How old were you guys when your parents stopped bringing you to the track?

Old man died when I was 16, and that was kinda that. I inherited his old truck and had to have friend’s parents sign a guardian waiver so I could race till I was 18 lol. Mom was supportive but never into it.

15 or so whenever I could drive. He never really took me much to begin with so I didn’t really start getting into it until I could take my self. And it’s pretty east just to tell the track people that you’re 18. Or at least it was for me. But I will get him to take me to races. But I don’t think he has driven me to a practice since I was 14. 19 now.

My parents never took me to the track . They were against me racing. They were ok with me hitting the trails though. I've only raced a handful of times over the years anyway. My mom came to one race but was so nervous she couldn't enjoy herself so never went to another one. I'm fine with them not being into it, they just had my best interests in mind.

I started racing at age 26. My dad came to one race and my mother never did. It hasn't been that way with my kids and grand kids for me.

when I had my full drivers licence I started going to races by myself, would have been 17-18 years old, Mum and Dad still came to most of the big races still,

I was 16. My Dad never really liked taking me to the track. The Lazy boy with a cigarette and a cup of coffee was more his speed.

Dad never missed taking me to a practice or race from age 12-19, not that he lost interest, at some point it just becomes more fun to carpool with buddies (and bring coolers of beer for afterwards). Looking back I'm sure he felt left out since this was his hobby too.. if you're fortunate enough to have a parent that want's to tag along my advice would be to not push them away. Someday you'll cherish those memories with paps much more than you will the track-snacks or pit parties.

51 years old. My son is 17. My dad is 75. My dad to this day still goes to the races almost every race with us. He is retired and does 90% of the maintenance on the bikes. Almost like having a factory mechanic.

Having him at the races to support us, fix bikes, hold an umbrella and pick a gate would not be the same if he was not there. He's been doing it since I was a kid.

Turned 16 and got the truck and would go ride with friends at night practices instead of bringing pops, But soon realized it was more fun bringing him. He was always so supportive and that was our thing we always did together. I'm 22 now and he will drive all the way to west Texas (8 hours) just to hangout and watch me race and pitcrew for me. When I do go to a race alone or with friends I always wish he was there just to shoot the shit with!

The white Nike's somehow stay white even on the muddy days.. He's definitely a seasoned pro.

I've been going with my dad my whole life I'm 34. He's 67 and starting to come up excuses why he can't ride but he still goes and helps with the bike.

My parents never brought me to the track. I was the one who made the trips to tracks for practices and races. But they did come see me race once when I was an intermediate rider.

I've been reading all the dreck in this forum for years. This is by far the best thread ever. It's made me very emotional and reminds me we all take a different path in our lives but can end up in a very similar place. Thanks to all who are contributing.

We owned a very busy track growing up and the work needed for that didn’t always jive with my needs and wants to race. What I did was find someone my parents trusted who raced often and I got a power of attorney signed so they could sign me in at races and take me to the hospital if something happened.

Because of that I was able to hit so many more races that would’ve otherwise not been possible.

Up until high school when me and my friends started getting drivers licenses...our riding was in the hills by my house...literally every single day (weather permitting). My parents bought the bikes, I rode the wheels off of them, my dad did all the maintenance...but they didn't have to take me anywhere (just drive out in the desert and pick me up a time or two when I had a broken bone).

Once my friends and I got drivers licenses, we first started traveling to local tracks, and then eventually started racing. My parents wouldn't come to practice days...but I don't think they missed a race, until I was in my late 20's and by then I was racing offroad, and married, with kids of my own, and living 120 miles away from them...and, though they don't make every race these days, they still come to a good percentage of my races now...and I'm 40 years old...and I'm desert racing, so its far from a spectator sport...they watch the bomb run, help me pit and hour or so later, and then wait for me to finish...but they still come when they can.

I like having them there...I race with my brothers now (there are three-of the five of us-that race...so they come and support more than just me)...just knowing if I get hurt, or something breaks on the bike, my mom and dad are there, removes a level of stress/worry (My wife is usually home with my four kids, and taking them to all of their things, or she'd be at the races too). It's always weird lining up when my parents aren't there...and the day they are gone, it won't ever be the same.

Love that picture! Before I bought a trailer, I would take the fenders off my 79 RM125 and slide it in the trunk of my 68 Pontiac Catalina (4 door). Not only did my parents not take me riding, they said I could not buy a bike! I bought it anyway. Wish I had taken a pic of my bike hanging half way out of my trunk. Good times indeed.

My folks never took me or saw me race. My brother took me and so did my best friends mom. I would always take the sign up slip and sign my dads name. Started driving to Carlsbad and Saddleback at 15 before I got a license.

My parents never took us to the track. They always said it would be too expensive. It wasn't just me it would have been me and my two brothers. When we was younger they'd take us camping and motorcycle riding.

I was fortunate enough that the house we lived in had some property and there was a wooded area. That us and the neighbor kids rode. We also had other places nearby with trails we could ride. But this was back in the 80's.

By the early 90's most of those places were turned into housing developments. And the trails right by my house were starting to get a bit more difficult to ride. Old neighbors had moved and new ones moved in. We was smart enough to tell the new neighbors we owned the area with the trails and they could use them.

I never had new bikes always having to make do with older bikes from the 70's very early 80's. So i stopped until I was 19.

By then my parents where big on pushing us into doing other sports. Like wrestling soccer and my brother got huge into football. It wasn't until I was 24 before my dad n brother finally came to watch me ride. Only because it was at a nearby arenacross race and that is the only time they have ever seen me ride on a track. But they almost always were there at my wrestling matches soccer games baseball games.

I've been reading through this thread and it's been pretty eye opening to see how many people are so passionate about this sport, but never really had much support for it growing up and basically did everything on their own. I was fortunate that my dad would take me riding at the local track or whatever open development that was near the house for the first few years after I started riding, but other than that he didn't really want to do much with it. I get it, though. This stuff is expensive, dangerous, and hard to appreciate when you really have no idea what to do.

When I was 12 he was too cheap to buy a spare $7 spark plug, but then get mad at me when we would arrive at the track and the plug would be fouled. To this day he says it's 100% because I wasn't riding it right. Jetting (or poor jetting I should say) had nothing to do with it haha. Mom hated it. She still does. She's seen me ride twice in 22 years. Wants nothing to do with it.

Now I'm 33 and still race occasionally. I love rolling up to an AMA race, roughing it out of my truck for the weekend, and then showing up to the gate all by myself while other guys/gals in the +25 and +30 classes still have their parents washing their bikes and packing their gates. I can't help but think to myself, "Dang. I can't even get my dad to watch a football game with me."

I think it's awesome that those families are so tight and are still able to enjoy those times together. Good for them.

I'm 39 and Dad still come but he is 64 and also still rides some. I started going more myself when I went off to college. Went with friends some during high school but not a lot until I left the house. My kid will have a hard time getting rid of me. I hope to be the 100 year old SOB that forces his way into the RV, if we have one at that point, that they flop into a lawn chair at the races to watch grandkids and great grandkids and I croak sitting there one day.

My parents were with me every step of the way until I got my licence and I wanted to start going with my friends and be a little more independent. And I had to start paying for shit! They were amazing supporters but knew when to let the leash out and learn on my own. My Dad still comes out the odd time for a ride day-I'm 58 and he is 79.

I’m going to be 30 soon and dad still comes to every single race and most practice days, it’s always been our thing since I was 8. I feel blessed

Never.. couldn’t race til I was 18, bought everything on my own except my first two very used bikes that dad bought mostly to piss off my mom. Those bikes were the best thing dad ever did for me! Dad never saw me race or ride, mom came to one race, and she hated every second of it..

Started racing at 14 and lived 3 miles from Ponca city motocross track so just topped off tank and rode to the track to practice and race and would bum rides to OKC and other races with one of about 10 different racers. Parents didn't go to the races, it was my thing and liked it that way me and my racing buddies.

When I got my licence (17) but, dad (or mum when he couldn't be there) became the passenger hahaha and mum would drive out a little bit later. If we were racing further away, It was usually my brother driving the van, and my parents in their car.

EDIT: My dad passed away about 2 weeks after the last time we went to a practice day. I rode once with my brother after that and my bike blew up. That was in 2011, and the last time I rode.

I started racing hare scrambles when I was 15, and my parents took me to my first 2.

My older brother hauled me to my next one and dropped me, my '76 yz 100, gas can, tool box, a small gear bag, and milk crate stand off with the agreement that he would pick me up about an hour after the race was over.

Well, he got to messing around with his gf and lost track off the time.

I am sitting in the middle of a field, 40 minutes from home with darkness approaching. I have almost a full tank of gas. I eat the last of my bananas, drink the last of my water and go cut some track pennants to secure what I can in an attempt to ride home. About the time i get ready to fire it up, my brother comes in.

Been taking myself ever since.

My dad rode with me a few times a couple years later, but it was in my van and I paid for everything, including his gate fee.

He was a machinist and helped me in a lot of other ways, like always fixing broken parts and making some stuff that was pretty trick.

My parents never once brought me to the track. when I was 16, I drove myself to the track (using dads car) towing my CR500. No, this is not a joke lol I did not now a single person at the track lol.

I’t was around the time I got my license. My parents would always drive me to the track and support me. One day at a local race, about 20 years back, someone died and my dad tried to reanimate him. In 19 years time he has been to the track no more than 10 times. It was only since last year that he started coming again on a regular basis. I really love it that he is back watching!

17,
Told the old man i can do it all alone.
loaded the ute and off i went.

Go to the races and forgot my helmet and stand ahahahah

Once in while we would get dropped of but they never hang. My dad split when I was 15 so that was out the window. I couldn't get back on a bike until I was 20. Then I bought a new Toyota truck and a new 78 RM250. My mom saw me race once. My wife doesn't even go that often but she has taken the epic race trips to Calgary, Colorado, NYS and up and down the state. She just doesn't do day rides or races.