July 24, 2017 at 2:28 p.m.
Riders flock to Hodag BMX for doubleheader weekend
Riders flock to Hodag BMX for doubleheader weekend
According to track operator Rob Deede, more than 200 riders took part over the weekend between Friday night's Badger State Games/Race For Life event and Saturday's USABMX Wisconsin State qualifying event.
"It was everything that a BMX race is," Deede said shortly after Saturday's races concluded. "It was fast. It was fun. There were laughs. There were tears. There was drama. Without those things, it wouldn't be a BMX state qualifier. It was everything I expected it to be."
Deede said the track's local contingent, which hale from Rhinelander and surrounding Northwoods communities, fared well.
"For me as a coach and as a track operator, you want to have a very competitive rider core in your community and I saw that," he said. "Our kids are competing in the front. They're winning races. We had several local kids win their classes. We had several kids fighting for the win.
"One of our over-arching principles is I want to see kids trying their hardest and having fun. I'm seeing a lot of kids trying hard and having a lot of fun. That's really what this is all about for us," Deede added.
In addition to being BMX's second appearance in the Badger State Games, Friday night's race was a fundraiser event put on by racing sanctioning body USABMX for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Deede said the track raised about $2,000 from the event, which featured 21 motos, or classes, of racing.
Deede said the track, which was reconfigured last year and added paved turns this year, once again drew positive reviews from riders across the state.
"The general statement that I've heard over and over and over is that this place is getting better and better each year, which is really where we want to be," he said. "We want it getting better constantly, a little better, something new every year."
Deede thanked the participants, spectators, track volunteers and track donors for making the weekend a success.
The track season runs through September with racing on Mondays and select Fridays next month, and Fridays in September.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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