7 MILE — Brody Low may want to think twice before inviting out-of-town friends to ride at 7 Mile motocross track.
Port Alberni riders Alex Haley and Dylan Hansen used their intimate knowledge of the 1.9-mile track's turns and jumps to post a 1-2 finish Sunday in the Junior MX-2 class during Round 4 of the Vancouver Island Motocross Association's fall season.
Low, a Port McNeill rider, placed 10th in the class for the day.
"A couple of days before the Nanaimo race they called and said they wanted to come up and do some riding with Brody," said Mark Ellis, Tri-Port Motorbike and ATV Club president and Low's father. "They tore this track up for three days."
Low did get a measure of revenge in the Junior GP class, finishing two spots ahead of Haley to place second behind Hansen. Fellow Port McNeill rider Kyle Klaric also reached the awards podium by placing third.
"I did pretty well in GP," said Low, who added a third-place finish in the class in Saturday's Round 3 racing. "It didn't go so well in the MX. I crashed early and I was in last place. After that, I didn't really try too hard."
The two-day event, the second VIMA race series at the track this year, suffered from lower-than-normal turnout because the BCMA Pro-Am Championships were being held in Kelowna at the same time and siphoned off many of the Island's more experienced riders.
Each of the past two years, the Tri-Port club hosted fall series events in October, but wanted to take advantage of the typically nicer weather of early September. The weather certainly delivered, with sunny skies and warm temperatures both days.
"We don't want to go back to October," club volunteer Mary Mavis said. "But we'll probably try to move it one week later."
Still, the races drew 70 riders from all parts of Vancouver Island, including several first-time visitors to the track who vowed to return.
"We had a great time," said Eric Egeland of Shawnigan Lake, whose sons Nolan and Colby each posted clean sweeps in the 85cc and 65cc peewee divisions, respectively. "Overall, the kids like this track. There are five tracks on the Island, and each one has its quirks.
Colby Egeland said he particularly enjoyed 7 Mile's big, soft corners, which are primarily sand and are forgiving in a fall.
"It took a long time to get up here, though," said Colby, who with his brother was making his first trip to the North Island.
Tri Port Motorbike and ATV Club is a non-profit, volunteer group which manages 7 Mile Track through an agreement with the Regional District of Mount Waddington. Members host four VIMA points series races, two each in the spring and the fall.
For information or to join or volunteer, call Mark Ellis at 250-956-9873.
Vancouver Island Motocross Association
Round 3-4, Fall Season
At 7 Mile Track
Saturday's Results
Name (Moto 1 result, moto 2 result), points
Beginner GP: 1. David Hill (1,1) 50; 2. Jessie Jenkins (2,2) 44.
Super Mini: 1. Nolan Egeland (1,1) 50; 2. Austin Gregg (2,2) 44; 3. Max Whitcomb (3,3) 40; 4. Tanner Meyland (4,4) 36; 5. Austin Gatey (5,5) 32; 6. Evan Dewar (6,6) 30.
Vet Master: 1. Bryan Whitcomb (1,1) 50; 2. Paul Sprentz (2,2) 44.
50cc (7-8): 1. Cameron Whitcomb (1,1) 50.
50cc (4-6): 1. Ryder Roth (1,1) 50; 2. Adam Polichik (3,2) 42; 3. Spencer Whitcomb (2,3) 42.
Junior GP: 1. Dylan Hansen (1,1) 50; 2. Alex Haley (2,2) 44; 3. Brody Low (4,3) 38; 4. James Cool (3,6) 35; 5. Owen Addy (5,8) 29; 6. Kyle Klaric (9,5) 28; 7. Brandon Williams (10,7) 25; 8. Stephen Weme (7,10) 25; 9. Adam Smith (8,13) 21; 10. Zack Mix (12,11) 19; 11. Isaiah Haylett (11,12) 19; 12. Nick Coburn (-, 4) 18; 13. Jacey Wissman (6,-) 15; 14. Nathan Donohoe-Bragg (-,9) 12.
Youth: 1. Ryan Lalonde (1,1) 50; 2. Daniel Vanderbasch (2,2) 44; 3. Jesse Ryan (3,3) 40; 4. Aaron Symonds (4,-) 18; 5. Tracey Marshall (5,-) 16.
Vet Junior: 1. Aaron Symonds (2,1) 47; 2. Mark Ellis (1,3) 45; 3. Earle Devlin (3,2) 42.
Ladies: 1. Paige Hansen (3,1) 45; 2. Tracey Marshall (1,3) 45; 3. Jessie Jenkins (2,2) 44.
65cc Peewee: 1. Colby Egeland (1,1) 50; 2. Michael Masters (2,2) 44.
85cc (7-11): 1. Tanner Meyland (1,1) 50.
85cc (12-16): 1. Nolan Egeland (1,1) 50; 2. Austin Gregg (2,2) 44; 3. Max Whitcomb (3,3) 40; 4. Evan Dewar (4,4) 36; 5. Austin Gatey (5,5) 32.
Beginner MX-1: 1. David Hill (1,1) 50.
Beginner MX-2: 1. Nathan Watt (1,1) 50.
Plus 40: 1. Paul Sprentz (2,1) 47; 2. Bryan Whitcomb (1,2) 47; 3. Dave Barnes (4,3) 38; 4. Mark Ellis (3,5) 36; 5. Erik Egeland (-,4) 18.
Intermediate MX-1: 1. Brandon Cyr (1,-) 25.
Intermediate MX-2: 1. Ryan Lalonde (1,1) 50; 2. Connor Barnes (3,2) 42; 3. Daniel Vanderbasch (2,3) 42; 4. Shawn Miller (4,4) 36; 5. Trevor Devlin (5,5) 32; 6. Jesse Ryan (7,6) 29; 7. William Blackburn (6,-) 15.
Junior MX-2: 1. Brandon Williams (1,3) 45; 2. Alex Haley (4,2) 40; 3. Nick Coburn (2,9) 34; 4. Dylan Hansen (16,1) 30; 5. Owen Addy (6,6) 30; 6. Brody Low (12,4) 27; 7. Torin Ironside (11,5) 26; 8. Nathan Donohue-Bragg (5,11) 26; 9. Adam Smith (9,12) 21; 10. Kyle Klaric (15,7) 20; 11. Zack Mix (14,8) 20; 12. James Cool (3,-) 20; 13. Isaiah Haylett (18,10) 14.
Sunday's Results
Beginner GP: 1. David Hill (1,1) 50; 2. Jessie Jenkins (2,2) 44.
Super Mini: 1. Nolan Egeland (1,1) 50; 2. Austin Gregg (2,2) 44; 3. Austin Gatey (4,3) 38; 4. Max Whitcomb (3,4) 38; 5. Tanner Meyland (5,5) 32; 6. Evan Dewar (6,6) 30.
Youth: 1. Ryan Lalonde (1,1) 50; 2. Daniel Vanderbasch (2,2) 44; 3. Jesse Ryan (3,3) 40.
Junior GP: 1. Dylan Hansen (1,1); 2. Brody Low (3,4) 38; 3. Kyle Klaric (8,2) 35; 4. Alex Haley (6,3) 35; 5. Brandon Williams (2,8) 35; 6. Zack Mix (4,5) 34; 7. Owen Addy (5,6) 31; 8. Isaiah Haylett (7,7) 28.
50cc (4-6): 1. Ryder Roth (1,1) 50; 2. Adam Polichek (3,2) 42; 3. Spencer Whitcomb (2,3) 42.
50cc (7-8): 1. Cameron Whitcomb (1,1) 50.
Plus 40: 1. Paul Sprentz (2,1) 47; 2. Bryan Whitcomb (1,2) 47; 3. Erik Egeland (3,3) 40.
Vet Junior: 1. Aaron Symonds (1,1) 50.
Ladies: 1. Paige Hansen (1,1) 50; 2. Tracey Marshall (2,2) 44; 3. Jessie Jenkins (3,3) 40.
65cc PeeWee: 1. Colby Egeland (1,1) 50; 2. Michael Masters (2,2) 44.
85cc (7-11): 1. Tanner Meyland (1,1) 50.
85cc (12-16): 1. Nolan Egeland (1,1) 50; 2. Austin Gregg (2,2) 44; 3. Austin Gatey (4,3); 4. Max Whitcomb (3,5) 36; 5. Evan Dewar (5,4) 34.
Beginner MX-1: 1. David Hill (1,1) 50.
Beginner MX-2: 1. Nathan Watt (1,1) 50.
Junior MX-2: 1. Alex Haley (1,2) 47; 2. Dylan Hansen (5,1) 41; 3. Zack Mix (6,4) 33; 4. Nick Coburn (4,6) 33; 5. Nathan Donohue-Bragg (10,3) 31; 6. Kyle Klaric (3,10) 31; 7. Brandon Williams (2,12) 31; 8. Stephen Weme (7,5) 30; 9. Torin Ironside (8,9) 25; 10. Brody Low (12,7) 23; 11. Isaiah Haylett (9,11) 22; 12. Adam Smith (13,8) 21.
Intermediate MX-2: 1. Ryan Lalonde (1,1) 50; 2. William Blackburn (3,3) 40; 3. Daniel Vanderbasch (2,4) 40; 4. Jesse Ryan (5,2) 38; 5. Trevor Devlin (4,5) 34.