Motocross fans, mark your calendars: Moto Park X in Altona is revving up for its first big racing event of the season on Sunday, June 1.
As part of the newly formed MBMX series, the race promises a full day of high-speed thrills, tight-knit community spirit, and action for all ages.
The June 1 race is round three in the nine-round MBMX series, and it’s set to run from 8:30 a.m. to about 5:30 p.m.
“It will feature different classes, from little 50cc kids’ classes all the way up to plus 60 vet class,” said Moto Park X president Landon Stephenson, who has been racing since 2001 and will be participating in the event himself. “Almost everybody on our board is racing, actually.”
The high-speed, mostly clay track boasts a 40-bike starting gate, with jumps, doubles, whoops, and bermed corners that keep both riders and spectators on the edge of their seats.
The track underwent a significant layout change last year, and Stephenson said further tweaks have been made this season.
“We had a couple new jumps put in and a bunch of new corners. So we’re just kind of revising that. It worked well, but we can make it a little bit better yet.”
Moto Park X is located just a short drive from Altona. From town, head south on Hwy. 30, then turn east on Road 6 North and travel 0.8 km. The track is on the north side.
Spectator admission is $15, with kids five and under getting in free. The facility is designed with safety in mind and is highly spectator-friendly.
“The whole track is fenced, so it keeps everybody out of where they shouldn’t be,” Stephenson said. “We have a bunch of different spectator areas, some tunnels underneath some jumps where you can go to the infield and watch there.”
In addition to bleacher seating, spectators can perch on the dike for an excellent view of the races. The track can accommodate anywhere from 300 to 450 race entries depending on the weekend, drawing riders from across Manitoba and even Saskatchewan and Northwestern Ontario.
“There’s people from Virden, and some people are coming from Kenora. North to south, there’s people from all over the province,” said Stephenson. “Last year we probably had close to 300 spectators.”
For those who want to make a weekend of it, camping is welcomed. While there won’t be open practice on Saturday this year due to soil conditions, there will be a pit bike race Saturday at 5 p.m.
Adding to the fun, food and refreshments will be available throughout the weekend.
“Altona YFC will be doing the canteen there for the food truck, and then Co-op will be there with a coffee truck as well,” Stephenson noted.
The atmosphere at Moto Park X is more than just about racing—it’s about community.
“It is totally a moto family for sure,” Stephenson said. “It is an individual sport at the end of the day, but when we’re all there, it is like one big family. Everybody’s looking out for one another, helping each other. If somebody goes down, there’s 10 people rushing over to lend a helping hand. It is a great family sport, from four years old all the way up to plus 60-year-olds out there.”
That commitment to community extends beyond the track. Moto Park X, a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers, also gives back through donations to local initiatives.
“For the last five years, we have been giving back to some sort of community initiative. We have donated to YFC before. We’ve also supported The Community Exchange. This year we actually donated to the March or Die! men’s conference in Gretna in April.”
Beyond the June event, fans can look forward to VetFest on the weekend following the September long weekend.
“It’s just strictly a vet event. So 30-plus, and if you’re racing as a parent, then your kid can race as well,” said Stephenson. “We ran our first one in Altona last year with them, which was their third annual. So this will be the fourth annual one.”
For updates, race schedules, and volunteer opportunities, follow @motoparkx on social media.
