A spin down memory lane
Riders reunite at Frogtown Classic BMX Days
More than 1,000 BMX bike riders and their families gathered together in Angels Camp on Saturday to celebrate the resurrection of a race track from the 1970s at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds.
The event had the spirit of a multigenerational class reunion. As one entered the concourse, an unexpected scene unfolded: young riders asked for autographs and men in their 50s gathered in circles, perched on bikes, smiling ear to ear while reminiscing about the good old days. There were riders from way back, their children and their grandchildren on bikes.
One such rider, Rob Cornett, 57, of Bishop, said he helped build the course with Ray and Johnny Valdez, both of Modesto, and he was at the first race in 1976. He referred to the weekend grand opening as “the field of dreams,” and said it had been 41
years since he was on the track.
Retired racers Valdez and Jon Anderson, of Manteca, and event producer Todd Huffman, 58, of Fullerton, came up with the idea for the event, which was originally planned for 2020 but got postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event was organized to be a three-day event, but was limited to one due to the weather. With an approaching atmospheric river and bomb cyclone, Huffman said some people on social media expressed regret that they did not attend.
“At least we did not have to hose down the track,” he said. “The traction was good.”
Huffman referred to the track as being “O.G. style,” as it was “all dirt, mostly flat with few jumps and a manual starting gate.”
The first race was on a track in the horse arena at the fairgrounds before the Valdez brothers built the Frogtown track in 1977, Huffman said. The track, back then, was used by the United Bicycle Racers (UBR) from 1977 to 1982.
“We all wanted to be motorcycle champions,” Huffman said, “and BMX was the next best thing.”
Referencing the reunion of BMX legends and a lot of older riders at the event, Huffman said “their eyes are bigger than their hearts and lungs.”
There were 60 motos, or individual races where riders needed to qualify for three races to make it to the main event. The track was 1,300 feet long and, for the most part, followed the original
design used by UBR.
Huffman said the ground was re-scraped to recreate the same track of 40 years ago, but they had to change the third turn due to a new road in the area. However, they kept it the same shape. A smaller Strider Course was added in the middle of the track where younger children rode bikes with no pedals.
Frank Post, 59, of Freedom, said he learned how to race in Angels Camp and when he was young, he tried to keep up with the older more experienced riders. He said, in the beginning he “had speed, not skills.”
Standing with Post was his friend Jeff “Shaggy” Stuart, 51, of Folsom, who said he looked up to Frank. Stuart said he raced at the Quarry in Hayward and the Red Devil dirt jumps in Union City. His other heroes were the Patterson brothers, Brent and
Brian, who helped sponsor the event on Saturday and showed up to help out.
Another legend Terry “Mr. T.” Tenette, 53, of San Mateo County, was present and helped out with the starting gate. He started racing in 1978 and won four national championships as a professional.
Two girls who are new to the sport, Kindal Barstow, 11, of Denair, and Cali Kurz, 12, of Bethel Island, were also there to compete. Kurz said she likes “racing with her friends,” while Barstow said she has “a need for speed” and learned to pedal fast to keep up with her sisters. Her brother, Barrett, 9, was also competing at the event.
Chris Mcgeragle, 49, of Angels Camp, said he learned how to ride on a 40-acre property owned by his grandparents. He was at Frogtown in 1985 at the opening ceremony and now coaches his daughter, Christiana, 7, who also excels at several sports. Her mom, Rhea, and grandparents, Mike and Sandy Mcgeragle, were also present to support her.
When asked if there will be a Frogtown Classic BMX Days 2022, Huffman said he hopes to be invited back but at an earlier time in the year to avoid getting rained out. He said there were some “kinks to work out,” including issues with a modern computer system for racing, which had slowed down the scoring, and that he’s also likely to add more activities.