Reaching new heights

Jamie Doran

Valley Press

This past weekend 275 motocross riders filled the Sanders County Fair Grounds as they took part in a state-sanctioned motocross race put on by Ron Warren and through the High Country Motocross Association.

Warren said they did not put on a state-sanctioned race last year, but did the year before and this was the third time that Plains has hosted a HCMA state-sanctioned race.

There were 35 different classes that racers could compete in based on their skill level and distance.

Warren said there were two racers from Sanders County who participated in the HCMA race, Cody Wilke and Warren’s son Jesse.

Wilke competed in the 125 and 150 junior races and Warren was scheduled to compete in three different classes, but he had an unfortunate accident on one of his very first laps around the track.

“He broke his leg,” Warren said. “There were 275 riders and they average approximately 20 laps a piece, and Jesse was the only one to get hurt like that,” Warren said.

Luckily, the injury wasn’t too severe and Warren explained that all of the riders wear really good protective gear to help keep them safe in case there is an accident.

Warren said that his son was ranked in first place in two classes in the state and second in one and he was about to move up to the pro-level before his accident.

However, he said the accident will give his son a much needed break, as this was his 16th weekend so far this year that he spent racing.

“Now he’s just hoping it heals up before football season,” Warren said.

Other than his son breaking his leg, Warren said the event went really well and he felt that it was a great success.

He said that he has to petition to get a state-sanctioned race to come to Plains, and he’s not sure if he’ll do one for next year.

“We have until January to file our petition, so I’ve got some time to think about it,” Warren said. “It is a whole lot of work, so we’ll see if we do it next year.”

While not state-sanctioned races, the Plains motocrossers participate in several events over the course of the year. There was a spring series and an event on the Fourth of July.

There is an upcoming event that will take place over Labor Day weekend in conjunction with the Sanders County Fair and there will also be a fall series, but Warren said they haven’t quite gotten the schedule set for that yet.