Not so long ago women’s motocross was on the brink of elimination.  Lack of sponsorship, coupled with a lack of interest and coverage, the sport was on a downward spiral to irrelevance.  But faster than you can say WMA, the sport slowly began to breakthrough.  Thanks to rising stars such as Ashley Fiolek, Jessica Patterson, Tarah Gieger, Sarah Whitmore, Sherri Cruse and Jolene Van Vugt, the future that once looked so dark is now brighter than ever.

Much of the credit for making women’s motocross more than just an afterthought has to go to Women’s Motocross Association (WMA) Founder, Miki Keller.  Considered by most to be a pioneer of the sport, Keller helped women’s motocross grow from the underground half-time show of yesterday, to the mainstream motorsport it is today.  Under the control of Keller, women’s motocross has risen to heights that have far exceeded the expectations of many around the motocross industry.  She was involved in getting Women’s Moto-X Racing into the X-Games, she has seen the face of Women’s Motocross, Ashley Fiolek, rise to one of the biggest stars in racing - men’s or women’s - and was an integral part of getting the Women’s Motocross Championship fully incorporated with the AMA Pro Motocross Championship this year. 

The Rise

Women’s Motocross dates back to the 1940s when courageous women raced Velocettes, B.S.A’s and Matchless 500’s across the vast wilderness.  In the 1960s, as women’s equality made its way to the forefront of society, so did women’s motocross.  No longer were the women succumbed to riding in the vast wilderness.  They were making their way into sports arenas and racetracks.  As the introduction of motocross made its way across the pond in the early 1970s, women were demanding bikes of their own.  By 1974, 9,000 spectators watched 300 women racers vie for the title of “Powder Puff National Championship.”  In 1975 sponsors decided that the title did not do justice to the level of competition and they changed the name to “Women’s Motocross Nationals.”  The event has since taken place every year since its renaming, except in 1982 and 1986.

By the mid-70s women’s motocross was gaining ground in the states and abroad.  International companies were steping up to the plate and supporting women in competitive racing by sponsoring women’s motocross events.  The International companies were also attracting top American female racers to compete in Europe.  In 1974, Nancy Payne, the first “Powder Puff Grand National Champion,” was one of the first American women to travel across the pond to race in Europe.  Europe was not the only country attracting top female talent, though, as Motocross Champions Sue Fish, Madylin Almeida and Dawn Grant were part of the great Evil Knievel’s Australian show in 1979.

As the world slowly began to recognize women in the sport of motocross, the media world was not far behind.  In 1979 the popular TV show, ABC’s Wide World of Sports, covered women’s motocross with Jackie Stewart and Howard Cosell doing the play-by-play.  By 1981 the sport was growing on every level, and a momentous breakthrough was on the horizon.  During an L.A. Supercross event held at the Coliseum, 10 women riders were invited to do a half-time exhibition race in front of a crowd of 70,000 people.  By races end, the women were sent off with a wide, new fan base and a standing ovation.

Riding a wave of momentum that seemed to continually build, women’s motocross was riding high.  In 1983 the first Women’s Supercross Invitational took place at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego; the event was covered by NBC Sports.  By the time the 1983 Women’s Motocross Nationals came around, sponsors and media members alike were lining up to put their stamp on the growing sport.  Motorsports International and Eye on L.A. filmed the events and Hour Magazine was even on hand interviewing everyone from top racers to the littlest spectators in the stands.

But thanks to organizations such as: Powder Puff, PURR, International Women’s MX Association (I.W.M.A.), the WMA and many more, today women’s motocross is once again gaining the attention that the sport’s pioneers paid the price for.

In Comparison

In 1973, in front of 30,492 spectators and a worldwide television audience estimated at 50 million people in 37 countries, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in a “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match.  Kings’ decisive victory over Riggs (6-4, 6-3, 6-3) became a landmark in women’s tennis and gained recongition for women’s sports worldwide.

When King defeated Riggs back in 1973, she paved the way for many of her female counterparts to try and achieve that same success.  In 2003 Annika Sorenstam, considered by many the greatest golfer in women’s history, made the record books at the Bank of America Colonial Tournament by being the first woman to play in a men’s PGA Tour event since 1945.  While Sorenstam did not achieve the success that King did - as she failed to make the cut - her efforts paved a path for future LPGA players to compete in a men’s events. 

While Sorenstam and King’s accomplishments ring loud in the ears of most sports fans, you can not forget other women pioners that have made strides in a “man’s game.”  Names such as Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher, who race in Indy Car, Michelle Wie, who has competed on the PGA Tour, and Katie Hnida, who kicked for the Colorado Buffaloes football team, have all made names for themselves; not just by competing with men, but for their dedication to the sports that they love and their drive to compete at the highest possible level.

So will we see a woman competing in a men’s Supercross or Motocross event?  That question remains to be answered. However, you ask Ashley Fiolek or Sarah Whitmore that same question, an answer will be given—an emphatic yes!        

Where’s The Money?

An old adege says that money doesn’t make you happy, but it damn sure doesn’t make you unhappy, either, especially if you are trying to make a living racing motocross.  All around, the sport is extremely expensive, regardless of gender. As if keeping two or three bikes running sound isn’t enough, a couple of trips across the country later and your bank account is looking more and more like AIG’s. 

Most women motocross riders will tell you they don’t race for money, they race for the pride and the glory of victory.  But how many gallons of gas can you buy on pride and glory? Not one.  According to MX Sports, this year the AMA will pay out $650 dollars to the winner of each moto in the women’s class.  In 2008, that winner would also receive $500 from Honda, $1,500 if they rode a Suzuki, $300 if they rode a green machine and a meager $250 if they rode a Yamaha.  A far cry from the $53,050 a privateer who went 1-1 on a Honda in the men’s class would recieve. “Given, they may never have to pay that out because a privateer will probably never win the overall in the men’s class,” said Keller in reference to the men’s pay structure, “but they posted a $50,000 for the men v.s. a $500 bonus for the women. So the rewards aren’t the same but the costs are very close. That is something we are going to try and work on going forward.”

On the other hand, Factory guys like Short, Reed, Stewart and Millsaps, don’t sign up for an AMA guaranteed contingency plan (instead they have their own, larger, private deals).  If a factory guy goes 1-1, he takes home a whopping $103,050, according to a feature on MotocrossActionMag.com.  Now let’s say that guy is James Stewart and he sweeps all 12 rounds. Last year, James took home over $1 million dollars in prize money on top of his $1 million dollar championship bonus; that’s over two-million dollars for one outdoor season, and that doesn’t even include his contracted salary.

Another shortcoming between the men and women’s pay scale is that all 40 riders in the men’s motos take home money.  If a privateer goes 40-40, he still gets a check for $440, almost more than the top women’s rider.  In retrospect, only the top-10 women riders get paid.  The tenth place woman rider takes home a grand total of $50, according to Keller.  So, basically, if you are outside the top-10 you are losing money because they have to pay $125.00 just to enter the race, something Miki touched on, “The fact is sponsorships really haven’t caught up. Most of these girls are paying for their travel out of their own pocket, but I think that it’s going to catch up. It is natrual that now that there is some stability and some structure with how the events are run. It’s just a bigger deal now. You’ve got eight nationals, a T.V. package, and just so much more to offer now that it’s part of MX Sports.”

Do women deserve to get paid as much as the men?  That depends who you are asking.  Do women deserve more that $50 for a top-10 finish?  Most would agree, yes.  They deserve it, but where is the money coming from.  Yes, Fiolek recently signed with Honda Red Bull Racing to become a full-factory rider, but is this just a blip on the radar or an emerging trend?  Only time will tell. One thing is for certain, though: women’s motocross can not continue to grow as a sport if this is the kind of money they will be making. That is a fact.

The Fall

Research is spotty as to how many new companies fail, but a safe bet would be between 50% and 80%. According to the U.S. Small Business Association, at least 50% of businesses fail in the first year, and 95% fall off the wagon within the first five years. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and entrepreneurs are the ones wearing the Milk-Bone underwear. Any entrepreneur will tell you that in order to own a company, you must be willing to work nearly twice the hours for a fraction of the money. It’s the price you pay for being your own boss and starting something from scratch. On the bright side, one has creative control, and if they have what it takes to be one of the 20% that survive, then credit is due and the sky tends to be the limit.

But there is more than just self satisfaction on the line when it comes to starting a business; others depend on you. Families, employees and—in the case of Women’s Motocross—some of the fastest women racers in the world, rely on the vision of your company to help them reach their dreams. Heavy is the head that wears the golden crown—or helmet in this case.

While we can’t attest to the exact low point of women’s motocross, for Miki Keller, that point in time came not so long ago. “Two years ago [2007], at Glen Helen, I really thought I had made some headway with AMA Pro Racing,” said Keller, while noting numerous other difficulties they have encountered in past dealings with AMA Pro Racing. “An executive at the AMA told us that our program was going to be enhanced. I really thought we were going to get some help that year. We were really just looking to get some help running the races instead of us trying to get volunteers to help flag and keep score and all the things that go along with putting together a race. Before, we were in charge of all of that. So, anyways, that year, in 2007, AMA Pro Racing was going to step in and take care of a lot of that. I do want to make it clear that it wasn’t the individual staff members, but more of an upper management problem. And then just before Glen Helen, they did a complete 180. I had to meet with the girls and tell them that I didn’t know what was going on. We got pulled from our TV package that year, I didn’t know what time or on what day we would be able to race, I had a sponsor commit to a big chunk of money and they pulled out at the last minute and I just really felt defeated. We took such a huge step backwards that year. That was one of our most difficult and challenging years.”

The Rise Again

It’s always darkest before the dawn, and as fate would have it, this served true for Keller and women’s motocross. Fast forward two years and the sport is now experiencing what many would say is their most successful year to date. But what has been the cause of such success? When looking at the whole picture, two things can be referenced to; one, the emergence of women’s racing biggest international superstar, Ashley Fiolek, and two, the move by MX Sports to acquire the series.

It’s no secret that Ashley Fiolek has taken the reigns of women’s motocross. As a rookie she defeated the Queen of women’s moto, Jessica Patterson, and staked claim on the WMA title. Her story receives more outside media coverage than RC and Stewart combined, and she is the first ever factory-supported woman racer. “I knew she was coming and I waited on her, or I might have quit two years ago,” stated Keller. “We are very fortunate to have had Ashley Fiolek come along when she did. And in the same respect it was kind of the perfect storm for her as well. We had a champion that had won the previous five titles and, whether you like Jessica Patterson or not, in general, people usually root for the underdog. They like to see someone come in and dethrone the champion. And Ashley was able to come in and do that. Then with me being able to get Women’s moto into X Games and them picking up on Ashley’s story and her coming in right when MX Sports was kind of starting to take over, everything just really worked out perfect. So having a champion that reaches so far outside the walls of our sport, yes, is very beneficial for both men’s and women’s motocross.”

If Fiolek’s entrance into the series was the Ice cream Sunday, MX Sports was the cherry on top. Their influence on the series in 2009 has been paramount in the future success of the organization and may one day be looked at as the saving grace behind the entire operation. Keller took the WMA to where it is today, but it’s now the job of MX Sports to catapult it into a successful future. Based on their track record thus far, the WMA looks to be in very good hands. “When I saw that MX Sports got the rights to the AMA Pro Motocross Championship I thought, ‘Well, this is our chance.’ The Coombs family, and especially Davey, has always been really supportive of women’s racing and I went to them and asked what they thought about bringing women’s pro motocross under their wing,” exclaimed a noticeably relieved Keller. “We started those talks around April of last year and they ended up acquiring the WMA, which I think is the best step forward for us because now it’s got more stability. I feel like the series will be here for years to come because they are a part of the organization that is actually running the races. So there is some vested interest on the part of MX Sports to make it work. They still are not considered liscenced AMA pros at the moment, but that is something we will continue to work on going forward.”

The Future

The big rumor as of late is the possible implementation of Women’s Supercross—which proved possible after watching Tarah Geiger and company threw down at the 2008 X-Games. There is also talk of having a women’s exhibition class at the Motocross des Nations in the near future—a move that would undoubtedly add world-wide recognition to the sport.

While no one can legitimately say where women’s motocross will be in three, five or fifty years, it seems as if the right steps are being made to ensure its success. But what sits on the horizon for these young ladies? The good thing is that there is plenty of room to grow. The sport has yet to reach a fraction of its potential, but at the same time is at a very vulnerable place in its growth curve. While the right path will lead to fat bank accounts, international recognition and sustainable growth, the wrong one could sink the sport back into depths of mediocrity.