The Citizen, 1991-08-21, Page 12I 4 > I I
PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21,1991.
CMC making
tracks in Ont.
The provincial Motosport meet to
be held at the Walton-area home of
Chris and Judy Lee August 24 and
25 is a sanctioned race of the Con
tinental Motosport Club.
The CMC originated 25 years
ago in California and this is the
first full season of Canadian run
franchise.
The goals of CMC are to concen
trate on marketing and promoting
the sport of motocross in the hopes
of creating enthusiasm thus encour
aging more riders to participate in
racing.
CMC is generating more tracks
in Ontario for competition, which
will allow riders a much wider vari
ety.
Prizes awarded to competitors
participating in each CMC series
are from the club's 23 sponsors.
Welcomes the
On top
For Walton-area resident Chris Lee, centre, and his sons, Matt, 15, left and Brett, 16, the
sport of Moto-cross racing is a family event. Chris holds the Canadian National championship
trophy he won in Edmonton two weeks ago. Brett placed second last week at the U.S.
Nationals.
Chris Lee wins national race
"It's definitely a young man's
sport," says Chris Lee, smiling, as
he talks about his hobby of moto
cross racing. But, for an "old guy",
this 40-year-old Walton-area man,
has proven himself a top contender.
Last month in Edmonton, Chris
brought home the National champi
onship for riders in the 40 plus
class, qualifying him for the U.S.
amateur championship race in Ten
nessee, which is, his 16-year-old
son Brett says, about as big as it
gets. He also qualified, by placing
in the top seven in his category at
the nationals. A much bigger,
highly recognizable sport in the
States, no Canadian has ever won
the U.S. event, which is held at
Loretta Lynn's dude ranch.
Chris got his first motorcycle
when he was 16. Three years later
he developed an interest in dirt
bikes, but it wasn't until he was in
his early 20's that the racing bug
hit.
His first notable success was in
1977, when he look third place in
both the 250cc and Open classes of
the Senior National Champi
onships. Two years later he had
several top 10 finishes in the Expert
National and Provincial Champi
onship rounds, but that same year
he decided to retire.
As Chris's young sons began to
show an interest in the sport, Chris,
with his family's encouragement
decided to return to racing in 1987.
Competing in the Over 30 class he
added a few more titles. In 1989 at
the Ministade National Champi
onship, a super cross race on a
closed site, and the Ontario High
Point Championship, he finished in
second place. Chris was first in
1990's Spring Series and second
after five of eight events in the
Summer Series. At the Arte Kotte
Memorial Series, that year, he was
again first after two of three events
and in the top spot after 15 of 26
events at the Ontario High Point
Championship.
Now after having come out of
retirement just four years ago,
Chris is ahead of his peers. It is the
competitive aspect of the sport that
he enjoys the most "I enjoy racing,
but just to take the bike out on the
track and ride it; that doesn't mean
as much to me as it used to."
That he'll leave to the young
men.
What is moto-cross?
Moto-cross racing is a closed cir
cuit race over man-made obstacles
or natural terrain for a fixed amount
of time.
For amateur racers, like Chris
Lee and his sons Brett and Matt of
Walton, Mike Cronyn of Blyth,
Paul McIntosh of Brussels and Rob
McIntosh of Walton that means
about 15-20 minutes of strenuous,
thrilling action. It's a demanding
sport with the most stress being
placed on the knees, shoulders and
arms, so riders must stay in top
physical condition to be at their
best. Professional moto-cross rid
ers have been reported to be the
most physically fit athletes and
many compete in triathalon events
to help them maintain that condi
tioning.
In a typical moto-cross competi
tive event, about 40 riders vie for
front position, completing laps, by
careening down hills, up banks,
around sharp turns and over bumps.
Bikes will often reach a height of
30 feel above the track at some
jumps.
Riders compete in divisions
according to bike size and rider's
age and experience.
While not as popular in Ontario
as in the United States, there are
about 600 licensed members of the
Continental Motosport Club
(CMC) in the province.
With many of the races run
indoors now, the idea of running an
outdoor, natural track is a unique
experience today. On outdoor
tracks, weather conditions mean
nothing and racers have often rid
den in snowstorms, which is, Chris
Lee says, "every bit as miserable as
it sounds."
Though referees are present at
races it comes down to essentially
who gels there first, thus their role
is minimal. As well, though the
sport is highly competitive, riders
realize the potential dangers of not
exercising common sense on the
track. Many moto-cross racers
agree that it is, to some extent a
gentleman's race, with the rate of
injury no worse than that of minor
hockey.
Competitors to Walton
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