On Monday at the start of the week, I wrapped up work a little earlier than usual and met up with Chris King factory racer Josh Kelly at his home.
We headed by bike to the Portland International Raceway, a motor racing circuit located north of downtown. Since the Portland Short Track, a dirt short-track race, is held every Monday in June and July, I went along to the venue with Josh, who was racing.
It was about a 30-minute ride, but since Josh was using it as a warm-up for the race, it was quite a high pace. By the time we reached the venue, I was already wiped out.
Races for the various categories were already underway on the circuit, which combines the raceway's motocross course and open grassy areas. And since they’ll be using the adjacent auto racing track for road races as summer progresses, I expect it will be packed with many more cyclists. With Josh’s elite race set for last, I snacked on a burrito and watched the other categories first.
Everyone had all sorts of different bikes; while mountain bikes made up the majority, many people were also seen racing on cyclocross bikes.
He seemed to be enjoying himself on an All-City Nature Boy equipped with Homage tires. Here in the U.S., the green Homage tires are overwhelmingly popular.
Hmm. It’s not about being fast or slow—the winner is whoever has the most fun.
|
|
Also, Jeremy, the chef at Elevator Cafe & Commons, was having fun piloting his freshly built Cielo MTB, and Valentine from the Komorebi Cycling Team was racing on the Breadwinner Komorebi she also uses for bike packing trips. It’s very much like them to just enjoy racing on the bikes they’re used to riding every day, without getting worked up just because it’s a race.
When it comes to dirt-riding vehicles, Tony Pereira of Breadwinner never stays silent. He put in a great effort on a 10-year-old retro racer he built himself before even starting Breadwinner. After his first race ended in a DNF due to a flat, he was clearly enjoying himself.
|
|
And then, the time for the final race finally arrived.
With the starting gun, he burst off the line and rounded the first lap in a solid position within the lead pack. After that, he kept pushing from start to finish, quickly leaping into the top spot and distancing himself from the rest of the field.
Ultimately, he crossed the finish line in first place, never having ceded the lead to any other rider for the remainder of the 40-minute race.
After crossing the line, he high-fived his beloved daughter, Olivia, who had come to watch with her mother. She seemed a little overwhelmed by her sweaty dad, but in her eyes, he must have looked like a star.
It was such a masterful race performance that it was a joy to watch. He commutes to King by bike even in the worst of rain, and while working at King, he manages to find time for training in his daily life while racing, and spends precious time with his beloved family on the weekends. He’s not just a fast guy; he’s loved by everyone because he constantly holds a deep respect for bicycles, the community surrounding them, and people as well.
Olivia, your dad is amazing.
Thanks Josh for taking me to race and Congratulations on your 1st place!!