Motorhead Memoirs With Shelby Mahon: One Down And Seven To Go

I can officially say that Calgary did NOT disappoint, from the spectacular views of the city to the perfect weather that kept the smoke at bay and sun shining down on both Saturday and Sunday.

The only downside to the western rounds of the Rockstar Triple Crown is the travel time. Catching a plane at 6am Friday morning, I was both excited and exhausted. The only thing that keeps my departures relatively stress free is flying out of a small airport in Northern Ontario. Small crowds, close parking and friendly staff make Jack Garland Airport my favourite place to fly from! The second leg of the journey is certainly the longest. Two full length movies later we arrive in Calgary and the weekend begins!!

After the long day of travel, I was far too excited to head to the AIRB&B. So, we point our rental car south towards Wild Rose MX Park to check out the track and the Roost Factory Hoosier Offroad big rigs home for the weekend. With stellar views from our booth and what looked like a perfectly groomed track ready to be ripped up by Canada’s best motocross racers, I was in paradise! Now, the wait for Saturday morning and the first official gate drop of the weekend!!

By Saturday morning the smoky haze from the wildfires burning in northern Calgary were being blown away from the city and racing action was free to continue. Walking through the pits it felt like the opening scene to an action-packed racing flick. The air had been thick with wildfire smoke yesterday afternoon but now the thickness came from the intense anticipation of the racers around me. Racer after racer could be seen deep in thought, gearing up and looking towards the track with anticipation and determination. The sweet sweet smell of race fuel drifted around the pits, and the reaction from every person was the same; a big deep breathe in at the first whiff of the best perfume in the world!

Saturday’s action was nothing short of spectacular! With the Top Pros lining up at the gates I knew I would be in for a treat. I will admit, it has been a couple of years since I’ve had the time to get involved with the motocross scene. The last time I followed the series I watched Dusty Klatt and Matt Goerke battle it out with Tyler Villopoto and Tyler Medaglia at Sand Del Lee in 2013. It’s amazing to see some of the same names still killing it 6 years later.

The gate drops. The ground rumbles. No one blinks for fear of missing that first corner and the holeshot! The racing action was intense between the top runners and by now I am sure you have all heard the drama that ensued during Moto #2 of the 250 Pro class. The season started off with a bang and I had the best seat in the house!

After the day’s racing ended, I had the chance to relax at the Roost Factory Hoosier Offroad booth and enjoy a delicious BBQ! During my food breaks over the weekend I got to chat with some of the Red Plate riders who had the chance to pit under the impressive Hoosier Offroad purple banner. Hot food, trackside support and hospitality like none other had all of the amateur riders feeling like Pros for the weekend. Yeah, you read that right. The Roost Factory was home base for six amateur riders who had the luxury of a short walk to the start line, delicious food and drinks, comradery and technical help from Roost staff and Pro Riders.

Saturday night I took to the Go Kart race track to let off some steam and have a good time with friends. The nice part about racing near a big city is all the entertainment that comes with it! A bonus to this Go Kart adventure was giving my friend and co-worker Devon her first Go Kart adventure! Introducing people to racing and driving anything with a motor is always an exciting time for me. Watching nerves turn into excitement and seeing the adrenaline rush that comes shortly after is one of my greatest joys in life.

Ahhh, sorry guys, it looks like my next airplane flight is about to take off. With 8 hours of flying time ahead of me, two layovers and three different planes, I can’t wait to land in Prince George for Round #2! Let’s see what this weekend has to offer aside from the rain and lightning I see in the forecast! Good thing I packed my Finntrail rain jacket and my rubber boots!!