Handling the whoop

Editor's note: This is the cover story of Thursday's Progress section, "Community sports." For more stories on area individuals involved in community sports, pick up a copy of the Creston News Advertiser on newsstands.

MACKSBURG – Spencer Zellweger had a successful career as a prep athlete at Orient-Macksburg High School. He was a state qualifier in the 400-meter hurdles and helped lead the Bulldogs to an undefeated regular season during his senior year on the basketball court.

But his most successful racing days are just getting started.

Spencer competes in the “A” Pro Class, which is a payout class in the Iowa ATV Hare Scramble Series (IATVHSS). The racing series has more than 12 different adult classes in addition to youth ATV race classes.

IATVHSS is in its 14th year of racing. The series was founded by Andy and Tracy Kyner in 2004 with the mission of creating a family-orientated racing series. The adult class races are two-hour endurance races, typically on a cross-country style, looped course.

During the 2016 season, Spencer was in second place in the point standings going into the final race of the season, but a back injury forced him to miss the race and finish the season in third.

Spencer, 28, works as an operation specialist for Kinder Morgan on natural gas pipelines. The company is based out of Houston, Texas.

As he prepares for the 2017 season – see the schedule – Spencer is healthy and ready to challenge for the top spot in his class.

Hare Scramble

The type of racing Spencer does on his ATV is called hare scramble. The course is designed to test the races for endurance and technical skill over rough terrain.

“It is as much of a mental game as it is physical because you start getting tired, but if you want to be fast, you can’t let that affect you,” said Jason Stamps, who competes against Spencer in the same class. “You have to stay focused for the full two hours. If you slip up on one little corner, they can roll up on you.”

Stamps, 33, is a Diagonal native and started racing in 2011. He works at SIRWA in Creston.

Spencer and Stamps prepare for races similar to athletes in other sports. Diet and nutrition is critical to be able to compete for two hours.

“I try to get a good night sleep beforehand and eat a good meal,” Spencer said. “I drink a lot of water and Gatorade to stay hydrated.”

Nathan Baier of Creston graduated with Spencer from Orient-Macksburg High School in 2007 and raced with him for several years. He said Spencer is well versed on how to keep his quad running at peak performance throughout the year.

“You have two aspects to prepare for, the physical end and the mechanical,” Baier said. “You can’t just go for a run and lift weights because it doesn’t work the same muscles that you use during a race. The best thing you can do is ride, but that adds wear and tear to your machine, so the best conditioning can also be the most expensive.”

There are more than 20 competitors in Spencer’s class. The series is scored on points based on each individual’s finish. To be successful, racers must stay physically healthy to attend all the races and the ATV has to be durable to survive the season.

“We start with the engines off,” Spencer said. “After the start, you take off and most of the track is through timber. The loop is usually 6 to 8 miles long.”

Spencer said getting a good start is important because the trail is typically narrow, making passing difficult.

“It is rough terrain,” Spencer said. “It really beats on your body, hanging on tight, going into corners and moving the four-wheeler around. The entire race you are flexed and tense.”

Unlike most of the other racers in his class, Spencer rides standing up for a majority of the race. This style gives him more control over the ATV so he can control it going into corners or if the course is muddy.

“I usually feel pretty good for the first hour, then it starts to set in and I start getting really tired to the point I feel sick to my stomach,” Spencer said. “You start to get dehydrated, especially when it is hot out. During the last lap or two, you really want the race to be over because you are hurting so bad.”

A lot of the racers will plan a pit stop during the race, but Spencer prefers to go the entire two hours without stopping. He doesn’t like to slow down and give other racers a chance to pass him while he is stopped.

“Once the two hours are done, they throw the checkered flag and you finish the lap you are on,” Spencer said. “Even if you are only 30 seconds into a new lap, you have to complete it.”

He wears a Camelbak during the race. The small backpack allows him to carry fluids during the race. The mixture is typically watered-down Gatorade to help him replace some nutrients without the sugar upsetting his stomach.

“Most of the time, I can’t even take my own socks off after the race,” Spencer said. “I cramp up really bad because I have to give it everything I have.”

Spencer earned his first win during the 2016 season at the Mount Pleasant track. His favorite racing location is in St. Charles. The course is a short trip from home, so friends and extended family can make the trip to watch him race, and the course design plays to his advantage.

“It fits my racing style better,” Spencer said. “I am bigger than most of the people I race against, so on open sections and faster tracks, they can out-power me because they don’t have to carry as much weight.”

Friendly competition

One of the staples of the IATVHSS is a family-oriented environment. Stamps said his competitive friendship with Spencer has helped him improve as a racer.

“You have to stay focused, but be laid back at the same time,” Stamps said. “I like to stay loose and joke around; Spencer knows that and he jokes around with me to help me stay relaxed before the race.”

Stamps was an experienced rider before he started to become interested in racing. In addition to learning about handling the endurance of a two-hour race, he had to work on his technical skills to maintain a fast pace.

“I have learned from Spencer how to come into corners, approach some whoops, handle tight trees and brake while still being fast,” Stamps said.

Whoops are a section of short, rolling hills. They can be a challenging aspect to a course because the ATV can respond differently if the rider hits them at a different speed or on a different line.

“He is good enough, there isn’t a race or a course he won’t be in contention to win,” Baier said. “The tighter the track, the better he does on it. It all depends on who shows up that day, if nothing mechanical happens during the race and who is on their A game.”

Spencer’s family travels with him to a majority of the races to help him get set up before the race, provide support and be ready in the pits if something on the ATV requires attention.

“It really makes a person feel good when you are coming around for another lap and you see familiar faces cheering for you,” Stamps said. “Even though we are out there competing, everybody just helps each other out, which is really nice when you are 4 miles away from civilization and need a hand getting out of the mud.”

Baier said there are a lot of families that will show up with kids, parents and grandparents all racing in a class throughout the weekend. The Zellwegers try to pit next to Stamps and his family at each race.

“They are just a super nice group of people,” Stamps said. “They would give you the shirt off their back if it would help you out.”

The duo have worked on their Hondas in the offseason to find the best combination of power and resilience for the 2017 season.

“We have been texting each other, trying to figure out what we can change this year compared to last year,” Stamps said.

The first race is scheduled for April 30 in Fort Dodge. The class Spencer and Stamps race in typically starts at noon.