Arizona Cycle Park

Arizona Cycle Park, known to most riders as ACP, is a six-track motocross park on South 279th Avenue in Buckeye, on the far west side of the Phoenix metro. The tracks are carved into a 40-acre pit that drops 40 to 60 feet below the desert floor, which gives the layouts real elevation in a part of Arizona that is otherwise flat, and the park bills itself as the Southwest's home for motocross, SMX and nights under the lights.

The National Championship MX Track is the headliner: almost two miles long and 28 feet wide, with loamy soil, sand, elevation changes, step-ups, off-camber turns, jumps and rhythm sections, built for experienced riders. The SMX / Vet Track is the faster, friendlier alternative for intermediate riders and up, with fresh jumps, quick corners and new uphill and downhill sections. The Old School / Peewee Track is a 1970s-style scrambles layout for vintage bikes, play bikes and kids learning on 50s and 65s, and the youth-only Minicross Track scales an arenacross layout down for 50cc to 85cc riders, with doubles, whoops, bowl turns, flat turns and a tabletop finish. A private-level Supercross Track is reserved for qualified pros with credentials (plus scheduled SX practice days), and single-track riding is available at selected times with prior permission.

Open practice runs Saturday and Sunday from 7 AM to noon on the National, SMX/Vet, Minicross and Old School tracks, and practice closes on race days, so check the schedule on arizonacyclepark.com before you load up. MX practice is $40 cash or $45 card, peewee riders on the Minicross Track pay $20 cash or $25 card, and SX practice days run $60 cash or $65 card. It is bikes only, remove kickstands before you enter, and every rider needs a full-face helmet, goggles, MX boots, gloves, MX pants and a long-sleeve shirt, with knee guards and a chest protector strongly suggested. The pits are 5 mph, pit vehicles need a permit, there is no alcohol, entry requires the facility waiver, and there are no refunds.

The race calendar is one of the busiest in the West. ACP hosts the Amateur Open of Supercross, the AMA Arizona Open of Motocross, the Arizona State Championship with the Loretta Lynn's Southwest Area Qualifier, the four-round SMX Saturday Motocross series (no membership, two motos, best six motos score), the CopperState Classic night races on the National, Cactus State MX in the winter, the Buckeye Grand Prix off-road race and the Buckeye Drags. Race weekends offer camping, for example $10 per campsite at the CopperState Classic. Questions go to 623-853-0750 or [email protected].