Hire Park Gearing For Free Olympic Races
WARSAW – With some improvements to the facility in place, this weekend would be a great time to get out to see what’s going on at Hire Park BMX.
This Saturday, June 16, will be an Olympic Day free race at Hire Park. There is no cost to ride, and no expectation of a commitment, just an open invitation to get out and ride, says Hire Park coordinator Dan Rumple.
“This is totally free to the public,” Rumple said. “We have the building finished, the new surface on the track is down and is in place. Saturday should be a good day to come out.”
Olympic Day is a worldwide celebration of the Olympic spirit, and one that USA BMX and USA Cycling has joined in honor of the event. The international goal of Olympic Day is to promote the Olympic values and participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.
Specifically at Hire Park, registration will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. at the track. Racing starts at 6 p.m. and will run through at least 8 p.m., possibly longer depending on the turnout. New riders are asked to wear long sleeves and long pants, closed toe shoes, and both BMX and mountain bikes are acceptable. Some bikes and helmets are available as loaners, first come, first serve. Full-faced helmets are preferred.
Racing will be broken down into age and proficiency categories for the free rides. Rumple said the new riders will be paired against other new riders, and not against experienced competitors.
Hire Park BMX, which is a 501c3 organization, is a sanctioned USA BMX track. Practices are held every Tuesday and Thursday ($4) and points races are held on most weekends ($12).
A few upcoming dates of note for Hire Park include the Indiana Track Challenge on June 30; Indiana State Championship Qualifier on Aug. 4; Gold Cup Qualifier on Aug. 5; Race For Life on Aug. 11; and Bob Warnicke Scholarship Race on Sept. 1.
For more information on Hire Park BMX, including a full race schedule and special events, visit hireparkbmx.com or the track’s Facebook page.