The supercross and motocross industry is predominantly male; however, 37% of the audience that attends supercross is female, according to Feld Entertainment. In the last two years, Monster Energy Supercross has proactively engaged this by showcasing women during weekly segments called #makeup2mud. The segments shine a spotlight on women who were using motocross to give back to their community and were making a difference in the sport. This year, Toyota took the movement a step further by establishing Toyota Camp M2M. This is a live extension of #makeup2mud to give females the platform needed to impact the world of motocross both on and off the bike. The inaugural event was recently hosted in Floresville, Texas, at Cycle Ranch MX Park, and I got the chance to attend.
Story and Photos By Lexi Thompson
This camp allowed women from all over the country to join a community that included professional riding instructors in bettering their skills while having a weekend of fun. Gear was provided by Fly Racing and loaned to riders that did not come with their own, and Yamaha supplied a wide range of motorcycles. Food, beverage, gear, and bikes were all included with the campsites and other motocross theme activities at no cost to the guests. More than 200 people of different ages were in attendance, and all skill levels—from never having ridden a bike to pro athletes—were incredibly welcomed. Many of the women there were the same athletes featured during the 2018 and 2019 supercross seasons; 21 athletes in all including Kiana Clay, Jordan Jarvis and the world’s first female to win every round of the WMA National Championship Stefy Bau.
Toyota Camp M2M was an opportunity for women, as well as men, to have the chance to be taught riding techniques from some of the best athletes in the sport, including JGRMX Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s Weston Peick and nationally ranked female pro Jordan Jarvis.
Toyota wants to see people following their dreams, so they provided the platform to be able to do just that. All that was required to join the fun was the ownership of a Toyota vehicle and the desire to learn how to ride. They are helping shape the future of the sport by celebrating inclusion through a diverse group of people. Staff asked participants while registering what their skill level was on a scale from beginner to experienced to ensure safety and comfort of the rider.
To help participants focus on their chosen aspect of riding, different stations were set up for the participants making registration a breeze. Coaches from The MX Factory instructed new riders that have never been on a bike, and they taught the very basics of motocross, while Jordan Jarvis taught the most efficient way to negotiate a corner. Team Allsouth KTM’s Pro Supercoss rider Kyle Swanson gave tips on braking and accelerating, and Weston Peick helped those with the desire to “Jump Like Weston.”
The more people that understand and have experienced the physical demands of controlling a bike, the more respect the athletes will receive. Toyota Camp M2M’s goal is to give everyone the opportunity to learn to ride, they aim to reward their loyal customers as well as inspire everyone, not just women, to go places with a “nothing is impossible mindset.” The MX Factory works to provide lessons to beginners and make them feel comfortable on the bike and learn safety precautions in order to advance to a higher level. The patience of the staff allowed for all Camp participants to feel at ease, and it gave them the chance to learn without being overwhelmed. Instructors based their involvement off of riders’ reactions and concerns. From riding on the back with young children, to running beside riders until they catch their balance, there was a spot for all skill levels to advance.
The camp assisted women to advance in their field, for female representation is lacking in motocross and supercoss, so having first-time riders receive advice from the trailblazing women of the sport was an exciting way to let newcomers see what they have the ability to accomplish. The ladies were star struck when meeting Jordan Jarvis along with the other #makeup2mud stars. Jarvis is an up-and-coming role model for young ladies interested in climbing the ranks, and working one-on-one with novice athletes, she helped them gain confidence on and off the track.
It was unique for Jarvis to have the leadership role on the track, because at 18, and just having graduated from high school, she is used to being the student and taking advice from people older and more experienced than her. She enjoyed being on the other end of the lessons, because she sees the impact she is able to have on the hopeful athletes. Now that she is out of high school, her goal is to take her passion a step further; Jarvis plans on competing in seven of the 12 outdoor nationals in 2019, and she is confident she has what it takes to compete with the rest of the pack. Stating that her biggest competition on race day is herself, Jarvis explains that she is confident that if she qualifies in those events, she will be respected among her fellow competitors.
Weston Peick also reversed his role from being the athlete you watch on Saturday nights, to being the coach and advising other riders. After taking time off following his crash in France in late November 2018, he is back on the bike looking better than ever and giving back by helping people that want to hone their skills. Peick announced to the camp that he is excited for the future of supercross and hopes that the sport expands to more females lining up at the gate on race day.
Peick taught the group how to jump while saving the most time in the air. He did so by not just telling the athletes how, but demonstrating and working individually with them. Similar to Peick’s method of working with the students, Kyle Swanson took his time to instruct athletes on accelerating and braking, which is the basis of all other riding. Swanson, who grew up just minutes from Cycle Ranch, raves about the amenities the track has to offer. With cabins, air conditioning, bathrooms and showers, as well as supreme track conditions on all three tracks at the facility, The Ranch was the perfect place to host this event.
Being at the event and watching others learn inspired me to join in on the fun. As a young woman that is a huge fan of the sport but never having ridden before, the motocross scene can be intimidating to start off in. The encouraging and understanding coaches allowed me to finally feel comfortable enough to give it a shot. They sized me for a Yamaha 125 after setting me up with a full set of gear, and started the bike and pushed me until I was ready to go on my own. Spectators often hear the term “arm pump” thrown around when describing the conditions riders face while racing, but what they do not mention is the adrenaline pumping. It was such a thrilling experience, even for as slow as I was going, I cannot imagine being lined up on the gate next to 20 other riders in front of 50,000 fans. Seeing the support from rider to rider reminded me why I am such a fan of the motocross atmosphere. Everyone, including women, should have the confidence to dip their toe in the sport as an athlete themselves, and Toyota is helping to make that more accessible to everyone by hosting this camp.
Toyota Camp M2M was an amazing opportunity for everyone, male and female, to learn tips from some of the best riders in the business. Seeing people of all ages, genders, and skill levels get better in such a short amount of time was exciting and rewarding for the instructors. It was clear that everyone involved had a great time. All racers would benefit from attending this camp in the future and will enjoy their time at Cycle Ranch. To learn more about Toyota Camp M2M or watch episodes of the #makeup2mud series visit supercrosslive.com/toyota. CN
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