After years of anticipation, VANS finally brought BMX racing to the next level with the Triple Crown of BMX. With $40,000 up for grabs and national television exposure, it was sure to be a history-making event.

Set in the lush backdrop of Pennsylvania's world famous Camp Woodward, this inaugural event was definitely designed to impress. The camp entrance soon gave way to the largest downhill BMX track ever constructed. It was something akin to a Supercross track, but with a huge 40-foot step-down, multiple doubles, rhythm sections, and shocking high-speed berms. These monstrous additions provided the main ingredients for excitement, bringing BMX the recognition it deserves. Of course, the potential for bodily injury raised the stakes considerably.

Riders ready?

The race followed the traditional BMX racing format comprised of motos, quarterfinals, semifinals, and a main event. There were 67 entries, which narrowed to 52 athletes competing with eight men per race. It was rumored that some athletes packed up after checking out the track, especially with the blind 40-foot step-down.

Speed was also a major obstacle for the riders to overcome. "These guys are going 35-40 mph. On a regular BMX track they go 24-27 max." Commented Everett Rosecrans, BMX manager for Vans, "You have guys who weigh 200 lbs. going 40 mph -- it's anybody's game!"

The beginning of a BMX revolution.

Also in keeping with traditional BMX racing, only 20-inch BMX bicycles with single gear ratio, no multi-speed shift systems or suspension were allowed. Riders were required to wear full-face helmets, long-sleeved jerseys and racing pants.

During the first days of practice, a sense of excitement hung heavy in the air as riders began testing out the track. Some broke the track down into segments, trying to master each, while others checked the layout and went for it. Anticipation and intimidation were felt by most during the first few hours of practice. The track was unrelenting in its own right, riding smooth and hard, with high speeds and big jumps. The blind step-down was especially intimidating for some riders.

Imagine pedalling as fast as you can at a big lip and not being able to see antything until you are in the air, and then realizing that the landing is 40 feet away. Bonzai!

The approach setup: after rounding the second berm you got a few cranks before a large double, then landed a steep incline and gained speed as you approached a 40-foot blind step-down that led into a high-speed, 90-degree right berm. Properly judging your speed was crucial; landing at speeds approaching 40 mph could send you over the berm or slam you to the ground with a force rarely seen on traditional tracks.

Last straight action, the 32 foot doubles.

More than one rider hit the ground during practice, which prompted an uproar from the crowd and fellow riders. The finish line jump proved equally as difficult: a 20 foot-plus gap over a creek with an unyielding 5-foot cement block face at the bottom to cushion your fall. Many riders came up short at the finish; some crashed, while others were left to soak in the creek. Bottom line: This track demanded respect and was certainly something new for all the athletes.

As the day progressed, the riders really started to pull for one another. Camaraderie amongst the athletes increased during the time trials, as each rider raced solo against the clock. As the event announcer stated, " I have been racing BMX for over 20 years and have never seen every AA pro pull for each other like this."

Robbie Miranda, last straight, bringing it home.

Race day finally arrived; the schedule was changed to the morning time in the hopes of avoiding expected afternoon rain. With the morning sun, Woodward proved to be the perfect backdrop for hosting a televised event. The green rolling hills, the fresh air and blue skies, helped everyone prepare for an epic inaugural event. This would be the first time anyone had seen eight riders battling to win a share of BMX racing's largest purse.

The finish line for the race was this big water jump. As you can see, not everyone made it over.

Everyone approached the track just before the gates dropped for moto number one. Pros, spectators, event personnel, and media gathered to see how this premier event would unfold. Out of the gate first was Chris Sanchez, who held the fastest time-trial time from the day before. At the end of three hectic sets of motos, with 7 gates per, Chris Sanchez seemed unstoppable with three wins under his belt.

One of the best highlights of the moto events was during race number two (of the first moto), when Robbie Miranda tried to catch and pass long-time competitor Randy Stumpfhauser, but went down hard at the finish-line and took second place. Moving into the quarterfinals, the field of 52 was narrowed down to 28 riders all hoping to advance into the semis. If the deafening shouts from the crowd were any indication at all, the track met and surpassed even the wildest of expectations throughout the entire event.

The winner, Robbie Miranda with his $15,000 winner's check.

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