Seventeen-year-old Alex Mechachonis had won three championships and was active around local tracks.
SOUTHWICK, Mass. — Friends and riders across New England are mourning Alex Mechachonis, a 17-year-old Granville motocross racer who died after a crash during practice in Brookfield earlier this week.
Mechachonis was already well known in regional motocross circles. He had won three championships and, about a month before the crash, joined the crew at The Wick 338 in Southwick to help prepare the track for upcoming events.
The crash happened at a practice track in Brookfield, not at the Southwick track. The New England Sports Committee said Thursday that Mechachonis died after crashing during practice. Public reports did not give a time of the crash or say whether any agency had completed a review.
Rick Johnson of The Wick 338 said Mechachonis stood out quickly after arriving at the track. Johnson said the teen was the kind of young person others looked up to, calling him hardworking, respectful and eager to learn.
Other members of the motocross community said Mechachonis had the proper helmet, chest protection, boots and other gear. They said the track conditions were fine and that there were no reported outside factors. The cause and full circumstances of the crash remained unknown.
The death brought an outpouring of grief from riders and racing families. Online tributes described Mechachonis as a strong competitor and a good person off the track. Several posts said his loss has affected riders, track owners and families across the region.
Mechachonis’ death remained under public attention Saturday as the community waited for more details. No official final report had been released in the accounts reviewed.
Author note: Last updated May 2, 2026.