A few quick tips for taking good action shots. With any average type digi camera.
1. Turn off auto-focus, focus on something that is the same distance from your camera that your subject WILL be.
2. Follow your subject until it gets into your focus "sweet spot" and take the picture. Pan your camera to follow the subject as it passes. This will keep the subject sharp and blurr the background, giving the pic a sense of speed.
3. Unless you have a bitchen camera, don't expect good action shots on any day other than the sunniest of days.
4. For non-action shots, hold the camera as still as possible.
Here are some of the motocross shots I've taken.
http://www.campkevin.com/Cool%20Photos.html