Motocross national qualifier hits Maize racetrack this weekend

This weekend, Wichita is among the hosts of one of the biggest motocross races in the country.

The 2020 Monster Energy AMA National Amateur Motocross Regional Championship is from Friday through Sunday at the Bar2Bar MX Park, Maize.

“This is the first year we’ve had the pleasure to host the final step to qualify for the national championship,” Bar2Bar owner Bruce Richardson said, adding that his park hosted area qualifying races for the past seven years.

Bar2Bar indirectly benefited from the coronavirus pandemic, Richardson said. MX Sports, which sanctions the races, has increased the number of regional championships and area qualifiers to try to avoid excessive crowds.

“Typically in the past, it would be in one location where there would be large attendance,” Richardson said. “We’ve elected with the ‘Safe to Race’ program (a national effort by the American Motorcyclists Association and BMX Sports Association) to divert that into three different categories this year to minimize the participant numbers in each location.”

Three categories — youth, amateur and veteran — make for smaller races.

Richardson still expects 600-700 riders competing this weekend. While he won’t know until registration on Friday morning, he expects 14-17 states to be represented.

While riders won’t have many changes because of COVID-19, mechanics are asked to wear masks in the staging area and respect social distancing.

“We’ve been able to implement this plan in conjunction with Sedgwick County, and publicized it for all the racers and crew,” Richardson said. “Everybody’s been just fantastic about it; there’s been no issue with it whatsoever.”

Fans are asked to keep their social distance as well, and use a mask when they cannot get farther than 6 feet apart.

Richardson said this weekend’s races will determine whether Bar2Bar will be able to host more regional races in the future.

For spectators, he said, the sport is quickly addictive.

“Motocross in general has a huge fan base,” Richardson said. “Typically it’s word of mouth. Once a spectator comes out and sees and experiences a true amateur motocross event at a national level, they seem to be hooked for life. It is exhilarating, it’s action-packed, it’s intense, and the racing is just phenomenal.”

Several local athletes will be represented, he said.

“Obviously, we’re hoping they can get it pulled off,” Richardson said.

Monster Energy AMA Regional Championship

When: Friday-Sunday, July 3-5

Where: Bar2Bar MX Park, 7800 W. 61st St. N, Maize

Tickets: $40 for weekend pass, $15 for day pass

This story was originally published July 3, 2020 at 5:01 AM.