Quad Racing Near Me
Nakita Heitmann
I'm sure some of you are quietly nodding your heads in empathetic agreement, but many of the rest are aghast at the thought of letting kindergarteners race machines weighing 3-times as much their peewee pilots, at speeds much in excess of the top speed of a grown man. But given the right preparation it's no more dangerous than sled riding or skateboarding. And the personal satisfaction and reward offered to the racer can build lasting confidence and pride, given the right mindset. At this stage of the game finishing well is relatively insignificant. It's the accomplishment of having raced that's important.
This article is meant to offer some insight into the preparation required to ready a racer and machine for their first racing event- both mechanically, and in mind. I am the father of two boys ages 5 and 7 that recently had the opportunity to enter a local motocross race. Both are avid quadsters having been on 4 wheels for more than a year (20% of their life?). The younger is the daredevil, born-to-be-racer. The older is the more cautious, methodical, careful one. They each required their own specialized guidance in their respective racing endeavors.
Making sure the quad is thoroughly inspected before race day is critical, both from a safety standpoint as well as a competitive one. The last place you want to break something or find a missing or loose bolt is after psyching your kid up for the whole thing, spending 30 bucks in entrance fees, and driving an hour just to watch others race around the track. Invite your racer to help- it's as good a time as any to get buy in and demonstrate commitment.
Most racing associations and tracks will require you to install a safety tether which is basically a switch that kills the motor when a cord attached to the rider detaches from the handlebars- much like personal watercraft. You can also use the training tether many mini-quads already have. Just connect the end of it to the riders pants.
The other item most tracks will require is a rear number plate. Generally, a piece of white plastic about 8x10 with two holes near the top zip-tied to the rear grab bar will suffice. Add a 6" black 1 or 2 digit number of his/her liking to the plate.
The single most important thing you can do especially for a racer that's apprehensive is to give him the opportunity to practice in a race-type setting. Not in grampa's backyard or the local trail. At a race track. Find out when practice time is offered and spend some time on a real motocross track, just like the real thing just without the hoopla of race day.
Start him out slow using the throttle limiter. It's better to have the machine be the limitation on speed than the rider. It'll force him to make better use of what power is available and concentrate on perfecting his riding skills instead of exploring his limits of control. Gradually add more throttle as his skills develop.
This is the time to inundate him with encouragement. He's likely to be very self-conscious and insecure about his racing competence. Greet him at corners and provide positive feedback and enthusiasm.
It's a good idea to bring him in every 15 minutes or so to debrief and discuss how he feels about his riding. Don't overdo the coaching. Racing at this level is all about fun. It's later on that we turn them into ruthless, competitive fiends. ;)
Most race tracks will require motocross boots. Some will allow hard soled over the ankle type work boots, but they really don't offer the protection of proper riding boots. Decent boots can be had for about $90 new or cheaper if you can find them on an internet based auction.
Usually, tracks will start out with a few laps of practice. For kids this is imperative so as to get comfortable with the layout of the track. You can even walk the track beforehand to get a preview of the course.
After practice, usually a racers' meeting follows. The class running order is laid out along with other pertinent racing details. Make a mental note (or written) of when his class races and which class(es) race immediately before.
The moment of truth. His class is staging. Get him prepared early so in the event the goggles are misplaced or the quad won't start you'll have time to recover. Provide some last minute encouragement, but don't overdo it now. (And forget about the holeshot- it ain't gonna happen.) Let it all sink in. By now that little heart is beating like hummingbird's.
Help him stage at the starting gate. If there's no actual gate the start may be a little odd (no "mark, get set, go"). Just a sudden dash of quads leaving the start for no apparent reason even though the starter has given the "go" signal. (Both my kids left late not knowing what the actual starting cue was.) Don't worry about it. For them it's probably more fun trying to catch up and pass slower riders than leaving in a fury of tires and dust heading for the first corner.
At this point all you can do is watch. Try to find a corner to watch from and shout out to him to offer encouragement. If he crashes, biffs, or stalls brush him off, ask if he's OK, and get him back on. Finishing is important, not where you finish.
Unless dad (or mom) is already involved in motorcycle racing, finding some organized competition may take some doing. A good place to start is the American Motorcycle Association's (AMA) ATV body, the ATVA, whose site is at www.atvaonline.com. Use their Racing pages to locate an event near you. Another more traditional approach is to call or visit your local motorcycle dealerships. And as a last resort, search the internet for "ATV racing" + "your state". Good luck!
I don't know I like quad racing but have never called it motorcross. To me it needs a differn't name to seperate it from the bikes. If someone says motocross it'd be nice to know if they were talking about bikes or quads.
yea, who really cares but it is true. if someone said mx, i would assume they meant bikes, not quads. i have always hated when people call quads "bikes". it doesnt look like a bike at all but people are retarded so i just deal with it.
The Pro quad guys race in a series called the "ITP Quadcross". Here is the website for it . I know that none of you guys will actually check it out but what ever. The only type of coverage the quad Pros get is from the website . They dont even show a full lap of the races. ?
And one more thing stop bashing the quads it only makes dirtbike riders look bad. And we all know that it takes skill to ride a bike for a reason, so that the idiots on quads are not on the track with us. ?
Racing is not my thing, and I mostly fly the more robust freestyle frames. But I have always been curious about the differences between a light-weight racing drone and a heavier freestyle quad, so I decided to build one and find out.
I have been flying mini quads for years, but even so, my skills are no where near a professional drone racer like Minchan Kim or Luke Bannister. Hopefully my years of flying experience will help me understand and explain the differences in performance from these very different styles of craft.
A lighter quad is more easily affected by external forces. For example, wind will have a greater impact on performance, as well as vibrations from a bent or unbalanced prop or motor might cause more noticeable problems too.
Before you jump into building your own, you must understand that ultralight racers ARE NOT for everyone. Firstly the build process can be problematic due to the limited space, and unless you never crash, an ultralight frame will probably not last as long as you would hope.
While this is generally true for anything that flies, there is often a trade-off between weight, performance and features. You will be forced to make a sacrifice, and where you choose to make those sacrifices comes down to your personal style and preference.
I struggle to keep correct altitude with my ultra light. Used to fly heavier quads and moving over to light weight it is quite challenging to fly a track. so much faster and throttle input must be a lot more precise.
If you raced Blythe Round 1 we have changed how we submit your information to Rocky Mountain. You will now be required for each event to complete the Google Form via the link and AZOP will send your information to Rocky Mountain. We will have a QR code at the registration table when you checked in and we will post the link for one week following each race.
As we gear up for an exciting year of racing in 2024, AZOP wants to ensure the safety and compliance of all minor racers. To streamline the process and prioritize safety, we have implemented a mandatory annual waiver requirement for all minors participating in races.
Race Gas is a FREE program that gives you online credit, just for riding with us. Redeemable at www.RockyMountainATV/MC.com, this credit is designed to offset the cost of racing, help you get that new part or piece of gear, and serve as a benefit of participating in our event.
The following motorized vehicle policy goes into effect IMMEDIATELY. Please read this in its entirety. Failure to comply with this new policy may result in racer disqualification and or you may be asked to leave the premises.
No person under the age of 18 will operate any motorized vehicle except their race vehicle within the confines of an event with the following exceptions:
Race Vehicle From camp to registration and back.
Race Vehicle From camp to tech inspection and back.
Race Vehicle From camp to the starting line and back.
Race Vehicle From camp to camp for the purposes of receiving assistance with repairs.
Under no circumstances will a person under the age of 18 operate any other motorized vehicle to include golf carts. The only exception is a street legal passenger vehicle operated by a licensed driver age 16 and up, not to include golf carts, entering or exiting the venue.
Any person under the age of 18 as the operator of their race vehicle or as a passenger in any golf cart, UTV, motorcycle, quad, pit bike, OHV or any other vehicle besides a licensed passenger vehicle must wear a helmet at all times. This includes going to and from Tech inspection. You will get a penalty or disqualified if caught not wearing a helmet.
If a person who is not a racer is caught not following all these rules, the person in their camp that is a racer will be assessed with the penalty.
In addition, any other non-motorized vehicle including bicycles, skateboards or any other similar vehicles must follow any and all safety laws according to the state, county, city or town laws where the event is held, to include helmets or other safety equipment.
FOLLOW THE RULES AND THERE WILL BE NO REASON TO BE UPSET!