Supercross ready for its high flying

With an estimated $9 million in direct economic impact with each event, it's little wonder cities line up and beg the AMA Supercross series to add tour stops on the calendar.

And with traditionally sold-out stadiums it will be a while before they stop trying to get the high-energy, big-air motorcycle tour to pay them a visit.

"It is the greatest sport in the world," a somewhat-biased Utah governor John Huntsman, Jr. said Thursday at a press conference welcoming the event back to Utah for the first time since it played to a packed house at Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2004, "and we have brought it to an Olympic Stadium for Saturday night's race."

Between the more than 40,000 tickets, concessions, hotel stays for spectators from outside the Wasatch Front and other items, the event will be a big deal in the short term. Perhaps more importantly, though, the exposure the state will receive might be even more valuable over the long term.

"Utah is the premier destination for outdoor action sports," Huntsman, himself an avid motocross cyclist, said, "and this proves the point."

With a national CBS television audience seeing what is a virtual commercial for the state, Huntsman and Utah Sports Commission president Jeff Robbins say the event will cement Utah's status as a mecca for outdoor sports.

"We certainly feel like this event is great and fits in that space," Robbins said of Utah's niche in the market.

As for the event itself, athletes and their crews are starting to arrive in Salt Lake City and a few were allowed to give the whoops, table tops and triple jumps on the Rice-Eccles Stadium floor some test runs.

Andrew Short, currently third in the AMA Supercross points standings, said he's happy to be back in Utah where he had some success in previous years racing on smaller bikes.

"The conditions are going to be tough," Short, referring to the threat of rain on Saturday as well as the high-altitude robbing the engines of power-boosting oxygen, said. "So it's going to be exciting . . . it's going to change tactics."

The racers will have another day to dial in their machines before the action begins Saturday at 12:30 with qualifying rounds for both the Supercross and Lites divisions.

AMA Supercross

Saturday, Rice-Eccles Stadium

Gates open: 12:30 p.m.

Main event races: 7 p.m.

TV: CBS, Sunday 10 a.m.

E-mail: jeborn@desnews.com