| BMX racing is where BMX started. The courses | | | | they are professionals, prize money. |
| emulate motocross tracks, but are generally | | | | |
| smoother, and are about 900 to 1,100 feet in | | | | The NBL and the international UCI uses the |
| length. Races last about 25 to 40 seconds | | | | "Olympic" or Moto System of advancing to the |
| hitting speeds of 15 to 35mph depending on | | | | Main. In the Moto System, you must race all |
| track conditions, the skill level and age | | | | three times to make the main or if the race |
| bracket of the class. The participants race | | | | is a large one semi finals. It is a formula |
| for points in which the rider with the most | | | | combining how well you do with all the |
| points under district (local), state | | | | registered participant riders in your class |
| provicial, regional, national and | | | | racing all three times. It cumulatively |
| international rules and regulations is | | | | determines who will race in the finals. The |
| declared the number one (#1) or Champion | | | | higher your points total, the more likely you |
| Racer. These rules and qualifications are | | | | will advance. For instance if you come in |
| determined by governing organizations who | | | | 1st, 1st and 1st, 40+50+60, which is 160 |
| promote and sanction these events called | | | | points, you are a virtual certainty to race |
| Sanctioning bodies. BMX racing in the US | | | | in the Main (or in large races you are merely |
| consists of 2 leagues, NBL (National Bicycle | | | | transferred to the quarter/semi-finals) |
| League) and ABA (American Bicycle | | | | barring disqualification for some reason. If |
| Association). Both are similar, but still | | | | you come in Last, Last, First, which in a |
| have differences. | | | | race with eight men in your class translates |
| | | | to 0+0+60 or 60 points, you MIGHT race in the |
| BMX racing is a type of off-road bicycle | | | | main (or in larger races the 1/8th/quarter |
| racing. The format of BMX was derived from | | | | semi finals) determining how well the others |
| motocross racing. BMX bicycle races are | | | | did. The person who came in 3rd place in all |
| sprint races on purpose built off-road single | | | | three motos or 30+40+50=120p would have a |
| lap racetracks. The track usually consists of | | | | much better shot at making the Main than you. |
| a starting gate for up to eight racers, a | | | | Even the person who came in 2nd+6th+6th or |
| groomed serpentine dirt racecourse made up of | | | | 35+25+35=95 would have a better shot even if |
| various jumps, banked and flat corners, and a | | | | you won the final moto. |
| finish line. | | | | |
| | | | In larger races in both the ABA and NBL, then |
| The sport of BMX racing is facilitated by a | | | | a 2nd moto of the same class but different |
| number of regional and international | | | | racers is run right behind the first group. |
| sanctioning bodies. These sanctioning bodies | | | | They also race three times but instead of the |
| provide a set of rules for governing the | | | | winners going to the Main they face their |
| conduct of the races, specify age-group and | | | | first group counterparts (who also went |
| skill level classifications among the racers, | | | | through the three-moto shake out) in the semi |
| and maintain some kind of points accumulation | | | | finals called the Semi-Main. Then the |
| system over the racing season. The sport is | | | | qualifiers face off in the Main. The same for |
| largely participant-driven with the average | | | | races large enough for quarterfinals or |
| racer age of approximately 9–10 years. | | | | Quarter-Mains, 1/8ths and even 1/16ths. |
| Professional ranks exist for both men and | | | | |
| women, where the average age is 18–21. | | | | The Amateurs, once they get to the mains |
| | | | usually only race once for the top points and |
| A BMX "Class" bike is a strong, | | | | the trophy. The Professionals on the other |
| quick-handling, lightweight derivative of the | | | | hand run multiple cumulative Mains just like |
| standard 20" wheel single-speed youth | | | | in the qualifying motos for the points, |
| bicycle. Variations include a larger 24" and | | | | trophy and most important, prize money. This |
| sometimes 26" wheel "Cruiser" class. | | | | is both NBL and ABA practice. Like during the |
| | | | qualifying motos the points you earn in each |
| While BMX racing is an individual sport, | | | | running of the Pro Main are tied into the |
| racing teams are often formed from racers in | | | | position you finish in each of the three |
| different classifications for camaraderie and | | | | motos. |
| often for business exposure of a sponsoring | | | | |
| organization or company. BMX racing rewards | | | | Cumulative scoring rewards consistency. The |
| strength, quickness, and bike handling | | | | better the racer you are, the more consistent |
| skills. Many successful BMX racers have gone | | | | you will be. The transfer system lets you |
| on to leverage their skills in other forms of | | | | capitalize on the mistakes of others. The |
| bicycle and motorcycle competitions. | | | | better the racer you are, the fewer the |
| | | | mistakes you make. |
| BMX racing will become a medal sport at the | | | | |
| 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing under the UCI | | | | One major drawback in cumulative scoring is |
| sanctioning body. Other Sanctioning bodies in | | | | that it is more complicated task in keeping |
| the United States are the American Bicycle | | | | track than in the transfer system. In the |
| Association (ABA) and the National Bicycle | | | | 1980's at least two national level scoring |
| League (NBL). The NBL is certified under the | | | | scandals (one in 1985) in which the national |
| UCI (International Cycling Union), which is | | | | professional number one was decided after the |
| recognized by the Olympic Committee. | | | | Grand nationals underlined this. There was |
| | | | also a scoring mix up during the 1983 NBL |
| Racers in the 20" class are grouped with | | | | Grand National in which it was thought Brian |
| others of the same relative age and | | | | Patterson was the winner for two weeks but |
| experience levels; Novice, Intermediate, | | | | after a recount initiated after Eric Rupe |
| Expert, Veteran, "A" Pro, "AA" Pro in the | | | | protested gave Eric Rupe the number one for |
| ABA; Rookie, Novice, Expert, Elite Masters, | | | | 1983. An even larger scoring scandal occurred |
| "B" Pro (Superclass) and "A" Pro (Elite) in | | | | in 1985 in which pro racer Peter Loncarevich |
| the NBL. They range from 5 & under Novice to | | | | apparently beat Greg Hill for the number one |
| 28 & over Expert in the ABA and from 5 & | | | | pro racer by a mere 3 points. Greg Hill's |
| under Rookie to 35 & over Expert in the NBL. | | | | wife Nancy (who was the bookkeeper for Greg |
| Cruiser Class (bicycles with 24" or greater | | | | Hill's BMX bicycle company Greg Hill |
| diameter wheels) and the girl classes are not | | | | Products) kept an independent accounting of |
| divided up into skill classes, only age | | | | the season points of Mr. Hill's closest |
| classes in both the NBL and the ABA. The | | | | competitors and detected an error. At his |
| Cruiser class age brackets for example range | | | | wife's urging Mr. Hill ask for and received |
| from 9 & under to 51 & over for males, 10 & | | | | an audit of the points and the NBL confirmed |
| under to 41 & over for females in the ABA; | | | | the error had taken place and awarded Mr. |
| and 9 & under to 55 & over males, 10 & under | | | | Hill the pro title for 1985. |
| to 40 & over females in the NBL. | | | | |
| | | | The Transfer System on the other hand, was |
| In a typical day a racer will race several | | | | never popular with the racers. While very |
| times with their group to determine the day's | | | | efficient and less error prone than the |
| finishing order and awards. The qualifying | | | | cumulative method (and allowing the ABA to |
| rounds, called Motos (called heats in other | | | | run much quicker events with fewer finish |
| types of racing) determines the number of | | | | line scores), the good racers generally did |
| racers in the finals which are called Mains, | | | | not like it since they would only get to race |
| up to eight racers. The sizes and number of | | | | once, win their transfer moto and wait for |
| motos at a skill level and age group is | | | | hours if the races are big enough to race the |
| determined by the number of racers who | | | | mains (on the other hand you get to relax a |
| register for that race and in that skill | | | | little without the anxiety of doing poorly in |
| level and age group. Usually a racer gets | | | | the next two qualifying motos). This means |
| three chances to qualify. As stated in the | | | | the racers race less often in the ABA and the |
| previous section, the two sanctioning bodies | | | | fun of BMX is in the racing, even if you are |
| generally use two different methods of moving | | | | loosing. Even racers who don't do well did |
| racers from the qualifying rounds to the Main | | | | not like the transfer system because the |
| (although there is some overlap), the | | | | fewer actual races you are in, the less |
| Transfer System, the method generally used by | | | | chance you will have to improve your skills |
| the ABA; and the Moto System, the NBL's | | | | in actual race conditions You also race two |
| choice. In the transfer system usually one to | | | | times less for your money paid for in |
| three people are transferred to the main | | | | entrance fees in the ABA in the Transfer |
| depending on the size of the class. | | | | system if you win your first moto. |
| | | | |
| For instance, in the ABA transfer system a | | | | Among the Pros the Cumulative method is |
| group of say eight racers sign up for the | | | | preferred. Not only because they get to race |
| 17-18 Intermediate class. That is more than | | | | more, it lessens the chance of luck playing |
| enough to have three motos (four is the | | | | as a factor in any given race event. In 1985 |
| minimum). Moto #1 will have all eight racers. | | | | Greg Hill staged a personal boycott of ABA |
| The first two finishers qualify for and do | | | | nationals in part of his dislike of the |
| not race again until the Main. Moto #2 will | | | | transfer system. Cumulative scoring is not |
| be a second heat for the remaining six | | | | only used in the ABA and NBL pro qualifying |
| racers; again, the first two across the | | | | motos but in the mains, in which the pros are |
| finish line from that group will go the Main. | | | | required to race the mains three times to win |
| Finally, a third moto of the remaining four | | | | points and prize money. Cumulative scoring, |
| riders is run, from which the first two | | | | also known as Olympic scoring, is used by the |
| racers across the finish line will be taken | | | | UCI in there international BMX program and |
| to the Main, forming a six man Main. The last | | | | will be used in the 2008 Summer Olympics in |
| two racers do not qualify (DNQ) and therefore | | | | Beijing, China for both amateurs and |
| do not race in the Main, do not collect any | | | | professionals. The ABA continues to use the |
| points, trophies, a chance to take a step in | | | | Transfer System for its amateur classes. |
| advancement to a higher amateur level or if | | | | |