in every corner.

Tony Lehman - Photo by William Trimble

Michelle Huey 16 Girls faced a small but dedicated group of ladies fighting for that beautiful silver cup. She started out strong with a 3rd place on Friday but the pressure did not fade. Michelle finished the weekend with 6th on Saturday and 7th on Sunday due to a crash in her main.

Thomas Marchese 16 Expert fought hard all weekend but came up short of moving forward in a stacked and powerful class.

Justice Gagnon 13 Expert broke the mold with his air of determination. He faced down 24 riders in his class, made the main each day and scored inside the top 4. While most riders wear down over time, Justice seemed to be getting faster. By Sunday he had scored a 3rd place finish. The other riders are just lucky this wasn't a four day weekend.

Randy Winfrey - Photo by William Trimble

Randy Winfrey 36-40 Expert displayed amazing speed sealing the weekend with a 1st, 1st and a 3rd! He hit the gate in his Sunday main otherwise we might have seen a clean sweep. Several people congratulated him for his tremendous weekend as he took home a Disney Cup. Randy will be a formidable contender going into the Grands.

Ryan Halligan 14 Expert toughed it out through some difficult injuries to face incredible odds. He wasn't happy with his performance but he said it has motivated him. "Now I need to train harder and longer." Ryan Halligan

Little Mac with her well earned Trophies

McKenzie Gayheart 10 Girls faced little resistance in the 10 and Under Cruiser class where she placed easy 2nd place finishes all weekend. Her 10 Girls class was another story. There she had to earn every main and landeing 4th on Fri, 3rd on Sat and 4th on Sunday. CycleCraft can always count on Little Mac to bring home the shiny awards.

Follow CycleCraft BMX's riders and check out their products:

www.TeamCycleCraft.com

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

Disney Cup Clinic with CycleCraft BMX

2012-10-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

The Disney Cup is right around the corner but are you ready? Don't worry, CycleCraft BMX has your back. Their best riders will be hosting a Pre-National clinic at Orlando BMX right before Florida's biggest race of the year. Learn the tricks of the Orlando track by some of CycleCraft's top riders.

You'll learn gates, cornering on the all clay track and mastery of Orlando's unique rhythm section. If you are serious about earning a Disney Cup you must take this clinic!

Where: Orlando BMX
When: Thursday Oct 25th
Time:12 till 2pm
Cost: $25.00

Instructors: CJ Maguire,Tony Lehman, Randy Winfrey, Shane Hall and Patrick Deats.

Learn about CycleCraft products at:
www.CycleCraftBMX.com

CycleCraft's Georgia Peach Kalee Reynolds

2012-09-10T10:45:00.003-07:00

Photo by Debbie Gill

Sweet, swift and determined, that's how they raise them down in the deep south. Female BMXers are on the rise in America and all of the big teams are making sure those magnificent jewels have a place to shine. One young lady making the National rounds is 14 year old Kalee Reynolds.

Hailing out of Stockbridge, Georgia, Kalee learned about racing when her brother Dylan gave it a try. "I started racing when I was 8 years old. I was really nervous to go down the starting hill at first but once I got going I knew this was the sport for me. I still ride with my brother."

Photo by RandomStartPhotography.com

Kalee not only found her sport, she thrived at it. "When I won the Georgia State Championship for the 2012 season I was super stoked! It being my 5th time winning it! It showed me that hard work does pay off and that I have come so far in BMX."

Kalee trains hard, I mean really hard. I watched a video in which one of her trainers spelled out step by the step the workout that he prepared for her. The length and intensity of the exercises would turn any athletes legs to jelly. No wonder she is so fast.

While State victories and National rankings are coming pretty easy to Kalee, BMX Racing is still a very tough and unforgiving sport. Like most racers she had to learn that the hard way. "I was at Sandy Ridge BMX track practicing for the State Qualifier. I got a little too swirly on a double and nose bonked. When I wrecked I felt extreme pain and weakness in both my wrists. I tried pushing myself up using my hands and I heard a loud pop then I yelled out for my dad. He came and carried me off the track. He took me to the E.R. later to find out that I had broken both my wrists and that I needed surgery. I was so terrified of what could go wrong during surgery and if I could ever race again."

Kalee toughed it out and waited for her time to return. "The day I got my casts off I was super nervous to grip my handle bars not knowing if I could re-injure them. I went straight to the pool to help loosen them up and I was back on my bike in no time. The NBL grands 2 years ago was my first race back from breaking them and I was proud to say I made my main."

As for the National scene, she has her favorite races, "I love Nashville because of the crazy speed you get and Rockford for having such an amazing set up and smooth track."

But when it comes to winning she has her eyes on the prize. "A quote my dad always tells me "It`s not how you start it`s how you finish," really helped me in Louisville the past weekend as I made mains by passing girls on the last straights."

So what do you do when you have this much talent and determination? You reach for the Gold. "My biggest goal to accomplish is to be an Olympic Gold Medalist for BMX. My 2012 Goal is to podium at the ABA Grand Nationals. I also want to start jumping a lot more and each year get better and better."

Photo by Debbie Gill

Being a BMX champion means that Kalee is becoming a role model for other girls who might have interest in the sport. She embraces that role with ease, "I would LOVE for more girls to join this sport. Some advice to them would be to always make sure your enjoying the sport and having fun and to never give up!"

Ultimately it is all about having fun. You have to love your sport and enjoy doing it. Kalee keeps BMX at the core of her sporting life but she always takes time to hang our with friends, go swimming or go to the movies and live a normal happy life off the track.

As with any other athlete, she acknowledges that she couldn't do it alone, "I would like to thank my Mom and Dad , also my Brother for always supporting me and my team Manager Pat Marchese. All my friends and family that encourage me to strive harder and of course God. I wouldn`t be where I am today without all their help."

Follow Kalee's Racing Career at her Team CycleCraft page:
www.TeamCyclecraft.com

CycleCraft Clinic at St. Cloud Qualifier

2012-08-01T12:31:00.002-07:00

Anyone who attended the 2011 SSA State Series Championships know that St. Cloud BMX can put on a great show. They are at it once again with two big races + a CycleCraft clinic this coming weekend. We're talking about a Double Points Race for Life on Saturday, followed by a FREE CycleCraft Clinic. Then a Double Points USA BMX State Series Qualifier on Sunday which includes a $500. Pro-Am!

Being centrally located in the state, St. Cloud has the ability to draw a large draw of riders and spectators. There are very few chances left to get those valuable points so don't miss this exciting weekend of racing!

Photo by Ryan Rawls

Weekend Schedule

Friday August 3rd, Open Practice 6-9PM $5.00

Saturday August 4th, Open Practice 9-11AM, Race at 2PM with Race registration from 10AM to 1PM, $20

Saturday August 4th, CycleCraft Clinic with Factory Riders, CJ McGuire, Vinny Moriera, Tony Lehman, and Patrick Deats. Each of these riders have at least 20 years of BMX racing experience behind them.

Clinic is from 11AM-1PM, sign up is at the St. Cloud race registration trailer at the same time as race registration. All clinic proceeds go to benefit St. Cloud BMX Track, with suggested donation of $15.

Sunday August 5th, ABA State Race, Practice and Registration 8:30AM-10AM, Race at 11AM, $25

There's also a Pro-Am Open for 16 and Over with $500 + 100% payback Purse, entry $25.

www.freewebs.com/stcloudbmx/

CycleCraft Clinic at Daytona BMX

2012-07-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Preparing for a big race is never easy. You have to get quality time on the race track, find good coaches who will help sharpen your skills and do it all without spending tons of money on travel. Luckily CycleCraft BMX has your back.

CycleCraft is hosting a skills clinic for the upcoming All Star Series Race at Daytona BMX. The clinic will be part of a complete weekend of BMX festivities.

Featured riders will be Vinny Moreira (Vet Pro & former World #1), Tony Lehman (former Pro & multi-time FL State Champion 20 inch and cruiser), Randy Winfrey (former Pro, current top ten USA BMX Expert) and Patrick Deats (former Pro & multi-time FL State Champion on cruiser).

Clinic proceeds to be donated to Daytona BMX track - Price will be $15.

Here's the schedule...

FRIDAY 7/13/12

PRACITCE 6PM TO 9PM AND REGISTRATION FOR BMX CLINIC AND BOTH RACES FROM 6:30PM UNTIL 8:30PM

SATURDAY 7/14/12

CYCLECRAFT BMX CLINIC 2PM TO 4PM REG FOR CLINIC 1PM TO 2PM

BOB WARNICKE RACE (SINGLE DISTRICT POINTS) CERTIFICATES TO ALL - PRACTICE 5PM TO 7PM & REGISTRATION 5PM TO 6PM - RACING @ 7PM -RACE COST $20.00

SUNDAY 7/15/12

ALL STAR SERIES RACE - EARNED DOUBLE - DBL DISTRICT POINTS RACE - TRACK OPENS AT 8:00 A.M. PRACTICE 8AM UNTIL 10:30AM & REGISTRATION 8:30A.M.TO 10:00A.M. RACING @ 11AM - RACE COST $25.00 - TROPHY OF THE DAY 1ST THRU 4TH - PLACE STICKERS TO ALL FOR YOUR ALL STAR SERIES PLAQUES.....

The track location is:

1666 Strickland Range Rd, Holly Hill, FL 32117

www.daytonabmx.webs.com

Factory CycleCraft Lights up Nashville

2012-06-08T10:27:00.002-07:00

A small contingent of the Factory CycleCraft Team pulled into Nashville for the Music City Nationals and had themselves a thrilling weekend. While good music, good food and the rolling hills of a beautiful countryside define the background of Tennessee living, on this weekend it was all about the racing.

Who better to kick off the festivities than Tennessee's own Josh Fry. Small Fry entered a huge class at 14X facing 38 opponents but the whispers in staging indicated that the other riders were worried about facing him. Josh is an imposing figure even at such a young age and being a local rider helped secure him a clear advantage. He waded through the waves of riders making it to his mains taking 6th on Sat and 5th on Sunday.

Thomas Marchese had his hands full at 15 expert. Despite facing 30+ of the best riders in the country he did not give them an inch. Thomas fought for every placing in every moto. While he was unable to make the mains, he showed that no one was going to intimidate this dedicated rider.

McKenkie Gayheart was everywhere that you looked on the track. She was blasting out of the gate, rolling like a quad through the rhythm section and passing riders on the last straight. Little Mac took 3rd in the 10 and under Girls Cruiser class and made the main on both days at 9 Girls landing 3rd and 4th.

Two of CycleCraft's teen girls took to the clay at the Music City. Kalee Reynolds hopped the border from Georgia to take on the 14 year olds. While the class was not deep, it was top heavy with talent. Kalee raced hard against riders like Jamie Windholz and Lexa Jones earning herself a 6th place finish.

New rider to the team at 15 Girls was "The Princess" Michelle Huey. Clad in her new kit, on a new CycleCraft frame and wearing new clip shoes Michelle used Saturday as a testing ground. On Sunday she was ready to go, making the main and scoring 6th place.

Ryan Halligan brought his usual hearty smile to Nashville. No matter where this kid goes he brightens up the crowd. Ryan had to face a stacked class at 14X and didn't make the mains but he did enjoy styling through the air. If his race speed ever catches up to his jumping skills he'll be a tour de force on the track.

36-40 Expert was another amazing class to watch. CC's Randy Winfrey took on Rennen's Shawn Diprete and Morpines' Doran Bradshaw for some spectacular racing. Randy pulled it all out with a huge win on Saturday and battled Diprete to the edge taking 2nd place on Sunday.

Finally Joey Leto dived into the icy waters of 11 Expert. With 28 riders throwing down some mad power these little guys mixed the motos full of doubt. However, Joey overcame that doubt! He made it to the mains on both days taking 7th and then 4th.

Cyclecraft riders had a blast in Nashville but none of it would have been possible without all of their great sponsors.

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

CycleCraft Photo Finish at the Florida Cup

2012-05-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

The Factory CycleCraft team were taking no prisoners at the SSA Florida Cup final at Tampa BMX on May 19th, 2012. The day was hot but the racing was even hotter. 130+ motos of hungry BMXers gathered with only one intention - to win. With everything on the line not a single rider was holding back.

The main event was a duel between Profile Racing's Tyler Faoro and CycleCraft's Cj Mcguire. Cj surprised everyone when he blasted out of the gate and lead the entire race all the way to the final stretch. It was there that Tyler tried to make his move. The two soared towards the finish and crossed at the exact same moment. Even a photo review could not determine who won. According to the rules they went to the judges scores which gave the race to Cj Mcguire. In addition to his race day win he also took 2nd Place overall in the series.

14 Expert was a very active class that held two CC riders Ryan Halligan and Brendon Kozicki. Brendon took 7+5+5, a worthy effort but not enough to make the main. Ryan edged slightly better with scores of 6+4+4 which was enough for a ticket to the big show where he took 5th place and 7th overall.

Next up was 11 year old racing specialist Joey Leto. This kid is unstoppable. He came into the final race with a points lead over the field so what did he do? He extended that lead with perfect scores. Joey won every moto and the main event walking away with not only the 11X win and overall crown but he also did the same thing on his cruiser.

Now it was time for the girls. 13 Expert Allison Marchese got hung up in the first moto taking 3rd but after that she continued her amazing season with three straight wins. Allison had whole lot to smile about at the awards ceremony as she accepted the overall title.

McKenzie Gayheart was having a lot of fun on the Tampa track as well. After all, what is more fun than winning? Kenzie took on her nemesis Allyson Mangold and aced a clean sweep of the motos and the main assuring that she would win the number one spot as Florida's 9 year old Girls Florida Cup Champion!

John Marchese took his chances in one of BMX's most exciting classes. He battled his way through 37 races this season and now took a shot at the finals. John managed 5+4+5 and while he couldn't make the main he did stand proud on the stage in 7th place overall.

Team CC took 1st and 2nd overall in the 19-27 Expert class. Shane Hall and Bobby Owens turned the race lead into a flash of blue and white as they ran amuck in the motos. The dual flash returned in the main as Shane took 1st while Bobby took 3rd. On his cruiser Shane also took 2nd in the race and 2nd overall.

Patrick Deats was back again with a brilliant cruiser performance. After securing 1st place finishes in all of his motos Patrick fought his way to 2nd in the main. He won the 46-50 cruiser class overall by almost 200 points.

Barreling down the cruiser path was Tony Lehman. Tony secured 1st place in his motos but had to fight Big John Pringle and Muhilo Filho in the main. Tony took 4th on the day but he had accumulated enough points to take 2nd overall. On his 20 inch Tony used a strong points advantage to stay ahead of John Pringle and Stephen Gerardi. Tony took 2nd in the race and 1st place overall.

At the end of the day CycleCraft had nailed a slew of perfect motos demonstrating why they have become a well respected team that can never be taken for granted. Factory CC took home 2nd place in the SSA Money team division. Team manager Pat Marchese was handed a check for $6,000 pesos. This followed a thank you for being SSA sponsors and for having such a great season.

As always CycleCraft would like to thank all of its amazing team sponsors. Without them this season would not have been possible.

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

Factory CycleCraft signs Michelle Huey

2012-05-23T07:39:00.002-07:00

CycleCraft BMX has signed rising star Michelle Huey. This 15 year old from Cape Coral, Florida has already been an SSA Florida State Champion, an NBL National Champion, a runway model and even the 2012 Miss T.E.E.N Florida.

Michelle possesses the kind of work ethic and powerful riding skills that separates pretenders from contenders. In addition, she does volunteer work and is a straight A student at her high school. Michelle has already succeeded in so many different areas of her life so it comes as no surprise that she has earned a spot on one of the most prestigious factory teams in the country.

CycleCraft has watched Michelle grow into a solid contender who can hold her own on any track against any competition. They are excited to be able to add her to their illustrious roster of riders.

When asked for comment it sounds like Michelle is ready to begin, "I am super excited to start with my new CycleCraft family." She also made sure to reach out to the coach of her former team All Out BMX, "I want to thank Joe (Barbera) for all of his help and support."

Michelle has already started training for the upcoming Music City Nationals. You will be able to follow her progress here and at:

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

CycleCraft Southeast Scores Big in Dixieland

2012-05-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

Angelo Ligotino

CycleCraft Southeast made the trek north to Powder Springs for the Dixieland Nationals. For some it was like coming home, for one it was home and for others it was a new adventure all due to the recent rebuild. For a few riders arriving early Friday morning the track was open and available for practice. This was a welcome site and full advantage was taken of it. Friday was a beautiful day for riding and seeing the familiar faces that frequent the national races. Some stayed to race on Friday night, but most loaded up and returned to the hotels for a much needed nights sleep in preparation for the next morning.

As Saturday arrived so did the ever present case of the nerves for some but they were happy to be here. That's the racing attitude of the kids on the team. Everyone looked great in practice and very prepared for what promised to be an exciting day of racing.

Ty "Speedy Smurf" Henry

We’ll start with the girls riding for CCSE this weekend - Alexis Willis (GA) and Cristen Palugi (TN). The powder springs track is like a second home to Alexis and she came in hoping to have some home field advantage. She made it to her semis but missed the transfer by one spot. While Cristen riding the 15 girl class traveled in from Tennessee made her main finishing 6th.

Next up was the A,T&T show in the 8 Intermediate class. Alston Palugi (TN), Tristan Winfrey (FL) and Ty” speedy smurf” Henry (FL). Each of these young riders battled their way into the semis. Alston and Ty transferred out to the main, but Tristan ran into some trouble in turn two which resulted in a pretty nasty wreck and no transfer (he later recovered and was ready for the next day). In the 8I main Alston finished a strong 5th while Ty "Speedy Smurf” Henry was involved in a wreck on the first straight, he finished 8th.

Daniel Deertz

One of CCSE’s newest riders Daniel Deertz (FL) continues to show why he is number one in the district and hungry to move up. He took the 12 Intermediate class by storm winning his first moto to transfer to the main and winning his main as well.

Angelo Ligotino (FL) 15 expert found a stacked class. This was Angelo’s first race at a national as an expert. He found his way to his quarters but missed transferring to the semi by one.

Another new rider to CCSE is Donny Nerone (FL) who rode two classes, the 31-35 cruiser and 28-38 Intermediate. Donny performed at the top of his game on Saturday finishing 8th in cruiser and 1st on the 20.

Donald Nerone

Also racing for the weekend was team manager Bill Henry (FL) 36-40 cruiser, Zachary Simson (FL) 10 expert and Anthony Breeden (FL) 28-35 intermediate, all gave it their best effort but missed the transfers. All in all it was a good showing for the CycleCraft Southeast Team. We are proud of all our riders for the sportsmanship and efforts they all showed, Congratulations to our winners.

As always thanks to Factory CycleCraft for their support and to all our sponsors. Next stop Nashville.

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

Factory CycleCraft takes Georgia by Storm

2012-05-16T09:09:00.002-07:00

Photo by Rich Snipes

Factory CycleCraft team members converged on Cobb County BMX in Powder Springs, Georgia for the 2012 Dixieland Nationals. While 209 motos of racers were ready for the action, no one consulted the oncoming weather.

The second day of racing was cancelled due to heavy rains but one day was all that CycleCraft needed to get some fantastic results.

Photo by Sherri Matthews

Nine year old Mckenzie Gayheart worked her way through 17 girls to make the main. She took on riders from Arizona, Texas and Tennessee landing herself in 4th place on the 20 inch and 3rd place on her Cruiser.

'K Town' was in the house! Georgia's very own Kalee Reynolds took an emphatic 2nd place in the 14 Girls class. Kaylee beat out serious riders who had traveled from Indiana, North Carolina and Michigan.

Photo by Rich Snipes

Joey Leto was the star of the weekend. The 11 Expert class was stacked with 20 riders from all over the country but Joey was ready for them. He blasted into the top spot and took a huge win. He also took 6th place on his Cruiser.

Of all the riders in Georgia that weekend, the person who wanted that second day to happen more than anyone was Joey.

Photo by Rich Snipes

Randy Winfrey had to contend with well known racers like Doran Bradshaw and Raul Gomez in the 36-40 Expert class. Despite the stiff competition he made his way through 12 riders to score a solid 3rd place finish.

Orlando's Tony Lehman also faced a tough platoon of 21 men in the 41+ Expert class. He dived into the pack, made the main and scored 6th place.

Josh Fry came down from Tennessee to test his wings and boy can he fly! There were 7 groups of competitors at 14 Expert, we're talking about 37 riders. Not only did 'Small Fry' make the main, he scored 5th place!

Brendon Kozicki, Justice Gagnon and Thomas Marchese both tried their luck on the Georgia clay but came up short of the main event. Unfortunately the persistent rains stopped them from getting a second chance.

In all it was a successful but brief weekend that propelled a handful of riders higher in the National rankings. As always CycleCraft has all of their dedicated members and sponsors to thank!

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

Cj Mcguire puts CycleCraft on the Podium

2012-05-10T07:02:00.002-07:00

The CC Factory team was back in action at the 2012 Sarasota Florida Cup Qualifiers. Newly signed pro Cj Mcguire came prepared to impress. He handled every part of the track as if he had been racing it all year. Cj established a position in the front of the pack and when it came to the big show he did not disappoint.

Cj continually bumped elbows with Olympic hopeful Tyler Faoro but never lost his form. Staying in the front half of the pack and landing those awkward pro jumps kept Cj within medal contention. He took 2nd on Saturday and 3rd on Sunday.

Cj was not the only rider to break into the top three, in fact the team had a great weekend full of wins. Allison Marchese set a blistering pace in the 13 Girls class. She took wins on both days and won all her motos except for one. How close can you get perfect?

Nine year old girls expert Mckenzie Gayheart delivered on that perfection. In a group of six serious riders she won every moto and both mains on her 20 inch. The consistent performances of these two girls has been at the heart of CycleCraft's successful record this year.

Eleven year old Joey Leto's fate is forever tied together with that of his friend Scott Hall jr. The two of them traded the race lead back and forth all weekend. Scotty scored the big win on Saturday but Joey took first place honors on Sunday.

John Marchese was back fighting the good fight at 15X. In what has become a very tough field, John was unable to make the main on Saturday and struggled through the motos on Sunday. Despite these set backs he did not give up hope. John went for it in the main, found an opening and took 4th place with an inspiring effort.

Patrick Deats took straight 2nds in the 45-50 Cruiser class on Saturday. He then climbed back into the 41+ Expert 20" class on Sunday. There he made the main landing in 7th place.

The Mailman Shane Hall duked it out with local favorite Kody Wong in the 17-20 Cruiser class. They traded moto wins and main wins, with Kody taking Sat and Shane taking Sunday. In the 19-27 Expert class Shane fared even better with wins on both days and on Saturday he nailed a perfect score.

Tony Lehman also took on both bikes at Sarasota. He found a tough group in the 41-45yr Cruiser class scoring in 4th and 5th. However, it was in the 41+ Class where he shined. Tony took 2nd place all the way through coming in just a bike length behind leading rider Johnny Comerford.

Factory CycleCraft had a successful weekend and a great time. Sarasota provided the large crowd, thrills and spills of a major event. Not only was it fun, it was also an appropriate warm-up for their next stop on the schedule - The Dixieland Nationals.

Check out CycleCraft's amazing frames on the CycleCraft BMX site.

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

CycleCraft couldn't do it without the help of their sponsors:

CycleCraft's Big Reveal at High Springs

2012-04-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Factory CycleCraft team released a bombshell of an announcement at the SSA High Springs Qualifiers. Shortly after the Pro main on Saturday, the winner Cj Mcguire was called back to the finish line where it was announced that he was now racing for CycleCraft. Team Manager Pat Marchese handed Cj a brand new racing frame as the rider slipped on a team t-shirt. Cj had dominated the first day of Pro racing winning 3 motos plus the main. In addition to an already strong team he will certainly help give CycleCraft the National exposure it deserves.

In the Florida Cup Team competition, CycleCraft is gaining ground. With solid finishes on Saturday and equally strong motos on Sunday, they scored second place and after the Sunday mains are run at the Tampa Championship they are positioned to challenge for the top prize in the Money division.

The second day of mains was cut short by a faulty starting gate so most of the CycleCraft team will have to resume their mains on the Friday night before the Florida Cup Championship in Tampa.

Who delivered for the team on this dramatic weekend? Let's start with 11 year old Expert Joey Leto whose consistency is phenomenal. Joey duked it out with his good friend Scott Hall jr over the course of two days of racing. Joey took most of the motos and the main win on day one but he'll have to wait for Tampa to complete main number two.

Ryan Halligan showed true grit in the competitive 14 Expert class. Even against the blazing speed of Ryan Nenno, Chase Chevalier and Mario Lopez nothing was going to dissuade Ryan. He went full force making the top three in all motos. An unfortunate crash in the Saturday main kept him out of contention but he gets a second chance to better his standing in Tampa.

The 17-18 Expert class was unpredictable as each twist and turn produced tight and fantastic battles all the way to the main. Shane Hall was right in the middle of the action. He stayed out of trouble during the early motos but stepped it up by taking 3rd in the Saturday main. The Sunday motos started a little rough but he'll get a chance for redemption in May. In his Cruiser races Shane had to deal with bike contact on the first day but he made adjustments and won the Sunday main.

On the next step up the ladder Bobby Owens held his own in the 19-27 Expert class. Bobby scored between 2nd and 4th in all motos. He stay in the front pack by finishing the Saturday main in 4th. That's never a small feat in such a refined class. Kevin Caccavale also tried the waters on Saturday making the main and scoring 5th.

Tony Lehman threw down a perfect score in the 41+ Expert division on Sat. That man is a single speed rocket! He was well on his way towards another brilliant day on Sun as well. On the Cruiser he scored well in the motos but was tripped up in the main landing in 7th.

Justice Gagnon took on the boys at 13X on Saturday. He scored in the top three in motos and landed 5th in main.

The 9 year old Girls class was a battle between CC's McKenzie Gayheart and rival Allyson Mangold. The two girls traded 1st and 2nd all weekend long with McKenzie taking the Sat main and Allyson taking Sun. It was in the Girls Cruiser races that McKenzie really shined. She got off to a slow start in the motos on Sat but ultimate defeated riders twice her age taking the win on both days.

Allison Marchese struggled through the first day of competition but made up for it on Sunday with nearly perfect scores and a brilliant win.

The steadiest of all riders was CycleCraft's co-owner Patrick Deats. He lead the 46-50 Cruiser class with double perfect scores. Patrick was untouchable, dominating the laps right from the start and lengthening his lead as the races went on.

As always it takes a full team to make it happen. John Marchese 15X was slotted into some ruthless motos against the top riders in the class keeping him out of the mains. His efforts are greatly appreciated.

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

www.TeamCycleCraft.com

We can't do it without our fantastic sponsors:

CycleCraft Clinic at High Springs BMX

2012-04-08T16:41:00.001-07:00

Click for Larger View

Want to score well at the High Springs Qualifier?

Attend the CycleCraft Clinic!

The Factory CycleCraft team will be hosting a clinic on the Friday afternoon of the SSA Qualifier weekend at High Springs BMX. Top riders will teach you gates, cornering, manualing and how to increase your overall track speed.

Date: Friday, April 13th, 2012

Register: 1-3pm

Clinic 3-5pm

Cost: $25.

www.CycleCraftBMX.com

CycleCraft Hits the Podium in West Palm

2012-03-28T11:47:00.001-07:00

On March 9-11th, 2012 Factory CycleCraft team made their way over to the gold coast for the SSA Okeeheelee Qualifiers in West Palm Beach. They brought with them a small contingent of solid performers for what was an excellent weekend of highly competitive BMX racing.

41+ Expert Tony Lehman fought his way to the main by battling Profile Racing's big John Pringle and Warren Desrosiers. Tony held his ground and took 2nd place on both days of racing.

10 year old Mckenzie Gayheart is never far from the front of the pack. On Sat she won the 10 and under Girls Cruiser class. On Sun she took 3rd in a tight battle with Morphine Industries Kinley Buelvas and Redline/M-1's Campbell Lackey.

Allison Marchese was in top form taking an easy win on Saturday but that was where this relaxing vacation ended. On Sunday she had a war on her hands. Allison entered the gate against 6 other girls who were ready to rumble. Using her solid skills and confident pedaling Allison found herself in 2nd position behind the local rider from Force Racing Allison Wolfe.

11 year old Joey Leto was a flash of blue all weekend as he nearly pulled perfect scores on both days. Joey took 2nd in only one moto and that was against his hard charging friend Scott Hall jr. Joey continues to prove just how valuable he is to the CycleCraft family.

The Cruiser 45-50 division was a powerful spread of aggressive racers. CycleCraft's Patrick Deats held his line by taking the 2nd position all weekend long just behind Redline/M-1's Pat Sheridan. These two stayed firmly ahead of full gates in this packed class.

CycleCraft walked away from Okeeheelee with several top three finishes. Their riders have shown the grit and desire that expresses itself in the podium aspirations of champions. If they are in such top form so early in the year you can only imagine how powerful a force they will be as the spring blooms forth.

As always the Factory CycleCraft Team would like to thank

its 2012 Team Sponsors.

CycleCraft Braves the Weather at the Volunteer Nationals

2012-03-08T13:06:00.001-08:00

McKenzie Gayheart with her new CycleCraft bike

Team CycleCraft made the trip to Morristown, Tennessee for the Volunteer Nationals. Little did they know that this journey would fraught with deadly weather and monstrous crowds. The team arrived just in time to be inundated by tornado warnings which was followed a day later by a snow storm. Meanwhile, inside the building the racing crowd reflected the merger between former east coast NBL riders and the regular ABA Nationals race crowd. This resulted in 300+ motos of racing action.

Riders Kody Garrett, Thomas Marchese, Ryan Halligan and Justice Gagnon gave their best efforts but the heavy competition made it tough for riders to breathe in the dark dust of the dome. However a select few managed to reach the limelight.

Shane Hall showed mad skills traversing his way through 44 riders in order to make the main. Up against the best of the best Shane proved his track savvy as he challenged Justin Posey and Geoffrey Banser for the lead. Landing in third, Shane beat out well known riders like Tyler Whitfield and Dakota Cody. An amazing performance by "The Mailman!"

Kalee Reynolds kicking up some dust of her own!

Kalee Reynolds of Stockbridge, Georgia hopped over state line to compete in Tennessee. She found her way through a maze of 20+ riders to make the mains on both days of competition in the 13 Girls class.

Josh Fry overcame the odds against 49 riders in order to take 5th in the main on Saturday. His luck ran out on Sunday as he crashed in the semis.

McKenzie Gayheart had thick competition in the semi's over the weekend. She pulled 1st in motos both days and 1st in semi's both days, 4th in main on Saturday and 3rd on Sunday rockin her new sick custom painted CycleCraft bike.

Stay on top of all the team action at:

www.TeamCycleCraft.com

Be sure to check out our great CycleCraft frames:
www.CycleCraftBMX.com

Thanks again to all of our amazing sponsors!

Corsa Racewear Sponsors CycleCraft Aus

2012-03-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

Corsa Racewear is proud to announce that they are now the official racewear sponsor for the Cyclecraft Australia BMX team for 2012!

CycleCraft Aus Team News

"We are proud to welcome Corsa Racewear as an official sponsor of the CycleCraft Team for 2012. Corsa Racewear's Mission is to provide the best quality racewear to BMXers, Mountain Bikers and other Cyclists around the world. As racers they know what cyclists need from their racewear. Over the next few months the team will be outfitted with their "Unleashed Series" gloves and pants."

Read more about Corsa's Unleashed Series:
www.CorsaRacewear.com

You might have read about CycleCraft's newest member Supercross racer Rachel Bracken right here on the Race Report:

Rider Profie: Rachel Bracken

Keep an eye on both Facebook pages to see CycleCraft Australia riders in the Unleashed Series gear soon!

CycleCraft Australia Facebook Page

Corsa Racewear Facebook Page

CycleCraft Southeast - Oldsmar Race Report

2012-02-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

Angelo Ligotino - 15 Intermediate

In June 2011 Factory CycleCraft Southeast was in the beginning of being formed. The Co-Factory team was once a part of Factory CycleCraft and being managed by Factory manager Pat Marchese. Two riders, Bill Henry and Brian Endres, were approached by Factory CycleCraft owners and management in regards to operating and managing a separate team. This began the Factory CycleCraft Southeast team. The team was to consist of a handful of riders already on the roster for Co-Factory CycleCraft. Brian and Bill began recruiting riders from the local tracks. Currently the team Roster includes 20 riders with the potential for more. This CC Southeast team is truly grateful to CycleCraft for its support.

Alexis Willis - 9 Girl

Factory CycleCraft Southeast arrived in Oldsmar with 11 riders ready to compete and represent the CC name and its sponsors. The team found a very challenging and at times intimidating track, but it was a lot of fun from a riders stand point. Ty ‘speedy smurf’ Henry (7I) finished 3rd & 5th, Angelo Ligotino (15I) racked up a perfect for the weekend finishing 1st & 1st, Anthony Breeden (27-30I) finished 5th & 2nd, Bill Henry (36-40 Cruiser) finished 7th & 6th and Brian Endres (41 over Expert) finished 7th & 4th in their mains.

Ty “Speedy Smurf” Henry 7 Intermediate

Alexis Willis (9G) made her main on day #1 finishing 5th, but missed her transfer on Sunday. Tristan Winfrey (8I) and Tyler Collier (14I) both rode hard on day #1 missing their transfers but finished 6th in their mains on day #2.

Anthony Breeden - 27-30 Inter

Faith Henry (13G) found an extremely fast class of talented girls, she gave it her all just missing the transfer spot on day #1 as did Jack Collier (6I) and our resident photographer Rich ‘sniper shots’ Snipes (41 over expert). Look for the CycleCraft Southeast team at more and more races. Don’t be surprised to see CC Southeast riders at a local track near you. Thanks goes out to the Oldsmar crew for another terrific track. A big thanks goes out to all our sponsors and especially to the CycleCraft family for their help.

Follow all of the CycleCraft racing action at:

www.TeamCycleCraft.com

Team CycleCraft Tackles the Gator Nationals

2012-02-15T17:22:00.004-08:00

The 2012 Gator Nationals rolled into Oldsmar BMX to thunderous applause. The motos were stacked with over 1,000 riders including National and World Champions. Team CycleCraft braved the 20mph crosswinds and cold weather arriving ready to rumble with more than a dozen racers of their own.

The star rider for the weekend was Randy Winfrey. He took on well known riders like National Number #1 Shawn DiPrete and Florida's own Guy Gibbs. Randy scored back to back 1st places finishes in the 36-40 Expert division. Could he be the next National Champion in this division?

On Sat Women's Master rider Michelle Cairns battled Felt's Meredith Lidstone for her first National win of the year. On Sunday, Michelle was placed in a much larger group facing younger racers like Answer Rennen's Shelby Stacy but she still managed land herself on the podium in 3rd.

Paulo Moreira displayed how comfortable he is at big races when he went bar to bar against FBN/Hyper's Lance McGuire and Free Agent/Rockstar's Stephen Larralde. Paulo kept himself in the top half of competitors with a 5th place finish on Sat and 4th on Sun. He is truly a model for grace under pressure.

Meanwhile, Vinny Moreira broke through a field of 18 at Vet Pros to make the main and land in 6th on Sunday.

The Tiny Might McKenzie Gayheart enjoyed the view at the front of the pack all weekend. On both days she battled National Champ Bailey Brannen and Sportsblast rider Jamie McHenry. On Sat she took 1st on her 20" and 2nd on her Cruiser. On Sun she took 2nd on her 20" and 3rd on her Cruiser.

'K Town' Kaylee Reynolds took the long drive down from Georgia to duke it out with 12 other riders in the 13 Girls Class. She made the Saturday main taking 8th place.

'The Mailman' Shane Hall had bad luck in the 20" division suffering a slipped pedal and a broken chain keeping him out of the mains. However in the Cruiser class he took on riders like Free Agent/Rockstar's Juan Marin and All Tow Wrecking Crew's Kody Wong with Shane more than holding his own taking 3rd place on both days.

11 year old Joey Leto struggled through the Saturday races without making the big show. However his persistence shined through on Sunday when he scored 5th on Cruiser and even more impressive was how he battled through 17 riders to make the main on his 20 inch for a 6th place finish.

Photo by Sniper-shots

How tough was the competition at the 2012 Gator Nationals? Some race categories had as many 50 riders and the track did not allow for even the smallest of mistakes. Thomas Marchese, Bobby Owens, Brenden Kozicki, Allison Marchese, Justice Gagnon and Kody Garrett all could not find a path to the mains. We appreciate their valiant efforts.

Photo by Sniper-shots

The weekend was not an option for a handful of team members who had to sit it out with colds. Out sick was Tony Lehman, Patrick Deats, Jeff Upshaw, Jordan Preston and Kevin Cacavalie. Considering how chilly it got during the races, especially on Sunday morning where it reached 38 degrees, it was probably better that they rested. We wish them well and hope to see them at the next big race.

One final announcement - Factory CycleCraft now has its very own Team Website. This is where people can learn a little about the riders and check out CycleCraft news updates.

Take a look at the Team Site here:

www.TeamCycleCraft.com

CycleCraft's New Supercross Pro Rachel Bracken

2012-02-09T16:22:00.000-08:00

When it was announced that Team CycleCraft would be picking up Supercross racer Rachel Bracken they asked me to write a press release about this amazing athlete. However, the Supercross fans spent all of last year watching this girl compete at the highest level so I thought it would also be cool to give her a interview. Here we really get to know who she is and what she hopes to accomplish as the newest member of the team.

Rachel Bracken of Townsville, Australia is 21 years old and has been riding BMX for thirteen years. She took to the sport at an early age after watching her brother Luke ride at the local track. She quickly became addicted to racing and she excelled at it. She made the Australian Team several times, competed at the Australian Championships and the BMX World Championships. However, all of her early victories were merely a precursor of greater things to come.

Her commitment to BMX was fortified when it was added to the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing, China.

"I've always wanted to go to the Olympics ever since BMX was added and I knew that the only way to get there was to race Supercross. So I had to face my fears and give it a go. I had a lot of support from my family and friends which helped my confidence too."

In no time at all she had graduated to the big track. In the last two years alone, Rachel has raced all over the world.

Results

2011

2nd BMX Australia National Championships QLD

4th UCI Probikx/Champbikx – Round 6 ACT

4th UCI Probikx/Champbikx – Round 5 ACT

4th UCI Probikx/Champbikx – Round 1 QLD

5th Oceania Continental BMX Championships NZL

8th UCI Probikx/Champbikx – Round 2 QLD2010

2010

2nd UCI Oceania BMX NZL

5th UCI BMX Supercross World Cup Round 2 DEN

6th UCI BMX World Championships RSA

7th UCI BMX Supercross World Cup Round 4 FRA

9th Overall UCI World Ranking

When I asked which races really made an impact on her she was modest in her answer, "At the 2010 World Titles at South Africa I didn't win, I got 6th but it is still a very memorable race for me. It was my first year as an Elite rider and I beat all my expectations by making the final. And I still remember 2007 National Titles I came from way behind in the last corner to take the win on the finish line."

While her successes on the track have been a blessing, she has also had her share of painful lessons, "I've been a bit unlucky with injuries lately. In August of last year I crashed at the London Olympic Test Event, tore 4 ligaments and done severe bone bruising. Before Christmas I had another crash which badly bruised my knee. I've also broken both elbows, had surgery on my elbow, broken my wrist and split my chin open."

As for her new team, Rachel is thrilled about the opportunity, "I'm very excited to be riding for CycleCraft this year! I haven't had a chance to ride a CycleCraft yet but I really like the color choices."

With the Olympics looming Rachel knows what kind of odds she is up against but she remains optimistic, "I definitely want to go to the Olympics this year but I still need to recover from my injuries and get back on my bike full time. I have a lot of competition in Australia and we're all desperate to get to the Olympics so it won't be easy."

We all wish Rachel a speedy recovery, good luck with her new team and hopes for a great start to the critical 2012 Season.

If you haven't seen Rachel in action, be sure to check out this entertaining highlight video:

Rachel Bracken - Around the World