KV Bike Park Grand Opening a Rousing Success

On Saturday, August 21 KV Bike Park held its Grand Opening and a National Bicycle League sanctioned double point BMX race. National Bicycle League’s West Coast Track Development Rep. and BMX racing champion Cody Wilson commented, “On behalf of NBL, Our CEO Gary Aragon and the entire staff we welcome the city of Kernville, Chris Brayman, his hard working group of volunteers and the KV Bike Park to our NBL family of tracks across the USA.” It took the Kernville Chamber, many dedicated volunteers and donors four months to build the community-built, non-profit KV Bike Park.

Supervisor Jon McQuiston welcomed more than 400 people to Kern County’s newest recreation tourism attraction. Almost a quarter of the eager racers were from around California, from Oakland to Big Bear. As the Mountain Bike portion of the KV Bike Park is completed, it will only grow as a regional tourism attraction. In 2008, tourists spent over $1.2 billion and tourism employed almost 14,000 people in Kern County. Supervisor McQuiston presented a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Kevin McCarthy and a Certificate of Recognition for Chris Brayman, signed by all five Kern County Supervisors. Following that, BMX champion Cody Wilson carried the flag around the BMX track during the national anthem sung by Cheryl Borthick, Debby Fieber, Kay Gregory and Francine Stirling – members of the Kern Valley Sweet Adeline’s ‘Sierra Sound’ quartet.

Then, the 1st of 11 National Bicycle League-sanctioned BMX races began. 78% of the 32 riders were from the Kern River Valley with girls making up 14% of riders who ranged from age 5 to 49. 1st Place winners included Jimmy Leslie, Mariah Carroll, Jeff Sherman, Kenny Hudson, Matthew Henderson, Kurt Evans, Robert (The Madman) Mental, Kyle Gong from Oakland, Trenton Richardson, Duke DelGaudio & Trenton (TJ) Sanders. See http://bit.ly/diocBt for complete NBL BMX race results.

“The Grand Opening of the KV Bike Park was finished off with the exciting, hilarious and shenanigan rich Lil’ Homie Drive-by’s and Dollars Fundraiser Race,” KV Bike Park president Paul Ferguson pointed out. The 24 participants raced the massive mountain bike pump track head-to-head on 16 inch wheel Free Agent Lil’ Homie Kids bikes provided by Ride KRV Bike Shop. The only criteria was that each racer was at least 5’5’’ tall and someone paid their $10 entry fee.

The Lil’ Homie races were one lap, single elimination rounds with an optional $5 buy in for another round if you lost. First prize of $80 taken by Jake Leathers was 1/3 of the money raised (caps at $100) who graciously gave $20 to Hannibal Carroll in 2nd place. The KV Bike Park raised a total of $160 after paying out the winner. Some highlights of the race were Cal Water’s Chris Whitley cutting the track and the hilarious battle between Scott Link and Kirt Evans and of course the final round between Jake Leathers and Hannibal Carroll. The Lil’ Homie races were extremely well received by both participants and spectators and will become a staple fundraising event at the KV Bike Park.

KV Bike Park will be holding BMX races every Saturday beginning Sept. 4. The park features a mountain bike skills course (still to be completed), a pump track with wall ride, dirt jumps, a trials course, and of course, the BMX track next to the John E. McNally Rodeo Grounds off Scodie Avenue in Kernville, California.

For more information about the KV Bike Park, visit their website www.kvbikepark.com, follow it on Facebook or call (760) 223-6165.