BMX riders prepare to 'Race for Life'

MOSES LAKE - Over 300 top BMX riders from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Canada will race into Moses Lake this weekend to compete in the American Bicycle Association's "Race for Life," an event to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

BMX riders will race on a track that been existence for three years and is operated by William and Sunshine Rutherford for the Larson Recreation Center. Planning for the track began five years ago when a group of community members approached the city with a plan for a BMX track.

"We got a lot of help from the city" William Rutherford said, and that help came in the form of a Neighborhood Self Help Grant.

Moses Lake Parks and Recreation Director Spencer Grigg called the track "great for the community." In addition to organized racing, the track gets "lots of recreational use" but Grigg warns it's a "ride at your own risk" track.

"There is no supervision for open riding," he said.

American Bicycle Association sanctioned racing gets under way Friday night with various classes all racing, classes are determined by the number of entrants, age and experience.

Racing on Saturday for the "Race for Life" is open to all riders with the day's entry fees being donated to charity. Last year the "Race for Life" raised $2,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and organizers are hoping to raise more than that this year.

Sunday and Monday's races are qualifiers for the state championship, with two riders from there advancing to the "Redline Cup," a premier BMX event held this summer in California.

Visit www.moseslakebmx.org for more information.