Little Guy Landed on at LACR

That’s terrible. It’s ridiculous California still doesn’t split practices even if just big bike little bike. This shouldn’t even be a thought in anyone’s head that their child is gonna get landed on by a big bike. 

Poor guy. I hope he heals up quick. Hitting a lil guy on the track is one of every rider's biggest fears. There is no reason to have them on the track with the big bikes at the same time. Common sense.

As sue happy as California is, I can’t believe this hasn’t been stopped yet.  After moving here to the Midwest, it seems so foreign and strange that California doesn’t split up practices even though that’s where I grew up riding.

Name another motorsport that allows little kids to be on the track at the same time as adults on full size equipment.

its fucking absurd, and no other motorsport organization is that dumb.

When my kids were little I wouldn't let them out with big bikes. Unless I was behind them on my big bike.

Motocross=Legalized Child abuse  

I talked to Kenny (Paul’s father), lil dude is doing good and is a tough kid. He’s been looking forward to racing supercross next year on the 50 and that was his first question after getting out of surgery. He’s a young kid so they heal up fast. Happy he’s awake and on the mend. 🙏

Had to check to see how old this thread was. Figured it was over ten years. They've been splitting practices in norcal for a long time. It's irresponsible not to. 

when this happens at  track that has a dedicated mini track i just shake my head in bewilderment. I can sort of look past an 85 or 105 out with the big bikes but why would you as a parent let a 50 go out with the big bikes…and LACR just reopened due to insurance issues 🤦‍♂️

There's a kids track and little bike sessions on the vet track. He could ride all day between those 2 tracks. LACR is one of the only tracks even offering a split session for kids.

Why send him out with the big dogs? I'm not surprised though. This is every track... Parents completely ok with sending their tiny child out there all day long and think nothing of it.

What he said. Insane, just an accident waiting to happen. Not if it’s gonna happen, just when and how bad. 

Split practices should definitely be a thing. Unfortunately parents can’t always be trusted to make the best decisions for their kids’ safety in this sport. Go to Glen Helen on a Thursday when all the pros are there and you’ll see plenty of dads putting their kids on minis right out there with the entire factory Kawi team. 

I can't believe it is still mixed like that down there. The only time that it is "open" at a track in the NW is when there are very few people that day. Once about 30-40 people show up its split. I can't remember the last time I rode a practice that wasn't split.

Here in the NW typical is four 15 minute practices: Big bike fast, big bike slow, small bike fast, and small bike slow. That's how it was when I rode Friday and I put in 5 15 minute practices. I was plenty tired.

Several years ago I was at a free ride day here in Wichita at a club named jeeps, there were little and big bikes on the supercross track. I watched a big bike jump over a little bike on a big table top triple, I told the then president that I didn't think both big and little bikes should be out there, he was surprised and said this was just the way they did it, not sure if it's still allowed.

Obviously hope the little guy has a speedy recovery, but I also hope the person that hit him is doing ok. Landing on a little kid like that would be a tough pill to swallow. Lucky it wasn’t worse. Prayers to all involved.

As much as I am not a fan of little and big bikes on the track at the same time. I am also not a fan of parents being ok with that but also big big riders not slowing down when around a kid. Typically, it’s  just practice as a hobbyist for the big bike guy and slowing down for the safety of the kid isn’t going to hurt your chance at that plastic trophy. However, two wrongs don’t make it right. 
 

Flame away, but I’ll continue to be responsible and back it down around the little guys as my motos are strictly for pleasure. 

I hope he will be ok ASAP!

I live in New Jersey, and we split practices up probably 10-15 years ago.

Just terrible. Praying for you young one!   Thankfully it sounds like Paul will make a full recovery.  Handlebar through the boot and into the ankle!?  Shudder to think if that was mid-chest or neck.  Please let’s use some common sense moving forward!  Parents too, just because they allow it doesn’t make it a good idea.  Let’s be smart.

Hope the kid makes a full recovery!   My buddies and I were just talking about this issue. I am shocked that every track I go to in Socal has little 65's on the track with pro bikes or all big bikes.  I am extremely cautious around the kids, but I would rather the track owners just get organized and split it up.  We all know many moto parents are crazy and they need to share some of the blame here.   I feel just as bad for the guy who landed on the kid as I do for the kid.   Both are taking a mental beating right now and this could had been prevented.

I hate to judge another parents decision.  But my 12 year old is now riding and no way does or will he go on the track with the big bikes.  If they don’t have split practices, we ride somewhere else.  Or another track on property.

such a bummer,  I feel bad for the little dude and I’m sure the parents are heartbroken.  

agree with this, 

when i went to Glen Helen for the first time in 2004 i thought i could learn something about running a track, but by god it was the most dangerous out of control thing i had ever seen,  pros, weekend warriors, 65's and qauds all doing laps together,   how the fuck it still continues 20 years later is amazing, 

Inexcusable 

Wishing the youngster a speedy recovery. 
This could’ve been avoided. 

Yup. This is why I didn't spend $$$ at some tracks when mine was young, and why we won't go to them now that he's 16 and fast. Littles and Bigs should NEVER be mixed on a public track. Period. It's dangerous enough as it is. Hope he heals well and gets back at it, and Dad is smarter next time.

“When my kids were little I wouldn't let them out with big bikes. Unless I was behind them on my big bike.”

When a track had more than a few big bikes on it my kids rode the peewee, turn track or grass field. Otherwise all the adults I was friends with did the same as you. 

Why would you ever put your kids out there with big bikes?

Hope the little guy heals up.  I echo the safety comments by others on here on split practices - that's the best way to keep things safe.  Couple of pet peeves though.  1) If practices aren't split early in the day due to low rider turnout, parents need to teach their kids to hold their freaking line.  As a fast rider (well faster than the kids anyway), you want to catch up quickly, then time your pass safely and responsibly slowing down to go around them - and try not to roost them.  There is nothing worse than an unpredictable kid on a mini - well maybe an unpredictable adult rider....  2) When tracks do start splitting practice, riders need to respect the split.  That means no big bikes during little bike sessions AND no little bikes during big bike sessions - regardless of how fast the kid is.  I could give a pass to a dad riding slow with his kid in the little bike practices.  But NO little bikes during big bike practice.  If I had a nickel for every time I had to check up going into a big jump because a kid rolls it or isn't holding their line, I'd have a  hellava lot of nickels.

The president of that track is a special kind of stupid if that sounded surprising to him.

I'd be OK if the cutoff was Super Minis. Most of those kids (think AC, Deegan, Ryder D, Cochran, etc) are faster than most of the adults anyway, but as a parent or track owner, why the hell would you let a kid on a 50 or 65 on the track at the same time as big bikes?

I agree with most of this but big bikes should not be allowed during small bike practice and visa versa at all, no matter what the reason. I say this because too many knuckle heads don’t pay attention to the rules. For example little bikes are on the track, dad is following jr on the track, Joe knuckle head looks up from his pits and sees dad on big bike and assumes big bikes are allowed then another, then another etc. etc.  seen it happen too many times. Big bikes only and little bikes only. Period

Heal up little man, heal up parents and heal up jumper dude. Hope many lessons are learned. 

Prayers on their way.

Horrible thing to happen especially when preventable.

This is how tracks get shut down.