Hello All,
South Park was my local track. I raced BMX from 1980-1985.
I was hoping we could start a thread for those who raced South Park and enjoyed it just as much as I did.
If you raced at one of the many Nationals and of course the Grand National at South Park please chime in.
Please post any pictures you have and talk about the track that meant so much to us.

Take Care,
Craig Allen

Hey Craig,
Most guys have run South Park into the North Park thread already.
Can't wait to see some of your pics.

I raced the NBL grands in Sept 82 17X, really fast and wide track, loved it, this photo is from Total BMX issue Jan 83, it's over the step jump in a quarter, I'm 97, I got second in this quarter but crashed in the semi:

Craig have you seen any of the vidieos on here from Jim Stinson and T Andrews ,their is some great footage from back in the day.

Check this out-I was looking at my plates today and I have Tommy Brakens #9 plate from the 1982 Grand Nationals at South Park-it has two MAX stickers on each side of the #9-sweet relic.

I haven't seen the vids Tom or Jim posted. I heard Jim had some of South Park indoor.
I'm working on getting my pictures posted here.

Take care,
Craig

Taylor-
I understand most people have run South Park into the North Park Thread. It just didn't seem fair to South Park. Don't you think South Park Deserves it's own thread.

Craig

Start gate at the September 82 Grands, my last race as a kid.



I am #114 in the blue JT leathers & white PK Ripper, finished 7th in 15 novice.

Heck Yeah!

I was talking to Tom Andrews about planning on going to the South Park National this year.
Any one in. I am certainly planning on heading up from Va to my first love.
I can set up one of my old school Hutch or Vector canopies and we can all watch from the first straight. So, who's in.


Craig Allen

Ps.Sweet Pick Paul-Thanks

I only have this one from South Park, .88 National 18x

That's a sweet pic. Who's going over the handle bars.

Craig

Roll Call

I'm trying to get a Roll Call for who is planning on heading to the South Park National this year.
I know it's a little bit away but I was going to bring my 80's Hutch and Vector Canopies. Depending how many people plan on coming depends how many I should bring and space to allocate.
Please post if your planning on attending.

Thanks,
Craig Allen

south park is my local track i race 15 expert namer is damian cherepko

Craig, I'm interested but my schedule may change by then. I'll keep you posted.
Bill

the track is crazy sick this year

Agreed, It's a little too sick for me to come out of retirement.
It hurts when I fall now.

I'm going to come out of retirment and start a new class racing pit bikes , remember them

I used to love my pit bike-
This is kind of cool-I bought my DG pit bike from Andrew Soule at the 1982 South Park Grand Nationals.
Bramer-You can count me in for a pit bike race.

C.Allen

Damian- I also grew up on South Park, as did most of the other guys on this thread did. Most will agree that there's know better track in the country to have as your local track.
We will have a cheering section for you. Just look for all the old guys under a Hutch tent reminiscing about the good old days.
Are you sponsored?

Good Luck,
Craig Allen

i'm not from up there, but i did eat it pretty bad over that step up at the war of stars race there in '82.
mike

Jim, I would totally smoke you on a pit bike if you help me up the hill to the starting gate.

this is me hittin pro last year when i was 14 hit it first time at age 12



<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/xpvnmg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Not sure who that is, was wondering if anyone in here knows. Thats the jump out of turn one, it was steep and would kick the rear end up if you werent careful., Im the guy in the yellow helmet, about to try the same stunt, almost...

On one of the earlier posts, Mike said he went over the Handle Bars on that jump during a National. I wonder if that's the crash he was talking about.

Mike-is that the crash you were talking about-is that unfortunately you? We have all been there haven't we?

That is a great action pic MXer.

Craig

Was out at the track Sunday for some laps. I don't get any air or manual any jumps. I'm old and out of shape......LOL. Hopefully by mid summer I'll be jumping the last tabletop on the first straight. 30 years ago no problem but today like taylor39t said it hurts when you hit the ground.....

Here is what I ride.

Dremel can you tell me were got the redline at i'm still looking to by a cruiser.

I will be looking man

I'm not seeing your pic? You need to get your dad back out there with us racing cruiser this year. I already missed the first two races already.

im trying to get him out there he is into road bikes and just riding street lol

but me im into trails and such but im loving racing hitting the gym 4 days a week so hard and doing sprints the 3 days of the week and track time so much

For those that don't currently follow the New School BMX scene-Damian who has been posting on this thread is a South Park local and one heck of a great racer.
He currently is National #1 in 15x and is well on his way to a life long career in BMX.
Damian-for those that don't follow New School BMX, familiarize them with what NBL and ABA national plates you have?

Craig Allen

i don't think it's me,craig...i would've been wearing a maroon uniform. the pic did give me flashbacks though.
mike

sittin #1 in the nation in nbl and got #2 last year and currently riding for Rennen intense and i dont race much aba but when i do i kill it and i hit the gym 4 days the week and sprints 3 of those days and alwways at the track or on the bike

Well im in #1 in the nation right now in nbl and got #2 last year at grands and cureently ride for Rennen Intense and i really dnt race aba but when i do i kill it and i also hit the gym hard 4 days a week and sprints 3 of them days and also do push ups sit ups and things at night and that picture is me snappion the gate at south park pratice last monday im the #2 plate

Damian-
I know all of us South Parkers will be pulling for you to bring home the NBL National #1 plate. It just doesn't get better than that.
If you get the #1 plate or not, you've made us old school South Park BMXers proud.
Keep up the great work.

Craig Allen

South Park History Question

Can anyone remember which NBL National Plates were ridden by South Park locals and has South Park ever had a National #1 rider?

Take Care,
Craig Allen

i think i am goign to be the first number 1

? Good Question

Good luck Damian

Their is a thread on here somewhere that has some listings of nat# i'll try to find them and repost them.their are some local names on their.

thanks alot

Matt Harris was a South Park local and is a former 2 time NBL national #1 rider (1979 & 1980). He rode for factory Torker, Kuwahara and Huffy. Matt also posts here from time to time.

Her is a page from Super BMX magazine for coverage of the 1984 NBL national at south park. Thats me at the bottom of the page on my way to my second consecutive perfect score at south park (83 & 84). I loved south park, my favorite track. My family would park our motorhome in the Stinsons driveway for a whole week before the national.They only lived a couple miles away from the track so we would ride the track almost everyday before the race. Good times!

Bramer,

Ordered from Big Bang Bicycles in West Mifflin. The shop is more into high end road and mtb bikes.

Mark,
What a great article and piece of your BMX history. There was nothing like opening one of the BMX Mags back in the day and seeing your name listed in the National results or a picture of your motto.

For those that don't know and are interested-Mark has copies on DVD of the entire 1982 South Park Grand Nationals. Hopefully he will also transfer the 83' and 84' South Park Nationals to DVD and offer them for sale.
Mark-this advertisement will only cost you one(1) 1982 South Park Grand National DVD.LoL
You definitely had South Park dialed in back in the day, your consecutive perfect scores certainly proved that. Your right, there is no track quite as special and so rich in history as South Park.

Craig Allen

We lived in Maryland, but my father grew up on the north side of Pittsburgh and my mother grew up in a small town called Richieville south of Pittsburgh. Whenever there was a big race in Pittsburgh, we would stay at our grandparent's house. North Park was just up McKnight Rd. Fun tracks. I think one of our first nationals was at North Park, maybe 1981.

Of course we first caught BMX flu in northern New Jersey when Rich Silva moved next door to us with a Redline Squareback with thick spoked rims and hex grips. We would drive out to Pittsburgh from northern NJ along route I-80.

Back then in the late 70s we used to watch shows like this:

70's show

whole all going to the south park national

and check this poop poop poop, I say again, poop out it is one of the dudes on my team he made this song
http://www.myspace.com/bmxforever1612

whole all going to the south park national

and check this poop poop poop, I say again, poop out it is one of the dudes on my team he made this song
http://www.myspace.com/bmxforever1612

Various photos from the 1986 South Park National

Tommy Brackens and Pete Longcabbage (LOL!)




Todd Corbit crossing the finish line.










Team Cyclecraft. There is no way today a track owner would allow a kid to jump doubles on the track without a helmet!

AZBMXER-Many Thanks for the fantastic pics. I will never get sick of looking at pictures from South Park.


Craig

Cool pics AZ the track looks awsome brings back good memories.

-


Bramer-
I think I remember reading in a earlier post that you were looking for a cruiser.
I might have something for you.
About a month ago I found a sweet GT cruiser that was obviously stolen. I of course called the police-after they picked it up they told me if the bike is not claimed within 60 days that I could have it.
Apparently they don't have the space to keep these unclaimed items. As nice as it would be to have a GT cruiser-it wouldn't do me much good. About Ten years ago I had an accident and unfortunately broke my back. So, I wanted to let you know if the GT doesn't get claimed and they offer it to me-do you want it?
Let me know.

Take care,
Craig Allen

Hey Craig i have a nice space for a GT cruiser,if its not claimed let me know and some more details if you can.I was just at the bike shop yesterday checken out a pk ripper and maybe a bike for my boy.