MOTORIZED PLAYTHINGS FILL SHOW ME CENTER

Chad Shiflett was still in diapers when he rode his first motorcycle.

"It was a junior 50-cc," said Shiflett, who has been riding for more than 22 years. "My father raced moto-cross and he started me out early."

Shiflett, of Brookfield, Mo., was in Cape Girardeau Friday for the Ultra Arena-Cross moto-cross races being held as part of the Monster Truck Spectacular at the Show Me Center.

Shiflett, 24, races a 125-cc these days in the amateur division. He was in the pro division for a number of years but now works in the family business, Southside Equipment, dealing in cycles, ATVs and outdoor power equipment.

"I have a family now," he said. Shiflett and his wife, Julie, who occasionally races four-wheelers, have a 4-month-old son, Dylan.

Cyclists from age 6, riding motorcycles ranging from 50-cc to 250-cc and weighing from 100 to 200 pounds, shared the spotlight with 1,000-plus-horsepower, 9,000-pound, custom-fabricated-tubular-framed monster trucks Friday during the first of a two-night program.

The $75,000 to $80,000 trucks featuring such names as the Cookie Monster, Barbarian, Beast, Devastator and Chicago Outlaw have giant tires and tower at 10 to 12 feet. They challenge each other in side-by-side racing and powering over the top of junk cars.

Vince Friese was one of the younger cyclists Friday night. At 6, the son of Doug and Lisa Friese has been racing moto-cross for two years with a 50-cc bike. Vince's brother Max Friese, 9, rides a 60cc in this weekend's competition, although he usually races an 80-cc.

Motorcycle moto-cross racing was an added event to the Monster Truck show.

Dirt was placed on the floor of the Show Me Center for the Monster Truck event, said Terry W. Dederich of the center's marketing and operations department. With dirt on the floor -- 150 dump-truck loads -- the event producers, Checkered Flag Productions, decided to bring arena-cross racing to the show.

"I favor the inside moto-cross racing," said Jon Hedden of Wichita, Kan. "I like the jumps and the action."

He and his twin-brother, Jeff Hedden, have been racing seven years. Jeff, who is ranked among the top-100 moto-cross pros, is watching from the sidelines this weekend, waiting for a broken leg to heal.

The brothers have raced against each other in a number of super-cross races; at the Astrodome in Houston, Superdome in New Orleans and Transworld Dome in St. Louis.

Jeff is expected to return to the track next weekend in Minnesota.

Jon Hedden has been on the pro circuit four years and earns enough to pay his way.

"I have a few product sponsors," he said. One of the big sponsors for Hedden is Metro Express from his home town of Wichita.

Hedden will participate in two divisions, 125 and 250.

"The 125 is a stock bike," said Hedden. "I race it like it came off the showroom floor. The 225 has some modifications."

Another 125-cc racer is Ronnie Ford of Cape Girardeau, whose father operates the Honda-Yamaha dealership here. The younger Ford has been riding about four years and participating in pro races two years, including moto-cross events at Atlanta, Ga., and Indianapolis, Ind.

A number of local entries were listed for the event, including Tyler Berens, a sophomore at Notre Dame High School. Berens races a 125-cc in the amateur division.