I’ve been watching some pit videos from Loretta’s and thinking back to when we did the area and regional qualifiers ourselves; it’s wild how dialed-in some of these amateur setups are with full-blown race rigs
But then when you get to the pro level, unless a rider is on a factory team, they’re often showing up in a clapped-out van or box truck. It makes me wonder, do families go all-in during the amateur years, pulling out all the stops to get noticed, but once their kid turns pro they say, “You’re on your own now”?
Why do the pits feel so downgraded at the pro level unless you’re factory-backed? You’d think people would go even bigger once their rider makes it to that level. Curious what others think, is it burnout, finances, or something else?
I don’t agree with this. Seems like even the extreme privateer teams have semis.
For some of those kids, by the time they turn pro their parents have already created such a financial hardship for their family they just can’t do it at that level any more.
Second mortgages, personal loans, etc. are relatively common, and more prevalent in the families you see that seem to have unlimited resources. Huge rigs usually mean huge payments, and the stress to go with it. Very few of these “baller” families are paying cash or have the cash to back up their purchases.
I’ve personally seen a divorce due to the wife not agreeing with the allocation of time and overspending, and a couple divorces narrowly avoided.
I wish I had filmed the 2016 SX season I did with Cole Martinez to show to some of these parents. Our race shop was Cooper Webbs 2-car garage in Menifee. Stock practice bike other than suspension, pipe and Vortex ECU. We flew to races and had a semi to pit out of, but the semi was nearly empty. Got some top-10’s in SX basically doing it off a plastic folding table and small tool box.
I'm not talking about Factory or Factory Support teams. I'm talking about the guys who are 15-40. I've walked many supercross pit parties, and behind the first two rows of semis is usually older vans with an ez up. It's just drastically different than the amateur nationals.
More pay to race riders on the factory support teams than ever before.
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I have no idea as to why the reason is that on pro privateer setups vs Ams? My only guess would be that a really nice rig, for a Supermini kid, is top notch would be that they don't criss cross the nation on a weekly basis as much as a pro would. Not near the amount of "Big" events to hit..... But, then again, these days, these top kids are usually at a training facility, and that isn't cheap either..... So I really have no idea. Interesting perspective for sure though..... My only possible reasoning, would be little Jonny go fast has his main sponsors to pay the tab at Go Faster With Us training facility?
This sport is a all in no cost matters for AM. You are a commodity for your parents and the companies. Good luck kid
Most of the families all have money and own successfully companies, don’t think they are all struggling to afford a nice RV and a stacker trailer…
Sure there are a few stupid families going into debt, but not the majority.
I make decent money/probaly middle class and waste a lot of it at Loretta’s and all the races for my kid. I would never finance shit for him racing though or go into debt
There's kids with flasher set ups than top level privateers doing SX races haha, its mind blowing the amount of money that gets poured into children when only 5% 'make' it.
Its getting that way in australia with some mini parents spending big money on shit.
It’s because most of these kids with massive setups at amateur nationals never make it to the pros because they’re not actually fast or they peak at age 10
I know a family who in 2008 took a $1million loan against his successful business and it all went toward racing. That wasn’t their first loan they got and spent the money on moto, either.
I’m speaking from first hand experience. A lot of these families that have the huge rigs, practice mechanic, kid at the facility etc. are extremely leveraged and can’t do it for 10+ years.
Got hammered with an am kids dad and he ended up crying and saying he was literally addicted to motocross racing and his wife was ready leave him for it.
There has been several families who went from the rig, house in Florida, practice bike mechanic etc. to a sprinter van and dad as mechanic again.
Its all smoke & mirrors….
There’s ovr a million trucks sitting & for sale in Chicago. You can buy a truck for nothing now. No Janik this yr it would be his yr to win 250 pro sport . On a kx Super mini he was the last rider to beat Deegan. Then a top 250b rider. Last yr he got blasted while on the ground in 250a. Wonder what happened to him ? I don’t know what his parents do for a living . But there from Poland & EU people in Chicago r usually in trucking . It’s the worst it’s ever been in America . All orders of everything is down . Most buisnesses r not doing good . I don’t think you,ll see many of these families here next yr. Being that most r buisness owners .
Some of these kids that came up through the ranks a few years ago were making bank as amaeturs.
Me and my old racing buddy were ballin with a 4WD F150 and 20' enclosed trailer with a water tank and pressure washer for our bikes. Thats all you needed to be a B class high roller in 1996.
Larry Perkins is famous for saying palm trees don't win races.
Mommy and daddy got more disposable income to throw away on Johnny and his dream as a child. Johnny grows up only to show mommy and daddy he really isn't that great at moto, does drugs and chicks become life but moto doesn't die.... Johnny buys a busted up van and tries to "make it" at a national.... Welcome to the privateer life.
this is pretty much it , very few of these kids ever make it to race pro.
Like who?
Pit Row
Sounds like a great story to be told with the Cole Martinez program...
I respect the families that keep moto fun. The LL dance is a cool achievement, but this sport is so small, and so few riders make a good living, why do parents push their kids so hard to chase this path? Even if they are a good rider, it's so damn expensive. Is the juice worth the squeeze?
Think of the alternative moto memories you could create for life with significantly less time and money investment, without the insane pressure to perform because mom and dad sold the farm to get you there. And think about the other sibling who isn't the elite racer, and is along for the ride.
There are so many valuable life lessons to be learned from life around dirt bikes. LL families are a dedicated bunch, no doubt.
Lot of people in the amateur ranks trying to fake it til they make it. Those that do make it to the point of being a back of the pack privateer have enough sense by then to know where to put their resources. They know they aren't fooling anyone with a fancy setup at that level.
What you say here proves the point that it is not necessary to have the flashy rigs at amateur races to be competitive, and that it is mostly a flex by the moto dads/parents.
Parent funding dies out by the time they can’t get in the top 40.
I would love to look back at the top 5 finishers at lorettas from say 2015 in the classes from 65’s through B and see how many made it in the pros and made good money. Bet not very many. Maybe I will do here sometime.
Observation from Ohio : You should name your kid Landin, Landen, Landon, Landun or Landing if you are serious about getting him/her to Loretta’s.
Going to name mine “VP Pro 6”
Damn, i should have went with "Vortex 7" when he was born. He prefers cafe bikes nowadays.
Hayden, Haiden, Aiden, Kayden. Your kid will moto by namesake if you start here. Or Ryder.
EDIT - I see a kid named Diesel on that list. Fascinating. Inspired by Dungey or Whistlin' Diesel YouTube channel??
Saw one name Raycin.
That little girl is fast.
The issue here is you are watching pit videos. Yes, there are some massive rigs. Some of those families are probably leveraged, others are just wealthy and choosing to drop piles of cash into racing. It's all relative.
If you walk around the entire pits, you will also see 40 year old campers, bikes brought there on 3 rail trailers, or just in the bed of a truck. Some FAST kids do not have the massive setups, but with the increasing number of training facilities and the knowledge around what creates success it is getting harder to compete with kids that have the homeschool type resources.....this has nothing to do with the motorhome though.
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