I'm a little nervous to share this. Maybe it's a midlife crisis or maybe it's unresolved PTSD from my childhood, I don't know, really. But I have decided to go after a pro license.
I grew up with the Tomac, Anderson, Bagget era. I have a fond memory of going to a regional in Texas on 65s and all 3 plus Trettle and more showed up. I was fastest on practice day, got the holeshot first moto and fell over 2nd turn. Long story short, a stint of concussions when I was still a kid lead my dad to take me into road racing, where I went on to make a name for myself and do big things. Now that I am a retired ex pro washed up racer, I find myself falling in love with motocross again, like being reintroduced to that first love or crush. I rode Sunday and the first 20 minutes I was riding, I realized I was riding at a level I've never rode at before. I had a long talk with my wife who is 100% supportive. As a side note, a guy local to me that I have always smoked got a license and went to Red Bud this year. He wasn't even close to qualifying but I don't know that I even care about qualifying. I think it's more about getting the license and getting to claim I made it to the pro level that means the most to me.
I'll stop rambling to keep this short, as I could go on all day about it. I don't know that I'm really looking for advice as much as just validation. Am I crazy? I'm close to being in the best shape I've been in since I was 18, have the raw speed to make it happen, but at 33, am I just asking too much? I have a pretty strong YOLO attitude in a more meaningful sense (almost has to do with my religious views in a weird way).
I think I am going to go for this either way. Actually, now that I think of it, this post might be useless. Again, midlife crisis and all. But has anyone tried to go after a pro license this late in their career?
Grab the ‘second chance’ it’s not often they come along. None of us is getting out alive so I say go for it and just have fun. If you decide it’s a yes you need to keep us updated and 33 is not really old
I don't even know what you're asking but life is short and do what makes you happy.
At 34 and after a pretty serious/expensive return to racing, I found out racing doesn't mean as much to me as it did when I was a teenager. Doing well and making improvements didn't really move the needle for me like I thought it would.
Just depends on what's important to you.
Bicardi and Cola Do it, Do it
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If you’ve got the support from your wife, have the financial means to do it and the desire, hell yeah go for it. It’s your life, you’ll regret it in a few years when you’re physically unable to give it a shot. Grab life by the balls and go have some fun.
I don't think I was really asking anything, but the response so far was what I was looking for. I'm going to go for it. Maybe make a youtube channel out of it to help support it financially. I'll come back here to update as I go. I'm not looking for attention as much as the mental support to go for it. Let's go get a W for us old guys 😅
You're on a moto site asking if you should ride more moto, what did you expect?
Go for it.
What's the goal? To qualify for a national?
Chasing the dream at a certain age is like the dog chasing the car. What's your plan if you catch it?
That's not to say don't do it, but if you are constrained by resources, time, or talent - you have to be very intentional in your process.
I'd advise you to try to win a local race first, and go from there.
I,m doing ice bath in epson salt in& out for 5 hrs today. I will be 59 Nov 18. I hv 2 injection this week & more apts . They don’t last long so I,m in a hurry to heal & race because the injections don’t last long. I,m not sure if I can get fast enough the 125 class will help . But if I can keep progressing with my riding , it’s coming along & I,m getting better with more ride time. Weather has been difficult too much rain. But I want to try pine ridge , Aztalan & sunset ridge . 3 weeks in a row. I,m on a 04 cr125 c12 bike expectations or dream is to score a point. I think I can do 2 expert races in vet classes before I hv to move up. I hope the rule is the same for pro ams. Basically show some results to get sponship for next yr. At 33 I would go full in . The fall has the big pro am money races . Fair races now in August there 3 in 1 week in Mn. 25,30 cash classes in some of them .
Do it and try to enjoy every minute of the journey, the good and the bad. Over half the battle was getting your wife on board. 😂
Or last lap in local a class pull off . Not to get points to get moved up . I,m not sure if it goes by points scored or sign up for expert. Some local amateur riders around here make more money from local buisnesses sponsorship. Than a 18 place national guy or a 5th place AX rider.
You should move up here there cheap riding , cheap camping , cheaper race fuel . Cooler temps usually in the 80,s muggy tho much easier than Ga. Heat . Ride a rough hardpack track change wheels & ride sand tracks same day. Bmx track, trails for timing . YMCA 52 or 3 a month. 2 Sunday’s ago Fl. Pro was training here . He said it’s way deeper sand at Dyracuse 10 bucks on wed, fri- sun 20 bucks . High banked s tracks free down the rd. The wild fire smoke from Canada came back the last 3 days. Private tracks 20-30 bucks.
Rory is my son and Joey is his long time buddy. Rory was 39 when this vid was put together. He last qualfied at Washougal when he was 36 or 37.
https://www.vitalmx.com/forums/moto-related/ride-2-race-new-vid-rory-su…
DO IT!
I went through a similar decision about 10 years ago up here in Canada. Finally got in a spot it was financially feasible, best shape of my life and thought about trying to go for a Pro license, and see if I could qualify for a National (Canadian, not US lol).
For me, I weighed the time commitment (I woul of had to give up most other hobbies to go around racing), and financial commitment, and in the end, decided it wasn't worth it for me, and I'm happy with my decision.
That being said, if your heart and mind want to do it, and you can, then you need to go for it. You don't want to look back 5 years from now, and regret not giving it a go. Life can change quick, and if you don't take the opportunity, it might not come again.
Do it, at 33 you are still a young pup.
What a great summer they had! How are ya Tim? Speaking of getting back on the horse, as soon as I fully heal rom this appendix surgery I'm thinking about hitting the Boise round of the Vet Mx series. BTW Tristan just moved back to Gresham.
Pit Row
Send it.
If you had any idea the screen name I'm hiding behind... this isn't a stretch really. I'm one of the fastest local A riders since I was a teenager. It was just never a focus of mine until lately. My plan is to get the license and take that to go do a couple rounds every year until I'm too old to do so. My end goal would be to qualify for a race but if I could just earn the license I would be ok
I get that whole heartedly. I think that's the thing I'm struggling with the most. I have a wife and 3 kids to think about first. Financially, I'll be fine. It's the time sacrifice I worry about. With that said, this sport is all I've ever know and honestly, I am autistic and have a deep rooted attachment to this sport. I love road racing, flat track, off road etc. and plan top do it all at a pro level at some point but motocross has earned my heart and has always been my number 1 love. Call it a special interest or call it a lifestyle, I straight up can't escape this industry no matter how hard I try. I went off and got a lucrative degree years back trying to do something with my life and ended up back in the powersports industry as a salesman. I got it bad bro lol
I think you got it. I had a friend qualify for pala a few years ago. Doesn’t train, eats McDonald’s and drinks soda. Oh and his shock rebound was all the way out from when his tuner did his suspension lol
Can you bring the whole family with you? Then it also becomes a bonding experience, and if the kids love it, maybe they can ride a bit too, this would make the time commitment easier to handle.
The amount of horrible advice in this thread is baffling. One, telling someone with concussion history/problems to "go for it" in one of the most dangerous sports in the world is odd. Two, you have four much bigger priorities in your life besides racing moto (wife and kids) potentially becoming a burden to them financially and physically. Three, this has essentially no upside other than your own hubris and "I got my pro card" cool but after all the time and money it's going to take to reach that, it's going to be a letdown. Very high risk, very low reward. The math doesn't math.
If you are that confident, go line up at the biggest Pro/Am race they will let you enter.
It might teach you some humility.
Only one way to know - better get to grinding ! ! GL bruva
We all have that friends lol. Special....................bastards :-)..................for most others it's a painful grind with way more bumps and downs.
I think John Dowd was 28 when he turned pro. You're not too late, but you won't have a lot of years left. Go for it now, while you still can!
Get the best disability insurance you can . I mean that sincerely. Then give it a go. What your name!!
The pro ams are stacked with fast guys. Ty Tyrell from IL. On the st line of Wi. Lead JMart on his rockstar RMZ but a flat . Gives you a bad gate for 2nd moto he still lead . He races every week in Wi. Still fast in 30a , 250a , 450a. These riders are fast the races are Very competitive & put on a great show. These riders travel looking for comp . Most classes are very competitive . Wi. 50+ can get 26 top 15 ish fly, 40b is easier . Regardless of age or class the comp is there. Playing catch up on gate drops is the biggest negative. Staying on the gas & jumping everything is nothing , everybody does that . Racing exp is huge having speed to run riders down is great . But learning how to drop them quick where your not loosing time to the front pack is critical because there getting away.
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