We’re in the main parking lot at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. But, there are no cars parked here Friday. The fairgrounds has been turned into a venue for the biggest extreme sports event in the world, the X Games.
As rap music blares in the background, motorcycles are flying through the dirt and up a ramp, soaring into the air. Before they land on a second ramp, the cyclists come off of their seats to do wild stunts, in what’s known as the Moto X competition.
Taka Higashio is from Japan. He's been competing in the X Games Moto X competition for nearly two decades.
What it like being here? "Awesome," said Higashio. "This is my 18th year in a row in the X Games." He's won three gold medals during his career.
This is the second year the X Games has come to Ventura. Pro athletes come from all over the world to compete in everything from extreme skateboarding to the Moto X categories. It attracted 50,000 spectators last year. The three day long event has expanded parts of the fairgrounds it uses this year, to better handle the crowds. It now includes the massive parking lot in front of the fairgrounds main gate.
"We have twice the footprint size that we had last year.," said Valerie Ryan, who is the Vice President of Hospitality and Fan Experience for the X Games.
"Now, it's spread out. We've also added music. You get to see 10 free musical performances on our X Games stage. You also have more concessions, and more shade," said Ryan.
They’ve redesigned venues for events like skateboarding so you don’t have to be in a grandstand area to see the action. There’s a VIP area, with a huge lounge that’s like a luxury box at a baseball game. But, perhaps one of the biggest addition is more competitive events.
They've added more categories for women.
Ryan says they’ve also included a number of demonstration events, to give people more to watch. For instance, there are professional roller skaters and professional single wheeled skateboarders.
One big change this year is because of the expansion of the venue into some parking areas, there is no parking this weekend at the fairgrounds.
People driving have to park off site, and use free shuttles. Parking areas include the Ventura County Government Center, the Pacific View mall, and Oxnard High School.
There's also bus service being offered to the fairgrounds.
The Amtrak Surfliner has expanded service. It has a stop at the fairgrounds. Metrolink, which normally doesn’t serve as far west as the fairgrounds, is adding special service over the weekend.
The Games will once again put Ventura in the national media spotlight. ESPN is televising some events and ABC will do five hours of live coverage a day on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. daily.
The X Games run through Sunday.
