BMX bike racers from across Texas plunged down the roller-coaster-steep incline of the enormous track at Rockstar Energy Bike Park on Saturday, picking up speed as they prepared to fly over the undulating hills.

“It’s an amazing track,” said Kim Beebe, resting in a rare patch of shade with her son Bennett, 6, and his bike. Since Bennett began racing in November, they’ve gone full in, joining the circuit of events that makes up the Texas BMX scene. They’ve visited the Houston track five times, Kim said. “Maybe six. We’ve done a lot of races.”

Bennett was excited to compete on the track where U.S. Olympics star Connor Fields had trained. But Kim shuddered, remembering the spill that Fields took in the Tokyo Olympics: After his front wheel landed on a competitor’s back wheel, Fields was thrown face-first onto the ground. He suffered a brain hemorrhage and a broken rib.

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