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Date: 7/13/2022
SOUTHWICK – The Wick 338 owner Rick Johnson hailed what he described as a “perfect day” for the Southwick Motocross National last weekend, as thousands of racing fans turned out to watch local and big-name riders tame the town’s famous sandy hills.
A warm sunny day greeted viewers and riders on July 9 in what Johnson said was probably the most smoothly run Southwick National he can recall.
“I remember back to the very first national here, when everyone talked about how it went so perfectly, when behind the scenes we were all tearing our hair out,” said Johnson. “This one didn’t have so much as a hiccup.”
He said there were no incidents of note among the crowd of thousands, which at least doubled the population of Southwick for the weekend. Final crowd numbers aren’t available yet, Johnson said, but the online ticket sales were even to last year’s, which he said was record-breaking. He has been promoting the Southwick race since it returned to the AMA Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship calendar in 2016.
This was the 41st running of the event, which dates back to the 1970s when members of American Legion Post 338 cleared a track in the woods behind the Legion hall on Powder Mill Road to accommodate the new off-road motorcycling sport.
Johnson thanked everybody who turned out to support the local riders.
“The cheers we heard for the local guys were off the walls,” said Johnson. “I want to thank everyone who came out, as well-behaved and positive as they were.”
Though the top spots on the timing sheet were claimed by contenders for the AMA Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship – of which the Southwick National is only the sixth of 12 stages – several New England riders were able to race alongside the pro tour regulars. In the 450 Class, Connecticut resident and The Wick 338 instructor Chris Canning finished 11th in the overall points, out of 42 who competed in the afternoon 450 cc races and 92 total entrants who began the day in morning qualifying. Southwick residents Kristopher Corey and Marshall Macintyre also qualified for the afternoon races, finishing 29th and 33rd, respectively. Riders from elsewhere in Massachusetts, as well as other Northeastern states, also pushed into the afternoon 450 and 250 races.
Local riders in the 250 Class included Austin Brooks, Robert Bombard and Jacob Walker of Southwick, who finished seventh, 20th and 30th in the consolation race after failing to qualify for the afternoon championship event, and Nicholas McDonnell of Westfield, who ended up 12th in the consolation race.
There were 81 entrants on 250 cc bikes, and only the top 41 were able to advance to the afternoon races.
Two national championship contenders swept the afternoon race events, known as motos, with four-time Southwick winner Eli Tomac coming from behind to win both 450 Class races, and season points leader Jett Lawrence winning both 250 Class motos.
The pro tour will be in Minnesota on July 16 for the Spring Creek National, followed by stops in Washington state, upstate New York, Maryland, Indiana and a season-ending trip to California in September.
The Southwick National is the biggest annual event at The Wick 338 by far, but the track is busy most weekends throughout the summer and into the fall. This weekend, on July 17, the New England Sports Committee, one of the oldest motocross organizations in the United States and one of the highest rated in the northeast, will participate in the finale of the spring motocross season for championship points.
On July 23 the The Wick, in partnership with the Southwick Civic Fund, hopes to play host to Southwick’s annual fireworks show, though that plan remains tentative pending funding.
The following day, on July 24, the Milford Riders from Milford, CT, will have the track to themselves for the day, as they do every year. The Milford Riders are a big source of volunteers for events at The Wick like the Southwick National, and Johnson said he gives back to them by allowing them a day of free riding on what is possibly the most famous motocross track in the United States.
The next big event at The Wick will be the annual Rugged Maniac obstacle course Sept. 24 and 25, in which the track is converted to a running course similar to the Tough Mudder courses.