MOSES LAKE – Last weekend, best friends KJ Gilman and Logan Vela placed first in their respective groups in the northwest Gold Cup Finals at the SeaTac BMX track. KJ said it was a great experience.  

“The ride over there was really nice and calm. As soon as I got that first (place) I was super happy,” he said.  

KJ competed in the intermediate group and Vela competed in the novice group. The pair started riding at Moses Lake BMX three years ago. Vela said he enjoyed learning new things every time he came out to the track and meeting other riders.  

Vela said he prepared for the race by coming out to the Moses Lake track as often as he could. He was somewhat familiar with the Seattle track, having only been out to it once before. BMX can adjust the layouts of their tacks frequently, but Vela said the only difference from last time was the step down at the gate and the turns were bigger.  

“It was probably halfway through the race, going through the third straight, I was like, ‘Shoot, I got to step it up,’ I seen (another rider) out at the corner of my eye. I was like, ‘He's catching me,’ I just knew, even though it hurts, I just got to keep pushing,” Vela said.  

Vela said he felt a sigh of relief when he finished first.  

“I was like, ‘I finally did it, finally made a name (for myself),’” he said.  

KJ said he kept coming back to BMX because he felt there was something different about BMX than other sports.  

“What kept me coming back is just the enjoyment of riding a bike and the feeling of being free,” KJ said.  

For him, he likes that whatever happens on the track is between him and the bike. He said he likes the individualized aspect of the sport. In BMX he likes that he only needs to rely on himself rather than others in a team sport.  

KJ has high aspirations for BMX. He wants to go pro in BMX and be the best in the world, he said. He hopes to continue improving to the point he can compete in world tournaments. When he finished his race, KJ said he got emotional from what he accomplished.  

“As soon as I got done, I rode around to where my parents were. I laid down my bike, and I set down my helmet, and I just hugged them all, and started just bawling my eyes out, it was a really big moment for me,” he said.  

He said not only was it the amount of work he put into preparing for the race, but he saw how far he had come and learned in the last three years.  

In addition to the race, KJ said he got to meet prominent figures in BMX. Connor Fields, a gold medalist in the 2016 Olympics, was in attendance. KJ said he got to meet Fields and chat with him about BMX. KJ also got to meet Cam Bramer, another professional BMX rider. 

“When I got to meet (Bramer), he was really down to earth and knew what he was talking about, and really patient with what he said, a cool tip that I learned from him was not everything's about winning. You got to learn how to lose and win,” KJ said.  

KJ’s mother, Larisa, said she is happy that her son has been able to find a community in BMX. She said his perspective on life changed once he became invested in BMX.  

“Seeing him so passionate at BMX has changed my life as well. It makes us emotional, that moment when he walked around that gate to come see us, I saw the look on his face, and I started crying, and I know how much it means to him... it meant everything to us,” Larisa said.  

As he looks ahead, KJ said he hopes to join a team within the next year as he continues to work toward going pro. He and Vela plan to continue competing in local races at the Moses Lake track and working toward moving up from their respective levels.  

    Logan Vela standing on a podium after finishing first in the novice group of the northwest Gold Cup Final in Seattle. Vela said he felt relief after winning his race.
  

    KJ Gilman (1) holding his first-place plate after winning in the intermediate group. Gilman said he feels free when he’s racing in BMX.
  

    Connor Fields, left, and KJ Gilman, right, pose for a photo at the northwest Gold Cup Final in Seattle. Fields is a 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist in BMX and Gilman said he got to chat with him at the Seattle track.
  

    Logan Vela navigates a bumpy Moses Lake BMX track. Vela said he likes to take new tracks slow the first time in practice to prepare for the official races.