North State BMX held its double point State Championship prerace at the River Park Sports Complex in Marquette, Michigan on Saturday, August 23, 2008.
Kerry Noble, Dave Niemi and Ken Johnson as well as lots of other parent volunteers worked on grooming the race track well before the 7:00pm scheduled start of Saturday's race. Several volunteers raked, swept, watered and packed the rollers, tables, doubles, triples and burms in an effort to make the track as enjoyable, safe and competitive as possible in anticipation of the weekends races.
North State BMX is once again host to the Michigan State Championship Race. The American Bicycle Association (ABA) awards the triple point race to the track that has the greatest amount of new and renewing members. North State BMX has held that honor for the past 21 out of 24 years.
Along with the triple point State Championship is a double point State Championship prerace. The ability to race in a single point, double point and triple point race all in one weekend is a big draw for some of the more competitive BMX racers around the Midwest. Not to mention the ones racing for the title of State Champion in their class, gender and age group. BMX racers must qualify at a State Qualifying race for a chance to compete in the State Championship Finals. Riders are awarded points for how they finish in their qualifying races and after the finals, the rider with the most points is awarded the title of State Champion and also wins a backpack and special number plate.
The accumulation of points is one of the draws to the sport that honors the top riders with awards such as a jacket for being a rider in the top 10% of your gender at the local track.
“We get riders from lower Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio who like coming up once a year for these races. They really like the beauty of our area, visiting with other BMX riders and their families, condition and layout of the North State track and the level of competition were able to offer their riders. We have some kids that have been racing for over ten years. Tony Ruiz is one of our out-of-town riders that comes up every year and has been racing BMX for over twenty five years. He races in the 40 and over class in cruiser.” stated Track Operator, Kerry Noble. Kerry has three children that have been racing for the past 7 years. Michael, Lindsey and Megan are very accomplished riders who have held District #1 and Michigan State Champion titles in class and/or cruiser for the past five years.
BMX racing began in Marquette in 1984 when Paul Churchville constructed the first track where the Salvation Army is now. North State BMX will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2009.
633 Photos by Daryl T. Jarvinen.
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