EDDYVILLE —
Business owners have a lot of tough decisions to make. Backing the Wounded Warrior project was an easy choice.
Rick Canode at RJ Performance is one of the sponsors at Eddyville Raceway Park, a place where, depending on the night, fans watch race cars, dragsters or motorcycles roar down the track.
“Over the past couple years, we’d met these people from Des Moines, at Fender Cycle [and Motorsport]. They’re younger people with a lot of energy,” Canode said.
They had been wanting to have an event that could be both meaningful and fun. When Canode heard they were going to raise money for soldiers injured defending America, he wanted to be involved.
“It was an easy decision because of who it’s for,” he said. “It’s my chance to donate.”
And with the combination of a good cause and motorcycles, he said, there are people in the Wapello County area who will be interested. The organizers in Des Moines expect a wide response.
“Group rides will be leaving various gathering points across the state, and all groups converge at the Raceway,” the organizers wrote in a release. “As an attendee, you will be able to see motorcycle drag racing, which will include a special vintage drag bike class.”
In fact, some participants will get to do some racing with their own motorcycles at the Eddyville track. So why did the Des Moines sponsors decide to hold their event in Wapello County?
Canode says it’s because there are very few professionally maintained eighth-mile drag strips in this part of Iowa. The owners of the Eddyville track, he said, have maintained a great tourism draw for Wapello County.
Since it’s the first “Warriors Across Iowa Ride and Event,” Canode said he has no idea how many riders will show. But if other motorcycle dealers do a little organizing, then there could be a couple hundred bikers coming to town.
That he knows the owners of the motorcycle shop in Des Moines and the race track personally lets him trust that funds raised will go where they’re supposed to, he said.
A charity auction, live bands, a motorcycle rodeo and vendors should help keep attendees busy.
Warriors Across Iowa Ride and Event for Wounded Warriors
The gates will open at 10 a.m. Saturday at Eddyville Raceway Park, 3260 Merino Ave. Time trials start at 1 p.m. Locally, the ride will depart RJ Performance in Ottumwa at 10 a.m., or just meet up at the raceway.
Wapello County
August 22, 2012
Ride to support wounded warriors
Group rides from across state to converge at Eddyville Raceway to raise money for injured soldiers
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