BMX Grand Nationals Roll Into Tulsa

By Dan Bewley, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- It's a Thanksgiving tradition that involves a dirt track and a bumpy ride. The BMX Grand Nationals calls Tulsa home during this holiday weekend. 

It's expected that 15,000 people will crowd the QuikTrip Center for the event. All to watch 3,800 riders compete for the top spot in BMX racing.

"Well, we like to call it the greatest race on earth, is what we call it," said B.A. Anderson, American Bicycle Association.

Riders compete for the fastest time.

"What you see on the X-Games, that's freestyle. We're BMX racing, it's like a sprint, no back flips," said B.A. Anderson.

"It's just racing," said Steve Arrowood, a racer.

"Whoever gets to the finish line first," said Brandon Yeatman, a racer.

Steve Arrowood and Brandon Yeatman are representing Sand Springs BMX. The two 18-year-olds have been racing for nearly half their lives. They say the speed, the competition and the daring ride fuel their adrenaline, but they also say they have to explain quite a bit to their friends exactly what BMX is all about.

"They just think that we do tricks and stuff, that it's not an athletic sport, but it's probably more athletic than football or any of that," said Steve Arrowood.

Organizers say BMX is a great sport for kids, saying it teaches responsibility and the importance of hard work to reach a goal.

"It's just teaches them to go out, do things on their own," said Steven Arrowood, Sand Springs BMX.

The youngest racer there this weekend is three-years old, the oldest is 71-year-old. 

Both Steve and Brandon love the sport and they hope to be racing for years to come.

"As long as possible," said Steve Arrowood.

"Until I get my legs cut off," said Brandon Yeatman.

This event will be televised by tape delay on the Versus Network on December 22 at 4:30 p.m.

Sand Springs BMX web site

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