Rock Island Indoor BMX Illinois State Qualifier

Rock Island Indoor BMX is a very unique track. There is not any other track in the country like this one. The track is just a gate on concrete with wooden jump and a skate park jump strategically placed in your typical "U inside of a U" shaped track. The Volunteers do an amazing job building the track, running practices, having multiple races (including the opening 2020 Illinois State Qualifier), hosting a beginner league, and tearing down the track all in 30 days. Here was your track details! The gate was on flat concrete so it was like digging yourself out of a hole since there was no starting hill. The first straight this year had no jumps so it was a 120 foot sprint to the first turn. The first turn was the outside of the "U" but it is flat and slick! I was conveniently hanging out and watching some first turn action when I saw a kid slide out in the first turn and go sliding into the crowd leaving them running for safety. It was awesome since I was only 10 feet away! Coming down the second straight you had a decision maker. Your choice was to hit the "big bad scary skate park jump" or pedal your butt off for another 120 foot while missing that jump. If you took the skate park jump you had the right to take the inside lane, but if you choose to avoid the jump, you had to take he outside lane. Coming out of this turn is where everyone converged back into one lane and you had to hit all the jump from here on out or risk getting disqualified. The third straight had two small table tops. The last turn was a flat hair pin and the last straight also had two table tops. They had a jumping contest for distance during intermission and the longest jump was 21'. They had a kid that came close to that as he went down in a ball of flame when he landed making his crossbar of the handlebars to touch the front wheel. He is a definite daredevil in my book! They also had a money open race and the 40 and over cruiser challenge. Overall, 685 Designs had a great time, had great weather outside, and we made it home safe. See ya at the next race!