Dusty Utah cyclocross now happens on Tuesdays as well as weekends.
by Joey Mullan
Who: S.B.R Utah Mid-Week Cyclocross Series
When: Tuesday Evenings Aug 30th – Oct 25th
Where: 727 N 1550 E Orem, Utah 84057
Cyclocross Magazine: Who started your series?
Joe Johnson: Kyle Isaacs – Owner of SBR Utah and Joe Johnson – Service/Team Manager of SBR Utah
CXM: What made you want to start your own cyclocross race series?
JJ: We were trying to scheme up ways about how to get more of our friends into cyclocross. It is hard to talk somebody into buying a whole new bike set up until they have experienced how fun a race is themselves. We also wanted to create a local mid week series to give us more time on our cyclocross bikes during the racing season and use it as a good work out.
CXM: Any other inspirations that made you want to do so?
JJ: The overall lack of local races in Utah County in general. All the races are at least an hour away and only once a week.
CXM: How many seasons will your series have been active after this years?
JJ: This is our rookie year! But we are planning to come out swinging.
CXM: What were the key steps taken to create the your race series?
JJ: After finding a potential location for a course that we ourselves would like to race on, we took a really big deep breath and started to make some calls.
CXM: Do you contract help? If so who and what do they do?
JJ: We got some volunteers off of our Facebook page. They have done everything from helping build the course, to signing people up, etc.
CXM: What kind of race experience do you have?
JJ: Joe is a Cat 3 road racer, Cat 3 / A CX racer and a Colligate A racer. Kyle is a Cat 4 road racer, Expert Mtn Bike racer and CX B flight racer.
CXM: Do you actually race your own course?
JJ: If things are running smoothly, we plan on alternating weeks.
CXM: What sort of course style do you favor when building?
JJ: Wide enough you can pass, but technical enough that pure roadies cannot dominate!
CXM: Any sponsors that your series are affiliated with your series?
JJ: Blue Competition Cycles, 3B Yoga, Earnie’s Sports Deli, Hale Center Theater and Eat Dutch Waffles.
CXM: How do you promote your series to bring in more participants?
JJ: All we have done is word of mouth and Facebook. We should look into doing more.
CXM: Have you had any certain races that have been a financial flop? What happened?
JJ: If we can just line up a few people to go battle and they have fun, we wont consider it a flop.
CXM: Do you see any expansion or affiliations with USA Cycling and other race organizations for your race series?
JJ: Nope. We would love to have the demand that would make a need for a sanctioned race.
CXM: Any well known racers in your series?
JJ: None yet, seeing how we haven’t started, but I’m sure Bart Gillespie and Alex Grant will be making a showing. If I can talk Ali Goulet into throwing a leg over his CX again he will be coming. Ali might be calling a race or two for us as well.
CXM: Any good stories you’d like to share?
JJ: Cutting course out of old weeds and fields that have been dumped in for years is a lot of sweat in the summer to get ready for the fall.
CXM: For the other race promoters out there, what are some words of advice to make a race series possible/successful?
JJ: We have yet to experience success cause our first season has yet to happen, I suppose you could ask us again in a few months?
CXM: Tell us something which not many people know about you?
JJ: Kyle is a certified Aircraft Technician and served with the ARMY for 8 years including a one year long deployment to Afghanistan. Joe comes from a Motocross / Off Road truck mechanic backround.
CXM: How can people contact you?
JJ: SBRutah.com, 801-225-0076 [email protected]
