PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Over 1,000 top racers from across the country filled up Okeeheelee BMX Park this weekend for the Sunshine State Nationals.
Those who win this weekend could qualify for the Grand Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Nationally, Okeeheelee's track is regarded as one of the top three courses in the country.
"It's pretty cool. There's no sport like it," said Van Knieriemen, a BMX rider from Palm Beach Gardens.
13-year-old Van Knieriemen is a fellow BMX standout at Okeeheelee's park trying to win the Sunshines State Nationals.
"I get pretty excited because I get to hang out with my friends and do something I'm good at," said Knieriemen, who is better than just good— he finished third place in his group and is now in a prime position this season.
Okeeheelee welcomes around 1,000 riders to this year's field.
"The competition is always hard, but for me, it's always fun to have a different opportunity on different tracks and race new people,” said Bobbi Gilman, who races out of Lake Worth.
She arrived at nationals with her eyes set on a first-place finish.
She adds that she finished third in her group but learned a valuable lesson.
"I learned that you have to trust in yourself, and you can't worry about other people. You just have to trust in what you've been training for,” said Gilman.
She believes that on top of the great competition, she looks forward to seeing her friends like 9-year-old sensation Harrison Tidwell.
The young standout has only been racing for a few years but tells WPTV that Okeeheelee is among his favorite tracks because it's where he first got his chance on the national scene.
"It was the move up, so I won the national and then I went up to intermediate. Day two, I crashed in the first turn, sadly," said Tidwell.
The young phenom says he won't be satisfied until he wins this race and knows what's needed to do just that.
"Keep your lines and focus on yourself," Tidwell said.
