Gravity Park USA
Encyclopedia
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
track near Chilton, Wisconsin
Chilton, Wisconsin
Chilton is a city in and county seat of Calumet County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 3,708 at the 2000 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Chilton.-History:...
. It hosts weekly motocross races between April and October, featuring motorcycles and quads. The world record for the greatest length traveled on a motocross track during 24 hours was set at the track.
History
Gravity Park USA opened in 2000. It was named Gravity Park until it was renovated in 2005. When it originally opened, it held snocrossSnocross
Snocross is a racing sport involving racing specialized high performance snowmobiles on natural or artificially-made tracks consisting of tight turns, banked corners, steep jumps and obstacles. Riders race at speed of up to 60 miles per hour...
races in the North American winter. Races were also held on an on-site dirt oval for several years before the renovation. The track hosted the 2005 Kraft Amateur Stadiumcross Championship; 250 drivers competed in the event.
The track has been used for special touring events, such as Badger State Quad Championship quad races. The track has also been used for SCCA RallyCross
SCCA RallyCross
RallyCross, also known as RallyX, is a type of car competition in the U.S.A. and Canada, sanctioned by Sports Car Club of America , National Auto Sport Association , and in Canada...
and mud bogging
Mud bogging
Mud bogging is a form of off-road motorsport popular in Canada and the United States in which the goal is to drive a vehicle through a pit of mud of a set length...
.
World record
On September 11 to 12, 2010, motocycle racer Perry Prichard attempted to break a world record at Gravity Park. He contacted the Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
to certify the record, and the attempt was to set "the most continuous laps on a motocross bike on a motocross track by an individual in 24 hours". The record attempt was a benefit for Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
ans. He was allowed a 5-minute break each hour to refuel, refresh, and bike repairs. Guinness certified the record 426.96 km (265.3 mi) distance as the "Greatest distance on a motocross in 24 hours (individual)".
When asked why he did the record attempt, he replied "when I sat down to think of what I could do to raise money for Haiti, the first thoughts through my head were NOT to sell pizzas, Girl Scout cookies or anything like that, it was about, I love to ride motorcycles and how can I turn that passion into raising money?"