The Brett Downey Safety Foundation’s Second Annual Golf Tournament!
The Brett Downey Safety Foundation (The Foundation) is having its second annual Golf Tournament fundraising event. It is being held on Sunday, October 21, 2006 at Menifee Lakes Country Club. It is located at:
29875 Menifee Lakes Drive
Menifee, CA 92584
The Foundation was started after a tragic event (one that we believe was avoidable) took the life of 11-year old Brett Downey was practicing the sport he loved most, motocross. The Foundation believes with more flaggers, more watering of the track (improving visibility), having an EMT present during practice, and not allowing big bikes (250s and 450s) to practice with smaller bikes (50s and 85s), more accidents and tragedies can be avoided.
It is The Foundation’s goal to make motocross safer. Here are the ways The Foundation is seeking to achieve its goals:
1. By making the various flags uniform in their meaning. Currently the flags’ meaning varies from one sanctioning body (NMA, AMA, etc.) to the next. The Foundation is in the process of creating a DVD that will be used to teach flaggers at each track/event what the flags mean and to demonstrate proper positioning.
2. By creating a few guidelines that track owners can adhere to, which would make the tracks safer. Some of the guidelines include:
a. Track preparation (watering the track to allow for proper visibility);
b. Have an EMT at each track during practice sessions;
c. Do not mix practice with big bikes and smaller bikes;
d. Provide a sufficient number of flaggers for the track’s layout and size; and
e. Ensure each rider is wearing the proper safety gear;
Ultimately, The Foundation will be creating a second DVD that we would like to be distributed with the purchase of each new motorcycle. This will help NEW riders to learn about safety, and to know about the meaning of the various flags and rider etiquette at the tracks. Currently, each new owner (old and young alike) can simply purchase a bike and take it directly to the closest track, jump on and join the rest of the riders in practice, without knowing anything about track safety or safety in general.
In order to achieve the above goals, The Foundation is holding its Second Annual Golf Tournament. Last year’s event was very successful and attended by numerous riders, such as Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Emig, Chad Reed, Andrew Short, Michael Byrne, Buddy Antunez, Sean Hamblin, and many more. This year’s event is slated to be just as big, as we already have many of the same riders pre-registered. Last year’s event sold out quick, so get your tickets as soon as possible. For more information, go to: http://mxsafety38.org/news/0022.htm.
