My interest in motocross began when I was twelve years old when the neighborhood kids and I started riding BMX bikes and building our own tracks in open fields. I soon progressed to a XR 75 when my mom's new boyfriend bought it for me. My family were too poor to ever have purchased a new bike for me before that time. I started with an old XR 50.
Soon I was racing at Honda Haven, Indian Dunes and Saddleback. I went to the 100cc class and when I turned 17 I bought my last bike, a 1980 YZ125. I continued to race at Saddleback and Ascot, but I soon left the sport in 1981.
After many years of skiing and surfing, I came back to motocross in 1997. I now ride and race the local tracks as often as I can. It's been great to see the track changes, the 4-stroke revolution, and seeing factory guys at the track on practice days. I am a member of the Over the Hill Gang race club.
As a kid I went to many Carlsbad USGP's and MX Nationals at Saddleback. I saw Mike Bell pass out after smoking the Euros for 40 minutes, but he still needed two more laps to win. A great ride by Mike. Mr. Moates finally won the USGP for us and I was right there on the big downhill. I saw Hannah and Howerton kick each other at Saddleback, and I witnessed the best ride ever, when Myesrcough smoked Glover, Ward, O' Mara, and Barnett at Saddleback in 1980. He beat them Ricky C style, 25 seconds in each moto.
I've seen my share of races at Anaheim and L.A. and I'll never forget Jimmy Weinert winning in L.A. in 1977 after Pomeroy crashed. That was my first Supercross.
My prize possesions are my old JT Mikkola boots, and my autographs from Hannah, Mosier, Stackable, Weinert, Pomeroy, Smith, etc. I obtained them all back when you had to sneak into the pits.
In my spare time I am a voracious reader when I'm not thinking about or riding my CRF 450. I love to write and I possess some technical skills from my 21 years in the aerospce industry.
Being able to combine my two loves would be an ideal situation for the magazine and myself.