Rockabilly Grand Prix pushes through Jackson

JACKSON, Tenn. — Downtown Jackson was host to a lot of wheels this weekend — bicycle wheels, that is.

Riders have been coming to the Hub City for the official Rockabilly Grand Prix for the last four years, but it’s a tradition that started over six years ago.

Organizers said this is an event bringing in people from all over the country.

Racing director Matt Joiner said the competition grows yearly.

“It started small and we get people locally, from Memphis and here, racing, and now we are drawing people from the east side of the country,” Joiner said.

This year the race had over 300 registered competitors from several states including New York and Florida.

The weekend tournament started Saturday.

Racers said it’s a great way for them to see Jackson and that the competition brings  people together as a team.

“I love working as a team. That’s probably my favorite part,” racer Brett Shanaman said. “It looks like an individual sport but it’s not. It’s really all about working together to generate a result.”

“I just love the whole atmosphere. It’s competitive. You push yourself. It’s supportive,” racer Kirsten Sass said. “Your fellow competitors actually cheer you on as well. It’s a chance to test your limits and see where your training is and how you stack up.”

Riders offer a few tips for those who might not know about the sport. “You can tell the teams from the colors of the folks that are working,” Shanaman said. “Very often they are working together — guys are sacrificing themselves for one particular rider on the team.”

Over the entire weekend competition, racers had the chance to compete for cash prizes totaling more than $12,000 in different categories.

Organizers said they hope to get more sponsors for next year and to bring in even more racers.