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Tsakanikas Takeover
The Tsakanikas family of seven shares a love for race day B Y K E AT O N M A I S A N O PHOTOS: TSAKANIKAS ARCHIVE
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ound by blood and bonded through motor oil, the Tsakanikas family is no stranger to motorcycles and race day. Andrew, who grew up in a racing family, and Meagan Tsakanikas are married with five kids, the oldest four of which have followed in Andrew’s footsteps — and tire tracks — by competing in off-road events. “It’s just honestly something we bond over,” Andrew said. “I don’t know how they grew into the passion, but it just came and it’s what we talk about at dinner; it’s what we look forward to doing on the weekends. It’s a life that we created.” 16
Both 15-year-old Austin and 12-year-old Mason were the first two kids to ride off-road, and now they serve as mentors to their younger siblings — 9-year-old Aubrey and 7-year-old Maura. The youngest of the group is 3-year-old Alden, who will have plenty of teachers as he grows and gets into the full swing of things. While there is undoubtedly support among the kids, Andrew said there is still some friendly competition as well. “My boys are very competitive with each other,” Andrew said. “They’ll talk around the dinner table, on the way to the races, after the races. They definitely push each other to
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get better, and everybody wants to be the one that got first on the weekend. And the kids for the most part can win.” Competing in the GNCC series, AMA U.S. Sprint Enduro races and other events near their home in Maryland, the Tsakanikas kids have not only raced but taken home hardware. Racing motocross growing up before switching to off-road later in his racing career, Andrew recently got to do something at the 2022 Dragon’s Back National Enduro he had never done before in his decades of racing: line up in a race next to his two sons.
