Out of the Blue | Megan Hamm | Presented by Schrader’s

Out of the Blue | Megan Hamm | Presented by Schrader’s

By Jensen Amyotte

Name: Megan Hamm

Date of Birth: December 21, 2004

Hometown: Oak Bluff, MB

School/Grade: Grade 12 at Sanford Collegiate 

Race Number: #17

Bike: Kawasaki KX250

Race Club: New Image Racing

Classes: Women’s & Open Junior

Who/what inspired you to get into the sport of motocross?

My dad was a professional motocross rider when he was my age and competed in the Canadian Nationals and some Arenacross events, so moto has always been apart of my life. When my two older sisters were old enough to ride they got bikes and started, so when I turned 2 I followed in their footsteps and began riding.

When not on a dirt bike, how do you keep yourself busy?                           

I play basketball for my school’s varsity team and work two jobs on top of moto, so usually my schedule is pretty crazy.

As a racer, are there any obstacles you feel a female racer has to deal with that maybe a male racer does not?

I find that respect is a lot harder to come by as a female racer. A lot of the time when you tell someone you race motocross they either don’t believe you or they just assume you’re slow. You have to prove yourself to everyone and show that you’re just as good as any male racer, and although this is an obstacle, it’s also a blessing because it has taught me how to work even harder than any guy to get where I am.

What is your favourite track and why?     

I’d have to say my favourite track is Gopher Dunes. This year was my second time riding there but I love sand and that track is always such a challenge. I felt like I could always push myself there and it’s great for conditioning.

What are your biggest accomplishments to date?

Racing in the Thor WMX Nationals has been the biggest accomplishment of mine. 2021 was my second season competing in the National series and this year I was able to score my first top 10 finishes and finish just outside the top 10 overall this year. 

What kind of track/dirt do you feel you excel at most and why? 

I love sand tracks the most. I think this is because of the flow I feel on the bike. I love the tracks that are like beach sand the most. I grew up riding mostly hard pack tracks so when we came down east and started to race nationals I was over the moon to have sand tracks because we don’t have a lot in Manitoba.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a female of any age who wants to start riding, what would it be?

I would tell her to not be afraid to reach out to other girls in the sport for help. The motocross community is a great group with lots of amazing people who are always willing to help, even if it isn’t moto-related. I would tell her whether she needs a friend or had a question about her bike that she should never be afraid to reach out because the women and girls in the moto community are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

What was your first race number and how did you choose it?

My first race number was #87. I chose this because it was my dad’s and sister’s number. It became a family thing that we all ran #87.

What are your thoughts on the WMX Triple Crown series?

I think it’s a great opportunity for girls to race some of the best tracks across the country with the fastest girls in the country. It’s also a great opportunity to improve by racing against faster riders and get used to racing with a full gate of talented girls.

Who would you like to thank? 

I want to thank my mom and dad for giving me the opportunity to get into motocross in the first place and always supporting me no matter what. I also want to thank New Image TransCanada Racing, New Image Custom Graphics, TransCanada Motorsports, Canadian Kawasaki, FXR, 6D, Vantage Builders, Madesa MX, Supplement King Brandon/Winnipeg, Matrix Concepts Canada, Sun and Snow LTD, Gibson Tyre, Dr. Roof, Dirt Care, HSS, Specialty Projects, 92 Designs and Stinson Seeds.