AMSOIL Arenacross brings dirt bike racing to Tulsa's BOK
BY NOUR HABIB World Scene Writer
Thursday, January 24, 2013
1/24/13 at 5:52 AM
Nowata resident Cory Green has been riding dirt bikes since he was 5. And he's been racing since age 7.
Green, now 23, will be competing at the AMSOIL Arenacross event when it comes to the BOK Center this weekend.
Green, who has competed in other motorcycle racing events, began racing in Arenacross after seeing one of the events on TV in 2005. He says he enjoys the experience.
"It kind of takes your mind off things," he said. "It's something that, if you work hard for, just like anything else, you get the rewards that comes from hard work."
Because the track is smaller and narrower at Arenacross events than at other racing events, racers often brush past each other on the course.
"It's always super tight racing," he said. "You gotta be pretty aggressive ... It gets pretty exciting."
Through his years of racing, Green has had multiple injuries.
"I broke both femurs, both arms, both wrists, both shoulders - everything pretty much twice," he said.
But despite the roughness and inherent risk of the sport, Green keeps coming back.
"I kind of grew up learning that if you're doing something you love and you get hurt, you just get back up and wipe the dirt off and go again," he said.
To stay in shape, Green tries to go to the gym every day and ride every day. He built a couple of tracks on his parents' land in Nowata to help him practice.
"Basically I built it with a dozer and a Bobcat, similar to how they do it at the actual race," he said.
Each year he rebuilds the tracks, basing them off real race track sections that were difficult for him.
"That way when I get to the tracks, there is nothing new and I'm already ready for it," he said.
His parents always attend his races - his father is his mechanic - as well as his sister when she can.
"It's always been kind of a family deal and kept our family close," he said.
Audiences enjoy the event because there is never a dull moment, Green said.
"A lot of people like the excitement of seeing people crash," he said. "No one wants to see anybody get hurt, but a lot of people go to see that stuff.
"And another reason is just everything is so tight and the racing is so close. You don't have to just watch the leader to be excited. You can watch the guys battling for last place and it's still a really good race."
AMSOIL Arenacross
Where: BOK Center, 200 S. Denver
When: 7 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday
Tickets: $22-$32, available at tulsaworld.com/bok, the Arby's Box Office at the BOK Center, or by calling 1-866-726-5287
Original Print Headline: Super tight racing
Nour Habib 918-581-8369
nour.habib@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
AMSOIL Arenacross event comes to the BOK Center this weekend. Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
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