Skowhegan Fairgrounds is Michael Gustus’ favorite stop on the Rock Maple Racing Circuit. It’s probably not hard to guess what venue is the front-runner for his least favorite.

Gustus will be one of the hundreds of the region’s top amateur and professional riders who will descend upon Skowhegan this weekend for Round 6 on the nine-race RMR Central slate.

“I think it’s the best track they put on,” the 20-year-old Sabattus racer said. “I just like the layout of the track. It’s a fast track and they’ve got more jumps and bigger jumps – a lot more air.”

Gustus will compete in the Sport Open 500 and Sport Open 600 just one week after a race in Ossipee, N.H. where he lost control and was knocked unconscious before falling off his sled.

“I ended up with 14 stitches in my forehead,” he said. “I don’t remember any of it. I got back from the hospital and started racing again. I got fifth place.”

Gustus and teammate Jason Soucy built their own practice track in their hometown of Sabattus this year. It’s not just for high-flying fun. Soucy, an experienced sledder but one who has been competing for just two years, has honed his racing skills on the homemade course.

“It’s helped out a lot,” said the 33-year-old Soucy, who took a first place in a heat and finished fifth in the Trail 600 class last weekend. “I’ve noticed myself being able to do a lot more now that we have the practice track. Before we were racing all the time, we practiced on it every single weekend. Saturday and Sunday, we’d be out there six, seven hours.”

Family and friends frequent the track to watch or race with Gustus and Soucy. This weekend, they’ll be driving north to see them compete.

“It’s kind of a hometown deal for us because it’s not too far away,” Soucy said.

Other locals who won’t have to travel too far include competitors from Auburn-based Wallingford Racing, Ryan Scripture of Carmel and Cody Wallingford of Auburn. C.W. Sirjane, Danny Poirier and Jason Boron, who dominated last year’s Pro Open final at Skowhegan, highlight the roster of Pro riders scheduled to compete this weekend.

Spectator gates will open at 8 a.m. both days, with racing getting under way at 9 a.m. Admission is $12 per day for adults, with weekend passes available for $20. Children under the age of five will be admitted free with a paying adult. Pit passes valid through the entire weekend will be available for an extra $10.