A new team has been formed to help Canadian riders gain a stronger presence at the AMA Mountain Dew ATV Motocross National Championship and other prestigious events around the world.
The new Canadian ATV Motocross Race Team (CATVMX) is led by Sean Mitchell, Cody Withey and Mike Vincent. These Ontario-based racers are at the top of their game in Eastern Canada and so far, they’ve been holding their own on American soil.
In the spring, the team went down to the U.S. to do some training and get a jump start on the season. And they were rewarded for their hard work at the opening round of the AMA nationals in Washington, Georgia, in March. The team went home with a second, third and fourth overall finish in their respective classes. Then, later on, at Round 4 in Rossville, Indiana, Mitchell finished second overall for the weekend in his B class while Withey went home with his first overall victory in the A class. If they keep it up, the team will most likely be Top 3 by the end of the season—that’s their goal anyway.
“We are doing pretty good so far so if we keep this up and keep progressing, we are looking for at least a top 3 finish for each rider,” said Mitchell.
Winning isn’t everything though. The CATVMX main goal is to promote growth within the sport.
“It’s kind of been on the verge of breaking out around here and we just wanted to push it over the edge and get people setting goals for themselves in hopes of one day they may be able to represent their country,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell was chosen to represent the CATVMX because of his experience and devotion to the sport. Mitchell, who just turned 25, has been racing on the CMRC and local circuits in Ontario and Quebec since he was 16.
For some people, the late teen years can be tumultuous but for Mitchell, they were easier because he had something positive to focus on—racing. He, as well as the other two members of the CATVMX, want to encourage the next generation and anyone else who is interested to get involved in ATV motocross.
“Some people have a negative stigma on the sport of motocross but (we want) to show that these are talented people and this is what they do for a living,” said Mitchell. “This is their passion and a lot of them are lawyers and doctors—I’m a paramedic—so there’s everyday people who are a part of it. (We are) promoting the sport and taking a focus on the younger generation and keeping them busy and out of trouble.”
For more information on the team and to follow their efforts in the AMA nationals, go to the CATVMX website.
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