The riders of the SCMX circuit were finally able to shine in front of spectators during the most recent round of competition, which took place in Saint-Ambroise, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. Despite the cold, the atmosphere was there and the smiles highlighted this return to racing in a beautiful way.
Unable to hold events until recently, the SCMX team launched its season without a promoter to allow athletes to reconnect with action, but also to ensure the sustainability of the sport in Quebec.
“Normally, we worked together with cities, RCMs, and promoters who hired us all over Quebec where I had the contract to bring all my pilots for the snocross portion, ” indicates the owner and director of the circuit, Mathieu Buteau. This is how it worked before COVID. Now […], it is more complicated. ”
“ It was a financial risk and stress for us adds the main interested party. We left to save the business and do some shopping during the year. […] Our partners [Ski-Doo, Can-Am, and Sinto Racing] have a lot to do with what has been happening since the start of the season to hold events without spectators and succeed in giving scholarships and great prizes to pilots. That was a difficult issue this year. ”
The first competition round of the SCMX circuit took place without amateurs directly on the land of owner Mathieu Buteau, in Saint-Henri-de-Lévis, “ to generate as few costs as possible ”. Athletes responded in large numbers to the invitation and that was what kicked off the second round at runner Kevin Kelly’s practice site.
“It happened very quickly,” notes Mathieu Buteau. There was the involvement of the Fromagerie Saint-Laurent team. They have been in snocross for a long time. Everyone did their part and we managed to put together a superb event in ten days.”
“ A beautiful show ”
The second round of the SCMX circuit, in Saint-Ambroise, welcomed a few hundred spectators for the first time in a very long time. And everyone was excited to reconnect with speed enthusiasts.
“It went well [for] a last-minute event, ” rejoices Mathieu Buteau. ”The spectators responded. There was a good atmosphere; we put on a great show. We did something complete and fun for the spectators, but also the runners. We had something good: a nice podium, a nice presentation of the track, and a well-decorated site. It felt good. Everyone was happy to see each other again. ”
More than 100 runners lined up at the start line in Saint-Henri-de-Lévis while just under 100 drivers took to the track in Saint-Ambroise. This still made it possible to have complete and competitive starts in each of the categories.
Among the riders who distinguished themselves during the first two rounds, we find Jérémy Beaulieu, who climbed to the top step of the podium in his first race with the pros (Saint-Henri-de-Lévis). And Kevin Kelly, who won top honours at home (Saint-Ambroise) ahead of William Saint-Laurent and Maxime Taillefer in the final race at the professional level.
A beautiful future
Practice trails are booming and more and more new snocross enthusiasts have been practicing the discipline over the past two years, notes SCMX director Mathieu Buteau.
“This is what we see more and more,” he explains.”It’s something that is family. There was a boom. There were practice tracks that formed all over Quebec. This is what was missing before. There, it’s really good for the sport and it helped to make it grow. ”
The third round of SCMX will be held in Beauce, in Sainte-Marguerite, and the calendar will end in Chibougamau on the last weekend of March with the presentation of a championship where the next generation can graduate to the next level.
The general manager and the president of the Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt had the privilege of attending the races of the second round and meeting athletes from Quebec who wish to surpass themselves to win the checkered flag.
