The City of Fontana, California just held its 17th Mountain Bike Challenge at Southridge Park. It wasn't even a park when Southridge Racing Club owner Donny Jackson was a kid. It was a BMX jump spot, and then a place to ride motocross. It was aboard a YZ125 where Donny met factory rider Rex Staten. And a host of other motocross and desert personalities like Goat Brecker, Davy Williams, Don Griewe, Ron Lawson, Bruce Ogilvie, Bob Oliver, Steve Lawler, Ron Heben and Chuck Warren (Ex U.S. Downhill Champ Cody Warren’s dad).
Too Tall: Ex Supercross Champion Mike Bell placed third 35+ Single Speed while sons Trevor took 3rd in the 19-26 Beginners and Sean won the 9-10 class.
The hills of Southridge are still Donny's home away from home. It used to be called the Old Burke Farm, which even back then was only an old abandoned winery and grape vineyards. Some people referred to it as the Bird Farm; the broken concrete remnants of it are what the cross-country course winds through into the finish. Urban sprawl eventually chased motocross away. Southridge then became a new playground for Y2K motocrossers known as mountain bikers. Donny himself moved on and started a bicycle shop called Southridge Cycling. Don's business originally and conveniently sat across the street from the newly christened Southridge Park.
Keepsake awards: The Southridge Challenge was also the final event of the Triple Crown Series. Bonelli Park’s InCycle XC Challenge and Mt. Sac were the first two events
Donny soon acquired a new set of friends. Mountain bike personalities like Bob Hadley, Stu Thompson, Tinker Juarez, Terry Martin, Reggie Lamson and Craig Kundig. Seeing the park across the street as an inner city mountain bike mecca, Don held a meeting with officials from the City of Fontana.
Elite XC start: Waylon Smith immediately throws down the gauntlet ahead of Robert Herber, Steve Kinney, Eric Bierman, Veeze Price, Brad Stephenson and Tom Koerner.
That was 17 years ago. Since then Donny has turned Southridge Park into the hottest SoCal mountain bike destination. Don used the park to save downhilling in California. He created Southridge Racing Club when Norba began charging exorbitant sanctioning fees. The park offers National-level Cross-Country, Downhill, Super D, Short Track, 4-Cross and Trials riding and racing only half an hour away from Downtown Los Angeles. Don has always been in it for the racer because he's a racer himself. He even stayed competitive throughout the time spent running a shop, building a riding park, starting his own SRC racing organization, running Team odi-Southridge, and thinking outside of the box… Don is the 2004 Norba Masters 4-Cross Champ!
Back in black: MBA’s Eddie Arnet threads through the start field completely unaware that former 125 Motocross National Champion Mickey Dymond is to the far left.
More importantly is that Don is the best example of what can happen when you promote the benefits of mountain biking; how it’s possible to win over the heart of your own hometown. The City of Fontana is very proud to be a mountain bike community and to host the first ever Urban Norba National. Mountain biking needs more movers and shakers like Donny Jackson. Donny has set the footprint for what can be done and what should be followed at other cities and at other inner-city parks across the nation.
It was close: World’s rider Aaron Gwin floats his Yeti over the rocks en route to the second fastest downhill time. Aaron finished a fraction of a second behind David K.
SOUTHRIDGE CHALLENGE RESULTS
TOP TEN 3 LAP XC RIDERS
1. Eric Bierman...Pro...1:48:47.00
2. Brad Stephenson...Semi...1:50:55.00
3. Steve Kinney...Pro...1:51:56.00
4. Yoshioi Garcia...Exp 19-26...1:52:31.00
5. Griffith Vertican...Exp 27-34...1:52:38.00
6. Jon Flagg...Exp 35-44...1:53:17.00
7. Robert Herber...Pro...1:54:07.00
8. Tom Koerner...Semi...1:55:08.00
9. John Swanguen...Exp 45-54...1:56:02.00
10. Wesley Reutimann...Exp 27-34...1:57:10.00
WOMEN
1. Allison Mann...Exp 34-...2:18:06.00
TOP TEN 2 LAP XC RIDERS
1. Todd Stephenson Sng Spd 35+...1:14:55.00
2. Tom Andrew...Spt 35-44...1:16:03.00
3. Justin Mann...Spt 27-34...1:18:11.00
4. John Reuter Sng Spd 34-...1:18:15.00
5. Stephen Smith...Spt 35-44...1:19:26.00
6. Mark Mumea Sng Spd 34-...1:20:01.00
7. Rich Knight Sng Spd 35+...1:20:16.00
8. Jeff Dambrun...Spt 19-26...1:20:34.00
9. Terry Watkins...Spt 27-34...1:20:47.00
10. Chris Kay...Spt 35-44...1:21:11.00
CLASS WINNERS
1. Steve Wright...Spt 45-54...1:22:53.00
1. Jorge Hernandez Exp 55+...1:23:28.00
1. Kevin Alvarez...Spt 18-...1:33:31.00
1. Philippe Minniti...Spt 55+...1:43:46.00
WOMEN
1. Vicki Chernoff...Spt 35+...1:35:34.00
2. Natalie Bann...Spt 34-...1:59:21.00
3. Nancy Harris...Spt 35+...2:17:28.00
TOP TEN 1 LAP XC RIDERS
1. Joseph Amsworth...Beg 19-26...0:40:05.00
2. Kevin Busher...Beg 27-34...0:42:26.02
3. Allen Lin...Beg 27-34...0:42:34.91
4. Andrew Hart...200+...0:43:00.00
5. Mike Dulin...200+...0:43:15.14
6. Mike Rauls...Beg 45-54...0:43:47.94
7. Jeremy Maldondo...Beg 19-26...0:44:50.80
8. Brian Grimm...Beg 35-44...0:45:33.00
9. Trevor Bell...Beg 19-26...0:45:39.75
10. Dennis Call...Beg 35-44...0:46:05.28
WOMEN
1. Grace Choe...Beg 35+...0:54:32.24
2. Kay Monteleone...Beg 35+...0:54:42.00
3. Mandy Oliekan...Beg 34-...1:00:01.95
4. Jennifer Duquette...Beg 34-...1:04:30.00
5. Priscilla Policar...Beg 34-...1:06:16.00
6. Katie Nessly...Beg Women 34-...1:08:09.00
7. Tareneh Nik-khah...Beg 34-...1:34:49.00
8. Kim Finch...Beg 35+...1:01:48.43
CLASS WINNERS
1. Scott Smith...Beg 55+...0:56:03.97
1. Sean Bell...Beg 9-10...1:09:03.00
1. John Stockburger...Beg 11-12...1:23:36.00
TOP TEN DOWNHILL RESULTS
1. David Klaassen Van Oorschot...Pro...2:39.55
2. Aaron Gwin...Pro...2:39.61
3. Eric Carter...Pro...2:40.16
4. Kevin Aiello...Pro...2:40.55
5. Cody Warren...Pro...2:40.67
6. Jon Buckell...Pro...2:40.86
7. Rich Houseman...Pro...2:41.86
8. Ben Furbee...Pro...2:42.08
9. Bradical Oien...Pro...2:42.38
10. Justin Wyche...Exp 18-...2:45.05
NEXT TEN FASTEST DH NON PRO'S
1. John Bitner...Exp 18-...2:45.26
2. Brad King...Exp 18-...2:45.56
3. Logan Loomis...Exp 18-...2:46.91
4. Connor Bloum...Exp 18-...2:47.02
5. Nibal Elias...Spt 18-...2:48.00
6. Kyle Prato...Exp 18-...2:48.33
7. Nathan Wright...Semi...2:48.33
8. Andre Pepin...Exp 18-...2:48.49
9. Brandon Duquesnel...Exp 27-34...2:48.51
10. Scott Johnson...Semi...2:48.65
CLASS WINNERS
1. Scott Petryshyn...Vet Pro...2:50.31
1. Justin Morgan...Exp 19-26...2:53.78
1. Russ Lebarron...Exp 35-44...2:56.04
1. Brad Jensen...Exp 45-54...3:02.08
1. Scott Smith...Exp 55+...3:11.30
NEXT TEN FASTEST DH NON EXPERTS
1. Dean Garcia...Spt 18-...2:51.45
2. Brian Hishinuma...Spt 18-...2:53.27
3. Michael Daniels...Spt 18-...2:53.96
4. Patrick Traylor...Spt 19-26...2:55.93
5. Ryan Honeybourne...Spt 19-26...2:56.43
6. Alex Cazares...Beg 13-15...2:56.83
7. Will Ojeda...Spt 19-26...2:57.82
8. Adam Digby...Beg 16-18...2:58.43
9. Cory Yeakel...Spt 18-...2:59.03
10. Patrick Branch...Spt 19-26...2:59.16
CLASS WINNERS
1. Michael Hernandez...Spt 45-54...3:02.79
1. Mark Herrmann...Spt 35-44...3:04.84
1. Shin Matsumura...Spt 27-34...3:05.24
1 Agustin Medina...200+...3:39.65
1. Don Johnson...Spt 55+...3:54.22
TOP TEN DOWNHILL WOMEN
1. Maxine Irving...Pro...3:04.48
2. Kim Hard...Pro...3:11.21
3. Joy Martin...Pro...3:18.67
4. Christine Hirst...Pro...3:23.01
5. Laura Noonan...Exp 35+...3:23.31
6. Sarah Jansen...Pro...3:32.59
7. Vaea Verbeeck...Pro...3:32.64
8. Francine Johnson...Exp 34-...3:34.08
9. Margaret Gregory...Spt 34-...3:35.49
10. Jill Hamilton...Pro...3:42.77
CLASS WINNTERS
1. Carla Bray...Spt 35+...5:41.58
1. Lala Mijares...Beg 35+...6:01.95
NEXT TEN FASTEST DH BEGINNERS
1. Kyle Mcmurdy...13-15...3:05.41
2. Tyler Ennis...16-18...3:06.79
3. Jeff Leishman...13-15...3:07.50
4. Cory Burns...19-26...3:07.54
5. Travis Troupe...19-26...3:10.55
6. Sean Clark...13-15...3:11.52
7. Michael Barcellos...27-34...3:11.74
8. Spencer Stocking...13-15...3:12.01
9. Carl Hulick...13-15...3:12.29
10. Luca Cometti...11-12...3:14.39
CLASS WINNERS
1. Dan Snook...35-44...3:19.15
1. Chuck Acevito...45-54...3:51.71
1. David Buckell...55+...4:02.10
1. Jason Cleghorn Jr...9-10...4:50.18
TOP TEN SUPER D RESULTS
1. Waylon Smith (Gbr)...Pro...09:14.15
2. Eric Bierman...Pro...09:30.67
3. Ely Woody...Pro...10:02.16
4. Robert Herber...Pro...10:07.44
5. Scott Johnson...Pro...10:35.39
6. Brian Crooks...Spt...10:55.84
7. Stephen Smith...Exp...10:56.02
8. Nick Pye...Spt...11:15.47
9. Andrew Hart...Spt...11:25.85
10. Christina Turner...Pro Wmn...12:05.34
CLASS WINNERS
1. Jeff Stanners...Beg...12:18.20
1. Francine Johnson...Exp Wmn...14:21.91
1. Kim Finch...Beg Wmn...16:01.18