Adrenaline junkies jonesin’ for a shot of fuel-injected, death-defying weekend mayhem should look no further than Freestyle Motocross tonight at the Pepsi Center.
Enthusiasts now tout Freestyle Motocross, a sport previously banished to intermission sideshows, as one of the fastest-growing action sports in the country.
“Attendance is up,” says Nick Shane with event promoter Feld Motorsports. “Motocross really blew up in 2000, after Carey Hart pulled off the first back flip. Now riders have back-flip variations. The plain old back flip is almost a thing of the past.”
Despite the constant threat of mangled metal and don’t-try-this-at- home behavior, parents and children are filling the seats of motocross events. “This tour is all about the whole family,” Shane says.
Kids will recognize playground classics like “Horse” and “Pig.” But instead of an alley-oop from the 3-point line, motocross athletes blast themselves off 15-foot ramps at 80 miles an hour, dismount, click their heels, check their Twitter accounts, and reach for the handlebars just in time for a safe landing.
Tonight’s show also includes the Moto Trial, a spectacle in which the rider maneuvers his motorcycle up a series of stacked metal cages.
“It’s like walking up steps on a wheelie,” Shane said, “then jumping off the top.”
Still, perilous stunts and technical tricks are not the only stars of the show. Motocross fans will recognize such names as X-Games gold medalist Matt Buyten (a last- minute addition to the bill), along with Dustin Miller, Kenny Bell and Jimmy McGuire.
Tickets for Freestyle Motocross at 7:30 p.m. today at the Pepsi Center are $7-$32 through Ticketmaster. Early birds can enjoy a pre-show pit party at 5:30 p.m. where athletes will meet fans, sign autographs and show off their bikes.
