Some people have an incredibly interesting story about how they became involved in the industry they are currently in. Randy Poulter is a good example. He is the owner of 903 Excavation and a well-known creator of motocross tracks. Eustace is located approximately an hour south of Dallas, TX.
The company also offers other services such as land clearing, complete clean-up and dirt pads, ponds roads, and grading.
He named his business 903 Excavation because the area code for the company’s location “reminds me of an old racing number that I used to have.”
Poulter, who grew up on a family farm in Prophetstown (IL), began riding dirtbikes at the age of nine. Poulter also operated various types of equipment, including skid steers, and helped out with farm chores.
He recalls: “I built my own track, and it was really good.” “My tracks were better than anyone else’s backyard track.” I could earn a living by building tracks.
Poulter started building a motocross track when he turned 16. At the age of 18, he began traveling to different parts of the United States, making motocross tracks. He is now one of the top motocross track builders in the country.
He explains, “I want to spend as much time with my family as possible, so I am only building dirt tracks for four, five, or even six months per year.” “I’ve been traveling non-stop almost since my children were small.
“I was on the road 300-320 days per year for years. I would bring my family to visit me on occasion. It was extremely challenging.”
Poulter still found time to run Underground MX Park, a motocross park in Kemp, TX. The facility was a premier motocross race track that included an AMA (American Motorcyclist Association), a certified motocross course, a Supercross track professional level, and a Pee Wee track for youth. Since then, he has sold the park.
Dirt Bike Racing: Same but Different
Poulter says that Motocross, Supercross, and Arenacross are all about riding a dirtbike as fast as you can around a dirt track. The rider’s dirt bike and the rider must be in harmony.
He explains that “Arenacross is a smaller version of Supercross, and it’s held inside in arenas.” “Motocross, also known as MX, is usually an outdoor sport with faster tracks and more bumps. Supercross is mostly held in stadiums. “There are few straightaways. It’s jump after leap after jump.”
He adds that riders usually use the same bike to compete in Motocross, Supercross, and Arenacross. They are, however, set up differently depending on which Class they compete in. This includes suspension tuning as well as adjusting the torque curve of the engine.
One-Man Show
Poulter does most of the work himself when he travels to build track, especially the course shaping. He will hire local contractors if he feels he is in need of help. He will bring a crew of two or three men, depending on the complexity and size of the project.
He says, “I am pretty much the lone soldier who makes it happen.”
It can be a challenge to build tracks for dirt bike races. The track must be made after determining the location, calculating the soil required, and deciding on the machinery needed to build the course.
Poulter says that for Supercross and Arenacross, “it’s a one-and-done gig.” He usually starts building the course on Wednesday and hauls all the dirt away on Sunday. He grooms the track after each practice run and also at the end of each day.
We want to make the track very technical, with lots of bumps and jumps. We want to give the riders a fresh start so they can become comfortable and ride as the track develops.
He says that motocross tracks are designed to last years. He prepares the course and maintains each event.
He also builds a private backyard track that is usually used as training for 5 or 6 years before it is leveled. Some owners maintain the track on their own. Some owners will keep track of themselves.
Poulter will not use equipment to construct jumps but instead use it for the construction of dirt pads and grades that are used as the jumping surfaces. We have tried GPS equipment in the past, but the machine blades could not transition from flat to a slope quickly enough.
Combining Motocross Track Building with Racing
Poulter says, “I was born racing, and I raced professionally for 12 years.” “I used to get a lot of criticism at competitions because I built the track and raced on it half the time. They would be furious.
They would accuse me of cheating. I would tell them that a track was a track. I don’t put anything special on the track to make me win. “We all race on the same track.”
Poulter doesn’t ride as much anymore because he is focusing on his family and expanding his 903 Excavation company. “But I still enjoy riding.
“Racing can be a very intense sport. It is also very demanding. You need to have a very fit body. It is nearly impossible to work 80 hours a week or more and still stay in shape. “If you’re not in shape, you will get injured more as you won’t be prepared.”