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SMOKIN': Biker rally is in Davie this year, but locals aren't happy
Journal Photo by Traci White
A biker burns rubber, sending up big clouds of smoke at the Speedway. The annual Smoke Out is being held in Farmington this year.
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Published: June 22, 2008
FARMINGTON
Thousands of people are gathered at the Farmington Speedway this weekend for the ninth-annual Smoke Out, a festival for fans of custom-built motorcycles.
Bikers are showing off their "choppers." Contests offer everything from stunt riding, anvil tossing and an all-female roller derby.
But not everyone is glad to see so many bikes, so much beer and scantily clad women. "Most local people I spoke with were not happy to hear about the event," said Sheriff Andy Stokes of Davie County.
"We heard a lot of rumors about bike gangs and were adequately prepared for any scenario," Stokes said. "Nevertheless, there has been little to report so far, and the area has been pretty calm."
The Smoke Out was moved to Davie County this year after running afoul of officials in Rowan County. The Rowan County Board of Commissioners decided last year that they wouldn't allow it to be held at the county-owned fairgrounds, where it had been held for five consecutive years, mainly because of objections to alcohol and nudity, The Salisbury Post reported.
Activities at the Speedway included a topless carwash for motorcycles and a wet T-shirt contest. Signs warned that no one under the age of 18 is allowed in.
Under state law, it is not illegal for a woman to be topless; a woman's breasts are not considered "private parts" in the state statute governing indecent exposure.
There are some exceptions, however. Individual towns or counties may have their own law against women going topless ,and it is illegal in any N.C. state park. Other rules govern sexually oriented businesses.
Alcohol sales also are not allowed at the Speedway. The the local ABC board denied the festival a one-time permit to sell alcohol there. Davie is a mostly dry county.
When the Smoke Out's application for the one-time permit was filed, state Sen. Andrew Brock said he pointed out to the ABC board that the biker festival had been getting one-time alcohol permits for years.
"If they have the event every year, how many times can they continue to issue a ‘one-time' permit?" asked Brock, a former Davie County commissioner. "It's a dry county, and the nudity and alcohol and other stuff has rubbed people here the wrong way."
Smoke Out's organizer had to sign a contract that allows him to hold the biker rally in Farmington for one year only.
"I wish we could come here for the next 10 years," said organizer Greg Scheuer, who prefers to go by his nickname, "Edge."
"I heard one police officer say that Smoke Out is ‘less trouble than Wal-Mart on a Saturday night.'"
The festival is put on twice a year by The Horse, BackStreet Choppers magazine. One of the contests features stationary motorcycles, with the riders spinning their rear wheels to create the most smoke.
A western Smoke Out will be held in October in Arizona.
Edge estimates that 7,000 people will attend the festival over the weekend. The show is open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. today. Admission is $30.
He said that the Smoke Out was a catalyst for the popularity of custom-built motorcycles, which are now featured on several cable-TV shows.
"There is really a creative approach out here," said Keinosuke "Keino" Sasaki, the founder of Keino Cycles in Brooklyn, N.Y. "But it is also great to see the working class and ‘average joes,' for those are the people that really appreciate the bikes."
The absence of beer sales at the Speedway meant that many people were stocking up at stores in Mocksville. Edge said that he also saw a spike in business for local restaurants, and that all the hotels in the area were booked. About 15 percent of the people at the bike show chose to camp in the area surrounding the racetrack rather than get on their bikes after drinking, he said.
"This is just a way for people to see each other every year -- sort of like a family gathering," Edge said. "I think most people would be surprised to see that we can have a good time here and avoid all the misconceptions about biker people."
Brock said he met about 10 of the bikers who attended a prayer breakfast at nearby Farmington Methodist Church yesterday morning.
"They were nice guys," Brock said.
■ Jason Tyson can be reached at 727-7303 or at jtyson@wsjournal.com.
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