TMX SAYS: Arenacross is the stuff of memories
By TMX Archives on 28th Jan 16
Its the last week of January which means its that time of year when Ill turn to someone/everyone/anyone and it really doesnt matter who it is because frankly Im too giddy to care and say I cant believe its exactly X number of years since I did my first ever motocross race.
And woe betides any poor sucker who's travelling a certain stretch of the M6 with me in the last week of January as I'll tell them the tale AND point out the exact location where it all went down.
If you've got a feeling of deja vu right now then fear not because I can absolutely guarantee that I harped on about this 12 months ago as well. It's like an inbuilt thing, that I just have to tell people all about my first ever motocross race which took place on January 29, 1989, at Trentham Gardens.
I was 13, had only been riding a month and managed to break both mudguards on my way to three DNFs due to a hill that – to my teenage self – made Hawkstone's iconic upwards drag look like a mere molehill. I just love recounting the tale.
You know you're in a bad place when you're beginning to bore even yourself, it's not even like I'm totally washed up just yet and the truth is that I'm out there all the time making new memories – whether it be seeing cool stuff in my line of work or doing ace things with my family.
Just this past weekend we headed to Birmingham – which, despite what TMX told you last week, isn't anywhere near where Joe Clayton comes from – for the sixth round of the Monster Energy Arenacross Tour, powered by Renault Espace. Yep, I know that the series is sponsored by Ford Ranger but we travelled down the M6 in our rusty but trusty old Renault, okay?
Anyhoo, we hiked to the Genting Arena where the most wonderful show in the world was put on – I was there to take piccies.
For a little over three hours the kids sat slack-jawed, enjoying the racing and FMX demos – plus the occasional glimpse of daddy dodging dirt bikes with his camera and ill-fitting media vest flapping in the breeze – a real testament to the entertainment that a round of Arenacross delivers to the viewing public. I mean, my lot can't normally sit through a five-minute episode of Scooby Doo without getting bored. Zoinks!
As well as being able to captivate an audience, the weekend proved that the Arenacross tour is way bigger than any single athlete and, despite the disappearance of US superstar Josh Hansen from the entry lists, the quality of racing didn't suffer one bit.
So, the kids are hooked again which means the Espace will be pointed to Newcastle this weekend.
As well as getting to see more ace racing and the best freestyle show around we won't have to pass Trentham Gardens at all – let alone on the way there and again on the way back – which means everyone is safe from having to hear about my first ever motocross race for another week...
