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Sanctioned BMX track opening in Newark

Known as bicycle motocross, BMX was born in the dirt lots of Southern California by kids who had grown tired of simple wheelies and jumping trash cans on their bikes.

By 1970, several enterprising individuals opened tracks exclusively for racing on dirt tracks with mounds that had the ‘dirt jockeys' making fast speed jumps. Organized BMX remained regionalized until motorcycle manufacturers took notice of the growing sport and such names as Kawasaki , Suzuki and Yamaha entered the non-motorized market with specialized BMX bicycles. Specialized rigid frames replaced the old stripped-down Schwinn Stingray bikes.

With the spread of the sport nationwide, by 1977, the American Cycle Association (ABA) was established and became the largest sanctioning BMX body. Uniformed tracks, rules and a point system was established. The sport grew and many hobbyists of the sport became highly paid professionals with major corporate sponsors.

Today, the ABA organizes BMX racing for boys, girls and adults nationwide and throughout Canada . Those kids playing in dirt fields in Southern California had no idea that when the 2008 Olympics open in Beijing, China, BMXers will be participating and competing on a worldwide platform.

Brian and Stephanie Liechti of Newark introduced their now six-year old son to the sport at age 4, while the family was vacationing in Arizona . After that trip the family began travelling to sanctioned tracks in Horseheads and Owego, sometimes as far as Sayre , Pennsylvania .

Brian and Stephanie approached several neighboring towns about starting a local BMX track, but met resistance until the Marbletown Fire Department got on board with the project and leased the needed land to Brian and Stephanie for $1 per year. With a small investment, and a great deal of sweat, the track began taking form. Stephanie, with a small child in tow, has begun selling sponsorship for track signs in a hope to keep up local funding and interest. “This is not a get-rich idea, it is about community involvement and something for families,” said Stephanie.

The fee for national membership is $45 per year that includes a secondary health insurance coverage plus the ability to race at any of the over 270 sanctioned tracks across the country. There is a $10 racing day fee, with a $2 fee for Monday practices.

The track will be at the Marbletown Fire Department on Silver Hill Road in Newark . Racing will be on Wednesday and Saturday evenings starting June 8th. Sign-ups will be from 5:00 to 6:00 and racing will start ASAP. There are family discounts for riders, and spectators are always free. The tracks website is www.upstatebmx.com.