2025 Dirt Diaries

Tulsa’s November chill whisps through the trees, an empty parking lot rests, and a clean slate waits in silent anticipation. These are the 2025 Dirt Diaries. 

The Start

Friday, November 14th, 2025

The rumble of diesel engines, the gritty smell of dirt floating in the air, and a blank slate waiting for Billy Allen and Lance McGuire, day one of the USA BMX Grand National track build is here. While most are gearing up for the weekend, the crew inside the SageNet Center starts their work week hauling dirt and laying the first buckets of what will become the 2025 Grand National track. 

While it’s not the most exhilarating day on the Grands floor, it is the most important, with each square foot of dirt playing its part towards a new line in the BMX History books.

Strong Bones

Saturday, November 15th, 2025

There's something sexy about watching machines move soil. Saturday’s work rolled with the day one momentum and began to build the track’s bones with the first few jumps of the build. Lance, tasked with the first straight, and Billy, tasked with the second, the two loaders stacked and packed for the majority of the day. 

Let's start with Lance. The power-hour straight looks to be a pedaler manualer’s dream. With a camelback (Step-up, Step-down) built for quick pedal just 55 feet from the gate. Be ready for packs to bang ‘bows and hunt for the edge into the flat. Waiting for them 30 feet after the first jump, a roller-table. Very similar to what fans saw in Phoenix just a few weeks back, the jump into turn one could be a tech or boost for some, and taunts Jeff Upshaw to give the pull on a try.

Over to the boss, Billy Allen. Shaping in turn two and stacking dirt for the Pro and Amateur straights to come together, a big double sets riders up into the TULSA turn. The plan for the Am straight goes like this: double, step up, dogleg roller, little double, and finishing with the big double into the turn.

As the Midwest sunset started to peak into the SageNet, the media team (Me) took our leave, excited to see what is waiting for all of you on Sunday Morning.

Broken Loader Blues

Sunday, November 16th, 2025

What makes a builder sad? A loader that won’t turn over. That’s exactly what Sunday had in store for Billy Allen, going from Big Bucket Billy to Broken Bucket Billy in an instant. Luckily, Dustin McGuire rolled in on day three to keep the momentum alive, smoothing and shaping what Billy and Lance had dumped and packed.

Massaging the starting hill into its final form, the 15-degree gate and hill are now ready for their finishing touches: trussing and Andy Conte’s safety gate. While Dustin continues to work his magic, the Pro Straight begins to take shape, piled, packed, and coming alive. From the first turn to the right side of the split straight, the layout goes like this: setup double, roller, a 34-foot gap jump, then the big double shared by both straights as riders charge into the Tulsa turn.

With the dirt pile shrinking fast, the final big job of the day becomes the tight third turn. Tucked inside the infield of turn one, Billy fires up the backup loader and starts dumping, keeping a sharp eye on the dwindling pile. With just one turn and two straights left to sculpt, the heavy machinery is almost done, perfect timing, as the shovelheads roll into Tulsa to rake, pack, and prep everything for your fast-lap needs.

Shovelheads on Site

Monday, November 17, 2025

Remember that dirt pile from yesterday? Yeah, that’s gone. But don’t worry, a fresh 500 yards of dirt is already on the way.

As the loaders wrap up the second half of the track, the Shovelheads jump into action: rake, smooth, pack, repeat. Working their way down the first straight, the crew makes quick work of the initial pass, gearing up for the first of three rotations and the daunting challenge of the first turn.

The Shovelhead Crew: Jackson Elliot, Cole Baxter, Greg Scott, Tyler “Tonka” Chapek, Riley Peetz, Paul Moore, Paul Moore Sr.

Throughout the week, most of the crew will bounce from straight to straight, tackling whatever needs refinement. Meanwhile, Jackson, Cole, and Paul will lock in on the turns, making sure every carve, pedal, and move holds strong for the 2025 Grand National.