JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — After years competing on the statewide slate, area high school and middle school mountain bike racers will finally be on home terrain this fall as Tennessee’s Interscholastic Cycling League brings its early October race to Winged Deer Park.

“Feedback from a lot of our kids is they’ve just been really happy,” Science Hill Head Coach Josh Seeley told News Channel 11 Friday. “Normally we’re traveling for four and a half hours for each of the races that we do across the state of Tennessee.”

Shifting the fourth race of the five-race season to Johnson City is partly due to the previous site, Panther Creek State Park in Morristown, being washed out last year as a result of Hurricane Helene flooding.

NICA, the organization that oversees racing in Tennessee, paid a visit to town and liked what they saw as the city, trail advocates, the teams and tourism officials all rolled out the red carpet for race officials.

Johnson City Convention and Visitor’s Bureau’s (CVB) James Mauney says the race is part of a growing trend for his organization.

“We’ve had a growing portfolio of events in the outdoor space…that really capitalize on our natural resources that a lot of times a lot of other destinations can’t replicate,” Mauney said.

While large softball tournaments and events like this year’s Big South Conference Basketball Championships remain the CVB’s economic drivers, Mauney said any city with the necessary facilities can compete for those.

“You can’t replicate the trails we have at Winged Deer Park, Boone Lake, just the entire lakefront. That’s something we have in our back pocket that we’re trying to really utilize to the fullest.”

On the weekend of Oct. 5, it will give Science Hill senior Julian Jones and the other riders gathered at the park Friday — the region’s other schools field a combined team and Science Hill has its own — a chance to shine at home. Jones said he hopes the Northeast Tennessee terrain will play to their advantage.

“Steeper terrain, wetter rocks, smoother rocks, harder rocks, drops — they don’t get that stuff out there,” Jones said. “Here’s really hard compared to everywhere else. Once you get past Knoxville everything’s just flat.”

Riders will cover a combined course that starts in open fields near Boone Lake before funneling into several miles of single track. Seeley said it will offer good viewing for anyone, not just the family members who typically troop to the races.

“You’ll get to see a lot of riders on the grass section, but as you get into the woods and different trail features all throughout the park, being able to watch the riders as they’re going up rocks or over rocks, down jumps, that kind of stuff, I think just gives a different feel for the race versus just being on the lakeside portion of the course,” Seeley said.

The volunteer coach said Science Hill has about 50 competitors in grades 6-12 and the combined team has another 30 to 40.

“Most of our kids are pretty good, but the thing I really like about NICA, there’s no tryouts,” Seeley said. “We have kids of all capabilities that come out and join this team.

“Whether you’re fast, slow, can do jumps, drops or not, that’s not really what we look for. Our goal is really to teach kids to ride the trails safely and then have this as a sport that they can continue long after they’re out of high school.”

Jones, who shifted from basketball to competitive mountain biking after COVID-19 hit, said it’s been a great experience for him.

“I like the adrenaline,” he said. “I like to go quickly down the downhills. I also enjoy actually being fit. That’s one of the things that brought me in.”

He said there’s also a high level of camaraderie.

“The people that I hang around with on this team are some of my best people I know in my life. They’re all very supportive. And all the races, they’re all cheering you on.”

The CVB and other organizers will fill the lakeside space with food trucks, music and other amenities to make people want to return to an event that should bring a decent weekend for area hotels and restaurants.

“400 to 500 kids and about a thousand plus people that’ll be here for that weekend, so by our estimations we’re looking at $100,000-plus in direct economic impact,” Mauney said.

He feels good about the community’s chances of keeping the race here after this year.

“The facility kind of speaks for itself, I’d say, so with the growing trails and with Parks and Rec being on our side and trail conservation and continuing to find new trails, I don’t see why it should leave here.”

That would also suit Seeley just fine.

“One of the challenges we’ve had with getting kids to participate in races is the distance required to go to each of the courses,” he said. “We’re really hoping to see increased participation locally from both teams in terms of riders having access to a race where they can participate.”