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News
News
CRYSTAL FALLS- The summer of 2023 marks a milestone year for a local racetrack hidden just south of Crystal Falls, off US-2. Valley Raceway, which is currently owned and operated by the Uren family, is celebrating 25 years of hosting events. Valley Raceway was opened by Sally Wiggins, with the help of current owners, Chuck and Belle Uren, and sister Lisa.
They got start up help from local club enthusiasts as they did not have a racing background in the early days. The facility has evolved from hosting country concerts and mud drags, along with one snocross race to holding dirt bike races. Chuck and Belle currently operate the facility, along with their sons, Eric (Jessica) and Ethan (Cemone). The success of the raceway has only been made possible with the help of close and extended family, along with countless volunteers and club members throughout the years. A unique thing about Valley Raceway is that the track is nestled into the fields of the working family cow and horse farm.
Valley Raceway currently hosts weekend motocross events during the summer which draw in hundreds of racers and their families. Motocross races include riders of all age and skill levels. Racers can begin to participate in these events as young as four years old, and there is a senior +50 age class for those whom are still involved in the sport.
Valley Raceway is part of American Motorcycle Association’s (AMA) District 16, which is made up of race tracks in Upper Michigan and Wisconsin to form a racing circuit. In past years Valley Raceway was also part of a smaller series called Northern Route MX and currently part of the Superior MX series. These series are made up of a select few tracks that are within District 16. Within these circuits and series racers earn points that go towards a year end overall total and awards.
In past years, the track has also hosted many different disciplines of dirt bike events. In 2010, they held seven Friday night races under the lights. In other years, they have held hare scramble events which involve riders racing on both the motocross track and trails that zig-zag through the woods.
Weekend of Aug. 26 - 27, the double header event (back-to-back two days of racing) had 250 racer entries on Saturday and almost as many on Sunday. In attendance was local rider Anthony Tarsi of Iron River. Tarsi has been racing motocross since 2010 and Valley Raceway was the very first race track he competed on. Tarsi said that he started racing in the Friday night series and by the following summer he began racing full time and continues to do so each summer. Tarsi competes in the Masters +25 and 250 classes, these classes are based off age, bike size and skill level.
Eric Uren, whom is also a skilled motocross racer of 21 years, has taken on a big part of the roll of promoting and hosting these events in recent years. He receives ample help from Chuck and Ethan preparing the track and keeping it groomed and safe for riders during race weekend. Belle and other family members help keep the day running smoothly taking care of behind the scene tasks. It truly takes a village to make a weekend event successfully happen. Uren says his favorite part of promoting these events is “Seeing families together making memories”. Valley Raceway has wrapped up its dirt bike events for this year, but will welcome racers, their families and friends back next summer for more motocross action. Racing event schedules come out early in the year and all racing events are open to the public to come and spectate. They are also coming full circle to their early beginnings as Ethan Uren now puts on mud drag events on the same grounds.