The event is the last public club event of the year and one of the final Midwest flat track events. Saturday was the only day to see the grand national hooligan section, which boasts unlimited engine modification and extreme speeds.

Flying Dutchman Club President Eric Dietz said the first day delivered for the fans.

“Very few hiccups,” he said “We had a couple of people crashed, but nothing too serious. A sprained ankle and a couple of banged-up helmets.”

Around 500 spectators were counted for the first day, which Dietz said was a good crowd for them. On the rider’s side, he said conditions were perfect on track.

Eric Dietz (#74) pumps his fist after narrowly beating Erik Moldenhauer (#16) during a heat race

“Our track prep crew has been perfect,” he said. “It is probably one of the best ones we’ve had.”

Cloud cover made conditions cooler Saturday, while Sunday turned up the heat to mid-80s. Dietz said they have a tanker truck filled with water and a crew who knows the perfect moisture needed to keep the track at peak flat track effectiveness.

“The idea is to keep the track just moist enough so it’s not dusty,” he said. “Once it gets dusty, then it’s not very safe. If it’s too wet, that’s also a problem. There’s a fine line of keeping the right amount of track moisture.”

Many riders camp at the club overnight, as they race on both Saturday and Sunday or come Saturday to race Sunday. This year, the track enlisted The 241s to perform and provide entertainment.

“It keeps people around,” Dietz said. “Everybody’s visiting and having fun, so we might as well entertain them. We like to provide for people.”

Cooper Mindiola (#66) and William Cato Jr. (#35) lead the 50cc Peewee racers off the track after their race ends.

Sunday saw competition separated into divisions based on bike class and age/skill levels. Bike classes range from 50cc to 450cc, with cc being the engine size in cubic centimeters.

While many compete in one division, some enjoy a more heaping helping of racing. Chantel Stephens from Watertown, South Dakota said she enjoys the competition and going fast. This was evident at the end of Sunday, as she placed first in the girls, 85cc, and supermini classes.

In flat track, there are classes specifically for women. All classes are open to anyone as long as they meet requirements.

Stephens, who started at six and is currently nine years old, travels across the Midwest to enter American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) events. This year she’s gone as far as Colorado and Texas. Stephens said it runs in her family, as her dad races cars and her brother started flat track before she did. The family even has their own practice track, which they run on each week.

The hardest category for the up-and-comer was supermini. It’s an open class that pits riders with bikes ranging from 85-140cc against each other. With her only bike being an 85cc, Stephens stood at a disadvantage. She said getting the hole shot, being the first person to enter turn one, was a big key to her success.

If all that wasn’t hard enough, it was her first time riding in the category. Stephens said she jumped into it because she wanted to have even more competition.

The only complaint Stephens had was she wished it had been a little cooler out. She will be looking to carry her momentum to the final race of her season in Wisconsin.

New Ulm’s Jacob Howk won the 50cc DTX SR class and finished second in the 50cc DTX Peewee class, Madelia’s Artie Dietz won the 65cc class and New Ulm’s Brody Stadick finished second, and Madelia’s Eric Dietz placed first in the Maddog class.