10/16/2025
Highlights from the Red Rock Raptors in Panguitch!
The season has gone by way too fast and this was already the final regional race for 2025 😭
The Panguitch course was the fastest and least technical track for us this year, making for short lap times and minimal margins for error. Lots of passing but there were some bottleneck sections in the descents. There is also less elevation change in this track making for less climbing overall but also less downhill. That means the faster riders are pedaling almost non stop, start to finish. Cardio is King and some of the fit riders with less skill had a chance to shine.
Our boys made a great showing beating all their records from the Panguitch race last year! Mason Barber dropped a whopping ten minutes off his 2024 race to set the fastest lap times and lowest total race time for the team earning him 32nd in JVC. Just a handful of positions outside the top 25 qualification for state. Santiago Salcedo and Trace Staples both had clean runs and fast lap times. Neither made it to state but are within striking distance for 2026.
The girls stole the show this weekend with a couple of major accomplishments starting with Summer Henderson finally getting on the podium with a 3rd place finish in JVD! Summer has shown tons of speed and strength this year but has had a ton to learn skill wise because she had never ridden a mountain bike before joining the team! She had such a rough run with several crashes in Soldier Hollow we didn’t know if she would race again! But Summer kept showing up for practice and has been working hard all season facing her fears, putting in the grind. Her efforts have paid off, she’s finally got a medal to take home to Mom and Dad!!
We also saw some awesome strides from Kailey Downward narrowly missing the JVC podium with a 6th place finish! A season best for Kailey and well within the top 25 cutoff for the State Championships! She has been steadily workin her way up through the top 10 and dropped over 16 minutes on her 2024 Panguitch run! The 2025 state races will be held tomorrow and Saturday in Cedar City! Kailey will race Friday at 1:30pm, If you can come support cheer her on! Go Raptors!!!
