Ready. Set. Race!

Thumbs meet throttle and tires spin as the gate drops and a dozen quads race onto a narrow dirt track. With only marginal room for error, the riders approach the first turn, edging each other out as all fight for that elusive holeshot.

This is ATV motocross—a sport that requires skill, determination and lots of practice. The payout isn’t great (unless you hit the big leagues) but the adrenalin rush is addicting.

Sadly, finding a place to compete isn’t easy in Western Canada. Tracks that allow ATVs are few and far between, and our brief summers make it tough for racers to hone their skills. But thanks to the Alberta ATV Triple Crown, the sport is growing.

Everyone is welcome

Started in 2010, the Alberta ATV Triple Crown is a six-round series sanctioned by the Canadian Motosport Racing Corporation. It runs from June to September and races are held at motocross tracks throughout the province, from Calgary to Cold Lake.

“We make sure our race schedule is spread across the province, rather than just the north or south,” said Jonas Alm, president of the Triple Crown. “We want to give every region an opportunity to race.”

And every age. With 14 classes, there is opportunity for kids as young as four to race. Parents are never far away and race rules ensure the safety of everyone, both on and off the track.

A side by side gets some air over a jump in a motocross race.

The Alberta ATV Triple Crown offers a side-by-side class as well, and it too is growing. — Brooklynn Mae Photography

“We give our riders a safe, controlled environment in which young and old can race their ATV or side-by-side,” said Alm.

Corporate donations keep the series afloat, and all of the work is done by volunteers.

“We have a full board of directors, race office managers, race directors for each event, a trade show committee, marketers, website designers, fundraising staff, track staff and many other positions, which are volunteered,” said Alm.

Behind photography and website design is Brooke Rowse, a 16-year-old competitor from Arrowwood. She started racing in 2014, and it’s the family-oriented atmosphere of the Triple Crown that inspired her to volunteer.

The league has given riders in Alberta the confidence to be competitive in the U.S. where quad racing is well established as a sport. — Casey's Custom Photography

“They treat you like a family member,” said Rowse. Whether you’ve been a part of the group for three years or two hours, you’re still family to everyone in the group.”

Being a woman in a male-dominated sport may seem intimidating, but according to Rowse, it’s not.

“Many racing associations are beginning to offer classes just for women, making it much easier to enter into the more advanced unisex classes,” she said. “That is where I have been lucky with the Triple Crown as we offer two different female race classes.”

Lug Gagnon slides around a corner during a motocross race.

It takes skill and a lot of practice to guide four wheels around a dirt track. — Casey’s Custom Photography

Bending bars with the best

Most of the Triple Crown racers are in it for the fun factor, but some have formed their own race teams, in hopes of turning their favourite hobby into a career.

Carter Freschette, a mechanical engineer from Bowden, Alberta, started racing in 2011. After moving up from Intermediate to Pro in 2013, he met fellow Triple Crown racers Jason Stapleton and Luc Gagnon, and together they formed Crown Racing. In addition to the Triple Crown, the team is pursuing Quadcross Northwest, a series based in the U.S., as well as a few AMA national events.

So far this season they’ve done well. Gagnon came home from rounds 3 and 4 of Quadcross Northwest with three first-place trophies and an overall win in the Production C class.

He said racing in the U.S. is more competitive, but at the same time, there is greater opportunity to gain exposure.

So whether you are interested in racing for fun or getting serious about the sport, the Alberta ATV Triple Crown is a great place to begin.

“If anyone is at all interested in trying out the series, they shouldn’t be scared,” said Freschette. “They are welcome with open arms.”

Rider profiles

>> Carter Freschette <<

Carter Freschette loves to air it out while racing, and he has a knack for whipping his quad on the big jumps. — Cassie Rowse photo

Age: 21
Lives in: Bowden, Alberta
Racing since: 2011
Rides: Honda 450
Class: Pro and Pro Am
Do you have a favourite track in Alberta? My absolute favourite is probably the Calgary track. And then the Rocky one and the Whitecourt one are my other favourites. . . . Rocky has some big jumps and I’m kind of a die-hard for jumps.

>> Jason Stapleton <<

Jason Stapleton bought his first sport quad four years ago. It was all trail riding at first, until he discovered the Triple Crown. — Dylan Rowse photo

Age: 26
Lives in: Lethbridge, Alberta
Racing since: 2014
Rides: Yamaha YFZ 450R
Class: Junior
What do you like most about the sport? Just the atmosphere of racing with other people, and how friendly everybody is. There’s nothing else like it.

>> Luc Gagnon <<

Luc Gagnon dominated his class at rounds 3 and 4 of the 2015 Quadcross Northwest series in the U.S. — photo courtesy Luc Gagnon

Age: 25
Lives in: St. Albert, Alberta
Racing since: 2009
Rides: Honda 450
Class: Junior
What hooked you about the sport? It just gets addicting. You are trying to push yourself to get better, every lap, every moto.

>> Brooke Rowse <<

Age: 16
Lives in: Arrowwood, Alberta
Racing since: 2014
Rides: Kawasaki KFX 450
Class: Ladies B
What do you like most about racing? Racing, to me, has been so influential. It has taught me how to conquer my fears, given me a sense of accomplishment and has really allowed me to believe in myself.