*** Florida State BMX Qualifier Draws Riders ***
Coral Springs, FL -- 03/09/2008
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/7002/03022008alh2.jpg
Photo - Joe Bracero(771) and James Murphy(2) get a
bit of air on the first straight. by www.floridabmx.com
Four years ago, West Palm Beach's Jordan Cusito took a bad
fall while competing in the state BMX champion****ps in St. Cloud.
Cusito, who will turn 16 on March 21, was carted off on a
stretcher and taken to an area hospital in an ambulance.
Undaunted, he returned to racing in three weeks.
"That was probably one of the worst falls I have had," said Cusito,
who suffered a back injury. "I don't know how to put it, either you
are born to play, or you are born to sit on the bench.
"All I was thinking on the way to the hospital was I hope everything
is all right and how long would it be until I was going to come back,"
Cusito said. "Unfortunately, I had to wait three weeks. It was pretty
disappointing that I couldn't finish the race. It was one of the only
times I didn't finish a race."
Cusito was one of an estimated 5,000 people, including nearly 1,000
racers ranging in age from 4 to 67, who took part in the Florida State
Champion****p BMX Qualifier on Jan. 25-27 at the Coral Springs BMX
track at Mullins Park.
Cusito won the 15 Expert competition.
Cusito also had two second-place finishes in a recent competition at
Avon Park. He has his sights set on the Olympics in 2016 or possibly
turning pro.
"It is going to take a lot of hard work, getting bigger and stronger,
both
mentally and physically," said Cusito, who is Florida's top-ranked rider
in
his age group. "It is pretty cool being No. 1, but you always have to
keep
in mind that there is always someone bigger and better than you and you
are not going to win them all."
West Palm Beach's Benny Wright, 23, took second in the 19-25 Expert
Division in Coral Springs and won all of his events at Avon Park.
He plans to compete in the Olympic points qualifying event at
Okeeheelee Park on March 15-16. It will also serve as a national
qualifier.
"There are a number of things I like about the s****t," said Wright,
who has been riding for 13 years. "I like the adrenaline you get for
getting yourself pumped up to win. I like the fact that all of the work
you put into it, is what you get out of it. It is not at all a team
s****t.
You may be sponsored by the same people as other riders, but your
performance relies on what you put into it."
Wright said he practices twice a week and races every
other weekend. He hopes to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.
Wright said the s****t is also expensive.
Riders have to pay entry fees for each event,
plus, the cost of hotels and trans****tation.
The bikes can range from $700 to upward of $2,000.
There is also the upkeep of the bike that can add on
$100 a month.
"If I didn't have sponsors," Wright said. "I wouldn't be doing this.
I have no idea what I would be doing if I weren't doing this. It has
become a lifestyle right now. I might retire if I make the Olympics
once."
Wright said he plans to turn pro in May. He will be an
A pro first and then work his way up to become a AA pro.
"You make prize money and I would have to do a different contract with
my sponsors which would include bonus money," Wright said. "There are
year-end bonuses, and I have heard that there is a top pro who makes
upwards over $150,000 base salary. There are probably five or six guys
that make that.
"So to make six figures riding a bike, that is just astronomical.
Obviously I would like to get to that point. With the sponsors I
have now, that would be a very good possibility."
ACC - http://www.floridabmx.com
Geneb...Wenatchee,Wa****ngton-USA
All Things Northwest in BMX!
***** Gene`s BMX *****
http://www.genesbmx.com
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