Hopes for the Split
by Robert Beaupre
Photo courtesy of Mike Torres at www.tagnmx.com

By now you’ve likely heard about this.

The birth of the Sierra Motocross Association has bred much concern among the rank-and-file racers of northern Nevada. Most of the worries center on the fear that an additional sanctioning body will splinter the rider base and weaken the local scene. At the same time, others--particularly those at ends with NMXD and its founder, Ty Erquiaga--have shown enthusiasm at the prospect of a rival group to shake up what they argue has become an MX West/NMXD monopoly in northern Nevada.

I meant to immediately write a column on this when I learned the details of the controversy a day and a half ago. But before I sat down to put fingers to the keys, I read the enormous list of replies made on the subject on the MX West Message Board (see link in the first paragraph.) After that, my column stalled. I prefer to regard myself as an avid reader and a seasoned thinker, but after sifting through countless viewpoints (not to mention countless barbs, rants and outright insults), my brain was fried. I knew this was important, but I wasn’t sure what I could tell anyone that hadn’t been said (or typed in caps) already.

And I’m still not sure. But I do think I can distill most of the struggle into a list of hopes that the organizers of MX West and Sierra may take for what it’s worth. While I obviously cannot speak for everyone who races, I think most of us could relate to this short collection of wishes:

--I hope that both MX West and Sierra (if they do insist on remaining separate entities) pledge to communicate when writing their schedules. As rich in riders as Southern California is, many of the tracks there struggle to draw decent turnouts because of the ridiculous number of other tracks running at the same time. Northern Nevada, even as it’s grown, is not capable of supporting a split in the rider turnout each weekend--at least not if the promoters wish to make money, and the riders wish to have competition.

--I hope that Sierra gives Ty Erquiaga his due in their dealings. I realize there are plenty of people who’ve had problems with Ty, but this much is undeniable: he has brought a significant amount of motocross to the area, and the vast majority of it has been of the highest class. He may be abrasive at times, but his sincerity and dedication toward motocross is clear. Some claim that Ty’s simply in it for the money, but, as anyone who’s been involved with the headaches of promoting races will testify, there are easier ways to turn a buck. I cannot speak for the authenticity of the olive branch that Sierra has reportedly extended to Ty, but I hope that it’s genuine and remains as such. If not, I worry for the health of our scene, because a rivalry of that sort will do nothing for anyone.

--I hope that Sierra doesn’t focus too heavily on distant places such as Winnemucca, Hawthorne and Lovelock. No offense to the promoters (or locals) of those races, but I suspect the events at these venues will be of limited appeal to riders closer to the northern Nevada population base (read: Reno/Carson), especially when more competition and more interesting tracks lie at a shorter distance to the west. If Sierra (or anyone) really wants to pack the pits, I’d strongly recommend bringing the races closer to most riders’ homes in the future.

--I hope that the existence of two sanctioning bodies will transcend the present anxieties and increase the growth of northern Nevada motocross. While it will not likely happen that way if the two groups choose to compete directly, a co-op between the entities could help create more races, more resources and more interest in general.

--Lastly, I hope that all parties involved will hold the interests of the riders and the sport itself above the conflicts of the past or future. There are hundred of riders whose Sundays depend on the good sense and cooperation of the men and women behind these organizations. I hope they use that responsibility to build what we all really want in the end: plenty of good opportunities to race dirt bikes.

I just hope I’m not hoping for too much.

Send the author a comment on this column