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Terrace motocross racers among top in B.C. north

Terrace’s James Taylor is first of all the northern B.C. motocross racers in two classes, with a whopping seven wins in races this season.
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James Taylor carves around a corner at the Terrace Fun Race September 20. Taylor won first in two classes in the northern series of the BC Motocross Association.

Terrace’s James Taylor is first of all the northern B.C. motocross racers in two classes, with a whopping seven wins in races this season.

Having competed in two different classes at 10 events, Taylor won first for MX-2 class with 318 points, and first in the Junior MX-3 class with 395 points.

“It was an awesome season,” Taylor said.

“I had a few bike issues but managed to borrow bikes from friends, and overall I got the championship [in two classes].”

It also went well for Taylor health-wise, with no hard crashes all summer.

Taylor is not the only Terrace motocross racer who ranked among the top in the northern B.C. motocross points circuit.

The Terrace Motocross Association has more than 12 families who travel regularly to compete in circuit races in Williams Lake, Prince George, Terrace, Quesnel and Chetwynd.

At age 20, Taylor says he travels about twice a month all summer.

“It’s an awesome sport to get into,” he said.

“I’ve got lots of friends down in other towns that I love to go hang out with on weekends. I like to call them my moto families because they take care of me all weekend while I race.”

Terrace hosts a circuit race every summer and Taylor and TMA treasurer Jamie Croot both said local races draw lots of racers from across B.C. because of its well-known track.

“We’ve been told it’s one of the best tracks in B.C.” said Croot.

“It’s very big. There are lots of big jumps, lots of high-speed corners ... we have great viewing, [and] you can see 90 per cent of the track when you’re up at the top viewing area.”

Taylor says it is his favourite track to ride.

“Our facilities out there right now are just unbelievable compared to anywhere else in B.C.,” he said, highlighting great terrain, big jumps, and space to upgrade and change the track every year.

Croot says motocross is a sport that is definitely on the rise.

Membership is up 30 per cent from last year, and the Terrace Motocross Association has 150 members this year, she said.

Terrace racers range from four years old to over 50, with most between four and eight years, she added.

“There are lots of new families out there who are wanting to race and to check it out … We’ve had more 50cc [kids] bike racers and people out there riding than we’ve ever had before.”

Croot says the season wrap-up Fun Race on September 20 was really good, with 10 kids on 50cc bikes and 46 racers competing.

This year, the association asked for donations at the door, and fundraised $215 to support Annabelle Demedeiros, a four-year-old Terrace girl in treatment for stage four nervous system cancer.

“We have five-year-old girls racing, so it kind of hits home. [Annabelle] could be out there having fun, but instead she’s dealing with all this [cancer treatment],” Croot said, adding that some motocross members are friends of the family.

 

The northern B.C. circuit winners were honoured at a Prince George banquet put on last weekend by the BC Motocross Association.

Ten Terrace racers were ranked in the top three for their classes, including Taylor.

Jesse Lanterman tied for first in the schoolboy class with 379 points, and he won second in the Junior MX-2 with 314 points.

For ages four to six, J.P. Croot won first in the 50cc class with 370 points, and he had four race wins in the season.

Foster Armstrong got third in the same class and age, with 305 points and four race wins.

For ages 7 to 8, Kohl Devost was first in the 50cc class with 389 points and won three races this season.

Carter-Allen Mowbray got second in the same age and class, with 379 points and won three races.

Connor McCarron won second in the 65cc pee wee circuit with 359 points and third in the 85cc class with 285 points for ages 7 to 11.

Austin Devout won second with 288 points in the 85cc for ages 7 to 11.

James Gagnon won third with 211 points in the 85cc class for ages 12 to 16.