2023 Woods Ex, Sewell, Sandy, Steen Control their classes!

Photos by 451 Photography (Amanda)

Story by Kenzie  Results

2-18-2023

Every year it seems to expand and get better.  Woods night has now turned into woods double header and who knows what they got in store for 2024!  Adding the second room was a nice touch, that area will be used well in the coming months and years.  Long lap times, good seat time, and some technical woods riding for all ages is how this weekend went.  Friday night was Kids Night as always and they got to try their skills on the obstacles, then come Saturday morning all the riders big and small were able to practice for a few hours before it was race time. As the evening rolled in so did the riders anticipating the way the nights racing would unfold.  Some heavy hitters showed up in many classes. 

15 A riders, all lined up at the gate, each hoping they can pull that hole shot for a better chance to win their race. As the gates drop they all launch off the grates, as they come around that corner all bunched together we see Travis Sewell (333) in the very front taking the lead with Cody VanBuskirk (570) in second, Garrett Ward (31) in third, and Matt McDonald (45) right behind him. Kyle White (19) probably would have been right up there with him but he fell right off the start so he was going to have to really work hard for it even more if he wanted to get to the front of the pack. These guys all start out very on top of each other but it doesn’t take long for them to spread out and start pulling away from one another, especially someone like Sewell, he was gone before they even got to the second lap. By their second lap around VanBuskirk had a good distance on Ward with Jayson Crawford (8) behind, who was able to get around McDonald and was coming after Ward. Ward couldn’t make any mistakes now that he has Crawford right behind him and Ward knew that, so instead he made sure to pull VanBuskirk in a bit and give himself some more distance between himself and Crawford. While watching the front of the pack we also notice White as he picks off guys one at a time out there. As we are getting down to the last lap Sewell in the lead still far ahead from the rest of the class, VanBuskirk in that second place spot with Ward at arms reach away in third and Crawford in fourth. There was no time for passing so these guys went out at the track, picked their spots and ran with it till the finish.

Women’s class did not disappoint, Jaylee Bredekamp (609) and Avery Steen (348) put on a great battle for first place. The battle started with Bredekamp in first place with Steen right on her tail. While these two are out there racing there were many spots where Bredekamp would be able to slightly pull away from Steen but there were also many spots where Steen would be right on her, tire to tire, about ready to make a pass. At this point Bredekamp knows all it takes is to make one mistake and Steen would take that lead from her. These two went head to head the entire race and had everybody intensely watching. On their final lap around Steen was able to find a spot and pass Bredekamp to take the lead! Now with it being their final lap, if Bredekamp wanted that spot back she has to make a move quick, was she going to let Steen have the first place spot or is she going to take it back? This race just became even more intense. These girls fought till the finish, Steen was able to hold off Bredekamp for that last lap and took first while Bredekamp came in a very close second place.  These two were well deserved of their first and second place’s.

Right after the Women’s class we went straight into another great race in the 40+ B/C class. As soon as these guys took off we could see it was going to be a great race between Andrew Peiffer (515) and Brad Bliss (727). Peiffer was leading the race with Bliss very close behind him, as time went by it seemed like Bliss was getting closer and close, by their second lap around Bliss was only inches away from Peiffer, waiting for the right time to make a pass on him. And that is just what he did on their last lap around! Bliss waited till their last lap of the race and took the opportunity to take the lead, luckily for him he was able to keep that lead till the finish line which left Peiffer with a second place.

In the 65cc class Wyatt Sandy (101) really went out there and gave it his all. Sandy pulled the hole shot and took the lead with Max Soti (56) in second and Lilly Tarbill (31) in third. These three started pretty close together but within that first lap both Sandy and Soti pulled away from Tarbill and the rest of the class. Since these two pulled away this left a battle between Tarbill, John Machay (333), and Vincent Nilles (5) for a little while. Nilles didn’t wait long to make a pass on Machay, he managed to make a move within the second lap around and brought himself up to fourth right behind Tarbill. As Nilles is trying to catch Tarbill, Soti is also trying to catch Sandy, but Sandy was not going to make that easy for Soti to do so. As these guys come back around on their last lap to finish their race, Sandy still leading and kept that lead to the finish with Soti staying in second and as Tarbill comes around in third we notice Nilles wasn’t near her anymore. Nilles ended up dropping down to sixth so a mistake must have been made somewhere out there on that last lap. 

This was the first year 50’s were able to come out and not only practice for Woods Night but they could actually race. This was something new for majority of them who came out to ride, and they all did very well!

Chris McKelvey (248) and Dylan Navel (844) had a battle for first and second place in the 30+ A class. These two were out there pushing each other to their limits throughout the whole race. While McKelvey was leading Navel was still trying to find any spot he could to try and get around McKelvey but McKelvey just kept blocking him, he wanted to keep that lead. At one point throughout the race, they were tire to tire to each other and I for sure thought that was when Navel was going to be able to make a pass on McKelvey but it wasn’t. McKelvey was able to hold off Navel the entire race and by the time these two were coming around to finish the race there was actually some distance between the two, guessing Navel made a mistake or gave up close to the end.

In B class we had some true woods riders, Zach Duff (921) and Regan Doerr (336) battled it out their entire race against each other. Duff took the lead right off the start with Doerr following right behind him. While the race was going on Doerr was trying to find every line he could to try and get around Duff, but Duff was not going to give up the lead without a fight. Duff was really making Doerr really work for it and finally on their last lap around Doerr was able to make the pass and take the lead. Unfortunately for Duff there was no time left to try and get his spot back, so Doerr ended up finishing in first and Duff finished with a close second.

As the night wore in the riders were very tired but happy with the course and many very happy with their finishes.  Woods racing and riding is just anther type of fun that is offered at Megatraxs.  Coming up Saturday night is the last round of the Traxs Winter Series with a Free T-Shirt event, all riders get a custom made t-shirt, and the winner of the 65 Beginner class and the winner of the 30B/C class this night will win a helmet from GP Cycles!  Don't forget on the 18th the Winter Series banquet will be at Megatraxs, food, door prizes, and an open ride!  Where did the winter go?  Megacross is only 6 weeks away!! April 15th is kick off!