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Dedicated racers and leisurely riders have a track to share in Northeastern Wisconsin, and they share in the maintenance and promotion of it, too. Unless the Sports & Competition Track in Denmark, Wisconsin is hosting an AMA District 16 motocross and quad race, the winding track is open to its 90 members and occasionally for everyone else.
Track President George Tabalske joined in 1971.”You’ve got to join to be a member,” he explained. “$300 your first year, goes down to $100 after that for nine years and after you’re a 10-year member it goes to 50, and when you’re a 20-year member it goes down to ten. And there’s not too many people who made ‘er that long.”
The club’s first event was in 1968, which Tabalske said makes the Denmark Track Wisconsin’s oldest. “The guys that actually own the property, they started the club in 1968 and they bought that prop in 1971. So their first three years of racing were on a different piece of property.”
The track is constantly changing as improvements and expansions get completed. Out-of-town riders give it passing marks and say it’s a very natural track that resembles those in the Outdoor National races on ESPN.
Tabalske said at least 200 competitors need to come to cover expenses at a race, and that they’ll find the Denmark Track doesn’t totally adhere to the classes set up by AMA District 16. They’ll smell the burgers and chicken sandwiches cooking at the Chow Stand and they’ll be able to see almost every spectator from most of the track. Tall rounded hills give great views of the track and the surrounding countryside. The hills separate the parking and pit areas from the crowds and the track. Well-designed access roads let the riders get ready for each moto and then leave the track without running into pedestrians.
For the daily riders it’s a controlled environment to learn and improve. On a typical day the buzz in circles with no flags or grooming. Often the club organizes days to keep the water hoses running and the flags flying. “Usually once a week we try yo get a group of people together and do something like that. You had to have five six flaggers because you’d have 15 people out there riding. Other than that it’s come and ride it like it is. It’ll be dusty,” he said.
“We’re open for riding every day except for Monday. You can ride Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until dark. On the days that it’s open to the public, visitors pay $20 for a day of riding. The track is open April 1 until October 31.
Track Vice President Jerry Walton has been a member three years, and enjoys riding his 125 RX dirt bike alone or riding 50s with his 7-year-old son. “I’m going to have to jump on an 85 to keep up with him,” he laughed.
All age groups are present on a riding day, he said. “Riders are anywhere from 6 to 50 years old.” A track membership extends to an entire family until the children turn 21. Members help run the races and some learn how to learn the grooming equipment. Everybody starts out by picking rocks off the track, and some help more than others. “It’s a mandatory 12 work meetings every year for the first ten years,” said Walton.
The work keeps the track in top form and the support buildings running. Tabalske said people complain about erosion, “But they don’t see that we added 118 loads of dirt, too.” Mostly the track is clay. “We’ve had some dust issues,” said Tabalske. “A lot of us club members are going to get together soon and try to figure out how to handle it. We’ll add some dirt to some sections. Topsoil would be ideal. I’m not sure if that’s going to fly. We used to add wood chips all the time. We haven’t done that for two years now. It all comes down to money.”
Riders can visit http://sportsandcompetition.com/ or call 920-863-3598 to learn when the track is open to the public.
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