BROOME TIOGA: One last time?
Word on the streets is that this is the last year for the great Broome-Tioga National Motocross just outside of Binghamton, NY.
As I watched the race for the 12th consecutive year, I think back to that first year I was there in person in 1995. But of course we here at Motodirt; we don't just believe the rumors, we investigate them for ourselves. So we went to track down Broome-Tioga owner Tom Hurd to see what the real story was.
Although we got the true scoop, we wish we didn't. As it turns out, the Hurd Family has three years left on their current contract with the AMA to host the MX Nationals. But those three years along with an option year and a first renewal clause is up for sale. We were told flat out that the prospective buyer was in attendance and very serious about closing the deal.
As is looks now, the deal will be done and the AMA will announce next year the addition of a race in Texas, and the subtraction of one of the two New York State races. The AMA has longed to put a race in the Texas/New Mexico area and now it appears they will get their wish. The new owner apparently plans to build a brand new track on land someplace in Texas.
Although it could not be confirmed, word is that the AMA talked to both Broome-Tioga and Unadilla owners and suggested they talk with the buyer, but they pushed for the Unadilla venue to endure. Of the two tracks, Broome-Tioga is the overwhelming favorite among the riders. But Unadilla has features that appeal to the AMA as the sport grows.
The Broome-Tioga landscape does not allow much expansion for on track pit parking and the rigs get bigger and the teams more plentiful every year. While the viewing is excellent for spectators, there are security issues at the track that make it more difficult and often impossible to control the crowds. As well the traffic issues are often daunting, since there is only one way in and one way out for the masses en route and exiting. The narrow Route 79 is easily clogged beyond reproach during the file-in and file-out of the cars. And the spectator parking is an adventure every year. Rain even days before makes the surrounding farm lands soft and marshy and almost impossible to park cars or two wheel drive trucks. Thus parking is often different every year and usually messy.
Unadilla is an easier to control set up both for traffic and crowd. It offers more expansion space as the sport grows and that is attractive for the AMA. The close proximity to the Broome-Tioga track often made people outside the sport wonder why two races were so close together. But the truth is that both venues are packed every year.
But still in all, there is no spectator adventure like that at Broome-Tioga. The crowd can spread out around the track or fill in the bleachers and still a lot of the track can be seen. There are breath-taking leaps and fast gnarley sections for the riders to tackle, crazy off-cambers and insane elevation changes. For good reasons the riders love it and so do the fans. It will be a great loss to the series if the deal goes through and the AMA Motocross is gone from Broome-Tioga. The local economy will miss it for certain, and the fans will miss the only national you can either drive in your car to, or ride on your ATV or dirtbike through miles of NY state trails to get in through the back gate via the woods.
The placement of the Broome-Tioga race in the schedule often makes it a pivotal race in the championship battle. More championships have been wrapped up at this round than any other in recent years. Ricky Carmichael seems to wrap up his championship at the Broome-Tioga track every season. This season was no exception as RC clinched the #1 plate at the end of moto one.
As well the lites class saw a big mistake by Mike Alessi in moto one which lead to his first DNF of the year. In turn he helped rival Ryan Villopoto climb back into the points lead as he spanked the pack in moto two to cap off his 4-1 for the day. Villopoto new holds a ten point cushion on Alessi with two rounds left to race.
All in all it was a great day of racing once again. It will be a shame if next year we see no Broome-Tioga on the AMA National Motocross schedule for 2007.
Word on the streets is that this is the last year for the great Broome-Tioga National Motocross just outside of Binghamton, NY.
As I watched the race for the 12th consecutive year, I think back to that first year I was there in person in 1995. But of course we here at Motodirt; we don't just believe the rumors, we investigate them for ourselves. So we went to track down Broome-Tioga owner Tom Hurd to see what the real story was.
Although we got the true scoop, we wish we didn't. As it turns out, the Hurd Family has three years left on their current contract with the AMA to host the MX Nationals. But those three years along with an option year and a first renewal clause is up for sale. We were told flat out that the prospective buyer was in attendance and very serious about closing the deal.
As is looks now, the deal will be done and the AMA will announce next year the addition of a race in Texas, and the subtraction of one of the two New York State races. The AMA has longed to put a race in the Texas/New Mexico area and now it appears they will get their wish. The new owner apparently plans to build a brand new track on land someplace in Texas.
Although it could not be confirmed, word is that the AMA talked to both Broome-Tioga and Unadilla owners and suggested they talk with the buyer, but they pushed for the Unadilla venue to endure. Of the two tracks, Broome-Tioga is the overwhelming favorite among the riders. But Unadilla has features that appeal to the AMA as the sport grows.
The Broome-Tioga landscape does not allow much expansion for on track pit parking and the rigs get bigger and the teams more plentiful every year. While the viewing is excellent for spectators, there are security issues at the track that make it more difficult and often impossible to control the crowds. As well the traffic issues are often daunting, since there is only one way in and one way out for the masses en route and exiting. The narrow Route 79 is easily clogged beyond reproach during the file-in and file-out of the cars. And the spectator parking is an adventure every year. Rain even days before makes the surrounding farm lands soft and marshy and almost impossible to park cars or two wheel drive trucks. Thus parking is often different every year and usually messy.
Unadilla is an easier to control set up both for traffic and crowd. It offers more expansion space as the sport grows and that is attractive for the AMA. The close proximity to the Broome-Tioga track often made people outside the sport wonder why two races were so close together. But the truth is that both venues are packed every year.
But still in all, there is no spectator adventure like that at Broome-Tioga. The crowd can spread out around the track or fill in the bleachers and still a lot of the track can be seen. There are breath-taking leaps and fast gnarley sections for the riders to tackle, crazy off-cambers and insane elevation changes. For good reasons the riders love it and so do the fans. It will be a great loss to the series if the deal goes through and the AMA Motocross is gone from Broome-Tioga. The local economy will miss it for certain, and the fans will miss the only national you can either drive in your car to, or ride on your ATV or dirtbike through miles of NY state trails to get in through the back gate via the woods.
The placement of the Broome-Tioga race in the schedule often makes it a pivotal race in the championship battle. More championships have been wrapped up at this round than any other in recent years. Ricky Carmichael seems to wrap up his championship at the Broome-Tioga track every season. This season was no exception as RC clinched the #1 plate at the end of moto one.
As well the lites class saw a big mistake by Mike Alessi in moto one which lead to his first DNF of the year. In turn he helped rival Ryan Villopoto climb back into the points lead as he spanked the pack in moto two to cap off his 4-1 for the day. Villopoto new holds a ten point cushion on Alessi with two rounds left to race.
All in all it was a great day of racing once again. It will be a shame if next year we see no Broome-Tioga on the AMA National Motocross schedule for 2007.
posted by motoguru at 3:29 PM
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