8.9.10. PRSR 02-18-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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TRACK CONSTRUCTION Basic Track Dimensions • Starting gate: 24ft or wider to fit 8 riders(ABA has plans on how to build.) • In straight-away: 25 - 35ft wide. • Width of track after I•turn: 15 -20ft. • Total length of track: 900 - 1200ft. • In track building, the number of jumps and berms, along with their size, determine how much dirt will be needed. A 1000 yards of dirt will get you started, however, an ideal track uses over 2000 yards. Dirt can be purchased through vendors or the cheap alternative is to look for construction sites and tell them you will take any excess off their hands. They might even offer to dump it for you. Building a BMX track is as individual as picking a set of clothes to wear for the day. Certain things are similar but at the same time very different. Before you start to build your track there are many factors to consider - climate, drainage, what kind of dirt, what kind of layout, how many berms,jumps or other obstacles. The ABA has included the designs of tracks that have been successful. You need to remember, however, that even these designs, if improperly constructed, will not guarantee the safety or raceability of your track. The dimensions listed above leave a lot of flexibility in the construction of a BMX track. Keep these in mind when designing your track. The track should fit your property and environment. Ex: Wet climates need good drainage, while desert climates should have lights for night racing to avoid the summer heat. Scoring and announcing should be from the same structure. Enough tower elevation is required for a good perspective of the track for the announcer and should be in close proximity of the finish line for the scoring. The best soil for a BMX track is loam with some clay with a surface of river silt. The river silt will give a smooth, hard surface when packed, and the loam with wet clay will provide a stable basis for your berms and jumps. The starting hill can be relatively tall but a good rule is the taller the starting hill the easier the first obstacle, which can be a problem spot if it is too high or steep. A full gate of riders arriving at the first obstacle at approximately the same time needs an obstacle designed to slow their speed yet not so difficult as to cause accidents. Berm construction is equally important. If the first turn is too tight, there won't be enough room for the riders. A general rule is the outside radius of the turn should be 30ft plus. The longer the first straight, the larger the turn. After the first turn,the riders start to spread out and the remaining obstacles and turns can be smaller or more difficult because all eight riders are not trying to negotiate these at the same time. If space permits, allow enough room in your design for plenty of racing. If there isn't room