Motocross riders test out the new track at Cronky Tonk MX southeast of Fairfield during a practice run on Aug. 5, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Obi Soash)

FAIRFIELD — Jefferson County has a new motocross track between Fairfield and Stockport, and the track will host its first Moto Series American Motorcyclist Association on Sunday, Sept. 10.

The track is called Cronky Tonk MX, and it’s located about 10 miles southeast of Fairfield at 2574 269th St., just north of Cedar Creek and about 1 mile west of Stockport Road. Bub and Casey Cronk own the track, and they are excited to host his first Moto Series AMA event and show off the hard work they have put into the track.

Sunday’s race will be the finale in the 2023 Iowa Moto Series, meaning it will be the last time racers can earn points toward the championship. Competitors and onlookers can arrive early on Friday, Sept. 8. The track will be open for practice between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday. On the day of the race, Sunday, gates will open at 6 a.m., practice will commence at 8:30 a.m., and then guests will be treated to a full day of the best motocross Iowa has to offer.

The Cronk family said in a news release that, “Friends, family, volunteers and sponsors have been working hard for several months to build a fun track and ensure a smooth first event. Like you might expect in a small rural area, it has truly been a community effort and the enthusiastic response so far for a facility like this in the area has been exciting to witness.”

Bub Cronk, a native of Keosauqua, has loved motorcycles and motocross since he was 10 years old.

“I got my first motorcycle when I was 11,” he said. “I raced in my first race at 14. I was a little bit of a late starter. My son did his first race when he was 4.”

Bub always wanted to have a track of his own, and in 2015, his in-laws gave him permission to start moving dirt on their family farm on 269th Street, widely known as the Shannon Farm. Bub made a path through the trees near Cedar Creek. At first, it was just for his friends to enjoy, but he’s been improving the track every year since.

Unlike other racing events like NASCAR which always race around an oval, motocross tracks are all unique. They have their own twists, turns, hills, jumps, obstacles and everything else.

“There could be up to 40 bikes on the track at one time,” Bub said. “They’ll go down a hill and into the timber, and that it will come back up by the tower.”

Bub’s track is so large, a little over three-quarters of a mile, that the southern edge of it is out of view from the north edge because of the hills and trees. Onlookers can watch the race from anywhere on the grounds as long as they remain behind the safety barricade that runs along the track. Bub has placed hay bales along the edge of the track to help direct the bikes and make sure they don’t cut any corners.

Bub said a lot of work went into the track this past spring, when he and a team of others raised the track to make water lanes below, so the track would quickly dry after a storm. The new track was finished at the end of July, and then the Cronks invited bikers to test it out Aug. 5 during an officially sanctioned AMA practice. He said about 125 people showed up to test the track.

“I had good feedback from everybody,” Bub said about the practice run.

Bub is expecting to see 400 or more entries in Sunday’s race. To manage such a large event, at least 50 people are helping the Cronks with official scorekeepers, an announcer, ticket-takers, flaggers, and a grounds crew.

Bub said he hopes to host a race or even multiple races in 2024.

“Right now, we’re focused on this weekend, and after that we will turn our attention to next year’s plans,” he said. “This is not going away.”

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com