Thrills, spills of motocross attract crowds at fair

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Tyler Terrell (452) of New Carlisle competes at the American MX motocross races at the Clark County Fair on Monday, July 27, 2009. Staff Photo by Barbara J. Perenic

Barbara J. Perenic Tyler Terrell (452) of New Carlisle competes at the American MX motocross races at the Clark County Fair on Monday, July 27, 2009. Staff Photo by Barbara J. Perenic

60 local riders competed at the Clark County Fairgrounds.

Staff Writer Updated 8:01 AM Tuesday, July 28, 2009

By Michael Cooper

SPRINGFIELD — Cole Houseman couldn’t put into words what he felt after just his second motocross race.

Houseman, a 7-year-old second grader at South Vienna Elementary school, finished fifth in the 50cc Micro 4-6 class of the Ohio County Fairs Motocross Championship at the Clark County Fairgrounds on Monday, July 27.

He loved the speed, the turns, the whoops, the rhythm section — everything.

“It was just awesome,” Houseman said.

Houseman was one of 60 local racers to compete in the tour’s stop in Springfield.

The series saw about 250 riders on both Sunday and Monday with great local turnout, said American Motorsports owner and promotor Matt Eastman.

“It’s real good,” Eastman said. “We don’t do any races in Dayton anymore, so this is really our draw for the Cincinnati and Dayton area.”

The series has 26 rounds and travels all over the state to different county fairs. There were 27 races on Monday with 24 classes of both bikes and quads with ages ranging from 4 to 40.

The acrobatic jumps and speed are what help draw riders and spectators, Eastman said.

“The thrill and the spills and the air,” Eastman said. “We’ve been established since the mid ’80s and we’ve established quite a following.”

The sport is also gaining a large following in the area.

Matt Hardacre, 19, and his brother Nick, 21, both Shawnee High School graduates, have been riding dirt bikes for 10 years.

“It’s fun, exciting,” Nick said. “You get your adrenaline pumping.”

Both said the sport is gaining steam locally compared to when they started riding.

“It’s gotten huge,” said Nick, a professional who rides in the American Motorcyclist Association Arenacross Series. “A long time ago, if you asked someone if they rode dirt bikes, no knew what they were about. Now all my friends ride.

“It’s definitely growing. You used to have one or two kids riding at each school, but now there’s a bunch. It’s awesome.”

Motocross isn’t just for the boys. Kenton Ridge sophomore Sara Hastings, 15, rides in the women’s 12-and-up class.

She said she got into the sport through her father, Mark, three years ago.

She races about 20 times a year and doesn’t mind competing in a male-dominated sport. She won her first race in Franklin County a few weeks ago.

“It’s fun,” Hastings said. “Everyone looks at you when you come in the gate, They’re like ‘Aww, you’re racing.’ ”

Houseman also plays basketball and baseball, but said riding a dirt bike is “way different” than playing team sports. He was more than pumped after the race.

“It was pretty cool,” Houseman said. “I loved it. I think I can do it again.”

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