(Crawfordsville, Indiana. May 14, 2022) Ironman Raceway is one of the premiere facilities in all of American Motocross racing. Since 2015, Ironman has played host to some very notable moments in ATV racing and this time around would be no different. Mother Nature unexpectedly marched into round five of the ATV Motocross National Championship unannounced and let her mighty power be felt by the unsuspecting ATV motocross community this past Saturday in west central Indiana.
Ironman left a gaping hole as it was missing from the ATV Motocross schedule the previous two seasons, but here in 2022 it made its triumphant return and ATV racers, fans, and enthusiasts all rejoiced as it’s a favorite stop on the tour for many. The last time the fastest ATV riders in the world made a trip to Indiana, Bryce Ford was fresh out of the youth ranks and taking the ATV racing world by storm by dominating the top amateur classes while older brother, Cody, was a rookie pro battling right around the top ten. Fast forward a few years and the Ford brothers are now two of the “big dogs” in ATV motocross competition.
Back in 2019, the ATV community couldn’t wait to see what Bryce Ford could do in the AMA ATV Pro Class and media outlets like the Digging Deep ATVMX Podcasts speculated about the youngster’s pro prospects. Now, Bryce Ford is still must-watch and a constant contender every time he hits the racetrack. Bryce started the day strong as the third-fastest qualifier and he rode that wave of momentum into the day’s opening moto where he started in the top three and ultimately finished in a solid fourth place position. As for Cody Ford, better known as “The Foreman” for his work ethic and constant grind, he qualified in the top ten and finished a solid 10th in the perfect conditions of Pro Moto 1 at Ironman. Though the conditions were perfect then, they wouldn’t be for long.
As the fastest ATV riders on the planet took to the gate for the final moto, you could feel a storm brewing. The rain started thirty minutes before the scheduled drop of Moto 2, but it was nothing more than a drizzle. However, moments before the start the rain came down in droves creating an absolute deluge on the racecourse. The rain came down so hard that it had nowhere to go but puddle up on the racetrack. Some sections were worse than others, but there was standing water everywhere for Pro Moto 2. We’ve never seen anything like it, as over half of the class didn’t make it more than a lap or two. Unfortunately, Bryce Ford was one of those riders who would be sunk in this one. He was in great position, running inside the top five on the opening lap. However, that was the only lap Bryce would complete before this machine ingested water, sidelining him for the remainder of the moto. Cody Ford managed to fare better than his younger brother, as he was able to complete three laps, which was good enough to earn him 7th overall in Moto 2! And in an excellent show of mid-race sportsmanship, Cody Ford teamed up with fellow competitors to help each other get unstuck, refired, and rejoin the race. It was a day that will live on in infamy forever in the memories of ATV racing athletes and fans alike.
When all was said and done, Bryce Ford ended the crazy day at Ironman with combined 4-13 moto scores for 8th overall and Cody Ford ended up with 9th overall by way of 10-7 moto finishes. Both riders maintained their solid positions in the championship points standings with Bryce remaining solidly in third and Cody now being tied for ninth at the halfway point of the 2022 season. As we get set to head to Sunset Ridge next, the entire Ford Brothers Racing team is excited to return to a facility that has been so good to them over the years and probably feels like a second home in the native Texans. See you at Sunset Ridge MX in Walnut, Illinois, on the weekend of May 28/29. Can’t wait!