The 2005 BMX season is in full swing and the Factory team battles are on fire each and every weekend. In 2004, Answer BMX once again grabbed the top spot among ABA Factory teams. With names like Danny Caluag, Mike Brabant, David Herman, and Sean Lechner on the team sheets, it’s no surprise that Joey Licata has put his guys at the top of the heap. The Answer crew are favorites to repeat in 2005. On the NBL side, Factory Hyper / No Fear backed up their 2003 title and won it all again in 2004 and now have matching national championship trophies to show off. With riders like Mike McGonigle, Warren McDow, Mike Lundy, Alise Post, and Chad Kerley on the roster, look for the NBL champs to make a run at dual titles this year as they throw their hat into the ABA ring while vying for an NBL team title three-peat.

As anyone that has ever been involved with Factory BMX racing can attest, it is an expensive and exhausting endeavor. Whether it be for advertising, marketing, promotions, or just plain pride, the year-long Factory effort takes a toll on the most die hard racers and team managers. Many simply crash and burn. The rewards, however, are second to none.
BMX history is as linked to Factory racing as it is to legendary tracks and legendary riders. No one can talk about Stompin’ Stu Thomsen without remembering Factory Redline; Steve Veltman without recalling the Hutch jersey with “STEVE” emblazoned in big, black, block letters over his heart; Harry Leary without imagining the silver and black Diamondback uniform circa 1982. How about, in more recent years, Donny Robinson working 16 Experts in the trademark orange and yellow Powerlite uniform or Bubba Harris winning his first Pro title in his red white and black Redline uniform with “ANITA” on his back (in memory of his mother).
Factory racing is a staple of the BMX world. At its best, it gives young BMX’ers “the dream” – something every young racer aspires t o – a full “Factory” ride. At its worst, for some riders it’s the express lane to obscurity. Whatever the case may be, Factory racing gives cycling a glimpse of what BMX can be – a conglomeration of the best bicycle riders in the world.

The ABA Factory team title chase is always a good source of drama. Lead by the venerable Joey Licata, Answer BMX is once again the team to beat in the ABA. With three early season wins at the only two ABA “A” schedule races so far in 2005, the Answer crew has set the pace for the field.
Out of the ashes of the Avent / Bombshell team, the ABA’s 2004 National #3 Factory team, comes Factory Hyper / No Fear. Led by former Staats front man TJ Johnson, the team is currently leading both sanctions team standings.
Making a big push in 2005 is the Phantom / On Trac team led by team owner Chuck Colton. With a huge score on Sunday at the Winter Nationals in Phoenix, Arizona, this team proved they are a contender for the title.
Crupi has returned to the Factory team wars this year, this time teaming up with the Hurricane bike shop out of Texas. Dwayne Ivy took the best of his 2003 national champion bike shop team, added some talent, and just like that created another Crupi title contender.
Also in the mix is the stalwart Challenge team headed by Gary Oie and Pete Heil. Still teamed with Intense bikes, you can never count Challenge out of the running especially with two-time, back-to-back national #1 Amateur Josh Oie heading up the squad.
Brew Bicycles teamed up with last year’s Double Cross / Alliant team to form the Brew / Pro Max squad. With some heavy hitters, this team can easily find its way into the top five.
Although Carl Lein, editor of the now defunct Moto Mag BMX magazine, has been shipped off to Iraq, he has brought back the Big Knobby Squad. Now called CMC /BKS, Carl kept most of the Moto Mag crew together and they are ready to do battle.
Another new team is the Vendetta bikes crew, comprised of most of the riders from last year’s Sharp factory effort. Headed by Gary Clark, expect this team to be a top five contender.
Last year’s Auburn bikes team has morphed into the Felt / Extreme Sports factory squad. With veteran team manager Scott Angus at the helm, you can be sure to find this team on the podium in 2005.
There’s a couple of new groups out of the Northwest: the Factory UFO / BMXtreme Racing team and the Factory FMF team. ATI has also put together a Factory team for 2005, look for ATI guy Bruce Mayer to liven up the Factory ranks with his new squad.

Current ABA Standings (April '05):

Place	Team	Points
1	Hyper / No Fear	1802
2	Phantom / On Trac / Intense	1630
3	Vendetta / Fly	1410
4	Crupi / Hurricane	1331
5	Answer Factory / Staats	1252

On the NBL side, team manager Anthony Derosa has the Hyper / No Fear squad at the top of the points heap once again. DeRosa trimmed the team down for 2005 and it doesn’t seem to have hurt the squad one bit.
The 2004 National #2 team, Dans Competition, did just the opposite. Team manager Terri Sonner added a host of riders to try and reclaim the team title. These two teams are always up for a good battle and provide an exciting spark to the NBL national scene.
Answer BMX teamed up with the Pro Max / Brew team and formed the Answer / Everguard squad to have a go at the NBL title. Bringing over their big guns, expect Answer to be in the thick of it come Grands time.
Also in the mix is the HBR / Fly Racing squad, One Bicycles, Felt / Extreme Sports, Wolf’s Racing, Revolution Bikes, J&C Supercross, and the always tough MCS crew.

Current NBL Standings (April '05):

Place	Team	Points
1	Hyper / No Fear	968
2	Fly Racing / HBR	898
3	Answer / Everguard Racing	890
4	Dan's Competition	870
5	One Bicycles	852

With the NBL season halfway finished and the ABA season just getting started, expect the Factory team wars to provide some of the best racing in years. The team managers are busy checking and rechecking their rosters in hopes of finding that extra something that will put them on top at the end of the season. One thing is for sure, there will be no shortage of excitement in the Factory ranks in 2005. Make sure to check back often as ISTV provides coverage of the hottest Factory team battles to date!