Motocross racers from all over the province turned out to the track last month for Terrace’s last Motocross Association sanctioned home event of the season.
“There was about 80 racers each day and they were from all over – Revelstoke, Kamloops, Williams Lake, Quesnel, one was from Victoria,” said Terrace Motocross Association (TMXA)’s Ken Parkes. “In fact, in my son’s race, out of 14 riders, only two of them were from Terrace, and in the other one where there were nine riders he was the only one from Terrace. It is quite an event, bringing people from all over the place.”
And 80 riders is a solid turnout, he said.
“Those riders are normally going into two or three classes each, so 80 I think is pretty respectable,” he said.
“It was a good race, really well run. Terrace Motocross Association did a great job putting it on. It seems to go smoother and smoother, but when I talk to them there are things going on in the background.”
There were a couple of accidents on Sunday, he said, which kept the medic tent on their toes.
But “spirits were high and the weather was perfect for racing,” he said.
And the event highlighted the strong sense of community there is in motocross culture – even among competitors.
“You’ll have guys that are competing against each other that may be going for first and second against each other, but when it comes down into the pits and somebody’s bike is broken, they’ll do whatever they can, even if you’re the major competitor,” he said, noting that he acts as the mechanic for his son Joey’s bike. “You kind of know what goes around comes around, so one day they’ll help you out, and you’ll help them out, it’s kind of neat that way.”
For example, one racer, Jesse Lanterman, wasn’t able to get his bike fixed in time for the event – despite working on it with a fellow from Williams Lake until late Friday in the hopes they could fix it. He ended up borrowing bikes from other people all weekend, without problem, so he could still race.
And if you think it must be tough riding a bike that you’re not used to, Parkes said it’s okay.
“You hop on a bike and it’s strange for the first race, but by the time the second race comes you start dialing her in,” he said.
Next up, riders travel to Williams Lake, then to Prince George, then back to Williams Lake, before finishing the season in Ashcroft.