Posts
182
Joined
4/27/2017
Location
Summerville, SC
US
Edited Date/Time
3/7/2018 10:45pm
Background: I first rode a dirtbike when I was 13 years old. My mom took me to Durhamtown, GA and we rented a ttr-125. I was profoundly in love with riding from that point on and begged and begged for a bike. While she was open to the idea, we weren't in a position to buy one. Fast forward 10 years, I've graduated college, secured a fancy desk job, and put away enough savings to buy a bike. Purchased a 2007 KTM 250 XC when I was 23 y.o.
Story: When I was 25, I decided I wanted to race a GNCC. The Big Buck season opener is only 50 mins from my house, so I signed up. My friend came with me to serve as a pit crew of sorts. We camped out Saturday night in preparation for the Sunday morning race. Gorgeous night. I don't think I had ever seen stars that clear before. If only the douche with the generator would've cut it off during quiet hours
Anyway, Sunday rolls around and to my surprise, my mom, brother, and his family showed up to support me. I finished my first GNCC, 2nd to last in my class (250C junior), but had an absolute blast. I saw my mom and she was even more elated than I was. Knowing I made her proud is one of my fondest memories.
Story: When I was 25, I decided I wanted to race a GNCC. The Big Buck season opener is only 50 mins from my house, so I signed up. My friend came with me to serve as a pit crew of sorts. We camped out Saturday night in preparation for the Sunday morning race. Gorgeous night. I don't think I had ever seen stars that clear before. If only the douche with the generator would've cut it off during quiet hours
Anyway, Sunday rolls around and to my surprise, my mom, brother, and his family showed up to support me. I finished my first GNCC, 2nd to last in my class (250C junior), but had an absolute blast. I saw my mom and she was even more elated than I was. Knowing I made her proud is one of my fondest memories.
Halfway through the race, a B class guy was down in this muddy section of the track. Broc Hepler was there spectating and he happened to be the guy doing what he could to flag riders away from the downed rider.
In an attempt to show Broc my true pro potential, I grabbed a handful of throttle, knifed the front end, and went down in the next corner. He laughed. I rode away in complete embarrassment.
Needless to say, I never went pro. But I did finish 2nd in the only race I ran that year and beat a few of my buddies in B class who had a 20 second head start.
good stuff, best times of my life for sure
I was 17, nearly 18 and it was my first year in adults. I'd just bought (with help from my dad) a 2008 RM250.
I started riding at 11 and racing at 12. I was horrendously slow all through 85's, I think I got lapped in every race I entered. I always loved riding and never felt pushed, I wanted to race. My dad wasn't a typical mini dad, never got pissy or aggressive. He was very patient and persevered with me. I moved up to the youth class on an RM125 and although I improved, I still spent 2 years in the youth class towards the back of the pack, outside the top 20.
Something just seemed to click in 2010, I started getting quicker and got the 250, next minute I was right up the front. I remember the day really well, I fought so hard to win that race, making the pass for the lead on the last lap. I crossed the line and was in total disbelief. To see the chequered flag waving for me was surreal.
I pulled off the track and my dad was there balling his eyes out. Gave him a big hug, it was awesome.
The Shop
It was the first year my dad took my little brother and I racing. I helped my dad with the bikes and everything as much as I could, but I was only 9 at the time so he was learning the whole racing thing on his own. We showed up to a few races with a ktm 65 and pw50 stuffed in the back of a suburban with the seats down. Electrical tape numbers on the bikes, bucket for a stand etc and we had an absolute ball. We didn't care we were just so excited to finally be at a race. Pretty sure we missed the gate drop for my first moto, but it didn't matter, I got last or near last every race that year. My dad never cared about results back then it was always more about the boys being together with him. Mom and my sisters came to a few races but she was usually a nervous wreck.
Slowly but surely we got the moto bug and figured stuff out, dad got a trailer, then got a truck to pull the trailer, then a bigger truck etc. But some of my favorite times were us just showing up to race having no clue what we were in for and having the best time ever. I remember that year racing amateur day at Steel City and being next to Mike and Jeff Alessi on their CR80's in staging and being so starstruck. I had seen them in magazines and it was very surreal that they were just there racing too.
On top of getting into racing in 2002 I also got to see Ricky's first perfect season and James's first 125 championship at Steel City that year. Good times
My first year racing in the Pro class in Canada. I was so excited to sign up for Montreal Supercross. We got there and the track was terrifying. 4 wheels and supercross are a sketchy combination. My times were terrible the first couple practices. I knew if I wanted to get into the night show I would have to hit the finish line jump. The thing was huge and super steep, If you jumped long or short you had a hospital trip coming. In my last practice I was trying every lap to get the nerve up. Dad had the pit board and just kept writing "smooth is fast" He was never the type to pressure me. My friend, on the other hand, was. He grabbed the board from my dad and wrote "hit the finny you pussy." That Lap I cleared it, then put down my best lap of the weekend before getting blocked going for it again. Practice ended, I pulled off and I saw my dad there absolutely beaming. He couldn't believe I'd managed to hit that jump. He hugged me and told me how proud he was. I ended up missing qualifying by 3/10ths of a second. I didn't really care at that point. Just that moment with my dad was enough.
Number 2 was in Mexico. I had been asked to race the Baja 500 for Parks Offroad and ended up with a broken down quad out in the desert. I had covered 103 miles in 2.5 hrs and my camelbak was empty. The team couldn't get to me for 3 hours. When they did, I was severely dehydrated and suffering from heat stroke. When we got back to where the team was my dad was there. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see someone in my life
Thanks for letting me go down memory lane. Lost my old man in 09 and I'll never forget the times we had riding dirt and street together.
Afterwards we went back to their hotel nearby for a celebration meal.
1) Way back in 1974 my dad bought a DT175. He used to ride around with me sitting on the gas tank, holding onto the handlebars. Many years later, I putted around at Pala with my kid on the tank of my YZ250 and smiled about coming full circle.
2) The day I took my first win, my dad had left the track to go get my sister. They weren't back by the time the first moto was about to go off, so I just put my helmet on and went for it. I found my way into the lead and checked out (this was the 80cc Beginner class, mind you,) but it was kind of a hollow feeling without my dad there. Except, lo and behold, after the white flag I came around a random corner and saw my dad and sister going absolutely nuts for me. One of the best days of my life, bar none.
3) I took my girlfriend and future wife to the World Mini in Las Vegas one year, and she invited some friends to come hang out in Vegas. They all decided to go check out the races on Sunday, when I had my last moto. I threw down a great race and had some luck to take the win in front of my girl and her friends. They all approved of me after that!
If I had to pinpoint one split second moment, it would be making the left handed mechanics corner at Mammoth in 2010. It was the last lap and it was my first time running inside the top 5 at a national. I had never even been close to the top 10, so this was a pretty special, but seeing my dad when I came outta the corner was something I'll never forget...
My dad was just balling his eyes out. He couldn't even hold the pitboard out, just had one fist shaking wildly with the other covering his mouth trying to hold back the tears as I rode by.
That moment will be one I will aslways hold close to my heart looking back on the 10+ years of racing
Pit Row
Story: A few years later I had decided to buy my own bike, and decided to race my first "A class" race, just to say I raced the expert class after all those years trying to make it in the nationals in the B class. Show up to the track pretty out of shape, hadn't raced in two years, and was lining up with some fairly fast local competition, guys who had been racing every weekend and taking it seriously. I ended up pulling 3 out of 4 holeshots that day and won every moto, it was the best race day I have had in my "career".
All those years I felt the pressure and never could perform, and the day I showed up too fat and not caring about how I finished, I dominated the field.
And of course, I can't think of many times at the track when my family (Dad, Mom, Sister, and the dogs) weren't with me at the track.
It was the last big trip just the three of us ever took together, and it was maybe my favorite Christmas (of the ones before I had my own kids). There was no Santa Claus that year, but it was still really, really cool and special.
DC
Racer X
This was my son's first day on a 125 after moving up from the 85, and that's me behind on our 250R trying to catch him. This was in 2010. He's been on our 2nd 250R for years, and he's only gotten further away from me.
I loved every minute of it, and I will catch him one of these days..
Liked hockey, loved dirt bikes.
I has a trail bike and had full access to a friends TM400 left at my place (yes, one of them).
Asked my Dad if he would take me racing, “No”.
He died shortly afterward. He probably saved my life.
The whole of riding through 1997 is ingrained into some of my best memories. After waiting yrs (begging as a kid) my parents finally got me a clapped out old YZ 125 - far too big for me, but it was the best thing since sliced bread as far as I was concerned.
The awesome thing was that the local Honda dealer had a deal with a farmer in the area, who let them build a track on a piece of unusable land, and in-turn anyone who paid £20 could ride it for the entire year!
Most of the time I had the whole thing to myself. It was gloriously hot in 1997 too. The dirt was awesome, and the layout (for what it was) was very exciting, particularly for a beginner. Mum and dad would mostly chillout in deck chairs as I slowly rolled round feeling badass. Off the bike for sandwiches and coffee, and then back at it.
I will never ever forget it, everything felt like magic - I just can't believe where all the yrs have gone...
Last I rode there was in 2002, by which point I was (by my standards) flying round it. I believe that it's now completely covered in trees and a large pond. Track consumed by nature and relegated to history
Post a reply to: What's your fondest family moto-memory?