"This is Why"

There are not many Pennsylvania natives in the main events of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. There have been top pro riders from the Keystone State throughout the history of the sport—Broc Hepler comes to my mind first with his memorable Pittsburgh Steelers helmet—but the chances are most riders will be either from California, Florida, or overseas. Seth Hammaker, Bryce Shelly, Logan Leitzel, and a few more Keystone State riders have made their way to the pro ranks, although that trio is from Eastern side of the state. When I fly to races, chances are I might catch Jeff Cernic, our own “Megawatt” Matt Watson, and/or someone else from the Pittsburgh, Morgantown, West Virginia area on my flights. Otherwise, the chances of seeing moto industry personnel are slim until I get to bigger cites and connecting flights. Unfortunately, there was no sight of anything moto related when I was boarding my first flight from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. After all, this flight was going to East, the opposite direction of the race.

I boarded my flight from Philadelphia to California’s LAX to see some Eagles fans yelling “Go Birds!” back and forth, but still, no sign of any moto gear. Oh well. I ask the quiet gentleman reading in the aisle seat if he can please move for me, so I can squeeze into the middle seat. He quickly shuts his book, folds up his laptop table, and moves out of the way for me before opening his table and book again once I’m seated. We both do our own thing, until the woman in the window seat asks if we can get up since she has to use the restroom. I asked the gentleman to my left to move and again, he quickly pauses his movie, takes out his headphones, and kindly and quickly gets up. The two of us sit back down until a few minutes goes by and he asks if I am going to the race. Finally, someone who knows!

“Yes, not as a rider, I’m a member of the media.”

“My son is racing this weekend,” he states.

“Wait, is your son Gavin Towers?” I realized.

“Yes!” he said.

No, looking at his face and fully interacting with him, I remember! Kevin Towers. It was August 2023, at the Ironman National, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship finale. Gavin had just won the Ironman MX Sports Scouting Moto Combine and Kevin was FaceTiming family back home. He had a Towers Towel—a personalized version of the famous Myron Cope Terrible Towel Steelers fans have been waving at games since the 1970s—on his head, blocking the harsh sun that afternoon (you'll see in the photos below). It took me a while to recognize Kevin without the towel on his head, big sunglasses, and moto gear. But once I recognized him, the flood gates opened. I found the one moto guy on the plane and it was someone with an interesting story. We chatted about Gavin’s days as an amateur at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, his time in Europe last summer, the local tracks he used to race, his 2024 SX Futures races, “Club Towers,” and much more. Kevin might have regretted starting the conversation with me because we had a long flight. We kept chatting away!

Jokes aside, it was fun talking with Kevin and his wife Heather. I showed them photos I had taken of Gavin at Loretta Lynn’s, that ’23 Ironman race, and more. Gavin was one of the first amateur riders I interviewed in my first year with Racer X. Gavin had finished second at the 2019 Monster Energy Cup in the Supermini class, finishing behind his now teammate Evan Ferry. At the time, I did not know much about Gavin so the interview was quick. Turns out he grew up in Upper St. Clair, less than 30 minutes from where I did. I even spent a lot of time at my Grandma's house up in that area. That's where Gavin Towers is from. Seriously, how cool is that?

I told Kevin that even though I know it was not easy; I give Gavin props for going overseas. Not everyone gets that opportunity and those that do don’t always take it. He grabbed it, took a chance, and gave it his all and you have to respect it. Life is about the experiences and the people you meet along the way. In a few short years after I met Gavin in fall 2019, so much has changed—for both of us.

Check out what Towers has gone through over the last few years, including 2024 when he went from the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team to the VRT Yamaha team overseas and back to the U.S. on the Phoenix Racing Honda team in a matter of just a few months.