EVENT: RED BULL BEACH SCRAMBLE

On Jun 27, 2023

Hunter Miller was already gone when this starting-line photo was snapped. While he led from flag to flag, it wasn’t easy, as #24 Corbin Leaverton was in his roost the entire time. A few lappers on the last lap made it interesting, but Miller held on for the win.

It’s been 20 years since we covered a proper beach race in North America. Decades ago we had the Rosarito beach race in Baja, the Pismo beach race in California, and the Virginia Beach race on the East Coast. Leave it to Red Bull to bring the exciting concept back to the U.S. and the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. This time, 100 side-by-sides would tackle the new venue in the tourist area of Wildwood, New Jersey. Wildwood has hosted dirt bike and ATV races in the past, but for this one-day event, it was all side-by-sides and the who’s who of the Red Bull athletes who showed up, along with about 40 regulars from the AWRCS series and a bunch of locals wanting to be a part of the inaugural Red Bull Beach Scramble.

Red Bull Can-Am driver Seth Quintero made the trip out to New Jersey from California to be a part of the inaugural Beach Scramble. He won his heat race, but unfortunately he was parked on the sidelines due to a mechanical during the main event. There are worse places to break down. Photo by Red Bull Content Pool

The Beach Scramble had a 100-entry limit divided between two classes—Pro and Sportsman. A big portion of the field was made up by AWRCS racers from the local northeast area. Tim Slocum (419) and Kevin Wise diced back and forth in the pro main and finished in the top 10. Josh Alderfer (rear) ended up 13th.

**Polaris driver Evan Barnikow added a turbo to his RS1 and made it into the Sportsman main event, finishing 13th. Mike Brown was the pilot of the bone-stock Can-Am Maverick X3 and finished 22nd.**

Wildwood is just down the beach from Atlantic City, which is known for its huge boardwalk, amusement parks and the summer hot spot for residents of Philadelphia and surrounding areas. With the help from the USAC, the Red Bull crew constructed a great two-mile layout between the busy boardwalk and the waves of the Atlantic.

**For those not familiar with the Jersey Shore, it’s a summer vacation destination for the tens of thousands living in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington DC.**

The Beach Scramble races put on a great show for the fans watching from the Wildwood, New Jersey, boardwalk. The event hopes to be back in 2024 after its success this year, and we think it will. Wildwood is about 75 miles from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Short-course specialists the Miller brothers made the trek from Texas, and each took a heat race win. However, it was Hunter with the main-event win after having to fend off Corbin Leaverton for the entire seven-lap race. Just out of their roost was Cody Bradbury also making the nearly 3000-mile trip from Southern California worthwhile. Let this photo gallery help you imagine the sights, sounds and ocean smells of the exciting action of the inaugural Red Bull Beach Scramble.

Cody Bradbury finished a solid third place in the Pro Main. The stock Maxxis Big Horn tires that come on many side-by-sides are actually perfect for sand riding. They are lighter than most tires and hook up incredibly well.

Although he didn’t make it into the main event, Tyler Betz had a blast ripping his Honda Talon around on the beach. He did get to compete in one heat and one last-chance qualifier race. There were several other Talons on hand, a bunch of Yamaha YXZ’s, and a Kawasaki KRX within the sea of turbo cars.

**The Sportsman driver was taking the bull theme seriously. The entire event was about having fun, and fun was had by all.**

PRO RESULTS

1. Hunter Miller

2. Corbin Leaverton

3. Cody Bradbury

4. Mitch Guthrie

5. AJ Jones

6. Justice Schmeider

7. Kevin Wise

8. Tim Slocum

9. Levi Metzinger

10. Tyler Colletti

SPORTSMAN RESULTS

1. Grayden Bloxham

2. Patrick McGuire

3. Michael Bruell

4. Shaun Galsso

5. Mike Pierontoni

6. Michael Karrmann

7. Anthony Simonetti

8. Bart Leegwater

9. David Michl

10. Donald Graham