{"id":125228,"date":"2026-01-20T19:00:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T19:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/125228\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T19:00:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T19:00:08","slug":"sunshine-state-nationals-held-at-strausser-bmx-complex-in-cape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/125228\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunshine State Nationals held at Strausser BMX complex in Cape"},"content":{"rendered":"


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In the 17 to 20-year-old Expert Moto Semifinals, Jakob Kaiser (#R, Ontario, Canada), Ricky Carter (#3, Kentucky), and Brian Varndell (#5, Florida) go airborne over the first mogul of their race at the Sunshine State Nationals held at the Strausser BMX Sports Complex in Cape Coral. <\/p>\n

MARK CLIFFORD\n<\/p>\n

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Coming out of the first turn in the Girls 13 to 14-year-old Cruiser Main Event are, from right, Lorna Wiley (from Virgina) leading Alex Bohan (from Florida), Kalia Pringle (from Florida) and Raquel Olson (from Connecticut) in the Sunshine State Nationals in Cape Coral.<\/p>\n

MARK CLIFFORD<\/p>\n

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From left, Lisa White, 55, of Cape Coral; Stephanie Johnson, 57, of Minnesot; Angie Lust, 44, of Washington; and Misty Privett, 51, of California, get ready to race\u00a0at the\u00a0Sunshine State Nationals at\u00a0the Strausser BMX Sports Complex in Cape Coral on Friday.<\/p>\n

CHUCK BALLARO<\/p>\n

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This past weekend, nearly 1,000 riders from across the country and around the world between the ages of 4 and 74 competed at the Sunshine State Nationals held at the Strausser BMX Sports Complex is at 1410 S.W. 6th\u00a0Place in Cape Coral.<\/p>\n

The event served as an official qualifier for the 2026 UCI BMX World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, and offered the chance to earn a spot on Team USA\u2019s Challenge Team to represent the country internationally.<\/p>\n

Justin Wahl, media engagement specialist at USA BMX, the sanctioning body of BMX racing in the United States, said this is one of 30 national events they hold throughout the season. And you don\u2019t have to be a hotshot to qualify.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a chance for United States qualifiers to get onto that team at the challenge and amateur levels,\u201d Wahl said. \u201cWe split it up between age and proficiency (and even the type of bikes). It could be 4-year-old beginners or an 80-year-old riding their entire lives. We have riders between two and 80 racing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The action was fast and furious. Racers in brightly colored uniforms took the turns and jumps at high speeds with the PA announcer calling the races that resembled something between a horse racing announcer and an auctioneer. In fact, new races started before the previous one ended.<\/p>\n

The Nationals also provide some exposure and tourism dollars for the city and county. Close to $1 million is expected to come in because of this event, said Nick Jones, who runs the Strausser BMX complex, a non-profit organization run by volunteers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the largest event we\u2019ve ever had, but the biggest we\u2019ve had in a while. It\u2019s good for the city as it brings in tourism dollars and we\u2019ve worked hard maintaining the track. We have one of the nicest facilities in the country,\u201d Jones said. \u201cOur volunteers give their time to bring us a facility like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not uncommon to see the whole family racing. They also race at tracks in Naples, Punta Gorda and Sarasota or at the 11 other tracks in the state.<\/p>\n

All the racers have multiple chances to race throughout the three-day event that started Friday afternoon. Some could end up winning their division three times in a weekend.<\/p>\n

Drake Velador, from California, has won a lot. He is the defending world champion in the age 17-24 cruiser division. He said he loves the challenge of taking on the best.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard. A lot of people do easy things. Me and the other riders here do hard stuff, so we keep coming back. It\u2019s a good adrenaline rush and a great game we play,\u201d Velador said. \u201cEvery race is different so I keep coming back to see what they\u2019re all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

The oldest racer in Cape Coral this week was 71. There were many older riders taking the track, including a bunch of females in their 50s who were getting ready for their turn.<\/p>\n

Lisa White, from Cape Coral, is 55 and is going on her fifth year in BMX. She got into it the same way many older people do.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy son was racing. I wanted to do it, I did and got hooked on it,\u201d said White, whose son is the current state champion on a cruiser bike. \u201cI\u2019ve been an athlete my whole life. I\u2019m very competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Misty Privett, 51, from California, said her late husband\u2019s granddaughter came to live with them and they taught her how to ride a bike.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a track nearby. She started racing. The people there thought I was cool to be out there so they put me on a bike,\u201d Privett said. \u201cI\u2019m third and sixth nationally in my age group.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, it\u2019s the kids who take much of the stage. Sawyer Murphee, 8, from Cape Coral, is one of the top racers in his age group. He said he started at age 3.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started on a balance bike. I like that there\u2019s a lot of competition and I make a lot of friends here,\u201d Murphee said.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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