1982 (83?) Oakland NJ 5th Dimension race track.
I was 11 or 12 with my Supergoose.
I think the entry fee was $5 for Beginner; my weeks allowance. I asked the older lady if she could give me number 11. She did. The number plate was a paper plate with black magic marker #11.
4th slot on the gate (how do you remember these things?). Doing a fantastic job of balancing waiting for the guy to move the lever that would drop the gate. I had been practicing just with my front tire against our brick house until dinner was called. I looked around and some kids were struggling and some kids who looked way older and way bigger then me looked like pros from Bicycle Motorcross Action (?) to me.
No time to think! The gate drops and I’m going forward with the pedal my front tire rises as the gate drops slightly. I get a good start. Down the gate hill there is a HUGE tabletop jump. Lot of kids waste time getting air. I don’t because I know it wastes time and I’m afraid to get so much air. There is a left turn with a HUGE bank. I go high but then zip down cutting off everyone. I’m in first and pick my way through the whoop-dee-doos. I’m in first all the way to the finish line.
2nd heat!
I do the same thing but the two older kids cut off everyone with me and I get 3rd place.
3rd heat!
I still manage to cut everyone off coming down the bank. But the older kids didn’t waste anytime in the air. The pack is all on top of each other. I can’t tell when place I’m in. I’m pedaling so quickly. My front tire is rubbing someones back tire. Through the whoop-dee-doos the kid in front of me makes a mistake and puts his feet down. My friends use to make fun of me when I didn’t have a BMX bike we’d be on our home made track and I’d be on it with my Ross Blue Flame Banana seat street bike using my feet to push me around. So I never take my feet off the pedals. I go around him in the final turn and sprint to the finish. 2nd place!
1,3,2 = 5
I do the quick math and think I got 3rd place. None of my friends have done as well. trophy time I take home a little 3rd place trophy I have to this day still.
Addicted!