RENO — Syrup is not the only thing Cairo is known for these days.

According to Scott Barrett, “Grady County is the motorcross capital of the world.”

With nationally-renowned riders Ricky Carmichael and Davey Milsaps doing their training in Cairo, it’s hard to dispute Barrett’s claim. Barrett is the owner of Chases Fast Track MX Ranch, a public motorcross facility that’s in its 10th year, located in south Grady County.

“We cater mostly to the people in the area,” Barrett said. “More of our clientale are local or within three hours from here. We are the only public place in Grady County. There are private training facilities…those people come from all over the country.”

Jim Max is one of those out-of-towners who have matriculated his way to Cairo. He is from Bainbridge, Penn. The reason is simple for his practicing in Cairo, rather than up North.

“It’s cold up there,” said Max on Thursday afternoon when the temperature was in the high-70s.

Barrett’s track will serve as a host of a Loretta Lynn Qualifier in April. That qualifier is a part of a national championship circuit that should attract between 300-400 riders.

“Some folks are telling me we’re going to have more,” Barrett said. “It’s the biggest amateur-type race you can have in our industry.”

Barrett said his track will host between 16 and 18 races this year, up from 12 the year before.

The Ranch’s first race this year — the Dominoes Pizza Classic — is Jan. 26-27. Barrett expects around 150 racing participants for that race.

“That’s a real good crowd for us,” Barrett added. “To give you an idea (though) some of the local Georgia races are still a little bigger than ours. But we’re getting there.”

Barrett did emphasize his motorcross races are family-driven, saying fathers, sons and even some moms will come to the Ranch and spend the weekend together. Even on Sundays — race days — the Ranch hosts a church service.

“It does a lot for the community, Barrett added. “Not just these individual races, the practice days, families come here. They come here and they spend time together.

“It’s important for the people around here to know that this is a family-oriented sport.”

Barrett said the track is open for practice seven days a week, while the other facilities in the area are private, meaning racers have to be members and follow a regimen when they’re at the track.

“Probably 75 percent of our clientale is from Tallahassee,” Barrett said. “We have a lot of kids from Quincy and Pensacola.

“Motocross is the fastest growing sport in motorsports that there is. One of the local bankers here said one day, ‘I think motorcross is the next NASCAR.’ Now, I don’t know about that, I hope so.”