The heart begins to race, as the body is amped up with adrenaline in anticipation of taming a track that has yet to be tamed. ...more

December 9, 2008

AVON PARK –– This summer BMX (Bicycle Motocross) will make its Olympic debut in Beijing, China. Our kids will be able to watch some of America's elite BMX riders carry "Old Glory" across the globe to compete in one of the fastest growing sports today. Hundreds of BMX families, riders and state officials will travel to Avon Park on Feb. 16-17 to compete in the second of 10 qualifiers offered in Florida for the 2008 Florida State Series Championship. This is a great opportunity to see first-hand what BMX is about. Riders range from 3-years-old to over 50. Each rider competes in their age class and riding proficiency which includes Rookie, Novice, Expert, Cruiser, and Pro. In addition, the professional riders will be here to compete. ...more

January 29, 2008

AVON PARK — Jeremy Machia's labor of love is a few tons of manicured dirt. And he likes nothing more than watching folks make a mess of it. The track director at Highlands BMX got hooked on bicycle racing at a young age, and more than 25 years later, Machia enjoys playing in the dirt more than ever. "Normally, we're out two or three times a week, hand-shaping jumps," he said. "We're not using heavy equipment, so it's a lot of fine-tuning." Much of that meticulous work is done to ready the track for weekly races that draw riders from Highlands County and beyond. And while most tracks are closed around the Christmas holiday, Machia's welcoming racers from across the state this weekend to grab some last minute points in order to qualify for the upcoming Sunshine State BMX's Florida state championships. He never knows how many riders will show up until race day, but Machia said up to 100 racers of all skill levels cold descend on the Avon Park track, which is known around the state as the fastest in Florida. ...more

December 21, 2007