By Madeleine Neal
A world-renowned stunt rider captured the attention of many locals during a stellar performance at an open house on Aug. 20.
Chris “Teach” McNeil’s appearance at Sun & Fun Motorsports and BMW Motorcycles of Iowa City benefited the Veterans Liberty Center, 2116-18 S. Riverside Drive. The center is a nonprofit organization established in 2015 to better the lives of both veterans and active-duty military personnel.
The organization is locally owned and sustained, and officials said it strives to assist veterans with employment, transportation, special accommodations, and referrals to other programs.
Gerald Peters, a Veterans Liberty Center board member, stressed the importance of the organization being visible.
“We want people to know who we are,” Peters said. “[The McNeil event] is the best way to do it.”
In a press release from Sun & Fun Motorsports, the event announced that “free-will donations” would be collected during the event and given to the Veteran’s Liberty Center.
And when the audience members were not speaking with the veterans, they watched an action-packed stunt show.
Their eyes widened, and they grabbed their phones as the motorcycles scuffed the pavement.
Event Volunteer Sharon Drilling shared in the excitement. With her camera in hand, she said McNeil’s performance was important.
“The main idea is to bring the love of the sport to the community,” Drilling said.
In the press release, Scott Goedken, the BMW Motorcycles of Iowa City dealership principal and owner, referred to McNeil as “one of the best stunt riders in the world” who “puts on a truly amazing show.”
The event featured more than McNeil. In addition to the stunt-rider, Iowa City’s Jared Chaney, a master certified BMW technician at BMW Iowa City, put on a trials bike exhibition.
Two separate shows took place, with the first performance at 10:30 a.m., and the second at 1 p.m. An assortment of food was offered — freshly grilled brats and hot dogs, chips, doughnuts, cookies, and beverages were free.
The open house featured a variety of motorcycles, including such popular brands as BMW and Triumph.
Rain and wind persisted during the event, forcing tent-holders to frequently readjust their stations. The rain did not, however, dampen the spectators’ spirits; they continued to show their enthusiasm amid the rain and wind gusts.
The audience’s reaction to the event was key when it came to the performance, which is why Lindsey Drilling of Sun & Fun said she has no doubt McNeil will be back.
“I think in the future, we’d love them to come back,” she said. “He always brings a crowd wherever he goes.”
For Sun & Fun and BMW Iowa City, the thrill of the sport was a necessity, and for the Veteran’s Liberty Center, so was the enthusiasm.
“It [was] a great reaction; there are so many motorcycles that enthuse people everywhere,” Lindsey Drilling said.
