What ever Happened to BMX Racing !!!

[Big-dude-paul]

Hiya Dudes,

Please forgive my ignorance as I've been away from the scene far too long, but I was wondering as to what your thoughts are as to the demise of BMX racing? Are all the clubs disbanded and all the tracks left to increase the weed population? Or is it simply the fact that the british nation turned into binge drinkers instead! Also does anyone have any thoughts of how to reinflate the Bubble?

Cheers

PAUL.

[Geth]

Demise?!
Racing never stopped. It's carried on all through since 1980! This year saw the biggest national rider turnout for 5 years. Its in the Olympics for 2008 in Beijing. It's Chesterfield national this weekend. (Although the weather is shit!)
Its definitely on the up!

[rukus]

where ya been,too long in legoland?
   :o
it`s alive and kicking,get out there!!!!!!

[oldmankev]

Think what Paul is trying to say is its nowhere as popular as it used to be,
i raced 82-87 where we would get 450+ riders at a regional, be able to
race every weekend because there was loads of clubs within a small radius
of where you lived. I remember doing mains in the dark with car headlights
round the edge of the track cos we ran out of daylight because of the huge
turnout, yes it is still going but unfortunately will never be as well followed
as in its heyday.

[WizardWeb]

I think now it's going in the olympics, racing will have a major comeback. Maybe not as big as it was before, but for sure it'll be on TV a lot more and with better quality coverage. Eurosport doing the Worlds was just the beginning I think.

[Jazzchimp]

They doing an Old school race meet at Beijing??

[mightymini]

its definately on the up.

[Big-dude-paul]

Hey Dudes,

I didn't mean to offend any of you hardcore riders, perhaps I should have said decline not demise! When I used to race in the early 80's there were 1000+ riders per meet. We used to start the motos at 9 am in order to get all the races in and still we were racing at 8 - 9pm! I remember the Hounslow meet with the car headlights used as floodlights. Do you think if the BMX and 4X races were combined along with a dirt jumping contest there might be more interest from the youth of to-day?

Cheers PAUL.

[muttley]

Get ya batty down to Hersden for an old school meet, proper grass roots racing mate 

[dordymush]

freestyle and dirt jump have over took from racing if you ask me. maybe because thats all you see when bmx is on the tele.just look at the magazines that you can get now, ride etc. not a lot of racing in them either.

[dirtyvans]

Back in the day BMX was all about racing, thats what BMX stands for, over the years its progressed and its like anything specialist areas have evolved, park, vert, street, flatland, dirt.
The kids now have a bigger choice of how they'd like to ride their bikes, they dont need to build tracks and form clubs like the old days.

It'll never be as big as its more diluted now

Racing is on the up though, although it costs a fortune getting to the tracks, the nearest one still used is over 80 miles away from brighton! and i drove 100 miles to bounemouth for gate practice!

[Bob_Acid]

Hey paul, i wouldn't worry about offending anybody in here mate, nobody else does

Welcome to the site, mines a lime milkshake!

[inky]

BMX racing is not a traditional 'team' sport. It's basically new age, now oldschool.
Freestyle and all of it's future disciplines are an extention of this idea--less organized. Nothing wrong w/ freestyle, but it did and does appeal to the 'next' generation b/c it's not as structured.

[greentoad]

Hi all....

I doubt it will ever be the same and as big, but it's up to us to keep it going and doing our bit for the future generations.

After getting a PM and then reading up on the Old Rad site, I visited Gamlingay yesterday.

It brought back many memories including seeing bikes go into the trees not just the brook.

I saw 3 young lads and asked were was the track, they pointed it out (it was in the same place I thought it was but the field seems to of got bigger) and said that they had just come from there, I was dressed in full badged uniform and they asked what was I doing and said that they hoped it was never closed and flattened, they seemed really keen on the place.

It was a in a real state but what with Northstowe being built, plus Cambourne maybe a resurection party could be started, 20000 + new houses and a lot of people needing a new hobby....?

I used to race the EA series and this track always had a good turnout. I also remeber Royston Rockets having car headlights on and the old mobile home as the base station to get warm in.

NB - I have some pics of Gamlingay from the early years and need to dig them out.

greentoad

[Zippy]

I have more fun racing now than I ever did. It's great, give it a go and you'll have the best time ever. I'm dog slow and still love it to bits.

[Bob_Acid]

I was dressed in full badged uniform

What are you, a lollypop lady?

[dirtyvans]

maybe a copper!

we had one on a mountain bike the other day at the level skatepark, he was only 20! we got him to jump the driveway, his chain fell off! to much amusement

[Bob_Acid]

At least he tried.   

[greentoad]

I'm no Copper or lollypop lady, just a plain old civil servant....