RPM Promotions is bringing half-mile flat-track motorcycle racing to the Allen County Fairgrounds on Saturday.
Levi A. Morman | The Lima News
LIMA — Flat-track motorcycle racers from all over the country are set to descend on the Allen County Fairgrounds on Saturday for the Lima half-mile races presented by RPM Promotions.
Riders of all ages, both professional and amateur, are set to race in 15 different classes in hopes of coming out on top of one of the 12 amateur or three professional classes at the end of the night.
The schedule for the day starts for the riders at 10 a.m. when the pit gates open and registration begins. At 12:30 p.m. or whenever the track is ready depending on the weather, practice starts, followed by heat races at 3 p.m. with the mains to follow.
For spectators, the gates open at noon and racing starts at 1 p.m. Adult tickets cost $20, kids tickets are $10 and kids under 5 years old are free.
“We can expect to competitive races all evening from both pro and amateur racers all over the country,” said Jeff Hiers, the CEO of RPM Promotions. “We start with practice when the track is ready, then move to heats which determine the racers’ position in the main races, and at the end of the night, we expect to have 15 winners.”
Hiers also said he expects 35 or 40 heat races before moving on to the main events.
Many of the pro racers coming in on Saturday also compete in Lima in June at the National event.
Some notable professional racers out of Ohio who are expected to compete this weekend are Jacob and Jarod Vanderkooi, two brothers from Gallion, as well as Aidan Brown of Cincinnati.
The Vanderkoois and Brown are professional racers who started at a young age and worked their way up through the rankings system. They’ll compete in one of three pro divisions, pro-singles, pro-open (twins or singles) or pro-twins on Saturday.
To compete in the professional classes, RPM Promotions requires a minimum age of 14, down from normal American Flat Track regulations of age 16 and up.
Amateurs have a chance to race in one of 12 different classes.
Reach Chris Howell at 567-242-0468 or on Twitter at @Lima_Howell
