MORC and BMX tracks

[JDEcho]

Has MORC or any individual ever considered getting a local BMX track up and running? I have a friend that works for Bloomington Park and Rec and he says they may be interested if they could find a chunk of land and some expertise/labor. Or how about a warehouse for an indoor track for year round racing/ riding? Anyone else interested in this topic? Just testing the waters as I'd love to see a track somewhere local. Joe

[guest_s]

I am not sure how much you know about BMX racing in the area or nationally. So I might be giving you info you already know.....so bear with me here.

There are two national organizations that support and sanction tracks around the US, the NBL (National Bicycle League) and the ABA (American Bicycle Association). Both are pretty large and have been around since the late 70's, but here in MN the ABA has most, if not all the tracks under it's sanctioning body. It's best to stick with the ABA since you can coordinate with other tracks in the area and racers can collect points for state championships and local number plates and so on. If you went NBL, you would be the lone NBL track and not get too many racers, especially if another track had a race that weekend, because many BMX racers chase points.

That all being said, the ABA has a kit you can look at online. It's a PDF doc and will open in Adobe Reader.

Start A Track (http://www.ababmx.com/pdf/Start_a_Track.pdf)

As far as going indoors, it's a good idea so races can be held in the winter. But in the summer, it's tough to convince riders to go there, unless you could keep it from being too hot. But either way you go, it takes a lot of effort, a good deal of money, and you need to know your stuff when it comes to BMX. The starting gate alone is tricky. Most of them are electronic and require a system to run it. I believe there are some companies out there who make them.

MORC is currently not involved in any BMX racing tracks. We are working on some jump parks that both BMX and Freeride bikes can use. You would probably have to come up with a solid plan and then present it to the MORC Board of Directors to see if we would be interested being involved in such a thing. It's certainly an interesting idea and supporting BMX racing is something I am sure we are willing to at least look into.

Hope that helps.

[guest_s]

I want to add:

BMX racing is going to be in the 2008 Olympics. This has generated a lot of interest in BMX racing recently. I think the sport will pick up again because of this. I certainly see a lot more BMX racing stuff becoming more popular here at work.....I hope the trend continues.

[gopherhockey]

I think if the area were geared toward mountain biking you would get more direct support from MORC. (as Shad mentioned, we have skills type parks on our radar) Otherwise it would likely be in the form of sharing how we have had success in gaining and maintaining our trails and would require the BMX community to step up and do the work.

[JDEcho]

"As far as going indoors, it's a good idea so races can be held in the winter. But in the summer, it's tough to convince riders to go there, unless you could keep it from being too hot."

Retractable roof right!!!

I've briefly looked at the ABA site and have taken my kids down to Mankato to "practice" ride. I am aware of the '08 Olympic games having BMX racing which is great. A lot of people I have spoken with say they think it's a great idea which leads me to believe there is some genuine public interest. Obese kids, troubled kids with nothing to do, get on the band wagon first as it will become popular due to the Olympics, etc..... You'd think it would be an easy sell to a city. I am not knowledgeable enough in BMX to propose any solid ways of bringing a track into reality just a Dad who has kids interested in BMX and wouldn't mind riding/racing myself if for nothing more than recreation and exercise. I will however take closer look at the ABA's site and the info kit.

Tell me more about this jump/skills park. Like when,where, what!!!!

[guest_s]

Tell me more about this jump/skills park. Like when,where, what!!!!

Right now 2 main projects are in the works. One is in Theodore Wirth park near the main entrance of the north section of the mountain bike trail. It will be a pump track with some jumps, berms, and a few other cool features. That is not done yet, but it's in the works. The other is at Hillside in the middle of their mountain bike trails. This area is also in the works, but has some jumps currently built that can be played on. Both of these are legalized areas where the land managers have approved the work. There are many other "hidden" places BMXers and Freeriders can ride, but none of them are legal trails.

Too find out the locations of either of those, click on TRAIL GUIDE in the upper right corner.

I think BMXers need to form a group, similar to how MORC is formed, and then they will have more ability to work with cities to get BMX tracks. There is power in numbers, but right now BMX racers and tracks don't have a local central organization to belong to that can show some force. MORC is local, but we follow the guidlines of IMBA, which is an international organization. A similar thing can happen with BMX. Back in the late 70's and early 80's BMX was huge here. And I mean huge. We had tracks all over the city and close. Shorewood, Brooklyn Park, Richfield, Minnetonka, Maple Plain, Shakopee, and many more places. There was a local organization called Northstar BMX which helped promote and organize races and kept tracks coordinated so they didn't step on each others toes. I started racing BMX in 1980 and like I said, it was huge back then. I can be that way today with a little organization and effort.

[Buck]

Joe,

Send me a PM. I'm interested in helping, and talking with you and the guy from Bloomington. I have some ideas I'd love to see happen...Sounds like we have the same ideas in mind.

As for other spots. Rich Omdahl has been leading up and working with Hillside on some cool stuff. As for peeps that know what is up, I work with a number of people I bet would be interested in helping get some stuff off the ground and have a good amount of knowledge on building flow.

weRd
Buck

[Lezgo Cycling]

im down for building and helping gettting a group together...this would be so cool to really bring ti back to MN. And ;ike shad said I think it will get bigger after the olypmpics next year, everyone wants to do what the tv is doing...:banana:

[rideharder]

The hillside park is built but not officailly open yet. joe, contact Rich Omdahl and get on the email list so you can come help out at hillside.

[RichZilla]

There is also a plan floating around in the offices of the City of Elk River to move the current (Elk River) BMX track to the area where the jump park is at Hillside...

[JDEcho]

Buck I'm going to send out an e-mail and phone call to my buddy in Bloomington and get an idea on how serious they might be. I agree that the BMX community needs to step up and help as MORC has to focus in MTB. But is there a BMX community???? How do you promote something such as BMX without an actual track? It would be cool if MORC or again the BMX community could build a temporary track for the summer to generate interest or at least gauge the interest. Not necessarily to have sanctioned races but recreational riding for kids of all ages. Didn't Buck Hill used to have a track in their parking lot years ago?

Shad I used to ride the BMX track in Shorewood as a kid, man that was way cool! I drove by there a few years ago hoping to find at least the remnants of a track to no avail!!!Anyone with a spare lot and a lot of dirt?????

I'm going to have to check out Hillside and the track up there!

Joe

[rideharder]

... build a temporary track for the summer to generate interest or at least gauge the interest. Not necessarily to have sanctioned races but recreational riding for kids of all ages.there is the little issue of insurance that makes it hard just to put one up and open it to the public.