Some things you need to know . . . 

Tips, and other advice:  SAFETY FIRST.  Always . . . .


We recommend you find a coach, or mentor.  You will not learn everything you need to know to be a great racer without help.  We will be adding phone numbers for some of our local coaches as soon as we have their permission to add them to this site.

At this stage of the game, learn the fundamentals.  Speed will come later.

Good equipment is not cheap.  All your gear must fit properly, or it won't work.  Wear the proper gear. Again, safety first. Boots, helmet, goggles, etc.

Be WELL RESTED before you ride.  Fatigue is your enemy.  There is nothing more aggrevating for Mom or Dad to go through all the effort and expense to get you to the track, then you say you're tired.  It's just not fair to them, and really not cool if you ride anyway and get hurt.  If you're not ready, don't ride.  Correct posture on the bike will keep you from getting fatigued. It will help prevent arm pump.

I'm no doctor, and it's not my purpose to provide medical or nutritional advice here, but I know that you must keep hydrated.  See your doctor about the best ways to do this.  Heat exhaustion will sneak up on you when you least expect it.

Learn to observe and scan the track.  Walk all or part of the track before jumping on your bike.  Review it visually for changes to the flow.  Watch other riders to get a feel of the flow.

When you show up for your first race, get to the tower to sign up as soon as you arrive.  Look for signs posted with as much information as you can gather.  DO NOT BE LATE.  Typical timing is practice from 7:30 - 8:30 am, MANDATORY Riders Meeting around 8:30 am and racing at 9:00.  If this is your first race, do not miss the rider's meeting.At your first race, study the starting gate and starting process over and over.

The best advice I can give you now, is ASK QUESTIONS.  Ask the girls at the tower, ask the guy at the starting gate, ask the people parked next to you.  Ask anybody,  just ask.


MINI CYCLES:

Typically, all races for 50cc riders will have fewer laps than the other bike sizes because they are the slowest lap times.  An 80cc rider can make 4 laps around the track in less time than a 50cc rider can make 3 laps.  When schduling # of laps and race order, the tower must consider this and act accordingly so each rider is give his fair share of TIME on the track.  As a result, the 50cc races will not get as may laps as other classes.

Mom & Dad -- at a local race, some track owners are OK with you assisting your rider during the race by waving them on or helping them get their bike started on the track.  Just a warning -- At an AMA sanctioned event, the track's insurance certificate does not allow anyone to be on the track, other than track staff, under any circumstances.  Keep this in mind, when you enter an AMA sanctioned event, your rider must be able to get himself up and start the bike on his own.  Of course, there are always track personnel who are keeping a close eye on your rider for these situations at every event.