Rider Updates
Dec 9 2012
Michael finished 4th overall in District 13. He had two mechanical failures and one wreck this season. He missed third place by 1 point. He is still motivated and wants to do better next year. He has shown his committment to working hard by making a few last lap passes for position. He has also maintained honor roll throughout his third grade year and during his current fourth grade year.
May 23 2011
Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie hosted the District 13 Motocross and ATV races on March 19 and 20th. It was a surprising day and a lot learned on my first time covering an event of this type. Comparing it to NASCAR I found it to be more of a family sport than NASCAR. All the people I talked with at the track were very friendly and willing to answer all the questions I had. The first thing I noticed was the campers and motor homes in the parking area of track. The parking area also served as the pit area to work on your motocross bike or ATV. The area was full of kids playing together and parents socializing and helping each other work on the motocross bikes and ATVs.
Seven year old Michael Newell brings his dad David and Grandfather Robert to the track from Mechanicsville. Michael is racing a 70cc Apex ATV and has been competing for two years. They consider it a family sport and travel around Virginia and North Carolina to the motocross tracks. They do most races as day trips but usually stay the night if traveling to North Carolina to race. Robert says you can spend as little or as much as you want in the sport as he points to the motor homes in the pits. They travel to approximately thirty events a year and compete for mainly trophies. Robert said the main reason he enjoys the tracks is the atmosphere. The parent’s help each other work on the ATVs and consider the important thing is to get all the kids on the track to compete. If a racer on the track has a problem the parents jump in to help if it is his child or not.
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