By Dan Marshall

Nanaimo Wastelands transform into village for motocross racing

Jun 21, 2018 | 10:15 AM

NANAIMO – The Wastelands Motocross track resembled a small village last weekend for the seventh round in the Vancouver Island Championship series.

The grounds were full of campers, trailers, and bikes with a steady stream of racers taking to the track.

Saturday was a practice day with the races going on Sunday.

There were about 100 riders according to Nanaimo Motocross President Ken Parkes.

“People come from Port Hardy to Victoria, pretty much the whole island is covered, and we do get a few racers from off island,” Parkes said.

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Nanaimo’s association has about 200 members from four years old up to riders in their seventies.

For Sunday’s racing there were 14 classes.

A view from the starting gate at the Wastelands on Sunday.

Ken Parkes says they had more riders in some of the younger age groups.

“Those are the kids that could be anywhere from the 9-12 age group. It’s pretty exciting because they have the most guys in the gates at that group,” said Parkes.

The Vancouver Island Championship series has been on since April and wraps up in October.

There have now been two races in Nanaimo with a third still to come on the October 6-7 weekend.

There’s also the MRC BC Championship coming to the Wastelands on August 11-12 which will feature more riders from off the island.

In the Parkes household racing is front and centre.

Ken isn’t just the association president but his son Joey is also a pro level racer.

The family garage is also the bike repair and maintenance shop. 

In the lead up to last weekend’s racing Ken was getting Joey’s bike ready after a recent race up in Prince George.

Here’s a look inside the Parkes garage.

This is a link to a video of Joey Parkes on the #477 bike compiled by ONE5Films earlier this season.

https://www.facebook.com/one5films/videos/781597852036701/

Joey’s bedroom also doubles as a trophy room and he can add another first place finish to the collection after being the top rider in the pro category at the Wastelands on Sunday. 

Here’s a complete list of the top finishers from Round 7 of the Vancouver Island Championship Series in Nanaimo from June 17.

50cc 4-6 – Harley Ethier 

50cc 7-8 – Jayden DeBodt 

Supermini – Zane Melafont / Ladies – Madison Brett / Beginner – Owen Copley / +40 – Mike Vosey / + 30 – Chris Westgate 

65cc 7-9 – Jayden Debodt 

65cc 10-11 – Maxtin Northy 

85cc 7-11- Evan Donaldson 

85cc 12-16 – Zane Melafont 

Junior – Drake Richmond 

Intermediate – Isaiah Haylett 

Schoolboy – Tyler Yates 

Youth – Wyatt Youland 

Vet Junior – Dennis McDonald 

Vet master – Chris Westgate 

Pro – Joey Parkes
 

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77