by Andy Bowyer
Rev up: For Love of the Game
Thursday, January 26, 2012 | 10:00 AM
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Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. I’ll begin with an old story that I remembered shortly after I saw Ryan Morais and Trey Canard crash last weekend
I was about 12 years old and had just started racing the 80cc (as they were back then) class. Things happen pretty quickly when you jump to that bike from 60cc machines. You start jumping much bigger stuff and you quickly learn about speed. And danger. And those moments when fear leaves your skin cold.
The white flag had come out on the 125 novice class so Pops had given me the tap on the helmet to fire it up. I watched the two leaders flail past the start stretch in front of us and then rocket out of site toward the big double on the back straight. People started running before the yellow flags started waving. Pops tapped my helmet again, but I already knew to kill the motor. We all sat on the starting line while they loaded up both of the injured racers into the ambulances. At 12, I talked with my racing buddies off the track tons. But as we waited we merely exchanged brief looks and tried to keep the race face. I remember being so scared as the replacement ambulance rolled past the track gates and Pops tapped me on the helmet again.
That’s what the boys went through last weekend. Through the years they’ve witnessed similar scenarios dozens of times. They knew their fellow racing comrades were hurt and tried to block it out. They also knew the injured would be off the track soon and they would be going racing.
The last thing anyone from our community wants to see.
Photo: Simon Cudby
It’s such an evil and selfish thought, but I sometimes used, “glad it isn’t me” to try to get past it. I don’t think I’m alone there. Every rider on the starting gate last weekend had the right to think that if they did. They’ve all been Ryan and Trey. Our friends are now hurt really badly, and all of my heart goes out to their families. Both racers have been through an ocean of hardship and deserve better. Please leave a big part of your heart and thoughts for the Canard and Morais families for now.
I’m sorry for the somber tone this week, but I don’t think we pound home the realities of our trade as much as we maybe should. I generally try to sprinkle this reality home throughout every season of the Rev Up. Supercross and all other forms of motocross racing are gnarly. It isn’t normal to be injured and watch others get injured. Not the way we do. It isn’t auto racing, the NFL, or even the heaviest of “X-Games” genres. Moto is gnarlier.
For me it all goes back to the first time I started my bike after watching somebody get hurt. I was scared like never before, but when the gate went down and I was wide open around the first corner, it all got left behind. Even as I flew across the big double on the back straight and saw all of the foot prints from “the scene” in the air. Even after 20 years of racing saw me being the one carried off, and worse...all of it goes back to the feeling of going wide open around the first corner.
It’s the same feeling that makes me want to go buy a new motorcycle and try to race the Vet class this summer. I can’t wait, actually.
The racers that we’re going to stand up and scream for, and against, this Saturday night are hardened professionals, but at their core they share the feeling. They do what they love and love what they do. And ladies and gentlemen, they are certainly doing it well through the first three rounds of the 2012 Monster Energy Supercross season. Six different winners in the two divisions already. We’ve had triumph and tragedy, drama and upsets. What in the world can we expect to see as the charge makes her way to Oakland? We’re already at a nuclear level of hype and excitement, and it’s only going to grow.
In closing I want to urge all of you to be passionate fans, and be passionate about your respect to all of the racers. It’s already time to see the show again. Bring the love of the game with you to Oakland for round four.
Thanks for reading.
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Well said. As a racer, you always get those butterflies on the line, then when you have to wait longer because of a crash in the race before you,it just cranks it up another notch. Its like, can we drop this gate please! I rip on stewart, but dont ever Boo these guys.
good article dude
I have been in that situation before as well...Many times during my racing days, there would be that moment when for several minutes, you dont hear any noise that would indicate that you are at a motocross track....almost a total silence as the racing has come to a hault, the bikes getting ready on the line are quite and everyone awaits that moment when it all goes back to normal.....We have all seen some of the professionals of our sport go down and never walk again and some unfortunatley were even less fortunate and lost there lives doing what they enjoy...I have had friends suffer both scenarios and at times it really brings into perspective how silly some of the things we debate on these comments are.....Who had the fastest lap and why is almost meaningless when another guy out there may not be able to complete another lap ever again.....makes you think and appreciate things a little differntly....but we will all move on, cause thats what we do...but we wont forget
Most of us have seen and / or been in some brutal crashes. We rationalize it as "part of the deal" and our "all in" commitment to the sport allows us to carry on.
This one..............................for a moment made me think about leaving the garage door closed.
JimM
Pala 374
Anyone who has raced for any length of time has had stuff like that happen. I was on the line once when a helicopter landed in the start straight, picking up a badly injured rider. My very first race, some guy got hurt in the moto before, and almost died of blood loss (I found out later). I remember seeing a big red spot on the track from the blood. That was ugly.
Good stuff, Andy.
I had a friend die in the moto just before mine a few years ago. I talked to him just before his moto and when I saw the helicopter I knew it was bad, then the copter took off without him and I knew it was over.
I have said it many times over the years, Seeing what we see Hardens ya a bit. My Wife does not get how I can shrug things off and am not scared by stuff. By Bro and i have both said it, You sit on the line seeing someone carted off and wait till another ambulance gets there so you can RACE!! It hardens ya for sure.
I know what you mean guys. I have been on 3 seperate jobs were men have been killed. Two of them m y brother Ironworkers, and several jobs were guys have gotten injured. Its what it is. Its a dangerous job, and like moto, it does happen from time to time. I have gotten to the point now when there is a close call at work, I dont even tell the Wife anymore, it bothers her, and she says, "I dont know how you do it every day, day in and day out", Its like the guys on the line in moto, they know the risks going in, and are willing to take them.
A story about that crash was on Yahoo.com
It is such a dangerous sport, especially at this level. I hate when people boo. Not clapping is one thing, but these guys have their health and future on the line, they deserve respect
It's simply what we love to do, and people from the outside looking in simply don't understand it. I seriously think most people don't know what it means to have real passion for something. People like my Mom who have lived safe in a bubble their entire lives and have never broken a thing or even got stitches before. Safe, complacent people forget that it's those who have pushed their limits that are responsible for how advanced the human race is. If we all sat back safely we'd still be in the stone age. Scary crashes are unnerving but as soon as it's go time again everything clears up and comes back. "What can ya do, live safe in a shoe or move to a boot and lace up."
Andy good thoughts man, Yea I sat two years ago at the gate waiting for the medics try to revive a 13 year old kid and waiting while they loaded him in the ambulance feeling sick and heavy, and then lining up and racing our butts off. Hearing that the kid was going to be ok later that night and being so happy.
The very next seris I raced that same venue the first race, I got a rare holeshot went down 4 turns later and broke my humorus.
You are so right, its in the blood and I hate it when any rider goes down, but damnit I love this sport!
A couple years ago i was involved in an accident at my local tracks open practice. They let quads practice with the big bikes which most of us riders hate. The quad rider made a huge mistake and dropped his frt end and hit the face of a doubles landing, it then pitched him head first into the ground then the quad pile drived him as well. the quad bounced back up , I was right there with no where to go but luckily glanced off the wheels of the quad and clipped the quad riders legs went off the track and wrecked myself. The quad rider died there, I think about it often but I still line up because I love this sport. Spectators that witnessed the accident all stated he had been making large mistakes as he was on the track for quite alot of laps and was starting to look very shaky. My point please think, If your tight, getting squirrely, tiring etc, take it down a notch or pull off take a break. Ride within your skill level and fitness level wear as much protective equip as possible and hopefully we will enjoy the sport many more years.
Great write-up again Andy, like usual.
I remember sitting on the starting line in 1983 waiting for my 250 Novice class to start and a rider in the 125 Am class race crashed right near the start straight at the end of the moto. The ambulance hauled him off, and later we found that he died as a result of the handlebar crossbar breaking his nose and penetrating his brain. Motocross IS the most gnarly sport and YES we all have to block bad crashes we see, for if we did not, we would freeze in our tracks and not even go back to the trailer. May GOD bless Ryan and Trey and give them a very speedy and successful recovery to go back to do what they love.
10 years ago (at age 40) I finally had my bad crash on my last time out for the day.........broken left collarbone and all my ribs on left side. Ironically enough my room mate in the hospital room that I stayed in for the 1st night was also there for a bad crash where he broke his lower right leg in 20 places. He told me "take this accident as a strong hint to sell your bike". I did not sell, and was able to ride again 1 year later.......scared to death, but decided to get back on "the horse" again and defeat fear. Now, 10 years later; still riding every year and thank GOD nothing serious since. It really comes down to just how bad you want to do it again, no matter what age your are.
memx thats a good choice, and when it riding does finally end somewhere in the future you'll look back and smile. By the way I have met a few dudes in their 50's that can still haul for their age, keep on it .
Thank you for this REVup Andy....
Something tells me it was one of your hardest writen ones yet.
I read a quote that was in reference to Sarah Burke but certainly transcends all extreme sports: "The brave don't live forever, the cautious don't live at all". Ride on boys, and thank you for putting your safety at risk for our entertainment.
CE33...........that quote is suspect. suspect to perception..........ie, a friend of mine played football at penn state with tony dorsette when they won the national title ( and i think he played with marino too) my friend was younger than TD and older than dan marino. I met this guy mt.biking, he had taken up cyling because his knees and hips were shot at 45yrs old. he had bounced around the NFL a few years made some rosters but never was activated for a game, never played in or dressed for a game, before calling it quits. he said he was content because he knew he had given 110% and was proud of his achievements on the field. here is the meat........... he told me his attitude as a player was always "i dont care if im in a wheel chair at 50". he said he told that to the trainers many time "just get me in the game, i dont care about when im 50". then he told me......" now im getting close to 50.........i dont want to be in a wheelchair!" since then, he is over 50 now and has had both knees replaced and one hip and he doesnt mt.bike any more..........a stationary is his ride now. this was a badd ass dued during his primetime run....but bravery comes with a price that a young man cant understand.