King Cobra of Texas 12 Mar 2010 Race Update

It's been business as usual for the King Cobra
of Texas rider team. The guys have been really working on placing the Cobras up front. We've been all over the state shaking it up and taking top podiums in many series. 

In Texas, Tony Miller promotes a little ditty called the Texas Winter series that draws some power hitters from around the country, to best the Texas Winter series it takes lots of grit and determination, yet again King Cobra of Texas has had success with our 50cc riders who followed the series.
  The Texas Winter series takes riders to the best tracks in north Texas for some of the toughest riding.  In the 50 7-8 and the 50 open Nathan Smith (COB 51) shined bright and dug deep fighting back and illness that made his chances of even coming to the races slim, but thought the series despite fighting back the cold, flews and stomach issues Nathan reached deep and made the grade, placing his Stock CX50 in the Kings seat after all the rounds were done, forcing others to go back to the drawing board and re-think just how to muster up the effort next year.

Also in the house during the Texas Winter Series was our newest rider Seth Milam (COB 306) and what a fun addition to the team.  Adding to the 4-6 side of town Seth placed himself on the top podium and winning an
FMF pipe deal, kind of cool of them to do.  Seth took the 4-6 the O/I and did super in the Open even running second in the last open race for nearly ¾ of the race in front of several senior bikes.

Down south Bobby Joe and
Jesse James has been kicking it also in the Texas Triple Crown, both doing super and taking the overalls. Bobby has been improving with leaps and bounds and has even taken to the 65, for such a little guy that's a real step to moving on up. Jesse moved over to a Cobra 65 and now has a new love. Jesse says he loves the power and the smooth ride compared to other brands he worked with. We look for Jesse to translate the love to wins and I expect he will because he's got skills.

Hunter Budd has been on his game with the AX scene, but also outdoors doing some old school racing with a few guys we rolled with back in the day. Hunter attended both the Texas winter series and the central series for a little outdoor bump and run. Hunter and Tyler Sudderth were back to the old ways, bar to bar and wheel to wheel, man it was so intense every lap. As the years go by every rider has their alter ego, the one rider that just makes them step it up, for Chad Reed it Bubba, for Villipoto its Allesi and for Hunter Budd Tyler is that guy and we look forward to many more years of action packed racing.

Darren Kelly has been growing and showing what he has, in the AMA Arenacross he's qualified in the 65 7-9 and in on the bubble for the open as we head to Denver to contest and gather more points. In the outdoors he's been developing more and showing promise while just enjoying his time on the Cobra CX65.

On the national scene Parker Mashburn and Seth Milam will be contesting Whitney then moving over to Oak Hill to join Hunter Budd and Nathan Smith for some top tier racing. King Cobra of Texas will be on hand at Oak Hill to support our riders and Cobra racer in need. Stop by and say hey and bench race a little.
 
In racing many mile stones are crossed, things that once challenged a rider become just an everyday thing. You just can't help but to take in the moment. I remember my first racing win and just how excited I was. I remember the first time my wife told me she was faster than me, although
she has yet to prove that and if I have my way I'll just keep her guessing. That said in a rider development mile stones things come and go, but I'll never forget February 7th 2010. That was the day I saw
Hunter Budd hit the catapult at the AMA arenacross in Tulsa Oklahoma. I still have to go back and see the pictures to believe it. Sure he's been
riding for years and yes many riders on the 65 have busted the elusive K2 of arenacross, but when it's your rider and
   
everyone's been telling you he can do it, then when it happens it's like few other emotions in racing. Hunter has really been riding great the past few weeks, getting podium spots in Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Lafayette and others, but to see him face the scariest jump AX has to offer just gave me goose pumps. So we move on with our goal of qualifying to the Vegas SX with lots of confidence and another mile stone crushed on the long road to becoming a top national rider.

On other fronts Nathan Smith has been doing his homework and preparing for the outdoornationals coming up. His homework involves top notch wins and solid finishes. The kid is flying and his skill is riding a high like we have not seen from him in the past. He leads the Texas Winter series in points and with Whitney this coming weekend he should wrap it up. Mostly we're excited for him to gain the track experience and to show he is a force in Texas racing.

Seth Milam was added to the roster  for our national 4-6 rider and with a program geared to win we welcome him to the team. The kids come so far in the time he's been riding and it still amazes me to see young pilots like Seth take to the track.

Darren Kelly has taken on the task of also making the Vegas run and in the 65 7-9 that spells trouble for the class, he's leading the south now with a sweep of Tulsa and more experience in AX. So it will be assume to see him ride in the Alamo Dome in the big city of San Antonio.

Down south Bobby-Joe has been doing super in the 4-6 racing the Waco Map Orielly AX, and doing other local events. He's riding a King here and there to get a jump on the competition and he's taken to it like a fish at sea. Look for him to be in the mix.

Parker has been doing his thing on his 65, but come national time he will be on the 50, I know I'm ready to see the little guy ride the green beast again. He rides a 50 with top speed and we expect to be in the upper positions of the field at Oak Hill this year.

Lots of racing to be done and our riders are ready.   

Texas Racing has really been heating up, sure the temp outside has been sub-teens but hey it's Texas just wait a day.  Our riders have been on track and up front.

 

First off I want to say a big congratulation to Jason Norman who not only put his CX50 Sr. on the top overall podium of the Texas off Road National, but he also took the top notch aboard his CX65 in the 65 class as well. He's had a long hard season with many ups and downs, but he kept digging and pulled it out at the end. Most of the season he ran out front, but stumbled a few times, but nothing to worry about. He smoothed it out and took home the goods. We're proud to have him on the team, he's been a King Cobra of Texas rider for years and yet again he proved himself worthy and we're all proud to have him in the Cobra family.

 

Nathan Smith has been doing his homework and during the 2nd stop of the Honda of Houston series, Nathan toped all the riders with 2 first, showing confident speed with a cool smile. It's going to be fun watching this little guy grow and we're excited to be a part of it. Darren Kelly went to the Blizzard series in Oklahoma and froze his tail off while winning the open and icing a 2nd in the age class. Super fun hard working kid. Parker Mashburn has been training and really fine tuning his skill. Come Whitney it's on and should be good! Hunter Budd has a birthday this week, to celebrate he took every holeshot and win at the Lafayette, then winning the 10-11 at Southwest MX park fighting with Rooster for the open, but came a little short. Next he was off to Oklahoma and the LazyE for a cool AX race. The place was packed and the gates were extra cool. Hunter had to mix it up with a few northern riders. Starts were strong and ground speed solid, but Bret Welch had to much for Hunter in the rhythm section doing the doubles with style. Hunter was able to scratch out a 2nd in the Open and 3rd in the age. Great night of racing.
 

Next we plan to hit the AX series more, we'll be in Kansas City MO. for the AMA Arenacross, followed by Tulsa and San Antonio. We're super excited to hope for Vegas and with some luck we'll be in the big show watching the big boys battle.

The year 2009 was good to King Cobra of Texas, we made it to a ton of races, met a basket full of great people, and still we look to 2010 as another stealer year.

 

With the government trying all it could to trip up the youth motorcycle industry and the economy itself tighten its belt to the point of near starvation King Cobra of Texas was able to wade through the trouble times and come out the other side looking to the future.  The turn of the new year has many challenges and speed bumps ahead, the Lead law mix up never died it was just delayed and with much luck and the assistance of those who participate in the sport we love, I expect that this law will be looked at with more realistic plans and it will be tailored to the needs of just what the law intended, and that was to keep lead toys from the youth of our great country. We have some fun plans this year, racing includes the AMA Arenacross and hopefully a trip to Vegas in May, of course we'll be doing what we can to attend the local events and support our customer base. We also plan to grow out motor building more on that in later newsletters.
 

On the past race scene our guys have done super, Nathan Smith (COB 51) went back to the flooded mess at Branson and was surprised just how well the NMA had done getting the facility back up to speed after the flood had destroyed the whole area.  Going back to Branson was a good and a bad thing for Nathan. He was able to show he had top speed with several good starts and top 3 laps, but it would be trouble keeping both wheels on the ground that would haunt Nathan eventually ending in a trip to the medics and a cracked wrist. Bummer for Nathan but the comeback has been without issue, taking the top spot at Nocona in both the 7-8 and the open and backing that up with solid finishes at Freestone. A 2nd and 3rd On the senior bike with top national riders, big gates. So we look to Nathan to continue the growth.
 

Hunter Budd (COB 399) has also been taking it to the track. We went to several cross countries with Jason Norman and lite the place on fire with sweeping wins in the 65 classes, we also spent some time in sunny Florida for the World Mini Olympics at Gaterback track. Trouble was it wasn't sunny; it was cold and wet plenty of wet for sure. The SX event was a mess and was mostly a free for all. Hunter almost had a 6th overall but laid it down on the last turn before the flag and ended way back after not being able to get the bike up the hill. Putting the sun and fun of Florida behind us, Hunter has bounced back and really gotten back to his old winning ways, doing his work at Nocona and Freestone, with Holeshots and top finishes. We look to head in doors now and hit the AX scene with the Cobra CX65.
 

Congratulations to Jason Norman (COB 239) for winning both the 50 class and 65 class in the off road series of the Texas OFF ROAD Nationals. He had a really long series, but toughed it out to come out on top, placing his Cobra CX50 and Cobra CX65 right where he has been all year, on top!
 

Little Bobby Joe Millican has been developing just perfect, he's proving to be a tough customer to many on the gate, at Village Creek he took the overall, and this past weekend he put his Cobra in front, taking a 3rd overall in the O/I class and if not for one mistake in the second moto of the 4-6 he was on track for a top 5 on a stacked gate. So we look to Bobby to continue the improvements we've seen.
 

King Cobra of Texas has also added a CX65 rider, little guy we call Darren Kelly, his race number is 728 he's off the 50 now and only running the CX65 at local races, but he also plans to contest the AX series and we look forward to helping him get to his goal of Vegas baby!!
 

Parker Mashburn has been doing what he does, destroy competition and win races. Training like a prize fighter for a heavy weight battle, parker is one of the most determined racers we have known. At the mini O's in Florida he was strong, but unfortunately we had some bike issues and a crash that kept him from highlighting his talent, but we have many other opportunities to show the skill he has.


Coming up we'll be hitting the AX scene with Darren, Nathan and Hunter contesting the track and other for a chance to race in Vegas. So look for us at an arena near you. As the year moves forward we look forward to helping our moto families keep the dream alive. Thanks for the chance to be a part of your racers life and let's have a safe fun new years.

Lately King Cobra of Texas riders have been doing super, taking some strong wins across Texas.  Halloween took Hunter Budd and Jason Norman out to a legendary cross country track on the red river, a little place called Muenster. Home of the Red Bull last man standing epic rides and
also the home of Texas off-road racing organizations opener for the winter series. Hunter and Jason set the tone with strong holeshots and backed them up with wire to wire wins, putting both Cobra 65's on the top box.  With the weather being so good and the track calling me out I
decided to ride also and knocked down a solid 4th, not to bad having not really ridden in years except for a little playing here and there. The following weekend all the guys converged on Freestone for the Texas state championship. Parker Mashburn, Nathan Smith, Bobby Joe and Hunter
Budd all come together with the simple goal of putting their Cobras up front. Parker set the tone with serious leads taking him to the wins in the 50 7-8 class, with Nathan Smith battling out for the 2nd and 4th on the open and age, Bobby came in with a solid 3rd in the 4-6 while Hunter
watched from the sidelines with a dislocated elbow on the recovery. Needless to say it was a great weekend with our guys, all of them rode to amazing finishes and we look for more in the upcoming races. Nathan will be back at Branson for some 7-8 action with Parker and Hunter heading to
Florida to race the O's.

Welcome to Branson MX 2009, enter at your own risk and be sure to bring rain coats and pontoon boats. The race was a complete bust, we managed to get 2 65 practices of 2-3 laps and that was nothing but a mud fest. After drive in day which was amazingly great. A sunny 80 with no rain, the parking was a little slick from rain the days before. As soon as I pulled in I sunk my van and trailer and had to get towed to a safe perch overlooking the lower tier. Soon I would realize just how nice it would be to have suck a high landing. Thursday met with down pours of Amazon proportions, I mean sheets of rain but nothing like they had up stream. After a few wraps of practice they ran 8 motos of survival training, I mean just staying up right was impossible for some. Then the announcement came that was curious, the announcer said a voluntary evacuation for the lower tier was out. They said the river was going to crest just to the lower tier, then I looked at the road in and thought we got to haul butt out over hear, some wanted to stay, but they quickly found the police and fire department telling them get out now and fast. The river came up fast taking some by surprise, but the morning showed just how bad this was. The race was called and nothing but clean up remained. We went back out to help a friend get his trailer out. I was amazed just how high the water got. Two trailer didn’t make it and all you could see was the top of the trailer. Porta potties floating around and mud as slick as a used salesman.

See large images on Photo Page

King Cobra of Texas riders, Nathan Smith (COB 51), Josh Lippard (COB 220), Jason Norman (Cob 539) and Hunter Budd (Cob 399) meet up for a battle with the West Texas riders in what was deemed the East vs. West championship.  The racing was top notch and the guys held there own.

Nathan Smith showed a glimpse of things to come next year as he topped the 4-6 class with style and turned in a 3rd in the open falling short only to Carte Halpain and Josh, both will be aging out so we look to Nathan to fill the gap the senior riders will leave.

Josh came out after a few months out on injury reserved.  Once he jumped on his Cobra it was like he never left. Josh laid down some solid laps taking a 2nd in both the open and the 7-8 classes. It was great to see josh smile and we’re all proud of how he rode.

Hunter Budd came out to play also putting his Cobra 65 way up front in the 65 9-11 class and pulling every holeshot he gated. In the open Hunter and Carter put on a show dropping lap times to match the big bike classes.  Hunter had a get off in the open that cost him the overall, but he was not hurt and that was the most important thing.

Jason came out to get his feet wet in the MX scene after a very long time of not taking a gate. Jason rode with some real fight, passing and charging with cat like skill. He’s been riding the cross country scene and is doing super well. Next week he’s have a real challenge getting back his points lead in the Torn series. We wish him much luck.

Parker was off to Alabama to show boat his skill, not sure how the finish was but I’m sure he styled with his skill.

Next up we have the finishing races for the Full Moon seres, The best of Texas series kicks off, and we head to Branson in October. We really look forward to branson, the guys will be contesting the 50 and 65 classes and I’m getting the feeling this will be when we bust the top 10 for all our guys. Looks to be good fun and hope to see some of my great customers on the track.

[SUMMER UPDATE] 

Well the mid-summer big shows have finished. King Cobra of Texas riders have been on the go for months competing in qualifiers around Texas and the country. All the National riders made the big shows they were shooting for. Nathan Smith (COB 51) and Hunter Budd (COB 399) made it to Ponca, Josh Lippard (COB 220) also made it but was unable to make it because of a slight stinger in his neck so he missed out. Parker Mashburn (COB 223) made it to Loretta’s this year being only 7 and running the 7-8 class this is a really impressive feat only a few 7 year olds make it in a class that’s stacked with 8 and 9 year olds.

At Ponca Nathan has some solid lap times, but mistakes would take him out of the top 5 overall finishing 10th in the PW Mod 4-6 and 11th in the PW 4-6 STK class. This being his first big national he showed a lot of maturity and rode super on the tough track. Since Ponca he has rebounded to his winning ways last weekend jumping on his King in the open and winning the overall. Proving he's a front runner most everywhere he goes. The smile he had after that win was priceless. He sill begin to compete in the Sr. class more through out the rest of the year prepping Nathan for the jump to the 7-8 class next season.

Hunter Budd would take the track at Ponca with a really great start in the first moto coming across 6th, but clipped the track maker bending his shifter around his peg. This one thing set the tone for what would become a tough bunch of races. Hunter has moved to the NMA 9-11 class and is the younger one of the bunch so not to bad. He laid down some solid lap times but the jumps killed any chance of the top 20 we had in our goals for our first older age class. He did make the main in 2 of the classes, but was way off pace. Since the race he’s been off getting some R&R so we’ll have to see how he springs back.

Parker being the young rider of the class also struggled with mistakes and crashes. First moto Parker showed he had top 10 speed, but the mental side of racing got to the little guy and he began to get concerned with the wrecks and less focused on the drive. He’ll grow and next year will be his year to show just what this little guy can do. He made it to Loretta’s with solid start and some serious skill and he’ll only get better.   

Next up our guys will get back to the business of racing and training. We’ll have the Full Moon still in stride and The Texas Big Series kicking off.  I look forward to Branson coming up in October and if things go right and we plan good Nathan, Parker and Hunter will be on hand to display just how good they are.  The Mini-O’s will be around Turkey day so that will be a road trip we’ll have to decide on later.

Locally the scene as been a little off, Justice has been riding here and there but not doing much racing and with Josh injured he’s been on the bench also. Of course little Bobby Joe has been doing his thing with some really good finishes in the Full moon and a few local series down south.  

On a special note for my family we had some great times together at Ponca this year. Hunter took the time to show his little sister how to ride a bike without training wheels and that was priceless. Moto is more about the family to me then all the fluff that goes with it. Few things you could do in life will keep you closer then this sport. We might not have had the results we planned but we left as a family with some great memories. I hope many more families had the experiences we have had through the years of riding the dirt. Beside how many 4 year old girls can say they learned how to ride without training wheels at Ponca!

[22 June 09] King Cobra of Texas riders have been doing it lately and doing it right. These guys have hit the tracks lately everywhere from Ponca City to Freestone running some of the largest races around Texas .

 

Nathan Smith took the overall while racing the Oklahoma state race held on the national track at Ponca City . Closing the door on some really top notch riders. Nathan continues to improve and we are pumped to see just where he can go with his abilities.

 

Parker Mashburn made the big show out in California racing to a 4th overall at Glen Helen. Parker would finish as the highest finishing 7 year old, proving he can run with the big boys.  

 

Hunter Budd has been on a storm lately winning all the 65 motos at Village Creek and the Deleon AX backing that up with great finishes at the opener of the Full Moon Series. While at Ponca City he also held a strong pace and had top 5 finishes against some of the nations best. We’re feeling good about his riding and look for some real hustle from the little guy who also just picked up the 85cc bike.

Jason Norman has been on a roll lately doing some real damage to the 65 class at Freestone while racing the TORN/TORQ cross country series, and attending some motocross also, he  just got an 85 and has been learning to put down some excellent lap times.

 

Josh Lippard gets the most improved award; lately we have seen him drastically make that step to a Texas front runner, a place he looks very comfortable at. Josh raced his first Arenacross last weekend and took to the track like a fish in water. He took all the wins and even after a nasty get off he was able to jump back on the saddle and ride his pony to the checkers.

 

The little guy of the bunch Bobby Joe Millican has been developing well and improving by leaps and bounds. He looks up to his big brother and if he’s a good rule of thumb then Bobby will be a front runner for sure. In the Full moon he held strong being the youngest rider he still placed well against those poised to senior out.

 

We’re super proud of all our guys, they put it out there and are doing what it takes to make it in the land of 50s and 65s. I wish we had time to attend every race and see the racers from our many customers around the country, but we do hit a few here and there. We’d like to say hey to Cobra Card rider Brock Hart out of Arkansas and to Kimball Jett Cobra Jr. rider out of Louisiana , these to frequent Texas looking for some action and both have skills backed with good family. Keep up the good work and thanks to all of our loyal customers for all they do for the kids and the sport.

 

Check out a few new pictures of King Cobra of Texas riders Nathan Smith 51, Josh Lipard 220, and Hunter Budd 399

Full size >>>

 

[29 May 09] King Cobra of Texas riders have been mixing it up big time local and around the country.  50cc national rider Parker Mashburn (COB 223) was on a road trip recently in the North West for the LL qualifier at Washougal. Parker posted top results winning both classes by a good margin. After the North West trip he headed to Colorado and Lakewood for yet another round of riding bliss. Parker rode super, but had a few crashes that cost him the overalls. Next up for parker will be Glen Helen in California ; we wish him the best of luck.

Our other riders have been taking it to the track, riding out front and really making a name for themselves. Nathan Smith and Hunter Budd both ducked out of the best of Texas series to get valuable track time at Ponca City during the Oklahoma state series.  Hunter Budd aboard his CX65 Cobra got some really good starts, and had excellent corner speed, running just a few seconds of the lead pace. With strong gates of 35 and 38 hunter posted a 4th and 5th overall and we gained some real track knowledge. We know where the time was and we’ll be working on our weak point’s preparing for a return. Nathan Smith (COB 51) had no issues and handled the track like a pro, taking the overall in the 4-6 and a strong finish in the open class. Nathan shows he’s got what it takes and can run the lead pace; taking the pressure like it’s no big deal, look for this guy to be a major front runner in the future.

Josh Lippard (COB 220) headed to Lake Whitney for the best of Texas and a rematch with a few old buddies’. Turns out all the homework had paid off, Josh had excellent starts and up front finishes, advancing his place in the overall, next he’ll head to Swan and capitalize on the momentum, We’re pulling for him for sure.

Jason Norman has been kicking some tail in the TORN series, with some real tight racing in both his classes, Jason will take it to the wire and we look for him to pull out another Torn national title.

Justice and bobby Joe have been on a little race break, and we hope to see them in the mix soon. Justice has been putting the laps in at a few practice tracks and trying to stay razor sharp for the next big race. Bobby Joe and his brothers have been doing some local events down south and his numbers continue to improve.

We’re proud of all our guys and look forward to providing top notch service and support. Next up we head to Swan for next round of BOT, mix it up in the East/West race, then off to the pro national June 6th, the guys will be racing the following ay on the same track as the big boys, talk about excited. We ‘ll be on hand for sure all weekend helping out at the national and then support for the Amateur day.

   

[30 Apr 09] Racing in North Texas has been super the last few weeks, King Cobra of Texas riders have been doing great. A few weeks ago we raced Freestone and the Best of Texas series, with solid results.  Our new addition Rider 51 Nathan Smith came out with solid wins with some impressive speed. Hunter ran strong with consistent results and great starts, taking 8 out of 12 holeshots, but Josh Lippard (COB 220) showed the most improvement, keeping a strong pace.

The past weekend, King Cobra of Texas went to Oak Hill MX Park, known to be a national caliber track with tough sand and whoops. Our riders all ran strong, Hunter ran in the 9-11 classes. On Saturday Hunter rode well closing with a 4th in all the classes he ran, the competition all ran super and the finishes mixed up well. On Sunday Hunter came to the track eager to improve and that’s what he did, turning his 4th place finished into 2 2nd place and a 3rd, not to bad.

Also in the house was Justice and Josh both were running the 50 7-8 classes, and both riding well.  Both riders had flashes of greatness mixed with blotches of mistakes. Crashes and ay downs for Justice and Josh even cracked his frame.  Nathan Smith left town with some hardware for a first on Sunday and a few 3rds, this is one to watch. He’s the little guy on the crew, but he rides big.

So the Ponca qualifier ends with our riders getting those valuable points to help get to the big show. Ponca is a good time and we look forward to the showdown in the mid-okie state.

Next up we’ll be Oak Hill for the Loretta Lynn's qualifiers, combined with the Best of Texas, while we have no plans to attend LL we’ll be on hand to get some more points in the best of Texas series, weather permitting we’ll be at Badlands for the finish in the Central Yamaha series. Then in a few weeks we’ll head to Del Valley to collect just a few more points for our planned Ponca trip.

Thanks to all the support from the moms and Dads, who do what it takes to keep the smile on their little racers face. Oh and Dads don’t forget that Mothers day is fast approaching, for all you do for the racing effort don’t forget the hub of the wheel, the one who helps the racing go round and round.

 

[27 Apr 09] After getting a poor start in the 50 class, Jason quickly passed the two riders in front of him.  He completed both passes within the first three or four turn, before they went in to the woods.  He led every lap, but got passed in the woods on the final lap after catching two lapper riders.  The first link shows the lead the other rider had less going up to the last turn before the checkered flag.  The second shows Jason making the pass less than 20 yards from the finish.  It was an awesome race.

He got an even worse start in the 65 race and fought the whole race to get a 4th place finish.  He had to ride his 50, because I didn't get his motor rebuilt in time for the race.  Stayed up  until 2am Saturday morning of the race, but didn't get finished.  He rode strong, only finishing 5 seconds behind the leader, after completing the first lap in 10th place.

He also raced his first race on the "big track".  He went the whole hour, only stopping once for a drink.  He finished 11th, and I think got hooked.

 

 

[24 Mar 09]  This is a little story I’d like to call “Wrecks and Relaxation” one of which we had plenty and the other was scarce to find. The story is set at a little track we like to call oak Hill.  Last week oak Hill held the 2009 GNC national. Now since it was spring break and we just happen to do a little racing here and there we headed off to match wits with the nation’s best.  Riders like Jacob Hayes and his brother Justice, Hunter Budd, Riley Allen and Parker Mashburn all went to Oak Hill gunning for some action and they got plenty. All the guys showed flashes of greatness, and real skill, but on the flip side of that all the riders made mistakes that cost a little more then a pound of lobster at the Ritz. 

Parker had several strong rides and finished as the youngest rider in the 50 STK 7-8 with a 9th overall.  He really struggled in the other classes with wrecks and bike issues. He crashed in the open class and popped his radiator, then he blew the head gasket in the mod class then he had a bolt break on the line in the main after winning the LCQ to get there. Needless to say little luck if any during the week.

Riley Allen rode strong but again lay downs and mistakes cost him a top 10, ending with a pair of 13th in the 4-6 mod and stock. He did ride the blue off his PW just missing top 5 by 1 place.

Justice could not have found luck this week if he was standing at the end of the rainbow. He rode strong, but crashes again became the cause of his frustration. Every moto Justice had seemed to have a wreck thank god none were race ending, but for sure a couple were darn scary. Can’t blame the little guy, he left it on the track and tried for sure. He did finish in the basement in both 50 7-8 and mod, but he showed heart much like his little brother. He took the rough rides and still smiled and we’re proud of him.

Now Hunter Budd just really struggled, way off pace. Hunter just could not ride the track. Starts were not typical for him, and Hunter is not one to hit the carpet so very much. In the 50 7-9 super pee wee class, he finished with a 3rd in his first race of division 1 and the bike was so trashed we had to rebuilt the whole motor,  then he backed it up with a stuck throttle and a firm 19th, but he did make the cut without going to LCQ. Of course in the end it didn’t mater, hunter wrecked out running 6th in the main, lost the fender and dropped all the way back to 18th. The 65 classes went just about the same way, running top 10 he got taken out, then running 11th he stalled the motor and fell way back, a few more crashes and the results say the rest. 34th in the 65 open, 29th in the 65 Mod, 18th in the stock.  He’s fine, the bikes are fine but our egos are dented for sure. Hunter wrecked more times this one week of racing then the last 2 years. He’s never finished so far back, so we’ll have to regroup and get that taken care of.

So that’s pretty much how the story goes, lots of wrecks and little to no relaxation.

On a big note Jason Norman won his state championship at the TORO series, he’s had some great races in the woods here lately and we are super proud of his achievements.

After the frustrations of the week, many of us headed back to neutral ground to get our heads on straight. Hunter Budd, Josh Lippard, Bobby Joe Millican and Riley Allen all took it to the track at Village Creek during the Central Yamaha series. Josh had battles that reminded me of the day hunter and Tyler knocked bars, and Riley stepped it up with a win also. Hunter and Rider Floyd had some serious speed on the track, with hunter getting the gold.

 

(Check out large versions of the photos ...)

[5 Feb 09]  This past weekend, Oak Hill MX Park hosted the 9th Annual AMA Texas Winter Series, and what an awesome race it was. Loaded gates with divisional cuts, riders from around the country and lots of warm sun to keep the track as hot as the riders did. King Cobra of Texas riders turned out to try their luck, Justice Hayes (cob 808) came to oak hill to get the crash monkey off his back and he sure did with some strong finishes in a very talented field.  Little brother Jacob Hayes also began the long rode to racing greatness moving from the PW to the Cobra JR. he did well and grew lots of confidence.

Riley Allen posted some hard fought results, in a stacked class riding super and fighting off a ton of other races to finish well.

Parker Mashburn (COB 223) came to play and play he did, posting some serious laps only getting taken by 2 factory cobra riders, but we’re working on that. The young guy had the skill and cleaned up in both the 50 7-8 and Open. Parker also showed lots of promise aboard his 65. We will be dialing in and getting prepared for Whitney coming soon.

Hunter Budd didn’t have the luck on his side during practice we had a motor go south for the winter, but got super luck with a loan from one of our customers Chris Lippard, and we could not have been more thankful. Hunter did struggle with the setup. We had no time to get the bike dialed in so Hunters results were not what we have come to know in the past.

Jason Norman will be contesting the TORO series and to day has done great and has set himself up for yet another state championship in the cross country series.

Coming up King Cobra of Texas riders will be all over the map, Hunter will be headed south to Austin for the MAP O’Riely Arenacross.  Jason Head North to Bulcher Creek for the TORO series, while Justice, Jacob, and Parker will be pounding out the laps. Riley Allen will most likely be at River Valley for the Texas Spring Challenge. As you can see much going on this time of year and we hope you have much riding to do also. Thanks and ride on!

 

 

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[29 Jan 09]  Racing in the last few weeks for our Riders has been great, we’ve been on a few road trip following the Cycle City Promotions and MAP O’Riely Arenacross, Also attending the Texas off Road Nationals awards banquet, So much going on for sure.

A few weeks ago we attended the Monroe AX, that was so much fun we hit the road to attend the Lafayette AX the following weekend, Hunter Budd (COB 399) would have some strong rides in the 50 and 65 classes posting a win in both 50’s and solid results in the 65 classes against some hard charging talent. Hunter posted a 2nd  in the 65 7-9 and what should have been a 3rd  in the 65 open,  was posted as 4th but hey the score keepers in AX had there hands full keeping track of that class it was so tight. We were more then pleased with the results.

Off to Odessa and the opener for the MAP O’Riely AX. Odessa always brings out the best that regions has to offer, top notch riders with heats in both the 50 and 65 classes. Hunter Budd would post top scores again winning against a field of orange in the 50 classes, and topping the 65 7-9 while finishing 2nd in the 65 Open.  A great night showing Cobras off in the sold out arena would lead to a road trip home for the TORN banquet where Hunter Budd and Jason Norman would receive there titles for 50 Ex and 50 INT classes, Hunter also claimed a 3rd in the 65 INT and both guys were in on the Team Award when team Pee Wee Power took the top spot, way to go guys!!

The following weekend it was off to Waco for the second race of the MAP O’Riely AX. With the Houston SX not to far the turn out was not as good as Odessa , but still had some good gates. Hunter Budd and Riley Allen (Or Kiley as the announcer called him) put in some stellar rides. Riley Allen (COB 306) posted a win for the 4-6 aboard his CX50 JR the backed it up with a strong finish in a field of SR bikes. Hunter Budd won the 50 open and 7-9 as well as 65 7-9 then finished close behind Austin McKinney for 2nd in the 65 Open class.

So as you can see AX has been good for us and we love it, this weekend we move to the out doors for the Texas Winter Series, on of the toughest race series Texas has to offer. The gates will be full of skilled riders, as Oak Hill is the home of a great track. Many out of state riders will be on hand to put treads on the track in preparation for the GNC in March. We’re excited about coming to Oak Hill because our other team riders will come out of practice riding and put it to the track. Parker Mashburn and Justice Hayes will also be on hand to show off the things they have been learning over the last few weeks.

 Soon after we will head to Austin for the MAP AX then it’s off to Whiney.   Always busy around Cobra land, racing a riding, but I need to take a moment to recognize a few riders who showed what they had at the last AX in Waco . Jed Smith aboard his new Bud bike really killed us all on starts taking the first turn every gate, also posted some good finishes with some great racing against Jesse James Millican. Next up I saw little Wesley Mahil who had not ridden in a year, place his O/I in 2nd on his heat, then came Mathew Curler who is the youngest, smallest guy out there, placed his Cobra up front with steady riding, we’re always happy to see the little guys show well, but these guys have really worked hard to progress and I think all turned heads that night. Way to guy guys!!.

 

 
 

 

 

   

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[6 Jan 09]  After a much needed break in the rat race, King Cobra of Texas took it back to the track for new years. Freestone County Raceway hosted the WMA/All-star race over the New Year’s week. We arrived to great weather with some crazy wind, but mostly excited to be at the track after a couple weeks off.

 

The racing was super with some of the regions best on hand to show off their skill and talent.  Cobra riders had a good turn out for both the 50 and 65 classes.  King Cobra of Texas sponsored rider Riley Allen won the O/I class aboard his Cobra O/I, Larry Davis (Cob 122) from Illinois put his Cobra way out in front of the 4-6 class. In the 7-8 and open it was Drew Drennan and Brandon Matula swapping wins, with some really close racing. The 65 classes had an abundance of riders and some real Texas hot shoes, John Michael Belding, Challen Tennant and Alec Mellick were top runners for sure, but Cobra 65 mounted riders did well and really highlighted just how competitive the CX65 really is. Top Cobra 65 finish went to Alan Spaeth out of St. Charles MN . The kid rode his wheels off finishing 3rd in the 7-11 open and 4th in the 10-11 class. Hunter Budd also rode well ending with a 3rd in the 6-9 and an 8th in the open, not to bad against some seasoned front runners.

 

The New Years rang in with some real spectacular racing at Freestone but we just didn’t get enough and chose to head on over the Cycle City promotions Arena Cross in Monroe , LA. This group can really put on a quality race, the crowd was excited and huge, and the racing was bar to bar for sure. Hunter won all 3 heats we had him signed up in, then backed it up with 2 main wins 50 7-9 and 65 7-9 followed by a solid 2nd in the 65 open.

 

Also in the house was Wesley Banks, Cobra 65 rider out of Louisiana . The kid was right at home in the arena with a win in the 65 10-11 that was the most exciting of the night. The crowd was just freaking out how close the racing was in the class, but Wesley just put his head down and drove it home for the win.

 

In the 65 Open Texas rider Austin McKinney took the overall, but Hunter and Wesley kept him honest while they battled it out for the 2nd place, Hunter got the place, but not without Wesley holding pressure all the way to the flag finishing just behind Hunter for a hard fought 3rd.

 

A notable thing from the weekend of racing, never ask me which direction the fuel should be turned on a CX65, because I just might lead you wrong, just ask Billy Banks, Wesley’s dad after he got pushed around the track trying to start his sons 65. Sure it was funny from the side lines, but I’ll be we both know how to check the fuel now for sure. I’ll have to be sure and give him a big discount on his next order for sure.

 

Next up for some riders will be the AMA Texas Winter series at Swan, we plan to attend the AX in Lafayette , LA

 

2008 News Archive

 2007 News Archive