The Lake Elsinore MX Park now has a crisp clean "title" first name – the Kal Gard Motorsports Complex – to compliment the familiar LE surname.

Just as Eliminator Boats "Daytona" model is the Official Recreational Power Boat of the Daytona International Speedway and The Pond of Anaheim is now known as the Honda Center, innovative action sports in Lake Elsinore is receiving passionate corporate attention with the multi-venue complex.

This is a big deal, as Kal Gard Lubricants is very supportive with family activities related to motorsports and race facilities in Southern California.

Last weekend, the Inland Racing Association debuted a Winner’s Cup MX racing series at the Kal Gard Motorsports Complex. The result is round one of the Inland Racing Association of a new six-race MX series at the track.

Race promoter Warren Klure stated, "We wanted to start an amateur MX series that elevates the image of the sport back to its former years with a trophy wall and in the casual power sports atmosphere we found here in Lake Elsinore."

The first round of the Winner’s Cup was the first time anyone could remember that a race has occurred on the newer main track.

Ever since I can remember, all motorsports races either occurred on the racetrack, the Moto X Kidz track or the multipurpose four-plex track tucked all the way in the back of the MX Park.

Over the announcing system we could hear why this new race series took the center stage track.

"The racetrack is under six feet of water [from the recent rains]. Look at all the islands that used to be huge jumps. It looks like a personal watercraft course. Besides, everybody loves riding on this track. It’s perfect for racing," said throttle junkie Mike "Mauler" Yellich of Fallbrook.

Race time

Pro riders raced their class, hamming it up a bit, and here are the results:

• Casey Johnson of Murrieta (#805) won for Pro Circuit and Talladega Nights AKA: "Me."

• Bruce Marada (#76), also from Murrieta, took second place riding for Thor, Pro Circuit, Tagger Design, Bionic Knee Brace and Reese the Dog.

• Mike "The Godfather" Metzger (#75) came in a close third for Metzger Brand, Alpine Stars, V.P. Race Fuel, 3 Brothers KTM of Temecula and Oakley.

• Myrie Metzger, 5, of Menifee raced his KTM 50 Mini Adventurer as the youngest racer for Team Factory Freestyle.

Myrie’s dad Mike had a blast wholeheartedly cheering his son on the track. In fact, the colorful Metzger clan cheered every single junior racer on – every lap.

"It was fun getting in there for the kids," Mike said. "Reminds me of when I was a kid and everyone cheered us on. Got to love it."

Dirt Alliance Side X Side opener

Only a year-and-a-half has gone by since a few Yamaha Rhinos gathered at Lake Elsinore MX Park for their first race on a motocross track. Several dozen curious Advertisement

Shriners Hospital for Children family members attended.

The evolution of this unique racing sport known as "Side-by-Side" (SXS) has been unfolding very quickly on a newly constructed track with safety K-rails.

Last weekend we saw 40 SXSs in three classes – Super Stock, SXS Doubles and SXS Pro Modified – qualify for the main event.

With 40 Trophykarts in two classes – Junior 1 for ages 8-11 and Junior 2 for ages 12-16 – there was a turnout of more than 1,400 people consisting of racers, family, crew and friends.

Meet a local family SXS team

Known as the Wagon Burners, the Winbury and Wolff families are a huge 11-vehicle team with as many as 30 members in their pit at any time.

Before I get confused on who is related to whom, I’ll start with Dad, Mom and the rest of the aunts and uncles.

#247 Garrett Winbury, #82 Tammie Winbury, #44 Patrick Winbury, #26 Michael Bojorquez, #85 Freddie Wolff, #88 Dannie Wolff, #U812 Greg Winbury and 14-year-old Tyler Winbury (#94) each race their own vehicles.

Racing a Trophykart for the Wagon Burners team is 8-year-old Dylan Winbury. His cousin Phillip, 5, just got a new Trophykart from Santa Claus last Christmas.

"Yeah, it’s mine. It has my name on it. It really does," Phillip told my son Marshall.

Phillip’s mom, Tammie, confirmed Phillip’s kid-to-kid interview.

"Yes, he’s happy that Dad extended the foot pedals and steering wheel for him to reach," she said. "He’ll have to prove his driving ability before he can race, though."

I asked how the Wagon Burners chose their team name.

Garrett explained, "Well, we live on the Pechanga Reservation; we’re Luiseño. I have this redneck friend – we still call him Bobbie – that jokingly called me a ‘wagon burner’ when we were kids ’cause I’m Indian. It’s all fun."

A day at the races

Eight-seven kids, seven race motos, 24 race classes, parents galore – like a day at the park. That pretty much sums up another wonderful day of grassroots family moto on a newly designed track.

To add to the excitement there was a free adult competition called the "Old Pharts" race held on the new four-plex track.

Sometimes we never know who really won. On occasion they’ve been know to blatantly cheat to attract extra attention and start laughable phony-baloney protests.

The real rip-roaring competition was at the two-person "Buddy Ride." Riders choose partners, take turns on one bike with one lap each and on the third final lap the partners ride double. (Riding double is not allowed at any track unless the race steward says so.)

Moto X Kidz scorekeeper Jaime Quinn said, "Next round we’ll introduce a new kids’ class for quads [110cc and under, ages 4 to 17]. We’ll take care of them."

The Yamaha family had fabulous hole shot prizes to give out to the kids: with t-shirts, beanies, huge stickers and other prizes.