Monster Energy Kawasaki's Troy Carroll is working on plans to boost off-track entertainment in Aussie motocross. Image: Alex Gobert.

Monster Energy Kawasaki boss Troy Carroll believes Australian motocross needs to boost its off-track entertainment schedule after attending the Coates Hire Ipswich 300 V8 Supercar event in Queensland over the weekend.

Building a large off-track presence while still achieving results has been a vital goal of Carroll’s since taking over the official Kawasaki team for 2011, a plan that he intends to continue working on next season after witnessing how the V8 teams and series organisers do it first hand.

“Motocross in Australia has been somewhat the same for almost 15 years,” Carroll said. “My old man got a box truck first and then Jeff Leisk got a semi in 1999, which stepped up the sport’s level in Australia.

“Now we all have semi trailers, which is a big thing, but what we do on a race weekend – pull our bikes out, race and then go home – isn’t good enough these days.

“You have to have some sort of sideshow, some kind of entertainment in your truck or in the pit area to entertain the crowd and team guests. That’s what will hopefully make them want to return the following year.”

Carroll was on hand during Saturday’s unique back-to-back V8 Supercar races at the ‘Paperclip’, taking home a few ideas that he’s looking to apply to his motocross and supercross team in the future.

“I went down the sideshow alley at the V8s on the weekend and they had everything from Gary Reid’s Showtime FMX team, the stunt riders and drivers, merchandise for basically every team and race simulators,” the 12-time national champion said.

“It all basically adds to the sport of V8s and that’s the reason I went on the weekend – to see what we can do to make our race team more interactive with the crowd.”

This season saw Carroll’s Monster Energy-back Kawasaki team take out positions three and four in the Pro Open Australian Motocross Championship with Billy Mackenzie and Dean Ferris, while American Phil Nicoletti placed third in the Pro Lites.

Kawasaki’s factory motocross operation in Australia features Monster Energy as the title sponsor, the energy drink brand also supporting Triple Eight Racing with TeamVodafone in the main game and Andrew Thompson’s title-leading Fujitsu Series effort.

Monster Energy also supports a number of V8 Supercar drivers including dual champion Jamie Whincup and Shane Van Gisbergen.