Just curious to what extent is really necessary after riding the sand track as far as cleaning goes.

You literaly have to take apart every pivot point to get the sand out including pegs, shift lever linkage etc. I do a good cleaning everytime but never seam to get it all out. The other problem I have ran into is I have got sand so far up the breather tube in my old bike that it ended up in the motor, I think from going through sand puddles. I never has a problem but its really a pain to spend 5 hours with an oil change and bike cleaning after every ride.

I neer ride my thumper in the dunes for this very reason. If it is a sand track closed course race, then wheels, linkage, soak the chain in gas.

then hit the steering and swing arm for normal maintenance (3-4 times a year).

That's my routine and I have not had any abnormal wear.

I assume your talking about the sand from lonview mx? I just clean it like I do every other time with simple green and a pressure washer.

I ride in a lot of river sand in our summer. After inspecting my linkages, foot pegs, gear shifter and so on, I'd don't find (our Sydney) sand is much of a problem. It's not a real fine sand though. Average 1mm grains I suppose. When new I mega packed my linkage and swing arm bearings in Bel-Ray grease, and when I re-checked in there recently I thought "why did I bother". I use a dry metal treatment "lube" (MFR) on my RK O-ring chain with superprox sprocket, and after 25+ hrs and maybe 5 of those hrs in sand, I've never had to tighten the chain up. I just check my carb boots look secure then cautiously pressure wash after riding as usual. I blast the pegs and gear shifter clean and flick them to help clean them, and then WD40 everything after. I've not dropped the left handlebar in the sand (yet). If I did I guess I'd have to disconnect my hot starter cable on both ends and clean it out. The clutch lever and cable I clean and re-lube quite regularly.