‘The racing community is unreal’, Dozens show up to save equipment just before Crete racetrack goes underwater

CRETE, Neb. (KLKN) – The Blue River Raceway looked more like a place for boats than karts on Friday, after flooding from previous rainfall turned their track into a lake.

Upon the first signs of troubling weather, the Raceway put out an urgent plea for help on their Facebook page.

Within hours, members of their community along with residents of Crete sprang into action to attempt a rescue of the equipment kept there.

“They’re racers, they’re parents, they’re adults, they’re supporters,” said Ali Wood, a board member of the Blue River Raceway.

“The racing community is unreal, and that’s who showed up,” she said.

Wood told Channel 8 on Friday that when she first saw pictures of the damage, she couldn’t believe it.

“I kept hoping somebody would tell me that they AI’ed the flood,” said Wood, adding that the damage was clearly real.

Despite the rain and the mud, those who showed up to help on Wednesday night brought with them equipment, while some simply grabbed what they could save.

The group saved almost all of the karts, fence and various materials that once kept their family-friendly raceway going.

Two racers helping out were Draken Brethouwer and Raygen Snyder, both under the age of 16 and both with nearly hundreds of competitions under their belts.

“I mean, it’s definitely chaotic,” said Brethouwer.

“Four or five trailers full. [We] grabbed four wheelers, mowers, tires, banners, fence, electronics, everything,” he said.

“It was very overwhelming,” said Snyder.

“We got here, and as soon as we stepped out of the track, it was go from there,” she said.

Both racers say that helping out is just what their community does, regardless of how competitive it might get while they are on the track for races.

“But once you come off the track, nine times out of ten, everything just goes away. Everybody’s supportive no matter what,” said Synder.

As of now, both racers say they will race indoors wherever they can, but as for what’s next?

“In the spring, we’re going to need all hands back on deck to clean up,” said Wood.

“I hope all the water washes away, and like the banking of the track is still there and not too much junk got brought in from the creek,” said Brethouwer.

“I’m just hoping that everything can get back to how it was before, and it can hopefully be the perfect racetrack it was before,” said Snyder.

As the group holds on to hope, they say once fully back up and running, all future events will be on their Facebook.