La gran final del Campeonato Nacional de Motocross no está exenta de polémica. En esta ocasión, los pilotos norteamericanos del equipo Pasion MX están solicitando no correr en conjunto con los pilotos de la Master, esto por motivos de seguridad. Si la respuesta del Motoclub no es satisfactoria, los pilotos no alinearán el domingo y le dejarán el campeonato servido a Roberto Castro.
Esta posición es respaldada por la directora del equipo, Marisol Ríos, quien apoya a sus pilotos ya que para ellos que la seguridad es primero.
Tanto Ben Lamay como Cole Thompson no terminaron satisfechos luego de la octava fecha que se disputó en Los Alpinos. En el segundo heat, Lamay lideraba mientras Ricardo Chacón era atendido en la pista por una fuerte caída. Lamay se encontró a un piloto rezagado de la categoría Master y no lo pudo esquivar, cayéndose justo donde estaba Chacón y golpeándolo sin intención.
Al final de la competencia Thompson se quejó de que los pilotos rezagados no daban espacio a los líderes, en alusión a que las banderas azules no habían sido correctas.
Días después de esa carrera, Lamay escribió un correo al Motoclub exponiendo sus preocupaciones sobre las banderas azules y la situación de compartir los heats con pilotos más lentos de otras categorías. Según Lamay hasta el momento no ha recibido respuesta a su correo:
Esta fue la comunicación de Lamay al Motoclub
Dear Moto Club Board of Directors,
There are a few issues with the most recent races in the Costa Rican National Championship that Cole Thompson and myself would like to address. It is a concern that staff is not properly trained to be directing and managing the track under racing circumstances.
During both MX1 races at the past round, there were several issues with lapped riders and slower traffic. Many times riders were not given the blue flag once we approached them, but when they did they seemed to completely ignore moving out of the way for us, but made it much easier for other local riders.
The blue flag indicated to a rider that they are about to be overtaken and riders are advised to keep their lane and allow the faster riders to pass. This is an issue that caused Tyler Bowers to crash and lose the race at La Fortuna in 2013, which he has mentioned to me on several occasions having experienced this issue in his Costa Rican racing. It also was the reason of my misfortune in the second race this past weekend while I was leading the race. A rider I was lapping was not blue flagged and changed lanes, giving you a clear example. The accident could have been prevented if the rider was given a blue flag. Cole Thompson dealt with several riders (65 and 222 and others) who did not let him pass when he was lapping them.
It’s extremely frustrating and a bit unbelievable the lack of disregard for riders safety from track officials, board directors, the Costa Rican Federation and race clerks at times. It does worry me that if proper actions are not taken you will have serious or fatal accidents as a result of not correcting these mistakes.
Roberto, Cole and myself are going at a very fast pace and it is for the best safety of each of us that blue flags are used more appropriately and riders are briefed on moving over once they receive a flag. At our speed it is very difficult to stop or miss riders traveling at much slower speeds. Maybe it should be up for consideration on giving MX1 its own race, rather than combining us with vet riders or Pre-MX1.