Off-road racers thunder into Lena

The power of Lena’s Dirt City Motorplex off-road racing complex was on full display on Main Street on July 26, the night before the AMSoil Off-Road National races.

Thousands of people swarmed the main drag from Rosera Street to West Railroad Street for the Thunder On Main event, checking out the line of racing vehicles that would be competing for prizes at Dirt City over the next two days.

The Wooden Shoe restaurant hosted a band on its outdoor porch, and food trucks parked along the way did a brisk business. But the stars of the event, and the weekend, were the off-road racers.

Troy Schaden, track president, said during the Champ Off-Road livestream that it takes an army of 300 volunteers to stage the event.

“Lena does an outstanding job for us, bringing out the welcome mat,” Schaden said. “Thunder on Main had a great crowd. It’s a great event for the local businesses that put their heart and soul into this.”

The Dirt City Off-Road National was the fifth in a series of seven off-road racing events sponsored by Champ Off-Road this summer. Still to come are the Off-Road Rumble in the Upper Peninsula on Aug. 10-11 in Bark River, Michigan, and the Polaris World Championships on Aug. 30-31 at Crandon International Raceway.