The 2016 New Era Moto Park Cup Experience

As we put the opening rounds of the 2016 New Era Moto Park Cup into the rear mirror, we can definitely all concur that it was, as usual, a very entertaining event. As soon as the riders and their families began arriving on Friday, you got a sense that something pretty special was happening on the grounds of perhaps the most famous track in Canada. Maybe it was the bright blue sky and the warm temperatures that greeted everyone as they made their way up Moto Park Road, or maybe it was the smiling face of Mrs. Hayden who welcomed every truckload of excited dirt bike racers with an enthusiastic ’Welcome to Moto Park.’ Whatever the reason behind the jubilation, this past weekend the pits were filled with some very happy, motocross addicted people.

Since its inception a few years ago, the New Era Moto Park Cup events have found a way to tug on people’s heart strings and make people feel as though they must attend, even though they don’t have to. As I said above, maybe it’s the facility that draws the riders out, I mean, let’s face it, some people love the track and some people don’t. However, no one can argue that in terms of the infrastructure and what Moto Park has to offer its patrons, very few, if any, tracks can compete with Moto Park. Heck, the ’real’ bathrooms alone are enough to keep bringing people back. In talking to a lot of different families both last year and again this past weekend, many feel that these events have really made everyone feel like they’ve had a successful weekend, regardless of their results on the race track.

I personally found this to be an amazing observation as so much about this sport, and all sports I suppose, is about how you finish. That’s the natural (or unnatural) barometer of success in sports, and while it does have its place at certain events like the Deschambault GNC, the Parts Canada TransCan and our Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals, every sport needs events that are both competitive on the track, but also comprise of a laid back, fun feel off the track. The New Era Moto Park Cups have found a way to capture this much needed vibe and I think that’s why each season their race dates are getting circled on everyone’s calendar.

Of course, as we all witnessed on the weekend, just because there is a fun filled atmosphere in the paddock, doesn’t mean that the riders aren’t going for it on the track. In all of the classes there were battles that kept the local spectators enthralled. I for one am very impressed with the high level of talent that we have in front of us. Not only are kids like Austin Watling, Marco Cannella and Tanner Ward (just to name a few) turning pro-like lap times, but they’re also under the watchful umbrella of training facilities like Frankfit and the MP Academy to make sure they’re constantly being guided in the proper direction. Whenever I look at a young, fast rider, the first thing I look for isn’t raw speed or their aggression level, I look for their technique and how they handle certain situations both on and off the track. In my mind, this is how you measure the success of a young athlete. When the going gets tough, and believe me it will, regardless of how talented and fast a young rider is, if they are all flash and no substance, they will not be able to stand the test of time.

That maybe is why this current crop of young stars is so impressive. Even at their age they’re learning how to work off the bike, and then apply that to how they operate on the bike. This process not only breeds confidence on the surface, but more importantly it embeds a deep belief in themselves that they will be able to succeed regardless of the adversities they encounter along the way. Not to mention that another very impressive thing that I’ve noticed is that our group of top amateur riders (right across the country) are some of the nicest kids at the track. From what I see, they treat the younger kids who look up to them with the same respect they seek from us media people and older pro riders. Basically, they know not only how to say thank you, but they also know what the word actually means. I don’t know about you, but it feels like this is a lost art among our youth today.

Thanks to a strong purse this weekend, there was also a few very fast pros that made the trek to Moto Park. Everyone in attendance got to see the likes of Shawn Maffenbeier, Dylan Wright, Joey Crown, Nathan Bles and Zeb Dennis battle it out in every 20 minute moto on Saturday and Sunday. Whether it was Maffenbeier’s almost perfect holeshot streak and then his buttery smooth riding on the track, or Joey Crown and Dylan Wright’s relentless pursuit of Maffenbeier on their screaming 250Fs, the pro class was extremely entertaining. In fact, the pass of the weekend must go to Joey Crown in the final Pro Open moto on Sunday as he squared up local hero Zeb Dennis in the corner after the finish line to take over second place. Crown’s split second decision making in that situation just gives even more credence as to why he will go very far in this sport.

So there you have it in a nut shell, or in 1000 words if you want to put it in writer’s terms. The opening rounds of the 2016 New Era Moto Park is officially part of Canadian Motocross history and now we can all look forward to the final two chapters on the Canada Day long weekend in July. With massive track changes in the works between now and then, Rounds 3 and 4 will no doubt be unforgettable. I hope everyone had a great weekend, and for those of you who were a little unlucky and are currently sitting there nursing an injury, I pray that you heal quickly!

I will leave you with a quote from the weekend’s fastest rider, Shawn Maffenbeier, who at the end of the day Sunday told Moto Park owner Iain Hayden and I how much he’s changed his riding over the years. “I’ve just learned to relax a lot more and to be more efficient on the bike. Like today, why over jump stuff or waste time and energy trying to scrub everything? Now I just try to stay low and get the power back to the ground, it seemed to work really well this weekend and I can’t wait to get to Kamloops in a few weeks and then hopefully come back here in July.” It’s hard to argue with Shawn’s riding technique and it’s definitely something that riders of all ages can work on. This is a good thing as I for one have no idea how to scrub and I‘m way too old to learn! Take care everyone and thanks to the Moto Park crew for an awesome weekend.