Presented by FLY Racing
With some time left until Supercross starts back up, Anton made the drive to Iowa to watch the Justin Brayton Shootout at Riverside Raceway. Since Iowa has lifted restrictions from COVID-19 in recent weeks, the weekend in Winterset quickly became a must-ahead for riders of all skill levels in the central part of the United States and by the end of the weekend there were 1834 total race entries in a wide variety of classes. A sizeable purse payout to the Pro Classes lured a handful of speedy riders from around the region, including big winner Marshal Weltin, and it gave Anton a fix of competitive racing and motorcycles.
But part of the trip was to meet up with close friend Jeff Crutcher. A fixture in the Midwest MX scene, Crutcher has carved a unique space for himself through his start-up graphics shop (Rippin Ruts), coffee brand (Gimmick), and assorted ambassador deals with brands in the industry. Jeff has seen it all during his 23-years as a card carrying member to the AMA and over the last few years, he's honed in on the fun that comes with being a fast local rider. One of the biggest things that Anton and Crutcher have noticed in recent years is the return of of familiar faces to the track, as their 30-something year old friends have decided to get back on bikes or started the cycle over again with their kids on minis. Grassroots racing isn't going anywhere and the guys discussed what they're seeing at tracks around the country.