2009 NBL Grands

I am currently working on getting a new website up and running so I have not had tons of time to keep my blog updated..I am making an effort to fix that. Here is some practice footage from the 2009 NBL Grands in Louisville! Check it out and be looking for more to come from the weekend

Struggling Times

The other day I was listening to a pod cast with the legendary Supercross & Motocross Champion, James Stewart. He was talking about his time off from the Lucas Oil Motocross Championship and how a few years ago it was unheard for a team to only sign a rider with a Supercross only contract. Sure some riders get a bit burned out and need some time off so the one aspect deal may be perfect for them but for James “Bubba” Stewart that was not the case at hand. Stewart is the defending Outdoor National Champion and was fresh off of a highly touted Supercross title so as he said “I really wanted to do the Outdoor thing.” Sadly the decision was not up to him but up to his team. James went on to discuss the tough economic times and how in a year or so he is expecting to see the factory teams such as Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha may be focusing their racing budget on the satellite teams like Troy lee Designs Honda, and the newly formed Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha. He then went on to mention that a lot of spectators and fans are taking the great sport of Motocross racing for granted. In a few year James believes that if things do not turn around the sport may be fighting for it’s life. James has a good point. Davey Coombs, Tim Cotter and the crew at Racer Productions (Just down the road from my house) have already done great things for the sport. They have formed a stellar TV package that lets both motocross veterans and new viewers alike to check out the racing action on a weekly basis. Better yet they can check out the 450cc class LIVE every Saturday. Who knows, James Stewart may be looking at things in a negative since but then again he could be hitting the nail right on the head. All we can do is hope that the moto promoters like Racer Productions can pull us back to the promise land and blow the sport back up to a main stream level. After not even a full outdoor season they have made HUGE leaps and bounds so I would say it is looking up! Keep those finger crossed moto fans…
Until next time.
Stay Strong and Ride Hard

Luke Nesler.




Photo Credit: Luke Nesler

Live Strong!!

Training & Overtime, these are two words that are widely over looked by I’d say 85% of BMX racers today. Most kids start there racing career at a fairly young age which is a time where little training is needed and aspects such as lifting weights could be harmful to any child’s growth process. After the age of 12 or 13 extra hours other than simple riding sessions at your local BMX track are necessities to be successful and make it to that next level. It happens all the time and is not a rare sight to see a young kid (lets say 9-10 years old) dominating his class at nationals, winning every race he enters with ease. This may be due to something such as he/she is naturally a bigger stronger kid or simply has more natural talent. REALITY CHECK….All kids hit a growth spurt and all tough one may be bigger than he/she’s competition at a young age, you can bet you money that by the time you hit the expert class that size won’t play as much of a factor. As far as natural talent, I never had much..I have had to work my BUTT off for every skill that I have and guess what...The kids that use to beat me when I was 12, 13,14 that never trained, never did those boring sprints and just rode street and trails, they are now struggling to make main events in my race division. This is due to a lack of drive, depending to much on the “natural talents” All pros work their fingers to the bone to get faster and faster. That’s what I try to model my self as with everything…especially working on getting faster…Work like a pro. If you feel strongly that you have what it takes to be the best than work with that attitude. Don’t let money be an excuse. If you can’t afford a gym membership get out in the road and do dead stop to full out sprints…sprint up and down hills to work on power and pedal speed…There is SO MUCH that one can do to improve their skills and fitness! Take the Lance Armstrong foundation’s motto “Live Strong” Don’t go home at night knowing that you didn’t leave it all on the track….Do everything that you do in life with this attitude and you WILL be a winner!

Live Strong, Ride Hard

Luke Nesler

If you build it "correctly" they will come!

I was 12 years old when I saw a feature on WDTV 5 about a new BMX track that was set to open in Fairmont. The very next day my dad and I drove around Fairmont until we somehow found the Poor Farm BMX race track in mid construction. The Marion County Parks and Recreation was nice enough to let me coast around the half built 1st two straightaway’s. From that day on my life has been all about BMX racing. I have been racing at the Farm since the grand opening and have seen a lot of riders; track officials and parent volunteers come and go. All the while my love for the sport grew stronger with every lap that I made. It was 2005, the year of Poor Farm BMX’s first big North East Regional that I started to step up as more than just a local rider. I began to lend a hand whenever I could, trying to make the race track a better place. 4 years later I finally heard my calling and decided to step up as the official Track President. It may have been that I was tired of seeing the track sit at a standstill and not bring in any new riders AT ALL, or maybe it was that the newer track officials were very dear friends of mine, or maybe it was simply the fact that I loved the race paradise more than anyone else who ever laid 2 wheels on the course. I decided to not just step in and call myself “Track President”. I wanted to make my mark in WV BMX history. I wanted to bring in a whole new crop of riders with hopes that I would attract kids, teens and adults who have never got the chance to rip around a BMX race track. This past off season that is exactly what I did. Myself, Track Director – Sam Larsok and State Commish – Rod Mills traveled all over the surrounding area putting on the “Ride a Healthy Life Program” (A program on BMX racing and how it can improve the quality of children’s lives). The program consisted of a verbal presentation and a BIG AIR ramp demo. It was an immediate success and all of the kids, teachers and parents ate it up. After one local Fairmont show there were over 12 students that come to ride the track one day after we came to their school. My hopes and dreams are that with a lot of hard work, smart marketing and my TV connections, that I will make the Poor Farm BMX race track of Fairmont and statewide known feature that families travel from all corners to rider. We are in the works on a 2nd race track and lets just say that we wont ever have to worry about any rain dates! ; )
Until next time, Live Strong & Ride Hard!

Luke Nesler


PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Jump Jam '09

One of my goals is to make the great sport of BMX grow within West Virginia. I am always doing anything that I physically can to promote the race track as well as BMX in general. Last year I came up with the idea of putting on a trail jam (Jump Jam) and spread the word to try and gather some BMX enthusiasts to come out and ride with hopes that one day within the next few years that it would grow into a publicly known event. Well, 2009 marked the 2nd annual Jump Jam and boy did we make some big strides this season. Last year we had no more than 4 riders from Morgantown to Bridgeport show up. This time we had 30 plus riders, anywhere from Maryland to PA, to all over West Virginia. It was a great day of BMX trail action for everyone that showed up. We have BIG plans in the making for 2010 so keep your eyes open for the Jump Jam 2010.

Introduction

My name is Luke Nesler. I am a 20 year old journalism major at West " Bi God" Virginia University. I compete year round in the sport of BMX bicycle racing and have dreams of one day making it to the illusive PRO CLASS. I have grown up racing BMX but also living the sport of motocross. I have the strongest passion for the 2 sports, that words can't even describe it. I currently run the Poor Farm BMX race track in Fairmont, WV, work with a local CBS news station, Lucal Oil TV Productions, Speed Channel and have done work with the ever popular Racer X Illustrated wich is located in Morgantown, WV, just a stones through from my home base. Through out this new fresh blog you will see a mix of high quality film edits (BMX and Moto), news and opinions on BMX, Motocross, Supercross and pretty much anything that has to do with 2 wheels. You may have accidently stumbled upon this blog by sheer accident. And you may be asking your self "Why in the hell would I want to read this nobody's blog" I assure you that I am not just some tool bag wasting myself and your time. You will find some interesting articles, great films and some kick a$* photos by reading on. I hope I caught your attention and hope to see you back here for the next artice. I will post a few times per week so don't be a stranger.

Until next time, Live Strong, Ride Hard!

Luke Nesler