Rule Book w/Changes for 2018
USA BMX and BMX Canada were formed to provide organized racing and give national prominence to the sport of BMX. The staff of each track is committed to operating under the Sanctions guidelines to ensure those goals. It is, however, the riders and his/her parent’s responsibility to understand and follow racing regulations.
With these ideals in mind, the only additional requirements needed to excel are skill and determination.
Revised 4/24/2018
Download the 2018 USA BMX rule book
Rule Changes
Last year saw many changes aimed at incentivizing participation at single point events, it is important to emphasize that we are looking to change the “culture” of BMX riders today. It isn’t about the revenue increase from NAG riders racing singles, it is about that NAG rider racing “grass-roots” events to show that they aren’t “too cool” to do so. If we can do that, the impact of these changes reaches further than the revenue brought in by the NAG or Gold Cup riders.
New Classes
The 2018 Rules Meeting brought forth a few changes in the available classes for Novice, Intermediate
and Expert riders. Starting at age 17, the new structure will look like this: 17-20, 21-25, 26-35, 36-40, 41-45, 46-50, 51 & Over. The restructuring of the classes between 17 and 35 years of age should make for some exciting classes and accounts for the transitional phases in life that riders go through. The 17-20 Expert division will be amazing to watch and certainly have title implications. And the 51 & Over classes should help bring more older riders into the sport, while keeping some of the existing “old guys” racing 20” a while longer.
Moto Building
With the moto building changes, the name of the game was rolling back the clock to a simpler time. Novice and Girl riders will continue to check up 3 years to find a legal class of 3 (or more) riders. For Intermediate and Expert riders, we will go back to checking up 1 year and Novice riders can (once again) theoretically move up to the Expert level. Girls will first move to Intermediate if they cannot find a legal Girls class, which is where they checked in 2016 and previous years. Expert riders will check up in age, then drop into the Intermediate class of that age (giving the class Expert points). After checking up with Experts, Girls will reset to the Girls level – Novices reset to the Novice level. Again, this basically takes us back to the moto building process of a few years ago, which should produce more desirable results (for the most part) than the 2017 process.
USA BMX National Series
For 2018, the best eight (8) scores will be counted for NAG/NAT points, plus the Grands. Riders must have a minimum of four (4) national scores to earn a NAG plate. To better assist the announcers and scorers, CNAG and CNAT riders will be required to run a maple leaf on their number plate if they are using a non-issued plate (the trailer will provide them, if needed). Balance Bike classes will be offered on Friday and Saturday of each weekend, with the classes run at the beginning of the event. Finally, we will be requiring the use of side plates at national events beginning in July 2018. Many riders who attended the UCI Worlds this year in Rock Hill, South Carolina might have seen “side plates” for the first time in their BMX career, but they make the job of the stagers, starter and scorers MUCH easier. The July deadline will give number plate manufacturers time to stock up on side plates in advance of this requirement going into effect.
In terms of policy changes, trophy slips will need to be exchanged for the award (trophy or Saver Stamps) prior to the conclusion of that event. While riders have always picked up their trophy or plaque at each event, many would keep their trophy slips to redeem for Saver Stamps at another national event. Now, that trophy slip will need to be redeemed for either a trophy or Saver Stamps at the event it was earned.
Another policy change will affect riders that pull out of an event prior to the close of sign ups. Beginning in 2018, refunds will be issued rather than a credit. Refunds will be issued based on your method of payment for that event.
BMX Canada National Series
Riders must have a minimum of four (4) national scores to earn a CNAG plate. While this rule was implemented for both BMX Canada and USA BMX, it was most applicable in Canada where the CNAG plates are sorted by proficiency first. Now, any rider with less than 4 scores coming into the Grands will be sorted below riders with 4 or more. This was a great suggestion that came from Intermediate riders that supported the series and yet lost out on a CNAG plate previously. Speaking of proficiencies and CNAG rankings, beginning in 2018 - there will be no voluntarily moveups the entire weekend of the BMX Canada Grands. The Expert riders battle all season long to get scores to take into the Grands, so allowing only advancements that happen through wins levels that playing field.
For riders in Eastern Canada, we will count the East Coast Nationals in Trumbull, CT as an eligible event towards the BMX Canada National Series. This will bring parity in the number of scores available to riders in Eastern Canada. We will see how this works for 2018 before determining whether this is a long-term solution. On the West Coast, the Harbour City Nationals on Vancouver Island will become a 3-day national, which will mean riders from Western and Eastern Canada can get an opportunity for 10 CNAG scores heading into the Grands.
To better assist the announcers and scorers, CNAG and CNAT riders will be required to run a maple leaf on their number plate if they are using a non-issued plate (the BMX Canada staff will provide them, if needed).
Finally, we will be requiring the use of side plates at national events beginning in July 2018. Many riders who attended the UCI Worlds this year in Rock Hill, South Carolina might have seen “side plates” for the first time in their BMX career, but they make the jobs of the stagers, starter and scorers MUCH easier. The July deadline will give number plate manufacturers time to stock up on side plates in advance of this requirement going into effect. In terms of policy changes, trophy slips will need to be exchanged for the award (trophy or Saver Stamps) prior to the conclusion of that event. While riders have always picked up their trophy or plaque at each event, many would keep their trophy slips to redeem for Saver Stamps at another national event. Now, that trophy slip will need to be redeemed for either a trophy or Saver Stamps at the event it was earned.
Another policy change will affect riders that pull out of an event prior to the close of sign ups. Beginning in 2018, refunds will be issued rather than a credit. Refunds will be issued based on your method of payment for that event.
Memberships
There will be no 7-Day Membership available in 2018 and beyond. The original intent of the 7-Day was to generate online profiles, and (unfortunately) too many 7-Days came in where no online profile had been created. Even worse, in some cases, tracks were telling people to call the Membership Department, as they will create the online profile for you. At any rate, that experiment failed and the 7-Day will no longer be an option.
We encourage everyone to scan the rulebook each year looking for anything in a gray box. The gray box indicates that something has changed and is worthy of taking note – many times it is a matter of cleaning up the wording to make it better to understand.
MOVING FORWARD
Each year, the USA BMX Rules Committee meets to review current programs and rules, and considers all of the new-rule proposals that are put forth by track operators and members. Much thought is put in to these changes, in order to maintain fair competition and to maintain rider retention.
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