Kacey Curtis of Spotsylvania now has a good idea how the owners and supporters of racehorse Big Brown felt after his disappointing finish at Belmont.
The 13-year-old Thornburg Middle School student was riding high following six consecutive firsts in motos in the Area and Regional qualifying competition, but settled for the second-place trophy at the AMA Amateur National Championships held last week.
The week-long motocross event drew 1,386 entries in 42 different classes to Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., 65 miles west of Nashville.
"The track was muddy and I guess I picked the wrong starting gate," Curtis said this week. "There was a big pileup in the first turn and about three or four of us went down. I got back on my bike, straightened my handlebars and got my head on straight. And rode as hard as I could."
Serratia Gonzalezz of Ormond Beach, Fla., won the first-place trophy in the girls 9-13 motocross division while finishing first in the first moto and third in the final two.
Curtis, who beat out Gonzalezz in the regional competition held in Armagh, Pa., in May, finished 10th, second and first.
A year ago, Curtis set the Middle Atlantic Motocross Association ablaze by winning all 16 of her races to become the first female driver to post a perfect score of 1,600.
But the season also had disappointment. Curtis' first trip to Loretta Lynn's turned out badly as she suffered blown motors in each of her first two motos, denying her a chance of a high finish. The mishaps were attributed to defective crankshafts.
Yet a timely introduction from friend and fellow rider Michael Anderson planted seeds for future success. Curtis met and landed a new bike mechanic in James M. Sawyer of New Carlisle, Ind., who built new motors for her Yamaha 85cc bikes.
Curtis now has a fleet of six bikes and has added several new sponsors. Fredericksburg Motor Sports continues to be a main provider of parts.
Curtis has several competitions planned for the upcoming months, concluding with an expected trip to Mini-O's junior nationals Nov. 23-30 in Gainesville, Fla.
COOL RUNNING AT
A course designed to combine both trails and road all shaded by lush foliage and a quiet serenity is bound to attract a crowd.
The 19th annual 5-k run through Locust Shade in Triangle is set for tomorrow at 7:30 a.m..
Entry fees are $11 for persons who register by phone today, or $13 for race-day entries, starting at 7 a.m. For further details, call the park office at 703/221-8579.
FLORIDA TRIP A SUCCESS
Giuseppi, Willie and Sophia Inserra of Stafford County turned in solid efforts in back-to-back competitions in Florida last month.
Giuseppi was runner-up in male bantam 2, 30-kilograms (born 2001, 66 pounds) at the USA Judo Junior Olympic National Championship at Disney's Coronado Spring's Resort in Orlando. He placed fourth in the same class at the Junior U.S. Open Judo Championship at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Competing in male juvenile A, 44 kg. (born 1994-95, 97 pounds), Willie Inserra placed fourth at Orlando and second at Fort Lauderdale.
And Sophia Inserra placed fifth and fourth, respectively, in female intermediate 1, 30 kg (born 1998-99, 66 pounds).
Kurt Nicoll: 540/374-5441
Email: knicoll@freelancestar.com