Brasstown While the thunderous sounds of race cars will not be echoing through the valley this year, there will still be racing near the Cherokee County line.
Located at the end of Dog Branch Road is the new Elevation Motocross track created and founded by the Payne family of Brasstown.
The father-and-son duo of Billy and Tyler Payne, have been racing most of their lives, beginning with Billy almost 47 years ago. He said riding was something they did on the farm to have fun and get used to their bikes before heading to the real track in Blairsville, Ga.
“The challenge of racing is what I love about it,” Billy said. “As they come, they make you push yourself harder.”
Realities of the sport
Building a motocross track has been a dream for the Paynes since Tyler was at a young age.
“I’ve been riding since I was 2 years old, and if I wanted to do an American Motorcycle Association-sanctioned race, I would have to travel up to three hours away,” he said.
Tyler said that is the struggle for many riders in the area – if they want to race, they will have to travel.
They are working on getting AMA sanctioning at their track to help local racers not have to make such long commutes. Tyler hopes to have around 250 riders for events, with several planned for the season.
“There’s not much for the young people to do here,” Tyler said. “Hopefully, we can get the whole community into it.”
Local Motocross racers like Cruz Teesateskie, 17, of Murphy, have had to travel as far north as West Virginia all the way down to Augusta, Ga., to race.
“I really like how the Paynes are taking care of the track,” he said. “They really care about the safety of the riders. I am really stoked to see where it goes in the next couple of years.”
What’s in a name?
Elevation Motocross got its name from the hilltop views and slopes on the track. Along with motocross, the Payne family also assemble and fly Bush airplanes which lends the plane image on the logo.
Tyler said there aren’t many tracks with tight curves and rolling hills lending the unique design, which will allow a good turnover rate for racers.
“Drainage was the first thing we thought of when we built the track,” Billy added with a grin. “Then we made it fun. We’ve been riding so long, we knew how we wanted it to feel and look.”
Beginning the legacy
Tyler’s son, Jasper, 4, started riding at a year and a half, and his daughter Jayden, 8, also rides. Tyler hopes the track can be a legacy for them to grow in the sport.
“My hope is to provide them with a place to live a life like I had but better, what kid wouldn’t want a motocross track in their backyard?” Tyler said. “It’s more than just a track, it’s a legacy. It’s such a family oriented sport and it teaches them so much about respect, honor, and how to work hard for something.”
He said for him, there’s nothing better than to do what he loves with his kids. If one day they want to make a career out of racing, then all the better.
The first event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Elevation Motocross Track, 775 Dog Branch Road. Admission to watch is free, riders registration will be $30. All ages are welcome to attend.
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