Weather Roulette: Intense Racing USA Kicks Off the 2025 Monster Energy Pro Downhill Series
Ride Rock Creek Delivers a Wild Season Opener
The 2025 Monster Energy Pro Downhill Series blasted out of the gate this past weekend at Ride Rock Creek Bike Park in Zirconia, NC—and let’s just say, it did not disappoint. From sideways rain to blazing sun and everything in between, this round served up a proper mixed bag of racing chaos. And right in the thick of it? The INTENSE Racing USA crew—ready to roll, adapt, and throw down.
Weather Roulette: Mud, Sun & Madness
The week kicked off with soaking wet track conditions—classic East Coast style. Riders had to make those make-or-break calls on tire choice early, with many slapping on mud spikes just to stay upright. Then, plot twist: the sun decided to make an appearance. Fast-forward to race day and the track had baked itself dry and grippy, forcing everyone to scramble and rethink their setups. Tire combos were switched, suspension tweaks were made, and brake points got re-mapped in real time. It was a masterclass in mid-week adaptation.
Speed vs. Control: The Real Battle.
Once things dried out, speeds shot up—fast track, big risk. Riders had to make split-second calls on where to let it fly and where to slam on the brakes. The course was fast, flat in sections, and sketchy in others… a real test of who could balance outright speed with just enough control to stay on two wheels.
Dante Silva: Smooth, Steady, SoCal Strong.
2024 champ Dante Silva came into the weekend calm, collected, and quietly confident. You wouldn’t guess he’s from dry-and-dusty Southern California, the way he handled the slop early in the week. As the track dried, he adjusted like a pro—qualifying 10th and putting down a clean, steady race run that earned him 12th on the day. No wild moments, no blown corners—just textbook consistency. As Dante put it:
“Super fun weekend with the team kicking off the pro downhill series. I felt like I rode well, and the track was riding so good all weekend. A little off pace but still a successful weekend.”
Nate Kitchen: The Comeback Kid.
Now let’s talk Nate Kitchen—back in the mix after surgery and healing up, and already making moves. His run was looking fast through the splits… until a red flag stopped him mid-race thanks to a downed rider ahead. Tough luck. But Nate kept his head in the game, reset, and nailed his re-run, sliding into 15th overall. That’s a big result, especially coming off injury. Nate summed it up best:
“Solid effort at the first round… Feels good to throw down a good run sliding into 15th place while having to do a rerun. Stoked to see I had top 10 pace through each of the splits. Pumped on the progress I made this weekend on the bike and amped for more!”
What’s Next
With Teagan and Kai still healing up, the team’s far from full strength—but Silva and Kitchen have shown they’re more than ready to carry the torch. Backed by killer bikes, top-tier support, and that signature INTENSE grit, this crew is just getting warmed up.
More rounds. More racing. More action. Stay tuned—this season’s just getting started.
