Dust, the sound of roaring engines and gasoline fumes from the vehicles of more than 100 riders filled the air at Plymouth County Powersports' second annual pit bike race at Diamond MX, Nov. 10.

Diamond MX is a motocross track with dirt paths and various hills and terrain features for riders to traverse. The track has two courses and Sunday's races took place on the smaller of the two with shorter jumps and a slower top speed. Riders were limited to bikes and quads with engines no larger than 125 cubic centimeters.

This year, Plymouth County Powersports added Stacycs to the event, a brand of small electric bike designed for children. By adding Stacycs, the organizers hoped to bring more families out to the event.

Nick Munroe’s three children all competed in the event. Raelyn, 11, and Sheamus, 7, rode gas powered vehicles while Julian, 4, rode a Stacyc.

Munroe said powersports are family tradition.

“It goes back a few generations,” Munroe said. “I’ve been doing it since I was little. I put them all on Stacycs when they were two and they were riding with motors by the time they were three.”

Chuck Kulda owns and operates Plymouth County Powersports in Middleboro. His wife, Jen, organized the pit bike race in partnership with Diamond MX for the first time last year with the goal of growing the sport.

“What I love about it is it gets the little ones out there,” Chuck Kulda said. “They really don’t have a place to experience something like this, watching the little guys on those Stacycs is the best part of my day.”

While children and adults zipped around the small track, riders with engines too powerful to race in the event had a chance to take their vehicles out on the larger course and practice, but did not race.

A new owner purchased the track in 2022 and changed the name from Wareham MX to Diamond MX.

The new name came with changes to the track's operation as well. To make riding safer, Diamond MX stopped hosting races on the large track transitioning the course to practice only.

“Under the new ownership we’re trying to provide a more safe environment,” said Lenny Monroe, Diamond MX track manager. “When you start racing people get a little crazy, and stupid things happen.”

Accidents at the track have resulted in two deaths in recent years, Ava Pioppi, 13, in September 2021 and Colby Lippincott, 14, in June 2024.

Monroe described both accidents as “horrible tragedies” and said safety measures can reduce risk.

“It's an inherently dangerous sport,” Monroe said. “But you can do it the right way, make sure everybody has equipment and make sure there’s nobody that doesn’t belong out there.”

Sunday's races on the small pit bike track went off without a hitch and riders, like the 18-year-old Mark Rogers, still enjoyed practicing on the large course.

Rogers said he comes to Diamond MX almost every weekend and that it was great to see so many people out at the track and attending the event.

“This is the first track I ever went to,” Rogers said. “I've been riding here for a while and it's always a good time to come back to Wareham and just rip.”