SEVEN MILE—Jason Abernethy typically does his best motocross racing while charging from behind the leaders. Though, he admits, a muddy track can put a damper on that strategy.
"It's always easier chasing someone than have them chasing you," Abernethy, a 2013 North Island School graduate, said after claiming a pair of class victories in Saturday's Vancouver Island Motocross Series event at Seven Mile Motocross Track. "When you're in front, you can't see where the other guys are. Of course, it's not always the most comfortable approach on days like this."
Riders spent much of Saturday afternoon peeling off visor covers or throwing aside their goggles altogether after a weather system settled over the track and dumped a steady, heavy rain that turned low spots on the course into bogs.
Conditions improve markedly with mostly sunny skies for Sunday's second Seven Mile session, the sixth in the VIMX series and part of a special free admission promotion by the Tri-Port Motorbike and ATV Club.
"We're just looking for a way to get more people out here," said race organizer and club co-founder Mark Ellis. "We realize it's the long weekend and there's lots going on with camping and the big baseball tournament in Sointula."
Ellis was pleased enough with the turnout that he said the club will likely open the gates to the public again when racing returns to Seven Mile in October, on Thanksgiving weekend.
"It seemed to work out well at the concession, and quite a few locals came by to check it out. They didn't all stay for the whole day, but they came and stopped in, maybe on their way to the lake."
Dozens of riders and their families from clubs across the Island turned the track parking lot into one of the region's biggest campgrounds for the weekend.
Abernethy, the son of club co-founder, sponsor and veteran-class rider Stu Abernethy, enjoyed the best showing among local riders. Despite bowing out of Sunday's final moto due to a lingering illness, Jason finished tops in points for the weekend in the Intermediate MX-2 and Youth classes while winning three of the four daily titles available.
After placing second in Saturday's first youth moto to Graham Scott, a pro rider from Victoria, Abernethy spent much of the second moto duelling Dwayne Richmond of Port Alberni for second place while Scott motored ahead in the lead.
But when Scott suffered a mechanical breakdown and had to withdraw, Abernethy claimed the checkered flag thanks to a mid-race pass of Richmond.
"I had no idea (I won)," Abernethy said. "I thought Graham had gone and checked off on us."
Asked if luck plays a part in motocross racing, Abernethy was diplomatic.
"You can call it luck," he said. "Or you could look at it as being prepared for opportunity, and taking it when it comes along."
Mason Northey of Port Hardy was also a winner, winning Saturday's 7-8-year-old 50cc title Saturday before returning Sunday to place second in the class.
Younger brother Maxtin Northey added a second-place showing in the 4-6-year-old class both days, and fellow Port Hardy youngster Ryler Smith placed seventh Sunday and eighth Saturday in the 7-8-year-old division.
"We've got a good group of the younger kids, which is what you want to see to keep things going here," said Ellis.
MOTOCROSS
Vancouver Island Motocross Series
At Seven Mile Motocross Track
Race 5
Sat., May 17
Pro MX-1
1. Graham Scott (1,0) 25.
Intermediate MX-2
1. Jason Abernethy (1,1) 50; 2. Joe Nikirk (2,2) 44.
Junior MX-1
1. Garret Mcalinden (1,1) 50; 2. Steven Zapp (2,2) 44.
Junior MX-2
1. Alexander Haley (2,1) 47; 2. Nolan Egeland (1,2) 47; 3. Harrison Bradley (3,3) 40; 4. Daniel Klassen (5,4) 34; 5. Chris Kulhawy (8,5) 29; 6. Mitchell Nelson (7,6) 29; 7. Brandon Johnson (4,0) 18; 8. Brody W. Schmidt (6,0) 15.
50cc, 4-6 years
1. Ray Williams (1,1) 50; 2. Maxtin Northey (2,2) 44.
50cc 7-8 years
1. Mason Northey (1,3) 45; 2. Charley Roberts (2,4) 40; 3. Sebastian Seby Sulyok (5,2) 38; 4. Ryan Brett (3,5) 36; 5. Ashton McCay (4,6) 33; 6. Marcus Drake (6,7) 29; 7. Owen Hopewell (8,8) 26; 8. Ryler Smith (7,9) 26; 9. Ty Cyr (0,1) 25.
Super Mini
1. Joey Parkes (2,1) 47; 2. Tanner Meyland (1,3) 45; 3. Brandon Johnson (3,2) 42; 4. Bradley Nelson (5,5) 32; 5. Colby Egeland (4,7) 32; 6. David Bradley (7,6) 29; 7. Ethan Ouellette (11,4) 28; 8. Callan Taschuk (6,8) 28; 9. Cameron Bradley (9,9) 24; 10. Everett Procter (8,10) 24; 11. Michael Masters (10,11) 21.
Vet Master
1. Jason Cissell (1,1) 50.
Vet Junior
1. Mike Williams (1,1) 50; 2. Shawn Aigner (2,2) 44; 3. David Maloney (3,3) 40; 4. Matt Kerrigan (5,4) 34; 5. Dan Nikirk (4,5) 34; 6. Mike Voysey (7,6) 29; 7. Dion Klassen (6,7) 29.
Youth
1. Jason Abernethy (2,1) 47; 2. Dwayne Richmond (3,2) 42; 3. Nolan Egeland (4,4) 36; 4. Joe Nikirk (6,3) 35; 5. Alexander Haley (5,5) 32; 6. Harrison Bradley (8,6) 28; 7. Garrett Mcalinden (7,8) 27; 8. Steven Zap (10,7) 25; 9. Graham Scott (1,0) 25; 10. Brandon Johnson (9,0) 12.
Ladies B
1. Orlana Fraser (1,1) 50.
65cc PeeWee
1. Drake Richmond (1,1) 50; 2. Ryder Roth (2,2) 44; 3. Damien McLaughlin (3,3) 40; 4. Ty Cyr (4,4) 36; 5. Ryan Brett (5,5) 32; 6. Eric Smith (6,6) 30; 7. Ashton McCay (7,7) 28.
Junior GP
1. Garrett Mcalinden (2,1) 47; 2. Nolan Egeland (1,2) 47; 3. Daniel Klassen (3,4) 38; 4. Harrison Bradley (5,3) 36; 5. Brody W. Schmidt (4,6) 33; 6. Mitchell Nelson (6,7) 29; 7. Chris Kulhawy (9,5) 28; 8. David Bradley (7,9) 26.
Beginner MX-1
1. Mike Voysey (1,1) 50.
Ladies
1. Cat Jantzen (1,1) 50; 2. Jessie Jenkins (2,2) 44.
Beginner MX-2
1. Brandon Maud (1,1) 50; 2. Levi Reimer (2,2) 44.
Plus 40
1. Dwayne Richmond (1,1) 50; 2. Jason Cissell (2,2) 44; 3. David Maloney (3,3) 40; 4. Dion Klassen (5,4) 34; 5. Matt Kerrigan (4,0) 18; 6. Kurt Cyr (6,0) 15; 7. Mike Roberts (7,0) 14.
Plus 50
1. Dan Nikirk (1,1) 50.
85cc 7-11 years
1. Cameron Bradley (1,1) 50; 2. Ryder Roth (2,2) 44.
85cc 12-16 years
1. Ethan Ouellette (2,1) 47; 2. Joey Parkes (1,2) 47; 3. Bradley Nelson (3,3) 40; 4. Callan Taschuk (4,4) 36; 5. Michael Masters (0,5) 16.
Race 6
Sunday, May 18
Pro MX-1
1. Graham Scott (0,1) 25.
Intermediate MX-2
1. Jason Abernethy (2,1) 47; 2. Joe Nikirk (1,2) 47.
Junior MX-1
1. Garret Mcalinden (1,1) 50; 2. Steven Zapp (2,2) 44.
Junior MX-2
1. Nolan Egeland (2,1) 47; 2. Alexander Haley (1,2) 47; 3. Harrison Bradley (3,3) 40; 4. Joey Parkes (6,4) 33; 5. Daniel Klasen (5,5) 32; 6. Brandon Johnson (7,6) 29; 7. Chris Kulhawy (9,7) 26; 8. Mitchell Nelson (8,8) 26; 9. Brody W. Schmidt (4,0) 18.
50cc 4-6 years
1. Ray Williams (1,1); 2. Maxtin Northey (2,2) 44.
50cc 7-8 years
1. Ty Cyr (1,1) 50; 2. Charley Roberts (3,2) 42; 3. Ryan Brett (2,4) 40; 4. Ashton McCay (4,6) 33; 5. Mason Northey (9,3) 32; 6. Sebastian Seby Sulyok (5,5) 32; 7. Ryler Smith (6,8) 28; 8. Owen Hopewell (8,7) 27; 9. Marcus Drake (7,0) 14.
Super Mini
1. Joey Parkes (1,1) 50; 2. Ethan Ouellette (2,2) 44; 3. Tanner Meyland (5,3) 36; 4. David Bradley (4,4) 36; 5. Brandon Johnson (3,5) 36; 6. Bradley Nelson (6,6) 30; 7. Callan Taschuk (7,8) 27; 8. Colby Egeland (10,7) 25; 9. Everett Procter (9,9) 24; 10. Cameron Bradley (8,10) 24; 11. Michael Masters (11,11) 20.
Vet Master
1. Jason Cissell (1,1) 50.
Vet Junior
1. Shawn Aigner (1,1) 50; 2. David Maloney (2,2) 44; 3. Matt Kerrigan (3,3) 40 4. Dan Nikirk (4,4) 36; 5. Dion Klassen (5,5) 32; 6. Mike Voysey (6,6) 30.
Youth
1. Graham Scott (1,1) 50; 2. Joe Nikirk (3,2) 42; 3. Alexander Haley (4,3) 38; 4. Steven Zapp (6,4) 33; 5. Garret Mcalinden (5,5) 32; 6. Jason Abernethy (2,0) 22.
65cc PeeWee
1. Drake Richmond (1,1) 50; 2. Damien McLaughlin (3,3) 40; 3. Ryder Roth (7,2) 36; 4. Ryan Fawbert (4,4) 36; 5. Ty Cyr (2,7) 36; 6. Eric Smith (6,5) 31; 7. Ryan Brett (5,6) 31; 8. Ashton McCay (8,8) 26.
Junior GP
1. Nolan Egeland (1,1) 50; 2. Harrison Bradley (3,2) 42; 3. Garret Mcalinden (2,3) 42; 4. Daniel Klassen (5,4) 34; 5. Brody W. Schmidt (4,7) 32; 6. Chris Kulhawy (7,5) 30; 7. Mitchell Nelson (6,6) 30; 8. David Bradley (8,8) 26.
Beginner MX-1
1. Mike Voysey (1,1) 50.
Beginner MX-2
1. Brandon Maud (1,1) 50; 2. Levi Reimer (2,2) 44.
Ladies
1. Jessie Jenkins (2,1) 47; 2. Cat Jantzen (1,2) 47.
Plus 40
1. Dwayne Richmond (1,1) 50; 2. Jason Cissell (2,2) 44; 3. David Maloney (3,3) 40; 4. Dion Klassen (4,4) 36.
Plus 50
1. Dan Nikirk (1,1) 50; 2. Stuart Abernethy (2,2) 44.
85cc 7-11 years
1. Ryder Roth (2,1) 47; 2. Cameron Bradley (1,2) 47.
85cc 12-16 years
1. Joey Parkes (2,1) 47; 2. Ethan Ouellette (1,2) 47; 3. Bradley Nelson (3,3) 40; 4. Callan Taschuk (4,4) 36; 5. Michael Masters (5,5) 32.