MOTOCROSS RACING: Ready to fire up the engines again ... Fairgrounds to host Arenacross event this weekend

By JASON ELLIOTT 

Sports writer 

When it comes to motorcycle racing in Kootenai County, the coming weeks at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds are what riders have been waiting for all year. 

This Friday and Saturday, MRP Racing will present an Arenacross and Freestyle racing show in Coeur d'Alene starting at 7 p.m. both nights. 

Arenacross racing will feature riders going over obstacles, jumps and berms. 

"It's all dirt obstacles," McAlister said. "There's going to be a lot of bar banging and close quarter racing. It's a little different than the Enduro guys. Both will have a lot of bar banging, but the Enduro guys, the speeds are lower." 

Endurocross, which will be held on July 24-25, features obstacles with rocks, and wooden ramps. 

"The interest was good, but it takes a lot of work to get things set up," said Chaun McAlister of MRP Racing, who is organizing both events. "It takes a lot of orchestrating to get log truck and water features set up. We've got more manpower now, and the fairgrounds is more accepting of it. There's a lot of debris that goes into the fairgrounds for the Enduro race, so it's important that we get it out. It's labor intensive." 

It is the 29th straight year the event has been held in Coeur d’Alene. 

"Next year is going to 30 years straight we've done this," said McAlister, who also owns and operates Big 4 Motorsports. "I was born and raised doing motorcycle stuff and racing myself. A lot of my friends, and everyone that owns shops across town, we're all vying for the same customers. It's really good for everyone's business." 

McAlister estimates over 200 riders will compete in the Arenacross event this weekend. 

"There's a lot of really good riders in this area," McAlister said. "A lot of enthusiasts around here, and they get a chance to showcase what they've been talking about all year long. If they're good, and they think they're good, they get to show it this weekend." 

"Our pre-entries are off the chart," McAlister said. "We're going to end up doing some qualifying and we've got pros from Arizona and Texas coming here." 

The professional prize purse is $10,000, along with custom trophies to the winners. 

“We’ve had 3-year-olds race,” McAlister said. “We’ve had the smallest class is a 0-6 year-old class. All the amateur riders, not just the pull the bike out of the barn guys. These guys are chasing a dream.” 

Tickets are $20 for children age 4 to 12. Those 13 and above are $25. 

Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. both nights.

“We’ll have a 75-foot ramp for the freestyle riders at the start of the night and during intermission,” McAlister said. “Get here early because there’s no doubt it’s going to be packed.” 

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Racers will compete for these trophies during the annual Arenacross motorcycle racing event this Friday and Saturday at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in Coeur d'Alene.