John Dowd on his most recent...
John Dowd on his most recent podium at the Southwick National.
John Dowd Announces Retirement
A pro rider like John Dowd understands the true meaning behind the race. It is more than the final win. It is the exhilaration of doing something you love. The roar of his fans and the energy he felt while competing next to some of the nation's finest racers is what kept Junk Yard Dog on the track for nearly twenty years.
Dowd is racing one final tour to give back to the sport, and to pay tribute to his loyal fans and supporters. In addition to his fans, he would like to thank Moose Racing, Suzuki, Pirelli, Parts Unlimited, Alpinestars, Smith, Spectro, Factory Connection, Renthal, CTI, Artco, Tri-Starr, Tek Bolt, ARC, Twin Air, Active 8, the factories (Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM), and all of the companies that took a chance on him and helped him along in his career.
Moose Racing is proud to have had Dowd as part of their team for the last four years, and is honored to be a part of his farewell tour. We wish him success in his last season and in all of his future endeavors. He will be deeply missed by those who rode next to him and behind him, as well as by those who watched and supported from the sidelines. The industry can only look forward to watching Dowd's legacy continue through his son.
And what a legacy it was. Beginning later than most at the age of 21, Dowd came out of Chicopee, MA to race in some of the nation's top series. Over the last two decades, he has battled on the tracks of the AMA Nationals, the Supercross Series, the NESC, the Canadian Nationals and the Florida Winter AM, and is best known for winning the 1998 West Coast 125cc Supercross Championship.
John Dowd shares the podium...
John Dowd shares the podium with Carmichael and Reed at Southwick.
As for plans for retirement, it will not be easy to get Junk Yard Dog off of the track. He plans to race locally and be involved in riding schools, with some time spent involved in his excavation and land development business. But mostly his time will be spent doing what he loves the most, being on the track. Dowd will be kept busy developing a program in New England for riding schools, which he plans to have up and running sometime in 2006.