I remember way back in the day when I was into BMX there were several different types of races or events. In many ways it parallels what we have going on in the cycling scene now. Basically back then we didn't really "train", well, at least not in the real early days. We would just ride our bikes around for fun and go jump at the trails. On Wednesday nights there would be organized practice nights at the race tracks. They were generally free, but you had to be a member of the sanctioning body. The practice sessions were mainly just drag races from the starting gate to the first turn then coasting back to the starting gate to do it over and over. As far as the races went, the next thing in line was the single pointer race. These were your local guys from the area. You paid a small fee and could win a small trophy
. The next type race was the double pointer. These were a little more regional. Maybe some guys from Tulsa would show up or maybe even Texas. Normally you paid double the money, but you got double the points plus an even bigger trophy. Next in line were triple pointers or Gold Cup races. Almost a national type race, but not quite. Guys from several states, bigger rider counts and reaaly big trophies. You usually had to actually travel to these races. Nationals were the next step and the year end Grand Nationals were like the Tour de France. Guys from every state and some other countries would be there and the trophies were ginormous monsters!
It seems like times are changing as far as the road scene is going. There used to be free "practice crits" at the local industrial park on Wednesdays. Then they became a monthly series where you paid a small fee but you would get scored and could win a little money. Gradually they got to the point where they are now, which in my opinion feels just like the old single point BMX races. It's mostly just the local guys. It's a small fee, but you can win some nice small prizes. I think the way all the social media is these days, they seem even bigger. Your double pointer would be like the regional races like the NWA road race in Arkansas this weekend. Double the entry fee, but double the prizes. Something like the Matrix in Dallas or the Pro Am here in OKC would be like a triple pointer, and the Tulsa Tough or the Joe Martin stage race are like national events.
I guess the point of this post is about the local race scene. It seems to be going well. Lots of strong riders seem to be emerging from the central Oklahoma area. The local Wheeler crit races have been really hard. In some ways they still have a practice feel to them where you can experiment and try things you wouldn't typically do in a bigger race, only to discover that sometimes you should. They're usually harder than a lot of bigger races for this reason. It's also a good chance to work on team tactics.
My buddies Biff, Andy, and the DNA guys made a short video of the race last Tuesday. It gives a pretty good feel of the evening action;
Wheeler Criterium Video
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