The Owyhee Motorcycle Club kicks it into high gear with vintage races

BOISE, Idaho — The Owyhee Motorcycle Club is historic, the OMC has operated in the same spot in the foothills north of Boise for more than eight decades.

This weekend the motocross club held one of their most popular events, the vintage races where people showed up in classic bikes to race around the track.

It’s one of the only places in Idaho to race on vintage bikes and 14-years-ago when the OMC first held these races there were 67 riders, this weekend more than 400 people competed.

“Vintage racing brings you back to a time when you grew up riding these motorcycles,” said Scott Wallenberg who helped bring these races to the OMC.

In 1971 and 1972 the Owyhee Motorcycle Club hosted the largest professional motocross series in the world.

“Our idea was could we recreate that?” said Wallenberg. “Not too many people can go to the same place that hosted one of those big international events.”

This weekend riders of all ages competed and this sport tends to be a family activity that gets passed along to the next generation of riders, but even the young riders had to ride a vintage bike.

“You could walk around here and see so much history in the bikes, but also riders and racers who have been doing it for decades,” said Michelle Webb the Vice President of the OMC. ” But there are also people who are new to it.”

Earlier this year the American Motorcycle Club recognized this non-profit as a historic club and the OMC still has the original deed when they bought this land back in 1940.

“It has been operating in the same 80 acres for over 80 years,” said Webb. “It is an absolute historic place, it really has a warm spot in a lot of people’s hearts.”

The Owyhee Motorcycle Club has a full series of races and events planned this summer and fall.