SPRINGVILLE -- John Adams of Goshen has raced in Moto-Cross events for years, but now he just does it for fun.
Near 40 with graying temples, Adams was racing Saturday in what he described as the "old man's class" for dirt bikers older than 30. "I used to race seriously years ago, but now it's just for fun," he said."It's fun at this age, especially. When I was younger it was all about winning." But the rush remains.
Adams rode his Honda CR 250 in the season opener for the Utah State Racing Association at the partially refurbished Thunder Mountain Raceway, formerly the Suntana Raceway.
Mike Barnes of Salt Lake City acquired the 52-acre race track in July and has been transforming it into a family-oriented motor sports event center. More than nine acres of newly designed track are devoted to dirt bike racing where the first sanctioned event of the USRA took place Saturday and Sunday.
"We want to be the Lagoon of family motor sports," said Barnes. Already the track has hosted stock car racing and a Shriners and United Way benefit race for handicapped and economically disadvantaged children.
"The stock car racing was done to give drivers faith this place was going to exist," Barnes said.
Saturday's event was the first dirt bike race on the track since it was redesigned. "It's a little smushy and hard to ride, but it'll get better with racing. It's a new track," said Eldon Clark, 17, of West Valley after a practice run.
"But it's a great track and a good layout. It just needs to get beat in." Early in the practice session one rider was carted off by ambulance to the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center with a broken femur.
He tumbled off his motorcycle when it caught the soft dirt on a landing from the "table top," a high jump in front of the newly constructed announcer's tower. Another bike came down on top of him, said Tim Hunsaker, representing USRA sanctioned events. Racing officials deemed the hill unsafe and closed it down. Safety is an important issue at the track, Hunsaker said.
Injuries are an accepted part of the sport, but despite the risk, hundreds of people flocked to Thunder Mountain Raceway to participate and watch the event. All had to sign an insurance waiver at the gate.
More than 500 riders from five mountain states signed up to race.
"It's a lot of fun," said Troy Furse of West Jordan. A rider for six years, he's broken a collar bone, two ribs and a wrist, but his 3-year-old son is getting his first bike this summer, he said. The child's mother is a little nervous about that, he admitted.
"There's nothing like the adrenaline of sitting on the starting line with 20 other bikes waiting for the gate to drop," he said. As for the danger, "you can get hit walking across the street." Youngsters under five have their own racing class, but Furse's son will have to wait until he turns eight, his father said.
Now open four days a week, the motor park will expand to five days year round soon and will give enthusiasts a place to ride. Some 70 events are scheduled this season including races for stock cars, sprint cars, super modified and vintage race cars, in addition to motorcycle races. Barnes has also scheduled drivers who years ago raced in the Indianapolis 500 to race vintage cars in July. That will be a national event, he said.
"We want to gear this thing for kids from two to 80." Monster truck shows and 200-lap late model car races are also on tap. "People really love that kind of action," Barnes said. A stock car racer for five years, he sees the popularity and national growth of motor sports a boon to Utah and especially Utah County. "Utah is ready for this. This is the No. 1 spectator sport in America, so why not Utah?"
Thunder Mountain Raceway may see as many as 500,000 ticket sales this year, said Robert Gibson, director of advertising and promotion. Auto racing tickets will run about $10 each, and discount passes will be available. Local businesses may also benefit more than the track, he said.