Cycletown? Heartland Park adding cycle eventsCycletown?

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Aug 21, 2008

If you love motorcycles, you're going to have plenty of opportunities to love Heartland Park Topeka.

HPT beefed up its 2008 schedule with motorcycle events on its road course, dirt track and drag strip, a trend that is likely to continue as owner Raymond Irwin puts together the track's schedule for '09.

"We've found that it costs less to run motorcycles,'' Irwin said during last weekend's MOTO-ST Series motorcycle endurance event at Heartland Park. "It costs a lot of money to run a car. Whether it's drag or dirt or whatever, it costs a lot of money.

"It's a little less cost to do this (race motorcycles) and the motorcycle market is growing very fast in this country, and the world for that matter.''

Irwin's plan is for Heartland Park to capitalize on that growth.

"We see it as being great potential for us from a racing standpoint and for fans coming out and watching events, too,'' he said.

"We have some ideas and some thoughts on how to take this thing forward.''

The American Motorcyclist Association's famed Grand National Flat Track Series competed on HPT's dirt track on July 4 and will return for its season finale on Oct. 4.

The MOTO-ST Series made its first appearance at HPT over the weekend and is likely to return in 2009.

"The MOTO-ST (Series) is leaving here this weekend just extremely ecstatic about the facility and the capability or running whatever they want to bring out here,'' Irwin said.

The growth of motorcycle events is likely to figure prominently as Irwin and his staff finalize the 2009 schedule.

"In the past (the schedule was put together) maybe a little later in the season than this, but I've been pushing my people very hard over the last couple of weeks,'' Irwin said. "I said, 'I want this schedule put together -- dirt, drag and road course and anything internally in the paddock area.'

"I want that put together now so that when our racers are gearing up for next year they know what we're going to be doing.''

The National Hot Rod Association national drag racing event in the spring will continue to be HPT's lead event, but Irwin wants to support that crowd-pleaser with a highly-diversified schedule that will draw in all types of racers and fans.

"We may not run as many races and we may run more of one particular type,'' Irwin said. "We have to analyze the financial parts of it to make sure that it makes some sense for all of us.''

Rick Peterson can be reached

at (785) 295-1129

or rick.peterson@cjonline.com.