Beginners Information

So you want to race motocross. Well, Zoo City Motor Sports (ZCMX) has put together some information to try and help new racers understand what is involved in beginning motocross racing. We hope you will find the information in this guide helpful. Motocross racing is a wonderful sport that can be a lot of fun. The rules listed are for ZCMX events, if any changes or additions are made they will be posted at the park.

Important Reality Check: Motocross racing can be hazardous to your health. There is always the risk of being fatally injured. Riders should not race if they do not have adequate medical insurance to cover a catastrophic injury. Riders and/or their guardians are responsible for making sure that their bikes are ready to be raced. RIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Each and every person entering our park assumes his or her own risk.

1. LOCATE A QUALITY DEALER It doesn’t matter if you already have a bike, are buying a new bike, or are planning on buying a used bike, you will still need to find a dealer that will be able to get parts for your bike, can service your bikes and offer advice on different items you need when getting started. The correct dealer can be priceless. They can help you with advice, as well as offering discounts through sponsorship, then you can help them by listing them as a sponsor. You need to pick a dealer that is helpful and stick with them, it will be worth it in the long run. Remember to support the ones who support your sport.

2. RIDING GEAR The safety gear you wear is the most important thing that you can do to protect yourself. The easy rule to dressing for racing is to dress for the crash and not for the ride. The more gear you have on, the less likely it will be that you will have a serious injury that will require medical attention. Motocross racing is not a fashion show. Beginning racers should be more concerned with wearing as much protection as possible. A good dealer can really help when you start buying safety gear. They can advise you as to what gear to get, and also can help with sizing because the sizes vary greatly and are not always accurate. Dealing locally will allow you to try on things before you buy and they can also help if there is a warranty issue later on.

* HELMET: A helmet is the most vital piece of safety equipment that you can buy. The helmet needs to fit snuggly, however you don't want it to be so tight that it's uncomfortable. Helmets are rated by either DOT or SNELL, and your bike shop can explain all of the details to you. A full-face helmet offers more protection against both front and side impacts than a helmet with a bolt on mouth guard. Make sure you have your helmet fitted by trained staff at your bike shop.

* GOGGLES: You should always wear goggles. Practice in them so you will get used to wearing them. You must protect your eyes from dust and other debris that could get in your eyes while you are riding. Try out different brands of goggles while wearing your helmet to see which ones are the most comfortable to you. Be sure you get a lexan or similar lens and learn how to clean them so they will last. Always renenber that goggle protection is very important.

Chest and Back Protectors - Can take some getting use to, it's important to start wearing your chest protector as soon as you start riding. These can really help when you have an impact injury by spreading the impact over a wider area. They can protect your body from having roost thrown on you by tires. There is a huge selection of body gear that you can use. You can get gear that protects your chest, back and neck or you can buy one that protects only your chest.

* BOOTS: We require that you wear some type of boots that cover the ankle. Racing boots afford the best coverage and protection, but don't try to race in a new pair of boots until you have broken them in. If you try to race with new boots that have not been broken in they can cause you to have an accident because you may be unable to work the controls on your bike properly. If you are purchasing boots for your child, you may want to buy them a little big just not too big. Make sure you read the care instructions that come with your new boots and maintain them as they will weather with time.

* BIKE: It is crucial that you maintain your bike. Inspect it prior to riding each time and check for any sharp edges or protruding bolts that can be removed so as to prevent injury to a rider. Make sure your grips are glued and/or safety wired on so that they will not come loose while riding. Always keep control cables well lubed. Never run broken clutch or brake levers because of the sharp edges. Maintaining a clean bike will make your bike inspection easier.

3. PARENTS Don’t forget that motocross racing is a great sport. It teaches discipline, the significance of preparation, goal setting, and the fulfillment that comes from teaching your child. Motocross racing is different than a lot of sports because it is an individual sport rather than a team sport. It is up to your rider as to how fast or slow, high or low, they want to ride. Every one is a participant. No one sits on the bench.First and foremost motocross racing is about having FUN! As with all sports, there are parents that push their kids way too hard to win. Sometimes this can and will cause unnecessary injury to their rider and/or other riders. Motocross racing is not easy, the skills needed to race will develop with time and by practicing. Parents should always keep a positive outlook on the sport in its entirety. In the end this will build confidence in your child. Never forget to look at racing through your child's eyes.

4. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Practice is the best thing you can do to prepare yourself for racing. There are other things you can do to improve your technique for racing. “Practice” riding wheelie's and doing power slides. Focus on using different controls like the clutch, front and rear brakes, etc. so you will be familiar with their limits. Using the clutch can help you attack the corners harder, while using the brakes can cut seconds off your lap times. Jumping is important, but most races are won or lost in the corners. Practice corners by doing circles or figure eights to get better with the clutch, brakes and throttle controls. Practicing berms and ruts will afford you comfort with them. If you watch your front wheel you will pop out of the rut or over the berm every time. Always ride looking further down the track, this will make you faster and make you a safer rider. ZCMX offers all levels of training to help you in any skill level you are in. Please contact us for more information.Learning proper form early on will make it easier for you to succeed in the future. Keeping your elbows up and learning to stand up while riding your bike are very important. Having proper body position will help save you time and energy as well as giving you better control over the bike when you come across ruts, bumps and holes in the track. Watch faster riders when you practice and learn from them. Try to find someone that is close to your speed or a little faster and ride with them Don't give up and remember to have fun.

Expect to be nervous on race day. It is natural. Riders that have been racing for years still get butterflies on race day. The secret is to accept that it is part of racing. Get there early so you won't feel rushed. When you are about to ride, take some deep breaths and stretch before going out on the track. Watch other riders during the race so you can see how others are doing different sections and obstacles of the track. When you go out to ride, concentrate on not riding over your head. You will only have “1” first race. It is rare that a first time rider will win so just relax, learn and have fun.

* REGISTRATION: The rider registration is located at the window of the tan building. The sign up forms are located on the shelf at the sign up window or inside the sign up window. Riders under 18 year of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Any other adult who will be signing your child up will need a notarized statement authorizing them to sign for the minor. NO EXCEPTIONS. The practice order is posted on the building. The race order will be made and posted on the board outside the registration building on the track side of the railing after the riders meeting. After you have signed up to race, go unload your bike and set up your pit area. Look over your bike and get ready to practice.

* PRACTICE: 30-45 minutes before you practice is time to begin getting dressed and check your bike. Make sure you have gas and warm the bike up. Ride in first gear to the staging area. Do not pull up to staging until it is time for your group to get out onto the racetrack. Use the practice time to learn the track and warm up. Try different lines so you will know what to expect if you need to take them later.

If there is a faster rider behind you, let them pass. Do not zig zag while you are out on the track. Don't worry about racing against anyone and remember not to ride over your head. Try to stay in a straight line over the jumps as so other riders will recognize your direction. When you are flagged off the track, always slow down to a walking speed (1^st gear only) as you exit the track. It is easy to go too fast when coming off the track because of nervousness and/or adrenaline. Look your bike over when you get back to your pit. Make sure you refuel your bike and lube the chain. Get something to eat and drink and get ready for the rider's meeting.

* RIDER'S MEETING: Get near a PA speaker so you can hear the rider's meeting. At this time, the race order will be called out. If there are any changes in the race order, they will be announced during this time. If there are any problems during practice, they will be addressed during this time. A RACE ORDER WILL BE POSTED ON THE BOARD OUTSIDE THE SIGN UP BUILDING.Following the riders meeting there will usually be a short break and then a prayer and the national anthem will be sung. Riders in the first couple of races need to make their way to the staging area and shut off their bikes.

* START PROCEDURES: When you get to the starting gate, leave your bike shut off until the pit steward signals for riders to start their engines. Start your bike and make sure the gas is turned on. The starter will hold up a board with #2 showing. If you are having problems starting your bike, let the pit steward know by waving your hand so that you will get two minutes to correct the problem. If everyone is ready the board will be changed to a #1 and the man will check down the line again. If everyone is ready, there will be a slight pause then the one will be turned sideways. The gate will fall 2-7 seconds later.

* STAGER STARTS: Sometimes if there are several small classes that can be run on the track at the same time, we will combine them but they will be scored separately. If the classes are very small, they will take off the gate at the same time. If there are enough riders then the classes will be stagger started. One class will leave the line, the gate will be reset and then the second class leaves. Stagger starts are marked on the race order. If you are supposed to start with the second group and you start with the first, you will be penalized one lap. Don't get excited and start with the wrong class.

* RESULTS: Shortly after your race, the results will be posted on the board at the sign up building. It is the responsibility of each rider to check the results for errors and notify the score person if there is something that needs to be corrected. Once the results have been posted for 30 minutes it becomes official unless it is changed because of a protest that came during the protest time. Riders get gate pick for the 2nd moto based on 1st moto results. There is usually an intermission taken between the 1st and 2nd motos. We run a 2 moto format. The results of the 1st moto are combined with the results from the 2nd moto for an overall finish. If here is a tie, the 2nd moto finish breaks the tie. For example: Bike A finished 1st in moto 1 and 2nd in moto 2. He has (1 + 2) 3 point. Bike B finished 2nd in moto 1 and 1st in moto 2. He has (2 + 1) 3 points. This is a tie in points. Since Bike B finished ahead of Bike A in moto 2, Bike B wins.

* PIT RIDING: Riders are allowed to ride their bikes to and from the starting gate at a walking speed. Absolutely no pit racing or burnouts will be tolerated. You will receive no further warning. You will be disqualified with no refund. This includes pit bikes. Bicycles should also be ridden with caution in the pits. There are a lot of people walking around in the pits and someone could become seriously injured. Parents should make sure their children understand this rule and knows what a walking speed is. Pit bikes, first gear only.

* SAFETY FLAGS: Yellow flags mean that there is a problem on the track and you should be in control of your bike and look for the problem so you can avoid it. Watch the flaggers to see if they want you to ride on one side of the track. Passing is not allowed under the yellow flag. If you pass another rider, endanger or hit a track worker, EMT worker or cause a rider to go down, you will be penalized. The penalty can include being docked positions to being disqualified. This rule is to protect you and your fellow riders and will be strictly enforced. Parents of young riders: please explain this to them so they will know what the different flags mean. If you have any questions please contact the referee.

* UNSPORTSMANLIKE BEHAVIOR: This includes dirty riding, fighting, use of profanity, obscene gestures, etc. Violators can be penalized, including disqualification and being suspended for the series. If another rider tries to start a fight, do whatever you have to do to get away and notify the referee immediately. Riders are responsible for the actions of their pit crew and family.

* IF YOU DO FALL DOWN: If you go down and are not hurt, your number one concern is to get off the race track. If your bike is in the middle of the track, move it before trying to restart it so you are not hit by another rider or blocking the race track. Do not wait on the track crew to move your bike or start it for you. Their number one priority is to let the other riders know there is a problem and to keep you safe.