Motocross riders make the most of Windy Hill open track
Elijah Marsh soars about a track official Sunday.
Youth rider Brooks Linahan catches some air Sunday.
Thomas Bresnahan holds on after landing a jump.
Hundreds of riders put their skills to the test during this weekend’s Windy Hill open track event.
With a rare opportunity to practice, hundreds of riders came out to the Windy Hill motocross track with some staying all weekend for the multiple-day event.
“I just like the way it flows. It’s a lot friendlier to ride track-style … You can get a nice flow going, a nice rhythm,” said William Strickland, who rode dirt bikes all his life, but only recently got into track racing. “It’s amazing. Where I stay at, my family owns a farm. We stay out in the country. I didn’t know anything about riding on a track or anything like that. We rode in the woods, or wherever we got a chance to ride. It’s nice to have somewhere you can come out and ride.”
While adults and dirt bike novices took up a majority of the track time, Windy Hill officials made a point to slot time for novice and advanced youth riders. As is customary among the motocross community, the more advanced riders did not hesitate to impart a bit of knowledge to the younger riders or Riders like Williams, who are just out there to get more experience.
“It’s nice. I had a guy, I think he rode in the A or B class, but he got in with the C and Ds and we went head-to-head for a while. He was pretty fast. He came and passed me. I couldn’t hold him. It was nice to have some competition. It always makes you want to do a little bit better,” Williams said.
Bennett Mantooth was one of the professional riders putting in some time at the track over the weekend. While the East Coast may be known for its diverse landscapes, motocross tracks are not as prevalent as one may assume. Mantooth made the multiple-hour trek from Danville, Va. to participate in the Saturday and Sunday runs.
“We come down here a good bit. It’s a good track to ride, good practice. We have some tracks around, but it’s a matter of who’s open on weekends or who got rain. We’re always looking,” said Mantooth, who made the most of his time with track officials leaving the track a little rough on Sunday, which simulated course conditions later in a race. “… Today, specifically, they left it rough from practice [Saturday]. That is what makes it better practice for us. We’ve had some rain. This course typically holds water really well.”
With Mantooth, Williams and dozens of other riders spending the night at the course in campers and RVs, the open house also served as a meet-and-greet for the riders, who swapped tips and a few beverages while speaking with colleagues and future competitors. For Mantooth, the community aspect is what he loves the most about riding.
“The community aspect of it is really cool. No matter where you go, you always know some folks,” Mantooth said.
For more information on the course, or to purchase tickets for the August 24 and 26 races, check out the Windy Hill Motocross Facebook page.