USA BMX Riverview Is Now Reopened for Practice and Race

The riders are back at USA BMX Riverview after an almost constant downpour of heavy rain last month put the season on hold.

The rain ruined the track at 12705 Balm-Boyette Rd., Riverview, delaying the scheduled July 15 start.

Roger Frakes, USA BMX president and track director, expressed his gratitude and praise for the volunteers and parents who helped rebuild the track.

Many of the volunteers stayed overnights in their campers, making the parking lot look more like a campground. In return, Frakes said, he set up the grill for the parents to barbecue, made popcorn for the kids when watching movies, and let them ride their bikes up until 11 p.m.

"Without them, we couldn't do it," Frakes said. "We make it all for the kids," he said enthusiastically.

Frakes grew up racing as a young rider and loving it. Now he manages the property.

The track has been in operation for four years. There are 75 regular riders, and three local teams make this their home track: Team Atomic, Multi Gear Bikes and USA BMX Racing. The youngest rider is 18 months old while the oldest is 75. The participants' age in today's race ranged from 3 to 44 years old, Frakes said.

A lot of BMX riders turn to this sport because they didn't find a good fit in team sports, such as soccer or football. They find more satisfaction in individual sports, Frakes said.

BMX racing requires big dedication and commitment not only from the athletes, but their parents as well. There is the investment in equipment, such as a bike, protective gear and race outfits. There's also a time investment for traveling.

"We started racing in January of this year," said Joe Bongiorno of Pinellas Park, whose son, Joe, was in today’s race. He plans for his son to stay with his current bike for a couple years before switching. They plan to race four times this summer, from Pensacola to Miami. They will have to travel all over the state and out of state as well, Bongiorno said.

Marc Donahoo, of Bradenton, whose son, Nicholas, also competed today, said they are planning to compete in the state qualifier next year. They, too, will have plenty of traveling to do.

The National Bicycle League (NBL) categorizes riders by skill level and age group. The proficiency levels are Rookie, Novice, Expert, Elite Masters, "B" Pro (Superclass) and "A" Pro (Elite).

NBL uses a cumulative scoring system for the riders called the Moto System, similar to heats in other forms of racing. Racers have three chances to qualify for the main race. There are five levels of competition: local, state, challenge/regional, national championship and elite.

Races start at 10:30 a.m. Saturdays and cost $7 for participants. The second race is $5 on a double race day. Practice is every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. View the schedule on the track's website.

The USA Official BMX Training Facility, AKA USA BMX Riverview, is a nonprofit facility sanctioned by USA BMX, a joint venture with the American Bicycle Association (ABA) and the National Bicycle League (NBL), according to its website. It includes a BMX track with future plans to incorporate a pump track, practice gates and sprint lanes as well as a Strider Bike track into its 58-acre property. The facility welcomes athletes from throughout the international community to come and train at this international training facility.