It's uncharacteristically quiet at the Knoxville Raceway on Wednesday afternoon.
Instead of the roar of engines, RVs and campers sit idly at the center of the track. A single group of riders on the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa quietly cruise on the half-mile dirt oval.
Amber Fontenot, the team's captain, hails from Clear Lake. She grew up going to the raceway, but this is the first time she's seen it from the track. While her group wasn't sure if the track would be open, they couldn't pass up an opportunity to ride it.
"It's a better experience being out here than watching," said Fontenot, gesturing to the empty stands.