Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals returns to Gopher Dunes this weekend
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Gopher Dunes is where the rubber meets the sand, quite literally, this weekend, July 9-10.
The Courtland-based track on Hwy 59, known as one of the most difficult in the sport, will welcome the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals. A full two days of motocross racing will be highlighted by the MX 1 and MX 2 events on Sunday - the first stop of the eastern Canadian leg of the series.
Gopher Dunes represents the stretch drive of the series, which is being led by Californian Davi Millsaps (MX 1) and Sarnia's Cole Thompson (MX 2).
“There's a rider in each class that is dominating, so it's very important now that riders look at these next six races not as the home stretch, but the time they've really got to get their act together,” said Marc Travers, of Burlington, the host and producer of the MX Nationals series.
“The racing starts to become a little bit more intense when you get into your last half.”
If series pros like Colton Facciotti of Aylmer (third in MX 1), who with MX2 Jeremy Medaglia ride with the local Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing Team, want to make up ground on the leaders, they'll need to do so on what Travers called “one of the roughest, most demanding motocross tracks in the world.”
Gopher Dunes caters to smart riders, and those with experience racing atop sand, Travers said.
“Experienced riders have good eyes and they look for good lines. The thing about sand racing is, the lines change,” he explained. “On regular hard-packed tracks, the lines are developed... but when you come back (around) it's the same. On the sand track it's constantly moving, so through the course of the day it's like an animal – it's like a beast that moves as you move.”
For someone in Travers' position, it's easy to return to a place run by a family of motocross enthusiasts. Frank and Barb Schuster, who have owned and operated Gopher Dunes for years, and now Derek and Kerri Schuster, and are well respected in the sport from the grassroots to pro level.
“They do all of the labour and intensive work with the track maintenance and all that kind of stuff,” Travers pointed out. “When we come in, they're a great crew to work with and they really put on a professional (race).”
Saturday's action will feature a host of amateurs, as well as the beginning of the Eastern Canadian Women's National Series, a four-stop schedule which will culminate in Barrie Aug. 13.
On Sunday, each of the MX 1 and MX 2 classes will run a pair of races beginning at noon. Travers estimates that the current roster is the best it's ever been and ranks the series itself third in the world behind the MotoGp World Championship and American Supercross Championship.
“In the MX 1 class, you've got top US, Canadian and Australian riders 10 deep. We've never had it that deep before. Any one of 10 guys could win a race,” he added.
“I think we're going to see some of the best racing this country has ever seen on this tough track this weekend.”
More information, including a link to purchase advanced tickets, is available at www.mxnationals.ca. Sunday's full race-day schedule is posted at www.cmrcracing.com/pro-mx-nationals-race-day-schedule.