Burley Motocross Track Nears Completion

Twin Falls Times - News

LAURIE WELCH lwelch@magicvalley.com

Get ready to ride

WARP Racing will hold motocross, UTV, Quad and Outlaw Kart races, and the tracks will be open to the public Monday through Friday, with race practice held on Fridays and races on Saturdays. For information on costs visit the park’s website at www.WARPRacing.net.

BURLEY • Motocross riders flew past Burley race track developer Steve Noriyuki on Monday as he held up a meter that measured the noise level at 72 – 79 decibels.

“And that was butted right up against the track,” said Noriyuki, who was given a special-use permit by the city of Burley last year to build a paved sprint track, dirt oval track and paintball course on 50 acres owned by the city.

Noriyuki, a Minidoka County construction contractor, intends to invest $250,000 in River View Sports Complex, a new track that will host WARP Racing events.

The city permit restricts the noise level at the park to 94 decibels at the property’s edge.

Twelve-foot dirt berms were built around the tracks to absorb the noise, and Noriyuki intends to plant 5,500 trees to enhance the look of the park and further muffle any sound. He will begin by planting 1,500 poplar trees in March and another 1,500 this fall. Next spring, he will plant the remaining 2,500.

The closest residence is more than 1,500 feet away.

“I’m running sound tests every day,” he said. “The people who live around here are important. They are my neighbors.”

The track, which will include spectator bleachers, will open to the public on April 1.

“The fences will all be up and we’ll be rolling heavy by then,” Noriyuki said.

The paved kart track will come later as it has to be raised substantially above the water table.

The opening of the facility marks the fruition of a 12-year dream for Noriyuki, who tried to open a similar facility in Minidoka County but was denied the special-use permit.

“It’s going to be a good setup,” said Nick Hirsch, 17, of Burley.

Hirsch, along with about a dozen other riders on dirt bikes and quads tested out the curves and jumps at the track during the Presidents Day holiday on Monday.

“All you have to do is come out here and see how much these kids are enjoying this to know it’s a good thing,” Noriyuki said.

Just as many adults as youth will use the track, he said.

Hirsch previously traveled to Rock Creek Race Track in Kimberly to ride.

“There are no other tracks with jumps like this around here,” said Regen Povlsen, 15, of Burley. “A lot of us have been coming out here and it is fun.”

The site is between the city’s municipal and industrial wastewater plants. The land is leased to the Boyer Co., which handles the city’s industrial leases and it is now subleased to Noriyuki.

Several series of races will be brought to the complex, and each could draw hundreds of participants regularly to Burley.

“The racers show up and leave money in the community, and they leave with big smiles on their faces,” he said.

Gus Southern, 17, of Declo said having a local track means he can ride more.

“It’s not even about having to travel to where they can ride. It’s also about safety. Here they are riding on groomed tracks free of rocks and debris,” Noriyuki said. “If you ride on a maintained track it is a lot safer.

Regardless of the increased safety, all riders are required to sign a waiver releasing the park of any liability, he said.

Although the park has not officially opened there were 62 bikes using the facility on Saturday.