Photo by: Keetra Baker
Club Name: Beaver Cycle Club (BCC)
Year Founded: Club was formed in 1959 and sanctioned with AMA in 1962 promoting Flat Track and TT races ever since.
Who Founded: In the beginning there was a man called Curly Luedke who owned a bunch of land where the track is now and allowed people to come out and ride his cow pastures. His business partner Bill Mischler, Sr. and Eddy Belsma, Waupun's Police Chief, along with others started the club with the concept that you earned the right to ride the fields by working for the club to put on motorcycle races.
Home city: Atwater, WI (unincorporated)
Website: BeaverCycleClub.com
Club Email: Info@beavercycleclub.com
Member dues: Working Members Only with $30/yr dues
Photo by: Keetra Baker
- Where did the name Beaver come from?
There are two larger cities nearby, Waupun and Beaver Dam, and the track is actually closer to Waupun but they already had a club called Prison City Riders. They were a street riding club and reportedly had a bad reputation. Remember one of the founding members was the Waupun Police Chief. So actually, the Club is named for Beaver Dam. Funny, but we have been told our website was blocked by some parents because of the name.
- You're a competition club - do members compete against one another or against other clubs?
The competition club designation is because our primary reason to exist is to put on races. Many of our members also race during our events and other D16 events.
- Are races scheduled all year round?
We hold from seven to 10 events in the summer with most of them being Saturday night Short Tracks, but we try to hold at least two Sunday TT events a year making those a two-day event. We also rent an awesome local clay banked ½ mile track, the Dodge County Fairgrounds, at least once a year, and run an Ice Race during the annual Otter Street Fisheree in Oshkosh, WI. This year we attempted to put on our first Hare Scrambles but Mother Nature never gave us much of a chance to pull it off. Another item to note is the club grounds is used in the fall for ASI ATV safety courses at least twice a year.
- Are you strictly competition or are there other recreational rides?
Occasionally, the club will hold an organized street ride ending at another club's event such as on Father's Days, the Kettle Moraine Sport Rider's Hill Climb. In the fall the club usually holds an off-road riding trip somewhere in Wisconsin that the club funds for those that want to take part in.
- Anyone from the Beavers made it to the pro level?
At the end of last year the club had two club members that were National Numbers: #45 Jesse Janisch and #30 Brock Schwarzenbacher; two Expert pros: #77K Dan Mischler and #14K Nick Smith; and one Pro Sport: #70L BCC President Dave Schultz. Other past Pro level BCC members include Eric Mischler, Justin Voight, Art Mischler, Larry Mischler, Clarence Rupnow and Bill Mischler, Sr.
- Is the club open to anyone of any age? Club members have to be 18 years old but many parents join so their kids can practice or ride.
- Current members vote new members in, how does this work?
A current member must introduce the potential prospect member at an official monthly meeting (second Thursday of the month). From that point forward the prospect must attend the next three monthly meetings and help out as much as possible. In the summer that would mean Tuesday and Thursday work nights and of course any races scheduled during this time. After three months we feel we can decide if the prospect is willing to "carry their weight" and take a vote to accept him/her or not. Once voted in, and if you last a year, the club provides you a club jacket that remains club property.
- Why join the Beaver Cycle Club?
The BCC is an established AMA club with enough seasoned members to successfully run several NC (North Central) Dirt Track Nationals events over the years. But, I think the main reason to join is to ride on the track during Tuesday and Thursday workdays and get a reduced rate to compete at our events. Still there are a lot of members that just want to hang out and help out in promoting the sport we all share. There is always a lot of laughter and an occasional beverage at our meetings and after the race is done. I've been all over the country racing and the BCC puts on one of the best run races anywhere, period.
