Capturing the Frenetic Energy of a USA BMX Race
Photographer Collin Findlay and I took a road trip to Houston for day two of the USA BMX Lone Star Nationals at the Rockstar Energy Bike Park—we’re here to capture the energy of a full BMX race day. Spot has been partnering with USA BMX to provide their riders with injury insurance for several years, and we were stoked when they gave us the opportunity to document the Nationals just east of our HQ in Austin.
The 20-acre Rockstar Energy Bike Park was consumed with frenetic energy. I was hungry after our three-hour trip, so I weaved through the crowds, pop-up tents and upturned bikes to order myself a hot dog from the snack bar. I sat in an empty patch of grass—a safe haven from wayward bikes—watching spectators and BMXers go by, hot dogs and bikes in tow. As I ate, I watched a few motos from afar and noticed several riders staked out along the track—were they sizing up the competition, taking mental notes on their technique and how they’re navigating the track?
After lunch, we climbed up the starting hill to get a different perspective of the action. The vibe was different up there—the anticipation and focus was palpable. The riders were stoic, staring straight ahead waiting for the starter’s vocal (“riders ready, watch the gate”) indicating that the race would begin at any moment. Seconds later, the gate dropped and the riders pedaled hard down the ramp, gone in an instant.
Once Collin got the shots he wanted from the hill, we decided to post up on the perimeter of the track to watch a few motos up close. It was unnerving to be so close to the riders as they hucked themselves down the hill and into the air, hungry for the win and unfazed by the danger of it all. I shook my nerves and watched Collin hustle around the track, positioning his camera at different angles and switching lenses to get the right shots.
The riders hopped fearlessly over rollers and leaned skillfully into tight turns. My head was on a swivel waiting to see who would come out of that first corner. There’s a frenetic energy to BMX that’s different from any other sport I’ve experienced. It’s unpredictable and chaotic, yet requires precision and timing. The first rider to get to the bottom of the starting hill isn’t always guaranteed a win—speed is important but so is skill, consistency and fierce determination.
One thing I appreciate about BMX is that while every race takes place on the same track, each heat is completely different and it's easy to get caught up in the intensity and drama of it all. A fall, a miscalculated jump or a slip of the pedal can change the outcome in seconds. Every obstacle, turn or flat is an opportunity to pass another rider. It takes skill to avoid collisions when you’re elbow-to-elbow with three or four other riders. On top of that, you need the mental discipline to visualize, in advance, the line around the berm that’s going to move you as fast as possible to the finish line.
We watched people of all ages, from six to 60, pour their heart and soul out on the track that day. But the common thread that unites these athletes is their undeniable passion for this sport. Each heat lasts 30 to 40 seconds, beginning to end, but years of training—not to mention many wins and disappointments along the way—lead up to those precious moments.
Collin and I were glad for the opportunity to capture these athletes as they savored their moments of glory on the track, and we left the bike park looking forward to what the next BMX race would have in store for us. I don’t plan on lining up at the starting gate anytime soon myself, but I do plan on returning to the track so I can continue to embrace the chaos of BMX, freshly-boiled snack bar hot dog in hand.
