2017 Sierra Motocross Classic

Held on June 10^th and 11^th at the Prairie City national track (AKA Hangtown) outside Sacramento CA. Once upon a time the Sierra Old Timers annual race was called the “Hangtown Hangover” and put on I believe the following week or weeks after “The” Hangtown National MX with the help of the Dirt Diggers club. Who are still the only motorcycle club to put on an AMA national MX event as far as I know and have been for years? 

The weather was surprisingly good; it was cool over cast most of the time and a little windy sometimes, it could have been downright ugly but was almost perfect weather to race in. 

The rider turnout was a little lower than was expected. There was no shortage of theories as to way. But for those who did come, some traveling from as far away as Canada were treated to an outstanding event. Armstrong Racing who operate the facility are real professionals so the track prep and race program were handled in a top notch way.

Saturday evening a BBQ dinner was served to a full house of 150 people. Following dinner the raffle prizes were handed out. The club has become known for outstanding prizes including this year’s grand prize of an Evo Fat tire bike. In fact the club has been gaining the reputation of putting on one the best events of the series which includes clubs from all around the Western States and Canada.

I only talked to one rider who didn’t like the track and for him it probably had more to do with his ridding abilities on that particular day. (We all have those days)

Everywhere I stood  eavesdropping on other riders conversations I heard one of the things that keeps us all doing this and that’s the bench racing it’s a very important part of the whole thing. I invited Scott a friend of mine who is an excellent woods rider but hasn’t raced moto cross for fifteen years to come out and give it a try. It turned out he and Derek who ended up parked next to each other and me were in the same class spent the weekend passing each other laughing and yelling, then spent the time between moto’s talking about it. I’m sure this kind of conversation was repeated throughout the pits.

In fact my overall observation was I saw a lot of smiling faces of people engaged in conversation over the weekend. I talked with four support riders who were all under thirty who were still on their bikes and their helmets on talking about the great time they just had racing each other. And as I’ve said before that kind of camaraderie is what it’s really all about, especially the older we get.

Doug 21J