Hodag BMX prepares to host state championships for first time

Some big events have happened at the Hodag BMX track over the past 26 years, but arguably none bigger than what will take place at the facility adjacent to Rhinelander’s West Side Park this coming weekend.

For the first time Rhinelander will play host to the USABMX’s Wisconsin State Championship races. Riders from around the state and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan will descend on the Hodag City in pursuit of coveted state number plates with the No. 1 on them, signifying they were the best in the state in their age group this season. 

Hodag BMX track operator Robbie Deede said he and the club are excited to show the rest of the state some “northern hospitality” and showcase the facility to hundreds of riders.

“There is a ton of buzz right now,” Deede said prior a weekly event last Monday. “Riders are super excited to be coming up here for the state championship. They see what the volunteers, the crew, and the kids have been doing up here for the last, 10, 15 years now developing a premier race facility, not just in the state, in the midwest, in the country.”

While Hodag BMX holds state championship qualifier races yearly — this year’s for the club took place last month — the state championship itself has typically been held at venues in the southern portion of the state, like Madison (Madtown BMX), Oshkosh (Winnebagoland BMX) and Wisconsin Rapids (Central Wisconsin BMX).

Getting the state finals to Rhinelander took a little bit of opportunistic thinking on Deede’s behalf. The event was originally slated to be held at Madtown BMX, but that club is in the midst of relocating, and Deede said that became a win-win proposal for both clubs.

“They were going to have to give up their state championship. And I said, ‘How about we put on a race to support your move,’” he said. “So rather than, you know, giving up the state championship, we’re sharing it. They’re going to have their crew up here, along with the other tracks, they’re all going to be up here helping. And that’s really what I’m aiming for. Like I said, the camaraderie, the collaboration. We’re trying to build Wisconsin riding here and build up to be one of the best states in the country for BMX racing.”

The three-day weekend will begin with a local race Friday night, though that event will likely draw a larger crowd than normal as other begin to come in and get a feel for Hodag BMX’s three-turn layout that features plenty of jumps, rollers and tabletops. Saturday will be the state finals pre-race and one final chance for riders to earn points prior to the state championship races on Sunday. 

Friday night’s races will begin shortly after 7 p.m. with the weekend races starting shortly after noon. Just like last year’s 25th anniversary celebration, Sunday’s racing will also feature a Pro-Am open competition, where riders will be able to compete for a cash prize. Admission is free for spectators and concessions are available on-site. 

“You can come down and if you’d like watching racing, this is one of (the best), in my opinion,” Deede said. “I’ve been all over the place racing off-road, watching NASCAR, this is one of the most exciting forms of racing. It’s quick, it’s fast, don’t blink or you’ll miss it.”

    James Wergin, right, of Hazelhurst leads Trevor Martin, left, of Rhinelander through the second turn in the 15 Cruiser class during the Badger State Games races at the Hodag BMX track Saturday, Aug. 9. Wergin and Martin currently sit among to top in the state points in that division. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Several local riders will be among those competing for state titles this coming weekend. Through the final state qualifier held Aug. 24 in Oshkosh, Hodag BMX riders held the state points lead in 16 different classes. Some riders, like Antigo’s Lilly Franklin and Hazelhurst siblings Jackson, James and Jayce Wergin, are No. 1 in the state not only on BMX bikes, but also the cruiser division, which feature larger tires and a bigger wheelbase, more similar to a road or mountain bike. The majority of the club’s riders hail from Rhinelander and the surround areas.

“It’s all always a bragging rights thing. We want people to say, ‘Hey, those Hodag BMX kids are fast. Those Northwoods kids are fast.’ That’s something that we’re aiming for,” Deede said. “It’s a bragging rights thing too. There’s definitely a desire to protect the home turf. There definitely is a lot of pride and excitement in having the state championship at your home track.”  

The club has been busy in preparation for the event. The last couple of weeks, it has staged “backward” races at the track, were riders start at the finish line and finish near the starting hill. That’s because the club has been busy installing a new, electronic starting gate at the top of the hill. Deede said the club was able to purchase the gate through the help of the Rhinelander Community Foundation, the Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce and many other donors and sponsors.

“It’s darn near silent. It’s the fastest thing that you can get. And it’s at the pinnacle. The premier facilities in the country are using this technology, and we’re taking state-of-art technology and bringing it here to the Hodag BMX track,” he said.

    Gregory Nyenhust of Deerfield rounds the second corner in the 10 Intermediate class during the Badger State Games races at the Hodag BMX track Saturday, Aug. 9. Like that event, state championship weekend is expected to attract hundreds of riders from around the state and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

While this weekend’s races may be some of the biggest ever for the track, Deede said the club never stops spreading the word about the gem it has hidden in the Northwoods. He hinted that the club is working trying to land an even bigger event in 2026, though details had not yet been finalized. 

“We want to be one of the premier facilities in the country,” he said. “Riders from all over the country, when they’re on vacation, they come to ride. This year we’ve had riders from Florida, California, Texas, Alaska. They come to ride tracks and they’re on vacation. They’re driving through Hodag Country and they got to stop here.”

While events like the state championship draw in people from all over, Deede said he is proud of what the club has done to build and maintain ridership at the local level. This year, in conjunction with sanctioning body USABMX, the club instituted a Beginners League that gave new and young riders a taste of what BMX racing in about before jumping in to weekly races. 

“There’s a learning curve to this sport that we were trying to curb,” Deede explained. “And there’s a lot of stuff to learn before you start racing, and it builds confidence for the riders. You see the riders out here in the gray jerseys. These are all graduates of our beginners league. We just graduated our summer league. And it’s noticeable. Our kids are coming in with a better understanding of what’s going on in racing. They’re ready for their first race night, and it helps me get to know the kids and work with them more on an individual basis. So they’re getting weeks of training camp before they start racing.”

While the state championships are the highlight of the season, they will not be the end of the campaign for the club. The track’s fall series kicks next week and will be held on Fridays through Halloween, excluding Sept. 19. 

Deede said it takes a host of supporters and volunteers to make the track and the club operate as well as they do. 

“This is 100% donation- and volunteer-based. Without them, this wouldn’t happen without our donors and sponsors. This place wouldn’t be as great as it is, and this place is awesome. We have a lot of people investing in their community, investing in this club,” he said.  

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].