This past weekend, on January 28th, Ray Bennett and I had the pleasure of filling in for the one and only Scott Murray at round 6 of the Arena Cross Tour series in Starksville, MS.
Despite a flat on the box van on the way there it was an easy 5 hour daytrip for us. The flat put us there just in time to set up and practice. With a solid practice out of the way, we got to watch intros from the floor and then go directly into our FMX demo.
The dirt was loose, but the crowd was into it providing great energy for our routine. With our performance complete, we took down the ramps, and it was time to go racing. I hung out at our merchandise booth and watched the rest of the races before packing up. I do have to say I miss racing from time to time and wanted to hop out there and bang some bars. Maybe next time!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Two Down!
We at FMX East have started 2012 with familiar friends in the monster truck world. I have been working with many of the organizers of both tours for over a decade. Their shows are some of the very best in the industry.
Our first show was in Southaven, MS, with Toughest Monster Truck Tour, where for the first time, we had Quads along with us. Jon Guetter and Adam Thene joined Ray Bennett and me to throw down for the crowd. Everything was going well in practice until Adam came up a little short and blew his clutch basket apart. This left Jon as the only quad rider. Both nights went well and we had fun, Thene even got some mic time. When asked which were better quads or dirt bikes, he replied "Quads for life."
Left to Right: Guetter, Thene and the FMX East bikes
Photo: Esposito iPhone
The second weekend we spent with Monster Nation in Bossier City, LA, just outside of Shreveport, we assembled the same players. However this time practice went off without a hitch. Despite the short run, the set up was sweet, and everyone pulled their tricks in the show. Once again, Quads edged us out in the cheer off once Jon flipped.
January 20th also marked the opening round of the Night of the Jumps World Championships. FMX East rider, Javier Villegas, reigning champ, who has apparently not been slacking in the off season, pulled off wins in both qualifying and main event each night.
Villegas wins both opening rounds of Night of the Jumps in Linz, Austria
Photo: Night of the Jumps
That is the start of a good year if you ask me.
Our first show was in Southaven, MS, with Toughest Monster Truck Tour, where for the first time, we had Quads along with us. Jon Guetter and Adam Thene joined Ray Bennett and me to throw down for the crowd. Everything was going well in practice until Adam came up a little short and blew his clutch basket apart. This left Jon as the only quad rider. Both nights went well and we had fun, Thene even got some mic time. When asked which were better quads or dirt bikes, he replied "Quads for life."
Photo: Esposito iPhone
The second weekend we spent with Monster Nation in Bossier City, LA, just outside of Shreveport, we assembled the same players. However this time practice went off without a hitch. Despite the short run, the set up was sweet, and everyone pulled their tricks in the show. Once again, Quads edged us out in the cheer off once Jon flipped.
January 20th also marked the opening round of the Night of the Jumps World Championships. FMX East rider, Javier Villegas, reigning champ, who has apparently not been slacking in the off season, pulled off wins in both qualifying and main event each night.
Photo: Night of the Jumps
That is the start of a good year if you ask me.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Bossier City with Monster Nation
Ray Bennett, Jon Guetter, Adam Thene and myself (Clint Esposito) are here in Bossier City to perform at the Century Link Center for Monster Nation.
Show time is 7:30PM on Friday and Saturday - get here early (5:30p-6:30p)for the Pit Party and meet the drivers - your ticket IS your Pit Pass!
Here's what the Monster Nation website has to say about this weekend -
BIGFOOT returns to Monster Nation and will take on Tailgator, Big Dawg, Toxic, the brand new STINGER and Shell-Camino driven by Shelley Kujat!
The high flying Freestyle motocross riders are back, but this year they'll go head to head against their 4-wheel adversaries on ATVs. It's 2 vs 4 wheels in a backflipping war!
Things will get loud and warm when Paul Magliato fires up Thunder - his 2,000 horsepower JET-POWERED atv.
That Jet-powered 4-wheeler is ridiculous - we've started thrownin' around ideas for a jet-powered dirt bike!
bossier City is just outside of Shreveport, Louisiana, and we got put up in the DiamondJacks Casino & Resort. We got out last night to do a little gaming, and I almost hit it big on the roulette table. We're looking forward to a couple great shows this weekend, so if you're in town - come check us out!
Show time is 7:30PM on Friday and Saturday - get here early (5:30p-6:30p)for the Pit Party and meet the drivers - your ticket IS your Pit Pass!
Here's what the Monster Nation website has to say about this weekend -
BIGFOOT returns to Monster Nation and will take on Tailgator, Big Dawg, Toxic, the brand new STINGER and Shell-Camino driven by Shelley Kujat!
The high flying Freestyle motocross riders are back, but this year they'll go head to head against their 4-wheel adversaries on ATVs. It's 2 vs 4 wheels in a backflipping war!
Things will get loud and warm when Paul Magliato fires up Thunder - his 2,000 horsepower JET-POWERED atv.
That Jet-powered 4-wheeler is ridiculous - we've started thrownin' around ideas for a jet-powered dirt bike!
bossier City is just outside of Shreveport, Louisiana, and we got put up in the DiamondJacks Casino & Resort. We got out last night to do a little gaming, and I almost hit it big on the roulette table. We're looking forward to a couple great shows this weekend, so if you're in town - come check us out!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
FMX Fourth Quarter Frenzy
by Clint Esposito
The end of the year is a typically slow time for FMX in the US. With the holiday season upon us, most people aren’t big on setting up shows nor are people big on going to shows. However many other countries don't share our affection for the holidays or even the same holidays. The last few months of the year saw FMX East in the far east, on a Caribbean island and in good ol' American cowboy country.
This year we had the opportunity to spend Halloween in China for the Chinese National Motocross Championships. Although Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, I'm pretty sure the Chinese don't have any idea that it exists. I had never been to China and happen to love my job, so, of course, I said yes!
The show took place directly following a 2 week circus run. So I went from Minneapolis to Tim Dyson's house in St Louis, and we flew out the next morning. After 2 flights, one of which was 12 hours, we were in Shanghai, China. This is where we met up with the promoter, Steven and our friends from the US, Eric and Chelsea. Early the next morning we boarded a smaller plane and flew a couple hours into the nation, where we were driven 4 hrs to Jiangxi province, where the event was to be held.
Culture shock aside (mainly food and the fact that everyone kind of gawked at us), it was cool to see the other side of the world, and people were nice. There was a big dirt landing with a concrete run way and two good ramps. Practice went well, despite the fact I could only sleep about 4 hrs in a row because of the time difference. The following morning we performed for a crowd of around 10,000 people including the governing officials of the Chinese motocross federation and the city. Dyson and I had fun riding and flipping side by side ramps. Before flying home, Dyson and I got an entire day to explore Shanghai and had a blast.
Dyson and Esposito flipping in Jiangxi
With Christmas plans being made, I got a last minute call from another international promoter for a show on December 26. Since there’s nothing quite like getting paid to spend a week in the tropics, Ray Bennett, Daniel Weeks and I packed up and headed to the island of Antigua. Weeks and I had been before, and because the island doesn’t get to see FMX much, it’s a big hit. We arrived there a couple days early to set up and hang out. Come show time we were ready to throw down for the crowd at the Sticky Wicket, a crickett field adjacent to the airport with views of the sea. Afterwards we were ushered to an Antiguan party to live it up with the locals.
Bennett and Weeks performing in Antigua
Back in the states, ready to ring in the New Year, I got a call from World Champion bullfighter Ross Hill to film a commercial for some events we are going to hold this year. The catch is the shoot is on New Years day. So after behaving myself on New Years Eve, I got up early and headed to Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The wind was ripping, but I managed to get the job done for the camera. An informal wrap party took place around a roaring campfire complete with plenty of domestic light beer, a cowboy with a guitar to serenade the crew and fueled late night, moonshine-bull ride.
If the last few months are any indication of how this year is going to be, it’s going to be wild ride in 2012.
The end of the year is a typically slow time for FMX in the US. With the holiday season upon us, most people aren’t big on setting up shows nor are people big on going to shows. However many other countries don't share our affection for the holidays or even the same holidays. The last few months of the year saw FMX East in the far east, on a Caribbean island and in good ol' American cowboy country.
This year we had the opportunity to spend Halloween in China for the Chinese National Motocross Championships. Although Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, I'm pretty sure the Chinese don't have any idea that it exists. I had never been to China and happen to love my job, so, of course, I said yes!
The show took place directly following a 2 week circus run. So I went from Minneapolis to Tim Dyson's house in St Louis, and we flew out the next morning. After 2 flights, one of which was 12 hours, we were in Shanghai, China. This is where we met up with the promoter, Steven and our friends from the US, Eric and Chelsea. Early the next morning we boarded a smaller plane and flew a couple hours into the nation, where we were driven 4 hrs to Jiangxi province, where the event was to be held.
Culture shock aside (mainly food and the fact that everyone kind of gawked at us), it was cool to see the other side of the world, and people were nice. There was a big dirt landing with a concrete run way and two good ramps. Practice went well, despite the fact I could only sleep about 4 hrs in a row because of the time difference. The following morning we performed for a crowd of around 10,000 people including the governing officials of the Chinese motocross federation and the city. Dyson and I had fun riding and flipping side by side ramps. Before flying home, Dyson and I got an entire day to explore Shanghai and had a blast.
With Christmas plans being made, I got a last minute call from another international promoter for a show on December 26. Since there’s nothing quite like getting paid to spend a week in the tropics, Ray Bennett, Daniel Weeks and I packed up and headed to the island of Antigua. Weeks and I had been before, and because the island doesn’t get to see FMX much, it’s a big hit. We arrived there a couple days early to set up and hang out. Come show time we were ready to throw down for the crowd at the Sticky Wicket, a crickett field adjacent to the airport with views of the sea. Afterwards we were ushered to an Antiguan party to live it up with the locals.
Back in the states, ready to ring in the New Year, I got a call from World Champion bullfighter Ross Hill to film a commercial for some events we are going to hold this year. The catch is the shoot is on New Years day. So after behaving myself on New Years Eve, I got up early and headed to Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The wind was ripping, but I managed to get the job done for the camera. An informal wrap party took place around a roaring campfire complete with plenty of domestic light beer, a cowboy with a guitar to serenade the crew and fueled late night, moonshine-bull ride.
If the last few months are any indication of how this year is going to be, it’s going to be wild ride in 2012.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Javier Villegas crowned FIM FMX World Champion
Photo from Night of the Jumps
As reported by Night of the Jumps
Dec 18, 2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Sofia 2011
Javier Villegas leaps to FIM Freestyle MX World Championship
On Saturday night, professional freestyle motocross arrived big time in Bulgaria. The world’s leading exponents of FMX gathered for the last NIGHT of the JUMPs of the 2011 season at the ARMEEC Arena in Sofia (Bulgaria), where the destination of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship title would be decided. Twelve riders from seven countries laid on an incredible spectacle in front of 10,000 spectators in a packed arena, a show that had even the Bulgarian prime minister on the edge of his seat. The highlight of the evening was to be the big clash between title rivals Remi Bizouard (FRA) and Javier Villegas (CHI).
The crowd were already whipped up into frenzy during the qualifying round, which inspired maximum performance from the riders. Debutant James Carter (USA) dug deep to perform incredible Ruler Flips and Scorpion Combos that took him into the Top 10 but still fell short of the standard produced by the six finalists. Also missing out at this stage was Libor Podmol who took a tumble on his very first trick and was unable to continue. The German duo also progressed no further than the first round: Fabian Bauersachs had a good run, but could finish no higher than tenth, and unlucky Hannes Ackermann had no preparation time, as his bike and equipment arrived only at the very last minute. The two Frenchman Brice Izzo and David Rinaldo were also unable to convince the judges of their case to be included in the final – this despite Rinaldo’s Airplane and Superman Seatgrab Flip. So the finalists on this occasion were Massimo Bianconcini (ITA), Jose Miralles (ESP), Petr Pilat (CZE) and Maikel Melero (ESP) plus the two title aspirants, Javier Villegas and Remi Bizouard.
Jose Miralles won the final Race & Style contest of the season. Fellow Spaniard Melero triumphed in the Maxxis Highest Air, recording a jump of 7.1 metres.
The first rider out on track for the deciding round was Massimo Bianconcini. Italy’s grand master delighted the crowd with a brand new trick – a Double 9 O’Clock Combo – and will no doubt have been satisfied with his sixth place on the night. Miralles also showed off a new combo consisting of Stalefish to Double Can Can Flip. Although he finished the event in fifth, the result was good enough to secure him the bronze medal in the overall standings.
Red Bull rider Petr Pilat put in a really good run to take P4 in Sofia and to score enough points to finish eighth overall in the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship.
Maikel Melero, who had already received the Rookie of the Year Award before the proceedings began, confirmed himself a worthy winner of the accolade with a perfect final run, including Double Seatgrab Flip, that steered him to third place in the Bulgarian Grand Prix and fourth in the overall standings.
Then came the moment that everyone had been waiting for – the confrontation between Javier Villegas and Remi Bizouard. Villegas laid on a tour de force ranging from Suicide Backlip Lockback to Tsunami Flip. Bizouard countered with Ruler, Cliffhanger and Hart Attack Flip, ending his sideshow with a Sidesaddle Landing. The Frenchman prevailed once again – his fourth triumph in a row – but Villegas had built up such a substantial points cushion that he comfortably took the title. The new champion looked truly delighted as he was handed the huge trophy and, looking back over the season as a whole, he is a worthy winner. The Chilean’s victory also represents a first in the FMX World Championship, with all previous titles having gone to European contestants.
The world’s most extreme freestyle motocross series now enters its Christmas break. The new season starts on the weekend of 20th/21st January with the NIGHT of the Jumps in Linz (Austria), where the first two rounds of the UEM Freestyle MX European Championship will be contested. The first round in the 2012 FIM Freestyle MX World Championship will be staged on the weekend of 2nd/3rd February in the Italian city of Turin.
Monday, January 12, 2009
2009 so far
With the new year under way FMX East riders are performing all over the country. First Travis Willis and I did a show in Charlotte NC for Checkered flag productions on Jan 2-3. This was my first show in 09 and the first time I would flip to my landing ramp and my first flip inside with limited room. Jan ninthe and tenth was a busy one for us.
Travis willis announced an arena cross in the sears center in Chicago, we also sponsored the jump off.
Garry Robertson rode a monster jam in Montgomery AL
Brody Wilson competed the IFMA in Manchester NH getting second on friday and winning on saturday.
Javier Villegas competed in the Dallas TX IFMA getting 2nd for the night after making a small mistake on one jump.
2009 is shaping up to be even better than 2008 thanks for all the support from our sponsors.
Spastic graphics, Spider Grips, Motion pro, PMP sprockets, Hyde concepts, BShipman Films
Travis willis announced an arena cross in the sears center in Chicago, we also sponsored the jump off.
Garry Robertson rode a monster jam in Montgomery AL
Brody Wilson competed the IFMA in Manchester NH getting second on friday and winning on saturday.
Javier Villegas competed in the Dallas TX IFMA getting 2nd for the night after making a small mistake on one jump.
2009 is shaping up to be even better than 2008 thanks for all the support from our sponsors.
Spastic graphics, Spider Grips, Motion pro, PMP sprockets, Hyde concepts, BShipman Films
Friday, December 12, 2008
Santiago Chile show
Chile Show
I know it has been a little bit since my last blog and even a little while since the very show I am writing about. However I'm doing it anyway. Team FMX East rider Javier "Astroboy" Villegas has been telling me about Chile since he spoke enough english to do so. The plan has been to get me a show over there so I could see his native country. Finally the opportunity came up and I jumped at the chance. Javier always jokes with me that we americans think they live in trees and have monkeys as pets in Chile. So I was very excited to have Javier pick me up on his bicycle taxi with his monkey on a leash or something. Unfortunitly none of that is true. Javier picked me up in a four door pickup...... Lame!! And I didnt even see one monkey..
After my initial shock wore off we went to check out the set up. Of course when we got there the landing was about 9ft tall and 40ft long. For some reason thats what most course builders think is an appropriate landing for freestyle. I understand very very little spanish so I just stood there until Javier asked me what I thought. After the landing issue was resolved we rode some practice, the landing was pretty smooth. If you landed three quarters of the way down the landing. Other wise you landed hard enough to bounce and then G out into the bottom of the landing. However we had a good crew of riders and had fun riding anyway. The riders there were Javier "Astroboy" Villegas, Marco "Chino" Gonzalez, Renzo Pierattini and your truly Clint Esposito. I had met Chino before and actually brought him some FMX East graphics to the show but I had never met Renzo. They are both friends of Javiers from Chile and really cool guys I might ad. As the weekend went on both Javier and I got more and more comfortable. Each for different reasons, this was the first time I had ever ridden Chino's ramp and this was only the second time Javier had ridden since breaking his scapula. You couldnt tell though as he was doing just about all his tricks right off the bat.
So other than the innitial set back of realizing that there arn't even monkeys in Chile I had a really good tome. I actually ended up staying in Chile an extra two days because Javier and I were having way to much fun laughing at pretty much everything. So our next plan it to get me down there with a camera man next time to do some filming. I will let you know if that happens.
Clint Esposito
Clint Esposito
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