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Geared Up: Hagerstown's BMX Track
Kids of all ages crank out enthusiasm for Hagerstown’s community-founded BMX track — a place where speed, dirt and friendship add up to fun, fast times.
by Stacey Campbell + photos by Youngblood Studios
• • •
It’s overcast and getting chilly, but that doesn’t dampen the enthusiasm of 6-year-old Steven Polis as he darts around the BMX track at Hagerstown’s Fairgrounds Park. This is his first practice, and patience is hard to come by as he waits for his dad, Steve, to sweep hay from a broken bale off the track. That being accomplished, young Steven signs in to get his wristband, and track volunteer Diane Fulk fits him with the right size helmet. Dad has retrieved Steven’s bike from the car. After a quick check of his helmet, Steven hops aboard with an “OK, bye!” and pedals off excitedly to the starting hill.
On the sidelines, Steve shouts advice to his son — “Pedal on the flats!” “Stand up going over the hills!” “Take it easy, I know you’re excited!” — while his wife, Lisa, looks on nervously. “My husband grew up with this,” she explains. “It’s different for me.” The family recently relocated from the West Coast, and Steven has wanted to try BMX since they noticed the track late last year. “Mommy, watch!” Steven calls. He is back at the starting hill and ready for another lap.
Calling All Riders
Steven is among the youngest riders at the track, where racers range in age from 4-year-olds to 30-somethings and older. This makes BMX a singular sport, allowing parent and child, male or female, to compete in their class and cheer each other on. “The fastest guy at our track is in his 40s,” says Brian Caron, president of Hagerstown BMX. “The other fastest guy is 15.” Brian recalls one race day that saw three generations participating: a 4-year-old, his 27-year-old father and 48-year-old grandfather. “To be able to look up to a rider and have it be your dad — there aren’t too many sports like that.” Juanita Grimm, a volunteer who handles race-day registration, agrees: “It’s nice when you go out there and you have fathers and sons and daughters all riding.”
The popularity and scope of BMX racing has grown steadily since BMX-style riding began in the early 1970s. Originally called Bicycle Motocross, BMX allowed kids to ride through dirt tracks imitating their favorite motorcycle motocross heroes. As early BMXers honed their skills, learned tricks and started catching some air, the move toward organized racing began.
The Hagerstown track can serve as a springboard for bikers who want to pursue their passion for BMX racing. Ryan Hullinger, 15, and 11-year-old Cody Lynn are two nationally ranked riders who started racing at Hagerstown. Both have competed nearby in Woodbridge and Winchester, Va., Woodward, Pa., and Cumberland, Md., as well as traveling to Columbus, Ohio, North Carolina, New Jersey and Louisville, Ky., for the Grand National race. “You can go as far as you want with it,” says Cody’s dad, Sherman Lynn. Now, in addition to regional and national competitions, racers will be able to compete on the world stage. Thanks to the efforts of the National Bicycle League — the largest nonprofit BMX racing organization — the sport will debut as a full medal event in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. “(The NBL) is the only sanctioned bike league that will be in next year’s Olympics,” says Diane Fulk, Ryan’s mother and a volunteer at the track. As it has grown from a small pastime to an “extreme sport” featured in ESPN’s X-Games to an Olympic event, BMX is gaining more respect. Sherman is looking forward to the 2012 Olympics when Cody will be old enough to try out.
‘More Than Just Racing’
BMX and the Hagerstown track provide multiple benefits to kids, parents and the community. “It’s exciting for the kids and keeps them in shape, keeps them grounded,” Diane says. Though the riders are competitive, they are also very friendly, frequently exchanging high-fives after races, Juanita says. The track atmosphere is family-oriented, and everyone gets along. Parents and riders help each other out, occasionally loaning bikes to riders or helping change a flat tire, even during competitions. The track also provides a place for kids to have fun and get off the streets. Juanita points out that several at-risk kids come to the track and ride, and being there means they’re not out doing things they shouldn’t. “It’s about a lot more than just racing,” Diane says.
Because the track is open to the public for practices, “it’s something we can offer to the community to those who don’t want to race,” Diane says. All ages and ability levels practice together, and while as many as 50 kids may attend practice, there are typically about 10 riders on the track at a time. Those not riding spend time socializing. Kids new to BMX talk to more experienced riders, and new BMX parents can talk to other involved parents about their experiences. “It’s very low-key, and there’s no pressure on the kids,” says Bonnie Lynn, Cody’s mother. “(The kids) ride for themselves, as much or as little as they want.”
One of the best things about having the track open to the public for practices is that the kids (or adults, for that matter) can try out a new sport without making a huge financial commitment, Brian says. Racing requires a $45 annual membership to the NBL, which allows members to race at all NBL tracks. For some area families, the cost is prohibitive. Open practices allow those kids the chance ride on the track on Wednesdays and Fridays without having to participate in races. Sports gear can also be a big cost for families. Full-face helmets are a major requirement for BMX and are a pretty expensive piece of equipment. Thanks to a donation from a neighborhood watch group, Hagerstown BMX was able to buy about 25 helmets in youth and adult sizes that riders can borrow at no charge. “This is something that a lot of children in the community would not be able to do. Like the helmets, they’re expensive — and the kids wouldn’t be able to ride if we weren’t here,” Diane says.
A Community Comes Together
The benefits the track provides to the community reflect Hagerstown’s support and involvement in its founding. The City of Hagerstown bought the defunct Fairgrounds in 1996, and suggestions for its future use ranged from developing the land for housing to creating an equine center. Mike Mittel, owner of Hub City Sports, attended several council meetings and suggested a bike track. When the idea was accepted, a group of volunteers, including Brian Caron, started planning and fund-raising. The money they raised — along with a $1,500 sponsorship from Coca Cola and $15,000 from the city — allowed the group to start building the track.
Items for the track’s construction were donated from area businesses, though it took some convincing at first. “Once we got started, more people offered to get on board,” Brian remembers. About a week after getting the final go-ahead from the city, the ground clearing and dirt moving began. “I think it really kind of shocked them, how fast we started. We began work about six months to a year before they thought we’d start.” Thanks to a large volunteer workforce, coupled with plenty of “blood, sweat and gears” as the Web site puts it, the track was completed in August 1999. Area businesses continue supporting the track through sponsorships of races and trophies. “The kids love it. They all have a lot of fun,” Sherman says. “I’m just thankful the City of Hagerstown gave the kids a place they can ride.”
Riding Toward the Future
The opportunity to ride in their hometown has allowed some local riders to pedal their way to national rankings. Cody has been racing for about three years, since he heard about the track from some other kids. Sherman attached pads to Cody’s bike — which is a requirement to ride at the track — and Cody hasn’t looked back. Racing in the 10-year-old novice class last year, he took first place at the Hagerstown track and in the state championship, placed sixth in the northeast region and was ranked 25th in the nation. In the national race, Sherman comments, Cody would have placed higher had he not “crashed out” in the third moto — disqualifying him from the main event. “It’s just the love of his life,” Bonnie says. “It’s awesome,” her son chimes in, adding that he likes jumping.
Likewise, Ryan has moved up through the ranks to become an expert rider since he started racing in Hagerstown about six years ago. He holds a first-place spot in the state, ranks fifth in the northeast region, and was among the top three riders in the nation before moving up a class from novice to expert. Racing locally allows Ryan to brush up on his technique and prepare for upcoming races — and he likes hanging out with fellow racers. “I like to try new things that I can build on while I race, and I like to interact with people while I’m here.” He also helps teach new riders when they come to practices.
As newbies find the track and BMX continues to gain recognition, Brian says he would like to see more riders participating in the races — but realizes the track has a limit to its capacity. More than anything, he hopes to continue the feeling of community and camaraderie while still being big enough for good competition. “I just want them to come and have a good time, remember that good time and meet the people,” he says. “I’d rather have 40 kids race and have a good time than have 200 race and have people unhappy.”
----
Hagerstown BMX at Fairgrounds Park
351 N. Cleveland Ave., Hagerstown
For information, call Brian Caron at 301-797-9877
or visit www.hagerstownbmx.com or hubcitysports.com.
The track opens to the public for practice from 5:30 p.m. to dark Wednesdays and Fridays from April through October, weather permitting. Races are held three times per month on Sundays. Riders must be NBL members to race; NBL membership allows access to races at any NBL track in the nation. National Bicycle League: www.nbl.org
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