I have been going to the Thor Winter Olympics (Mini Os) at Gatorback for nearly thirty years now. As you can imagine, many things have changed over that time. But even as decades roll by, some things never change. Let’s take a look at a few of the oddities I noticed.
Everyone knows how to scrub in 2015
Once a talent that made James “Bubba” Stewart a demi-god amongst mere mortals, it seems to be almost commonplace these days. The youth classes provide a glimpse into what the future of moto will look like. Kids were scrubbing and throwing more turn-downs than a hot chick during prom season. After that death defying visual experience, I retreated to the safety net of the Vet Novice classes. Long live Barry Carsten.
Every rider looks like a pro
Back when I was raising hell in the Gatorback pits, it was a mish-mash of different brands and colors. My jersey was a different brand than my pants and my goggle lens was like a kaleidoscope. My throttle hand may or may not have had a glove on it but once the gate dropped, you can bet your backside that I had that bare hand “turnt” to half throttle. Nowadays, these kids roll out of their Prevost looking like the spawn of Justin Bieber and Victoria Beckham. There were a few kids that I honestly couldn’t even look directly at for fear of damaging my retinas. Their bikes had more accessories and hop-up parts than a Kenworth leaving the nearest Flying J. The glare from the chrome on their helmets alone was enough to reposition NASA satellites. I have never been intimidated by a child before but approaching a few of these adolescent celebrities left me somewhere between asking for an autograph and bitter, nasty jealousy.
Pit bikes are back
I’m not sure when they made a comeback but I know when I was younger, pit bikes were a no-no. There were always a few kids that were willing to make a break for the county line before Boss Hogg got wind of their scooter exhaust, but I was not one of them. Not only were there pit bikes galore, I saw impromptu pit bike tracks littering the pit area.
The tracks have improved a lot recently
I can remember years when the track would start out as a muddy disaster in the morning and slowly dry into a sun baked adobe goat trail by late afternoon. There was a small window when the track would actually be in good condition but it didn’t last long. Wyn Kern and the Unlimited Sports crew have gone to great lengths to make the tracks are not only fun to ride, but much safer.
Neon is back and better than ever
In the early 1990s, neon was the rage. If you didn’t have long hair and a pair of blades on your face, let’s face it, you were a dork. Neon was on every set of gear from AXO to Ocelot and it worked. That trend went away sometime in the late 90s, but as everything cyclical, neon is back! Safety yellow (or Hi-Viz in the gear biz) is splattered on everything from helmets to boots to kidney belts. Ok, maybe not kidney belts because those seem to be going the way of social security benefits. What is the deal with kidney belts anyway? I know I wore one but then one day decided my kidneys were indeed safe and without need of said belt. Someone should do a documentary on the kidney belt’s demise in America. I would watch.
Safety is a very hot topic in the pits
Every parent is concerned with the safety of their child in every situation. Motocross ups the ante on safety concern and everyone has taken notice. Looking out over the throngs of mini riders, there has been a noticeable change. Kids have highly advanced helmets, neck brace/chest protector combinations, knee braces, wrist braces, ankle braces, and mouth guards to protect their teeth braces.
Where is the money coming from
I read the newspaper and watch the nightly news just like everyone else. The economy isn’t that superb and global markets are even worse. Regardless of the economic climate, families are showing up in droves and showing up in style. Gone are the days of a family climbing out of their Chevy Blazer like a clown car. Now they arrive in a hauler sporting more axles than Michelle Kwan and Oksana Baiul and roll out more KX85’s than their local dealer sells in a calendar year. I don’t know where the money is flowing from but it’s certainly a different scene than I remember as a kid.
Social media is the most powerful tool in motocross
The stars of tomorrow are already hard at work building their fan base and updating their followers. Ryder DiFrancesco is sponsored by Jimmy John’s and is managed by NASCAR star Kevin Harvick! On the podium, this kids roll out speeches as polished as a State of the Union address. They are throwing out links to their YouTube channels, Facebook fan pages and don’t forget to watch them doing their chores on Periscope. It’s an all access world and these kids are taking over one Like at a time.
