Gearing up
Even the young get in the Grand Prix spirit
Staff writer
The motorcycles may have been louder and faster for this year’s Florence Grand Prix, but some of the weekend’s biggest moments belonged to children barely old enough to ride a bicycle on the street.
Six-year-old Vic Schroer of Strong City climbed onto a borrowed bike for the first race of his life.
Before the race, confidence already was high.
“I think I’ll do pretty good,” he said.
Turns out he was right. He came away with a third-place finish.
“I feel really good,” Vic said afterward.
After two decades away, the race marked a return to the sport for Vic’s father, Seth Schroer.
“Twenty years ago, I used to race, and then I quit for about 20 years,” Schroer said. “I decided to run vintage this year, and he wanted to run, too, so we’re back at it again somehow.”
The younger Schroer nearly lost control at one point after another rider went down in front of him, but Vic recovered and stayed upright.
“This is his first race, so he’s doing alright,” his father said.
Another young racer, River Hay of Wahoo, Nebraska, finished second after overcoming fears that had little to do with competition around him.
“My only worry was that I was going to hit a pole,” River said. “Usually I hit something when I’m racing, and I didn’t.”
River, who will turn 8 soon, already has more experience than Vic.
“My first race was horrible, and it was really rainy,” River said.
His father, Nicholas Hay, said the family had been involved in racing for years. River has raced about three years. His father also competes.
The children’s races were a first this year for the Florence Grand Prix and proved far more popular than organizers expected.
Flint Hills Bent Rims Motorcycle Club board member Patty Putter said organizers initially expected 20 children. A total of 18 preregistered online, but 42 little motorheads showed up.
The original Grand Prix began in 1972 and ran until the late 1970s before disputes with landowners ended the event. The race returned in 2022 for the 50th anniversary of its original staging.
Since its revival, the Grand Prix has drawn riders from across the country, including Minnesota, Colorado, Missouri, Texas, and Nebraska.
Putter estimated that 3,000 to 4,000 people visited Florence during the weekend.
Part of the appeal is the course itself.
Riders begin on Florence’s brick Main St. before weaving through alleys, wooded areas, quarries, and countryside terrain around town.
“It’s just unique,” Putter said.
The weekend also featured camping, live music, a cornhole tournament, an outdoor movie showing in addition to vintage and modern races.
For Vic, however, the biggest takeaway was much simpler than tourism numbers or race history.
Asked whether he planned to race again, the answer came immediately.
“Yep,” he said.