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SALT LAKE CITY -- There won't be any footballs thrown in Rice Eccles Stadium for a few days. Instead, it's been filled with dirt for Supercross.
It's called the Monster Energy Supercross, and the event is set for Saturday night. It is a very big deal both nationally and internationally, and it's expected to bring a big boost to the economy. The event was brought here by the Utah Sports Commission.
An estimated 45,000 fans are expected to fill the seats, cheering on their favorite riders.
Jake Weimer is one to watch. He's thrilled to be racing in Salt Lake.
"If you have never been to a Supercross race, you gotta come, he said. "This is probably the funnest race of the year for me. I grew up in Idaho about two hours from here."
The reigning Supercross champion, Ryan Dungey, will be there too.
"It's good to be back," he said.
Last year when he competed here, he won.
"Last year Salt Lake City was cool, got my first championship here, which I'm really thankful for," he said.
It's not just riders and fans who are happy this event is in town. Gov. Herbert said the event will bring in $9 million to Salt Lake's economy, much from the media.
"The amount of money we generate is significant. This is going to be broadcast nationally and internationally," he said.
The main event starts Saturday night at 7 p.m., though you can start watching practice and qualifying runs at 12:30. And the show will go on, rain, shine or snow!
"I used to ride in the snow all the time, so maybe if it snows here, I'll have an advantage," Weimer said.
If you want to attend the Supercross, you can get tickets for as little as $10.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
