Dear Ping,
I would like to know the path you would take grooming a young racer. My son is 8 years old and I just can't see dropping the kind of dough that Loretta Lynn's mini parents are willing to put out on such a long shot. In my opinion, Vegas has better odds. It seems like a lot of these kids are stressed and burned out right when it's time to turn pro then the heat really gets turned up. Mom and dad were willing to fork out the money no matter what but pro teams need results to keep a rider. In your opinion, is it still possible make it in this sport if you don't start chasing the brass ring at five years old?
Thanks
?,
Let’s start by making sure you understand I don’t “groom” any young racers. I don’t want to end up on Dateline with a microphone in my face because somebody misconstrued your question.
Some great riders in this sport started late. Jeremy McGrath was almost a teenager when he started racing. He did pretty well considering the late start. John Dowd didn’t start racing until he was in his late thirties, if my facts are correct. That’s pretty cra… Oh, wait, I’m being told that my facts are not correct at all. Well, he started late too. The flip side to that is that Carmichael, Stewart and Villopoto all started racing when they were still wearing footie jammies and going pee pee in their pants. Those bed-wetters all outgrew their urinary issues and went on to do amazing things after an early start. So, it can be done either way and I think a lot of it has to do with your child’s commitment to the sport, his ability to stay healthy and his work ethic. The odds of “making it?” You’d be better off putting your life savings on black at the MGM Grand Casino.
PING
Ping,
Do you think a wife or girlfriend can get jealous of your dirt bike? My buddy's girl used to tell him he loved his bike more than her. She got really mad when he chose riding over spending time with her. She would say "If you love that bike so much, why don't you sleep with it tonight!" In your vast knowledge of both dirt bikes and women, please tell me, can this be true? Can a woman really be jealous of a machine?
John
John,
What your friend should do is take his wife up on her offer. He should throw a futon or a cot out in the garage and sleep with his bike for a while. Maybe he can buy it a nice dinner and have a little bath time with his bike. Maybe after a couple glasses of wine he rolls the bike back over to his futon and tries to get to second base with it. Maybe he gets shut down or realizes he is making out with dirt bike and he would be better off inside. I don’t know I’m just spitballin’ here.
Oh, and yes women can be jealous of pretty much anything. If you say something is prettier, skinnier or has a smaller ass than your girl she will get jealous.
Example: “Oh, wow, look at that goat. That goat has a smaller butt than you, babe.” [Girl dives out of moving car and scratches goat’s eyes out].
See what I mean? It’s science so you can’t argue with it. Let your friend know.
PING
Ping,
A group of my riding buddies are having an intense argument and quite frankly you are the only one in the mx world that we can all agree will settle it. We all feel the AMA should just have a cc limit, for example 250 2stroke races 250 4strokes. Our issue is: if Ronnie Mac had raced Daytona on his CR 250 would he have won? And, if so, by how much?
We await your final decision (money is on the line here).
Best,
Jimmy Albertson's 4th cousin, on his Fathers side
Jimmy’s cousin,
The obvious answer is hell yes he would have won and the margin of victory would have been how long it took for the rest of the field to regain consciousness after being punched out by Ronnie’s sheer awesomeness. My guess is, like, an hour or so. Hope you won some money. Send me some.
PING
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