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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1988-08-24, Page 5THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1988. PAGE 5. and 250 cc. race at the Morris Township motocross course on Sunday, Bremner, Brian Ten Pas, Rob McIntosh, Dave Smith and Chris Lee. When the going gets dusty the Jumping gets hazardous. The races were suspended soon after Rob McIntosh of Walton made this machinesDirtriders! “Zrn9 men spectacular leap. Don Blake of Ethel flies a 4-Wheeler. Brian Ten Pas, front, and Jerry Bremner, both of Brussels, take to the hills along some of the course’s tortuous twists and turns in a 30-minute endurance race designed to tax dirtbike riders to the utmost. And the winners are... BY TOBY RAINEY Nearly every summer Sunday afternoon, a gutsy group of young men - and some not so young - gather at a hilly acreage in Morris Township to test their skills and enjoy their daring sport - moto­ cross. Motocross is the sport of racing the small, tough motorcycles known as dirt bikes over a course that is apt to make the uninitiated nauseousjusttolook at it: the more steep hills, sudden hollows, hair­ pin turns and series of bumps - known as whoop-de-do’s, for obvious reasons - the better the riders like it: the aim is to complete as many laps of the gruelling course as possible within a given time limit to be declared a winner. Lately, “four-wheelers,” the heavy-framed all-terrain cycles rapidly becoming the common workhorseofruralpeople, have been allowed intothe sport. But they are still looked on as the poor relations of the field, much as mules are looked upon by horse­ Winners at Sunday’s races were: 80 cc. class: 1st, Mike Cronyn; 2nd, Scott Bremner; 3rd, Matt Lee; 4th, Dave Jacklin. 4-Wheelers: 1st, Brian Oldridge; 2nd, Don Blake; 3rd, Max Hilpert. 125 cc. class: 1st, Jerry Bremner; lovers. It’s doubtful, though, if the four-wheelers are any safer than the dirt bikes - at least, not the way these guys ride them. Safety is always uppermost in the minds of motocross athletes - a wrong or foolish move can be very, very painful, although seldom deadly at the level of skills these guys possess. Many of them race at sanctioned tracks across south­ western Ontario, and nearly all of them wear certified safety gear - full-face helmets, high, tight boots, protective clothing, chest protectors and gloves - but acci­ dents do happen as an accepted part of the thrill of pushing yourself to the limit. When a rider goes down, the race stops and everyone on the course rushes to the side of the fallen comrade, loosing a mighty cheer when he’s on his feet again. Most of the riders, formerly the Maitland Dirtriders, are from the Walton, Brussels, Atwood and Listowel area, and nearly all of them are well known to each other. 2nd, Matthew Armstrong; 3rd, Dave Smith; 4th, Terry Rothmair. 250 cc. class: 1st, Rob McIntosh; 2nd, Chris Lee; 3rd, Neil Warwick; Most Spectacular Spill: Brian Ten Pas. They are all friends and comrades, safe in each other’s company and notlikely tosuffer a fool in their midst gladly. The land they race and ride on is under lease to one of their members, but they ride only under a gentlemen’s agreement. Their course is not under official sanc­ tion, and they do not advertise or charge any admission or entry fees, because to do so would bring the track under the scrutiny of the Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA), which could result in such a welter of rules and regulations that riding would no longer be fun, but a serious business. And above all, the Maitland Dirtriders are out to have fun in their glorious way of life. Specta­ tors are always welcome, as long as theykeepoutof theway. Tofind these daring, modern knights just ask any insider - or follow the high-pitched whine of their shining steeds on any sunny, Sunday afternoon. Soaring higher than rooftops, Walton's Chris Lee shows the form which earned him a second-place win in the 250 cc. class at Sunday’s motocross races. Race winners at Sunday’s motocross were, from left, Chris Lee, Don Blake, Max Hilpert, Neil Warwick, Terry Rothmaler, Dave Jacklin, Scott Bremner, Mike Cronyn, Matthew Armstrong, Jerry Bremner, Dave Smith, Rob McIntosh, Brian Oldridge and [front] Matt Lee.