My message to the guys who could ride but are undecided or have chosen not to...
When I first heard that the Lakes club had put their hand up to run this event on one of the best Motocross race tracks we ride on I was blown away. After the disappointment of last year, I thought how lucky we were to have the opportunity to participate in a National Event like this in our own back yard, on such a great track, run by such a switched on club.
I personally thought I had better get my entry in early as I feared my favourite class, the EVO 250 would be oversubscribed and I didn't want to miss out.
Initially puzzled when I heard that the entries weren't coming in, after reading this thread and speaking with a few guys last weekend, I am now getting a sense of why some riders are undecided or choosing not to ride.
My message to those riders/racers is this,
Most of us were lucky enough to have lived through the 70s & 80s of dirt bike racing / riding in Australia. Those who didn’t ride back then but do now probably wish they had ridden back then. The VMX movement has given us a chance to experience the adrenaline rush and freedom of going hard on our favourite dirt bike once again. To feel those butterflys as you line up for the start, that sense of satisfaction when you have ridden a good race, had a bit of a dog fight with a mate and crossed the line ready to race again. I would be surprised if there were any of us who didn't smile to themselves despite the pain of stiff muscles on the Monday and Tuesday afterwards when they thought back on that great pass they made in one race or the fact they finally beat ‘that guy’ in the next race.
I know some guys are thinking “it’s a national event, it’s not for me, it’s only for the fast guys” That is the point though, are you ever going to get a chance to race an AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TITLE again? Because it is VMX you would be racing with most of the guys you race with in your club days anyway. Sure, there will be a handful of ringin fast guys who will disappear off into that dust after the start, but after that, you’ll be left racing in a NATIONAL TITLE on a fantastic track, with your mates!
Isn’t that something you would like to tick off your bucket list? Wouldn’t that be a great memory to add to your arsenal?
If you are worried about the length of the races, we all are! All of us, except for the 2 or 3 super fit guys will be slowing down as the races go on, I guarantee it. You will not be on your own, and if you get lucky as many often do in the authentic longer format Motocross races, you’ll benefit from some guys in front of you running out of puff, their bike breaking or an unplanned expedition off the track.
Rather than avoiding the longer races, or being spooked by the ‘Fast Guy’s, maybe another way to approach it is proudly tell your family and friends “I’m racing an AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TITLE next month, train your ass off for the next 4 weeks and put in your best. Invite them along to cheer you on.
Memories of the Great experiences we have all had are the reward of getting off our back sides and getting involved in life. This meeting has the potential of being one of those experiences.
DON”T MISS OUT!!! Don’t be one of those guys who come up to me and say “I probably should have ridden it but I don’t know, I didn’t think it was for me”
Mr VMX is a fantastic event, a chance to get a taste of what it was like for Gally and Gunter back in the day and one of the funnest race meetings on the calendar. I know some guys don’t race that race for the same reason but I can guarantee you that the guys who do race it, rave about how much fun they had.
Most of us are past our prime, but many of us refuse to let that stop us from grabbing with both hands opportunities to still get the most enjoyment out of life.
If you fill out your entry form today, you can still RACE AN AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TITLE!
What a privilege!
(If the tone of this message has come across in any way other than to take a positive approach to this fantastic opportunity then I apologize. It certainly wasn't meant to.)
