The Canadian flat track scene has produced some great racers over the years, and that can most likely be attributed to some fantastic bar banging battles that occur every weekend during the summer. Despite the great racing offered here however, there has always been the appeal for our riders to head stateside to try their luck. Whether it is for a race or two or for a whole season and whether your goal is to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Chris Carr or to obtain the status of grizzled veteran John Parker (who seems to be the unofficial mayor of the TT in Medina, NY), Canadians still want to head south to race.
There are many different factors that draw our riders across the border, one of the biggest being the possible financial reward. Chris Evans remembers a particular Dash for Cash that took place in Lima, OH. (For those unaware, a Dash for Cash is usually a four lap sprint between the top six qualifiers, with the winner taking a good chunk of the posted prize money). Evans happened to cross the line first on this night and was promptly handed an envelope containing over $3,000. Not bad for two minutes of work!
AMA races have posted prize money at each event, but most of these will be topped up by the fans. Races such as the Springfield Mile will have lap sponsors where fans or businesses will put in money for the leader of every lap. So if you happen to win Springfield and also lead a few laps that may have been sponsored for $200 a lap, it's not a bad payday. Even if you don't win the race, it is a nice bonus at the end of the night. Fans are also invited at each event to throw money into the dash for cash purse, which can sometimes double or possibly even triple the original purse.
My daughter Taylor recently had the pleasure of spending bike week in Daytona with her favourite rider, Cody Johncox. She witnessed firsthand the allure of riding the AMA circuit. Fireworks, autograph sessions, opening ceremonies, interviews and live race coverage all appeal to that Canadian rider who dreams of being in the limelight. It may be a stretch to call these guys rockstars, but they are at the very least the best-known singer at the karaoke bar.
Taylor and Cody were also lucky enough to have a house to stay at in Daytona free of charge, another perk of being on the circuit. Riders (not all) will be offered accommodations by adoring fans; even if it is only a couch for a night, it helps to cut down costs. It's not uncommon to see a fan hand their favorite rider $25 for a meal or $50 for some gas. This not only fuels the body and gas tanks, but also that ego we all know some riders have.
For Doug Lawrence, a.k.a. 'Douggie Fresh', the appeal to head Stateside is all about the competition. Racing with national number 73 since 2008, the Mississauga, ON racer has been doing the full circuit for the past few seasons and has seen steady improvement each year. Dominic Beaulac, Chris Evans, Dave Sehl, Steve Aseltine and Steve Beattie are some Canadians that have won AMA races, and Lawrence wants to add his name to that list. Knowing that he is racing against the best in the world and getting so close to his goal is the carrot that keeps him motivated. Lawrence realizes that at some point he will slow things down a bit and focus on racing in Canada, but for now the appeal of the AMA is just too great.
Canadian expert Nick Wenzler headed to Daytona this year to try his luck in the Pro Singles class. Along with all the glitz and glitter, Wenzler also got to experience some of the hardship involved when it comes to the AMA. With over 60 Pro Singles riders at Daytona, Wenzler had to qualify based on time into the top 32 just to make the heat races for the night. Night one saw him make the field, but on night two he was reduced to a spectator for the evening. Wenzler admits that the atmosphere at the track was second to none, but he was also amazed at the talent pool among those 60 riders. Wenzler doesn't plan on doing the full series but he is hoping to attend a few more AMA dates this summer to test his skills against the best.
I've touched on a few of the reasons that our riders may head Stateside at some point in their careers. In comparing Canadian racing to the AMA, I wouldn't say it is like an apples to oranges kind of thing; their karaoke bar just has a better song selection than ours.
-- By Tumblin' Todd Vallee
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