Back in the days of the Wild West, gunslingers competed to be the “quickest draw in the West.” At the 2018 Reno Cyclocross Nationals, the heroes of the pits will have the chance to vie to be crowned the “fastest wrench in the West” at the 2018 Mechanics National Championships.
This year’s event will be the third Mechanics Nationals. The wrench to beat is Tom Hopper, who has won the first two championships and enters Reno with a target on his back. Many a brave woman and man will step up to the challenge of wrenching the coveted title belt away from the Aspire Racing mechanic.
Tom Hopper is the two-time defending Mechanics Nationals champion. photo: courtesy
Mechanics Nationals are being held on Friday, January 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. at El Hefe’s Cantina in Reno. More info about the event is available on the event’s Facebook page. Bill Schieken will return to emcee the proceedings.
https://www.facebook.com/mechanicsnationals/posts/2094499477447670
We reached out to event director Bill Marshall to ask some questions about the Reno Mechanics Nationals. This Q and A provides some more info on what to expect and how to get registered for your chance to dethrone Tom Hopper.
2018 Mechanics National Championships Q and A with Bill Marshall
Cyclocross Magazine: Why did you want to bring Mechanics Nationals back for 2018?
Bill Marshall: It’s our third year running. It’s been a great time for everyone involved and we want to continue to grow the event at every Cyclocross Nationals in the future.
CXM: Who is the event open to? How do you qualify?
BM: It’s open to anyone! They don’t need to be a professional mechanic for a team or work in a bike shop. We are encouraging anyone of all ages to compete. This is about having fun and creating an event that people will look forward to every year.
CXM: Why is this worth checking out?
BM: Most amateurs will be done racing by Friday night and this will be a great way to relax and have a great time after a long, hard season of racing.
CXM: For those who haven’t attended, how does it work?
BM: They can email Bill Marshall at billthewi2 [at] gmail.com to get signed-up! There are no specific qualifications, just sign-up!
CXM: What will the competitions be? Who gets to decide what they are?
BM: We’ve never announced what the competitions will be ahead of time. We’re discussing what we’ll be doing in Reno as we speak. We get new ideas from the past champion Tom Hopper, other mechanics and fans of cyclocross.
CXM: Are the skills cyclocross specific?
BM: This year there will be!
CXM: What will the mechanics be competing for? Bragging rights?
BM: Bragging rights for sure! But, the Championship Belt is the big prize.
CXM: Any big names locked down yet?
BM: Of course the two-time defending champion Tom Hopper will be there, but the official competition list is still growing.
Stay tuned for more information about the 2018 Reno Cyclocross Nationals week of racing and slate of other events.
