Cowtown Raceway Park vandalized, burglarized

The pole that used to hold up the solar lights at the Cowtown Raceway Park in Marpi was cut by a vandal or vandals this past weekend. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The Cowtown Raceway Park in Marpi was vandalized last weekend with the perpetrator or perpetrators breaking into the track and damaging and even destroying the facility’s solar lights.

Marianas Racing Association president Charles V. Cepeda said members of the CNMI motocross community are demoralized after finding out that their motocross home in Cowtown was vandalized.

“Members were asked to help in finding out who may have done this. We are also asking the community to assist in identifying these individuals so we may possibly help them in their needs. They may also have hostility toward MRA and we need to work things out. MRA members are a strong family that help each other in need, the lights belong to MRA families. It saddens me to know that someone has come into our home, maliciously damaging our MRA family property. We ask for everyone’s cooperation and assistance in finding out who vandalized Cowtown,” he told Saipan Tribune.

In a social media message to MRA members early last Monday, Cepeda announced the vandalism and theft at the Cowtown Raceway Park.

“With a sad heart and I’m letting you all know that someone (maybe more than one person) broke into our track and damaged and destroyed our solar lights! We are asking for everyone’s help in assisting us in finding out who may have done this. They seem to have walked off with the solar lights panels as well,” he wrote.

The MRA president said the loss of the solar lights will hamper their practice sessions when the sun is beginning to set or already down.

“The theft of the solar lights will limit the time our members spend at the track. Some members practice late in the afternoon into the early evening. Having the light allows them to practice until sundown and then use the light while they load up their stuff before heading home. Time at Cowtown is reduced because it gets dark without those solar lights,” said Cepeda.

MRA is expected to begin its 2022 season in Jan. 16. Like the 2021 season, MRA’s 2022 season will have seven points races. Aside from the points races that was sponsored by Monster Energy Drink, the club also hosted Labor Day and Thanksgiving Day races this year.

In October 2020, the Department of Public Lands and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs assigned Cowtown Raceway Park to the MRA after the site had sat idle for more than a decade. Since then, the motocross club fast-tracked its reconstruction into a bigger and wider race course by clearing some portions of the property to provide both riders and spectators a great view of the ocean.

Last month, MRA also welcomed a $140,000 John Deere skid-steer loader that was given by Gov. Ralph DLG Torres. The money used to buy the skid-steer loader was sourced from American Rescue Plan Act funds. Torres said it will be the first of many more equipment that his administration plans to turn over to MRA.