MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake BMX had a busy weekend, with two days of action-packed bike competition. The two-day affair saw over 400 riders each day of competition, according to Moses Lake BMX Track Operator Jeff Niehenke.

“The event went incredibly well; we have a huge group of volunteers that really executed well, even despite the huge rain delay. Everything ran smoothly, and we ran a very quick event, which is hard to do with that many riders and the logistics involved,” Niehenke said.

On Saturday, the event for the day was the double-point state qualifier, which saw around 450 riders compete. The races started at 1 p.m. and were running smoothly until a thunderstorm rolled in and caused delays. The rain made the track too muddy to be safe for riders, so Niehenke and the BMX crew had to delay the second half of the races until the next morning.

“We got started early morning at 8 a.m. on Sunday, finished the state qualifier race, and then immediately rolled into our Gold Cup race that was set to start at 11 a.m. and we started at about 11:30 a.m.,” Niehenke said.

On Sunday, the sunny skies of Moses Lake were accommodating to the 400-plus riders and volunteers. Riders for the weekend came from all over the Pacific Northwest, such as Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyomingand Alaska.

Age groups ranged from 5 years old to over 60. One rider, Rich Mundell, referred to by many as “Suspender Man,” came from Tacoma.

“I’m the oldest guy around here, obviously, but the age group is 66 and over. So, I have to race the kids,” he calls his cohort, “I’ve been doing this for 31 years.”

Mundell is 77 years old and had just come in first place in his competition. His first introduction to BMX came when he began taking his twin sons to lessons and the instructor eventually invited Mundell to start learning too.

“I kicked some butt today,” he said.

Mundell’s banter is a friendly one, which is common among riders of every age group, he said.

“There’s nothing quite like the community and camaraderie in BMX. In fact, I’ve had several new parents approach me and they’ve fallen in love with BMX because of that, everyone’s always helping each other,” Niehenke said.

When riders completed a race, they often waited past the finish line to greet other riders with fist bumps and words of encouragement.

“These people are my second family,” Mundell said. “I know every single person in this place, and they only know me by Suspender Man.”

Riders as young as 3 years old rode on a smaller portion of the track for their own races. Parents lined up along the end of the track and rooted their kids on. Some would stop at the top of a small incline and wave to the crowd watching and others bought into the competition, moving as fast as they could.

Moses Lake BMX has hosted the Gold Cup qualifier a few times prior to this year: in 2019 and then back-to-back years in 2022-23. According to Niehenke, there is optimism that events like this will allow the sport of BMX to continue growing in the area.

“Since we started our new riders league, we’ve seen more growth this spring than we saw all last season. So it’s really starting to take off, and we’re seeing new riders every week. We’ve never seen this type of growth, so it’s fun to see the word start spreading and getting more and more kids on the track,” he said.

Looking forward to the summer, Niehenke and Moses Lake BMX will continue to hold weekly events for community members to attend or participate in. Practices are held every Wednesday, with local racing every Tuesday and Friday at 7 p.m. Additional events will be held throughout the summer, including a four-track series in June.

Moses Lake, Columbia Basin BMX, Walla Walla BMX and Spokane BMX will compete in a track versus track competition and raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Dates for this event have not been released yet.

Results of the Gold Cup qualifier were not available at press time. More information on Moses Lake BMX and results, once available, can be found at moseslakebmx.com.

    A young rider makes a determined push to the finish line. Moses Lake BMX has age categories from 5 years old to a group of 66 and up.
  

    A BMX rider executes a trick as he soars over the incline on the track. Races at the event were constantly ongoing, with new races starting as others reached their finish.
  

    A young rider smiles at his family while they cheer him on. Many riders made the most of the fun; some even stopped in the middle of the race to wave to Mom.
  

    Rich Mundell, also known as Suspender Man, overcomes the small incline. Mundell is well-known across the U.S. and Canada and is a favorite with other riders.
  

    A BMX rider flies through the hilly track in his Gold Cup race. Many riders showed off tricks like these throughout the day's events.
  

    Rich Mundell hangs out after placing first in his race. Mundell praised the community that is found in BMX.
  

    A BMX rider glides to the finish line with a wheelie. Attendees and riders lined the track with tailgate tents for their teams.