The good people at Red Bull love me, and not only because I consume a fair amount of their product.
Ever since I wrote about the time I begrudgingly agreed to hang upside down in their aerobatic helicopter (after recovering from the nausea, of course), I guess they figured I’d be at their beck and call to promote other local causes with which they’re involved.
They were right.
When they invited me to attend the Second Annual Twelve Hours of Dade City to benefit the Florida National Guard Foundation, I was hoping they weren’t going to ask me to suit up and hop atop a motorbike. Fortunately, this time around, they left that to the professionals, like Ashley Fiolek, who you may recognize from this commercial….
Ashley’s only twenty years old, but she can already do a number of things you and I cannot, like star on television, win gold medals at the X Games and land corporate sponsorship based on her athletic ability. But there’s one thing we all can do that she can’t: hear. Ashley was born deaf, making her accomplishments on the track all that more impressive. She’s as darling as could be, signing autographs for hundreds of fans all weekend, until you get her on the track, then look out.
For Sunday’s charity event, Red Bull banded together Ashley, Tarah Geiger, another X Games gold medalist, and four other local female racers to compete against eleven other groups on a scorching hot, dusty Florida afternoon, complete with classic rock piping through the sound system and the ever-so-tempting smell of barbecue permeating the fairgrounds.
After an exhausting twelve hours, the all-female Red Bull team placed third, completing 270 laps.
According to Randy Yoho, Dade City MX owner, the weekend’s event raised nearly $10,000 for the cause. His track has been around for more than thirty years and is home to Motocross legends Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, who cause quite a stir when they return to town.
Dade City Motocross caters to fans of all ages and holds events every Saturday night from January to November, with practices every Thursday.
Here are some more scenes from the weekend.
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Chris
Never been a real Motor Cross fan as I tend to like riding the bigger beasts such as the Ducatis or Kawasaki 500cc’s for purely personal reasons. Motor bikes are a natural love of mine having bought one at the end of last year but I simply only ride it when I head south to Miami to meet up with some of buddies who still reside down there.
So LBJ had another off night ? Now we can put to rest the bull_hit with the comparisons to MJ once and for all !
The MLB Draft took place without many actually noticing . No wonder as it was televised on the MLB Network rather than by ESPN , TNT or Fox . And one wonders why the ratings for baseball remain stagnant across the country ?
So Tiger is out of the US Open ? I hope that he’s going through the right sort of recuperative rehab ?
tophatal …………
So, how long have you had the Death Wish?
Ever since my first Charles Bronson movie.
Ah, dirt bikes, classic rock, and bar-b-que. What’s not to love. Reminds me of the good old days minus the mullets and red eyes. Good times bro, damn good times!
Aer…
If you want mullets, wait until you read Part Two of my Sports Sunday.
Another off night, A? Like I mentioned, it seems to me that after all this time, LeBron is still trying to find his identity on the court.
I know the Rays had a bunch of early picks in this draft but I haven’t checked on whether they landed anybody good.
And Tiger? Well, that kid is in trouble. He somehow needs to find his way back to championship form. His problems at this point are both physical and mental and that makes for lower television ratings for the PGA. You’d think for all he’s worth, they’d sponsor his treatment.
Impressive. A developing altruistic personality?
I guess it all depends on your definition of altruism, huh, DC?
For example, I think it would be altruistic of you to fly me out to Dallas for Game Five.
Come on Humpherys. You can pick this this motorcross thing up quickly. Just start small.
Grab a ten speed and you’ll be jumping over the pool/pond in no time. Pond will be good for you…
Ladies and gentlemen, please do not try this at home.
We are, after all, professional stunt men.
I never got into BMX or dirt bikes, just snowboarding and skateboarding. It’s amazing how Red Bull rules those sports. I hate them in cocktails though. Nothing makes you feel crappier in the morning than drinking energy drinks and alcohol…
I did love the Rickey Carmichael video games though!
WELL CHRIS IT LOOKS LIKE A LOTS OF FUN , THE GIRL HAS IT ROCKING. NEVER TRY THE RED BULL B-4 AS I AM OLD SCHOOL BUT I WILL GIVE A TRY AND MAYBE ILL DO THE MOTORCROSS NOTTT . TO OLD FOR THAT ,GLAD YOU HAD A GOOD TIME . CALL ME THX.
Uh-huh!!! Now you got it. I’ll bet the event was awesome! I’ve been watching Ashley since she was 13 and she was just as awesome then too! BTW you suck for not calling a brother! Next stop for you should be Loretta Lynns!! Google it, pack a bag and head to Tenn. for a full week of fun and MX in the mountains! Or better yet.. Million dollar Monster shoot out ( just don’t tell the Red Bull guys:) in Vegas this Oct. I’ll call u for that one. No question it will rock!
Chris
Remind me why it is you live in the greater Tampa Bay area ? Even you have to be pi##ed that Tampa Bay Sports Authority will be spending $1 million plus to refurbish the Ray J but the Glazers won’t be donating anything towards the costs at all ? Another quasi governmental agency misspending money that would be better spent elsewhere .
I see that the Nats’ Bryce Harper is showing his feminine side ? Nothing say look at me how masculine am I …… than blowing the opposing pitcher a kiss , having hit a home run off him . LOL,LOL,LOL !!!
I hear Pat Riley will be lending his shoulder for LBJ to cry on and at the same time Riles has his daggers out for anyone who now dares to criticize the team or LeBron ?
tophatal ……….
Chap…
Red Bull has definitely done a fantastic job dual-marketing those sports and their product. I guess they were fringe sports and no other major company wanted to take the risk, as if X-gamers don’t spend money.
Like signing a professional athlete in one of the other sports isn’t a gamble.
Salsero…
Why try Red Bull when you have Bustelo?
Chris M aka BMX Master…
I will be picking up a phone soon.
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