King of the South ‘09

Knoxville, Tennessee, is a premiere area of the U.S.A. to own a sport bike – or any motorcycle for that matter. Of the many nearby historic and scenic motorcycle routes, the Dragon’s Tail is one of the most memorable. The Dragon is located in Deals Gap motorcycle resort in the mountains of North Carolina, which stretch north into Tennessee. In an 11-mile stretch, 318 curves tell the tale of many infamous wrecks and the curvy paradise of motorcyclists everywhere. I have to say, it would be more fun if everyone were going the same direction.

Seymour, just a few miles south of Knoxville, is home to a Southern tradition stunt competition known as King of the South. Hosted by Mike Murdoc and crew, the competition was fun, with Scobey keepin’ it poppin’ on the mic. The stunt competition had a laid back atmosphere, with an amateur day of competition followed by a full day of pro competition. When we pulled up and hopped out of the Expedition, the drag strip looked like a dream. The end of the track was surrounded on three sides by huge, beautiful trees. Everyone practiced together; it was sweet chaos.

With this set-up, everyone had a chance to compete. Amateur talents came from the surrounding areas for their chance to do it big like the pros – in front of an audience. The showmanship of Bill D. was huge at this event, especially on amateur day. He came out for a few minutes between amateur events and awed the crowd with maneuvers reserved for the world’s elite. This competition scratched a distinct line in the sand from amateur to pro. The difference from learning amateur to distinguished pro is vast. The amateur competition featured tons of talent, circles, combos, highchair, and some 180-degree stoppies. However, the execution of their stunts and transitions, the lower difficulty of stunts, high percentage of success, and fluidness throughout an entire run were noticeable distinctions.

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