Paul Wrazidlo looked through the windscreen of the excavator he was operating and saw the first glint of March morning light in the sky.
Wrazidlo realized he had just worked through the night again as 11,500 yards of clay had to be moved to build the new dirt racing track at Copper Creek Motorsports Park.
The track is 343 feet long, 200 feet wide, with 40 foot wide driving lanes. Banking in the turns is up to 17 degrees.
Wrazidlo is the owner and promoter of Copper Creek, a Kart racing facility located on State Highway 35, eight miles south of Superior. After a successful first season of Kart racing on the eighth-mile asphalt track, many of the racers wanted to race on the dirt. So Wrazidlo built an eighth-mile dirt track adjacent to the existing asphalt track and has scheduled the dirt track opener for Sunday.
Bob Galovich, a local dirt Kart racer, has been watching the progress as the track has taken shape. Galovich, who made weekly trips to the site, is excited about the track.
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"There will be more than one good racing groove on the track, race strategies will be important," Galovich said.
Brandon Bender, a Kart racer at Copper Creek, welcomes the dirt track addition.
"I've always liked to watch the stock cars racing on dirt. I've raced my Kart on dirt before and want to get back on dirt," said Bender, a 15-year-old and racer of five years. "I've seen the track; it looks awesome."
"Hustlin" Harry Bjorklund, a 7-year-old from Hermantown, spoke of his aspirations in racing.
"I like to slide in the corners," said Bjorklund, who drives the No. 57 Kart in honor of famed Sprint Car driver Barry Ketterling, for whom his father was named.
"Copper Creek is truly a family oriented experience," said Wrazidlo, who has two daughters racing at the facility.
Local stock car enthusiasts will remember the No. 69 Late Model car rocketing around local tracks, piloted by Wrazidlo.
"I wanted to build a track where my daughters could learn to race," Wrazidlo said. "Nothing in the area has the safety features and family friendly atmosphere that has been incorporated in Copper Creek."
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Copper Creek offers the ability for dad to be the crew chief, mom to be in the stands cheering and siblings to volunteer at the track.
Nick Provinzino of Hibbing agrees. His son, 6-year-old Anthony "The Hibbing Hit-man" Provinzino, spends time with racing uncle Jeff Provinzino asking all manner of racing questions.
Nick said that it may be challenging for a rookie racer to move from the asphalt to the dirt, but Anthony is looking forward to trying it out.
The public is invited to watch the races at Copper Creek, which take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and noon on Sundays.
"Our facility is fan friendly with concessions, bleachers, and complete race announcing," Wrazidlo said. "We have even incorporated a low-power FM transmitter so fans can sit in their cars and watch the races while listening on their car radio to the racing action."
Racing news and schedules can be viewed at the tracks Web site, www.coppercreekmotorsports.com .
