Snowy field of dreams

BIG LAKE -- If you build it, they will come.

About four years ago Dan and Donnella Moffitt bought an 80-acre chunk of land off Rogers Road in Big Lake. While storming through the tree-covered lot charred in the Miller's Reach fire, Dan told his wife it would be cool to build a snocross track and someday have a World Snowmobile Association race in Big Lake.

If you build it, they will come.

No one is quite sure whether Dan was hearing voices in the field of charred trees, but he listened to someone -- possibly the little voice inside that urged him to build the track.

He built it, the WSA came and eventually thousands of people made the trek out Rogers Road to see snowmachines zooming along the course he build.

On Saturday the Moffitt's property, home of the T2 Snocross Track, was host to the first race in Alaska snocross to be sanctioned by the WSA.

More than 1,000 people turned out during a full day of racing that featured 70 local riders competing in eight different classes. The Moffitt's 12-acre parking lot was nearly jam packed throughout the day, featuring about every known style of four-wheel drive vehicle. Spectators, whose dress ranged from Carharts to Columbia, lined the orange security fence along the track lobbying for position to get a clear view of the snowmachines jetting across the snow and flying through the air.

For those needing a break from the excitement of standing along the orange fence, or the exhaust from the line of snowmachines with engines revving, there were food tents and a beer garden.

Donnella Moffitt was pleased with the first major snocross event to be hosted in Big Lake. Moffitt said there were a few snafus that had to be worked out early, but the event ran smoothly from the spectators' point of view.

If fans are still thirsty for more snowmachine action, or the fermented goodness from the Big Lake Lodge beer tent, the second WSA snocross race will be on the same track Feb. 21.