More than 2,000 motocross fans packed the Cloverdale Agriplex over the weekend, taking in the first two rounds of the Canadian Arenacross Championships (CAC).
The first of two evenings of racing was close to a sellout Friday night, and was at capacity a night later with 1,200 spectators taking in Saturday evening’s action.
The two Pro classes on the schedule attracted roughly 30 riders, with another 100 riders contesting the amateur categories, which ranged from the four-to-six year-olds on 50cc bikes to the Intermediate and Junior racers in 125cc, 250cc and Open divisions.
“It was a good turnout,” said John Hellam of Future West, the promoter of the 12-race CAC series. “Of course we would have liked more, but it was enough to put on a good show.”
On the track, local favorite Spencer Knowles of New Westminster took an early points lead in the Pro categories after the first two of 12 races in the CAC series.
Knowles, riding a Yamaha, placed first in the Pro Open and Pro Am Lites races in round one of the 12-round series Friday night at the Agriplex, and repeated the double again in round two Saturday evening.
With each win worth 25 points, Knowles has an eight-point lead in the Pro Open class over the defending series champion Brock Hoyer of Williams Lake, who finished atop the standings in both Pro categories aboard a Kawasaki a year ago.
Hoyer was in third place behind Ryan Lockhart of Nova Scotia on Friday night, then was second only to Knowles on Saturday. Lockhart was fourth Saturday, and is third in the standings, 10 points back of Knowles.
In the Pro Am Lites category, Lockhart placed third both nights and trails Knowles 50-40 in the points race.
Rounds three and four are Friday and Saturday in Chilliwack, the first two of eight consecutive events at Heritage Park. The final two races of the series are back in the Cloverdale Agriplex.
“We’ll have a different track design for February, and the racing will be a little more intense,” said Hellam. “By then, we’ll know how the points race is shaping up.”