Hurricane Helene and other recent storms battered the Blanchard Woods BMX track, but weekly races continue to draw riders and crowds.
‘“It has put us behind this year,” said Chris Pittman, who runs Blanchard Woods BMX. “Everything since the hurricane and all the storms really put us behind a couple of months of rebuilding the track and all the volunteers helped and came out to get us back racing again. We are behind, but nothing we can’t catch up and we are going to do a lot of racing in the summer.”
On June 21, the summer series circuit continued with racers in a wide variety of ages taking the track.
“We have riders as young as two and our oldest rider right now is 56,” said Pittman.
Blanchard Woods Park has welcomed riders since opening the BMX track in Columbia County in 2014.
The Summer Series races are every Saturday at Blanchard Woods Park. This year, the Summer Series races began in late May and continue through August. Blanchard Woods BMX also hosts practice on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Pittman also said volunteers have really helped bring the track back and he’s thankful for their efforts. Without them, there would be no Blanchard Woods BMX track.
“The greatest thing about us is we are completely 100% ran by volunteers; they pretty much keep the track running and keeps us in business,” Pittman said.
The park will host a BMX Southeast Gold Cup Qualifier on Saturday, July 12, followed by a state race on Sunday, July 13. The Southeast Gold Cup finals will be held in Dothan, Alabama, Sept. 19-21.
“It is going to be our biggest event of the year,” Pittman said. “We will have 300 to 600 riders come into town and race.”
Sportswriter Christopher Rickerson is an Augusta University graduate who has covered area sports for publications including Augusta University‘s Bell Ringer and Augusta Good News. Subscribe to the Augusta Good News’ free weekly newsletter here.
