Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
I'm not sure the equestrian model translates. The challenge will be potential liability around human changes to natural terrain - what track isn't built these days - and managing operations in terms of risk management with lots of people on site.
This does not protect you from litigation. Virtually every lawsuit involving an injured rider and a track/facility owner involves allegations of gross negligence and/or willful conduct. It is how they get around the liability waivers. Whether or not something constitutes gross negligence is going to up to a judge and/or jury and that judge and that jury won't know squat about mx. Everything we do on an mx bike at an mx track is batshit crazy to a judge and/or jury so what you think of as gross negligence at your track is very likely going to differ significantly from what the fact finders think of as gross negligence.
I have had moto dads come into the shop, driving a new $750k RV and not gonna pay $3k for a pw50. "My boy is the next big thing" give us free stuff! It gets old fast.
Not really concerned about that as I mentioned in Fresh top ends post I have a core group of people that have proved themselves over the years to be honest authentic folks. There have been injuries over the years but so far no issues. I know none of these folks will sue at least I'm very confident of that nor tell their ins where they were injured.
No point in living in fear I'll take my chances I've made it 10 years so far. Life's a gamble roll the dice.
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Free shipping: VITALMX
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
They don't have to sue. Their insurance company will do it for them. The only way Recreation-Access laws will insulate you from litigation is if you don't charge anything for access. That doesn't work for an actual racetrack.
Correct, and this was the blanket the industry tried hiding Rich Taylor under.
When I did my hand and thumb in two years ago at DITD down south, I got calls non stop from my insurance company asking every kind of detail about the event I was at, waivers I signed, details of the course etc. The first 2 times they called the pain meds were really doing their job and I didn’t even think it was real. The third time I was coherent enough and just told them I signed a waiver, walked the course beforehand and acknowledged the risk before participating in the event. Never heard anything ever again.
True as I don't charge anything for access. Works for me and others who may like to do what I'm doing but a racing facility, no won't work there in current form but change can happen if enough folks want it to.
Well, let me introduce you to the mountain biking community...
You aren't operating a race track. A race track requires money to operate. A responsible race track requires insurance.
Correct as I have stated it's a practice track. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Day passes for lift MTB is pretty dang steep too.
See what I did there😏😂
Rolling the dice with your buddies is all well and good, but you held out these statutes as being a magic bullet to fix the issues facing track owners. Unfortunately, it is more complex than that and most people are not willing to put their personal assets at risk to let 15-20 folks ride on their property. If that property is in your name and not an LLC or other shell company then every other thing you own is at risk if get sued and lose. That's just not a risk most people are willing to take and it has nothing to do with living in fear.
Doesn’t archview have club-ish aspects like volunteer labor and other stuff?
This subject was never about you and your situation.
"Change can happen if enough people want it to."
No, it can't. A proper racetrack can't pay for itself with your business model.
Nah, they should be living in fear. What they’re describing could very likely fall outside § 33‑1551, which is a narrow immunity statute. If it doesn’t apply, they are fully exposed with no real leverage.
You Should have just said you hurt yourself on yourMTB in your backyard. If you say you were at a race, the more info you give them is ammo for them to sue on your behalf.
You’re right, I just didn’t know how it had all worked until the LACR stuff and then I started piecing together what they were doing. Next time it’ll be that I fell off the ladder painting my house 👍🏻
I live in Florida and have raced all over the US and practiced all over along the way. On a practice day, the spectator always pays to get in the gate. Normally $10-15.00 depending on the track. The only time this does not apply, is if you go to a private facility. Any public track charges, they always have for as long as I can remember. If they are not charging, they are doing it wrong and I am sure it isn't helping their business. Spectators should be happy to pay to come in and watch to entertain themseleves for the day or evening. If it's a parent or family member they are there to support their rider and they also get the entertainment of watching others and having an activity to do. You don't get into a movie theater for free, why should you get into a race track free? Pay the money, support the tracks. If $10-15.00 is to much for you, take up T ball or Football.
Pit Row
Paid $20/night to camp at a track last weekend, the only amenity was porta johns. Not complaining as I know a track doesn’t make much, but think $20/weekend for camping would be more reasonable if you don’t have flush bathrooms and showers. And yes there was still a $10/person gate fee.
I believe if rider is a minor, parent should'n be charged
There are plenty of us who don't drive $80k trucks, etc...
Family of 4, me and my two kids ride and my wife comes to watch. $160!! Ouch. Yeah. It's hard to go very often. I usually just end up going by myself. $50. Plus $5 process fee if using a card.
It would be nice if places had family discount. But I understand tons of people would just abuse it. If everyone actually paid when they go to tracks, they might not have to charge as much. I'm sure lots of people sneak someone in.
Creates a barrier to entry for people who want to scope out an easy grab.
I’d be fine with a fee if as mentioned every rider is allowed one guest for emergency
It’s like charging a deposit in a small business, weeds out the problem customers real quick
*Crashed my bicycle in the insurance company's parking lot
Post a reply to: Tracks charging spectator fees