Personal History
My first bike was a YZ 80 and the year was 1996. I started my racing career with great ambition, I successfully competed in 5 races. It was the sixth race when mom saw me go down and after that she stole my spark plug and broke my heart. My dad wanted me to keep racing, and obviously I was on his side. It was about six months of convincing but we went and bought 2 Suzuki 125 dirt bikes. Mom allowed the bikes, but would not let me race. I practiced daily for two years. My dad saw that I had the speed and ambition so we went and got a brand new 1999 YZ 125. My dad took me to every race in the area and I was competing every other weekend with moms disapproval. I competed in 10 races, the 11 race an exhaust pipe went through my hand and now I can set off any metal dector with a flick of the wrist. Once again mom put a stop to racing on dirt bikes. Dad being the genius he is, he proved a valid point that quads had fewer competitors. So we convinced mom into letting us get a 400 EX and go motocross racing. It was Memorial Day weekend 2001 at Lincoln Trail MX, the gate dropped for the A class, then B class and I was off, by the time the race ended I was in third place in the A class, that happened two days in a row! It was then that we realized I was not a B rider and belonged in the A class. That was when everything really started to come together. I raced on and off the rest of the year in the B class. In 2002 I raced the quad A class. I was second in the state of Illinois. I would have been first if dad wouldn't have broke his ankle trying to race with us in the A class. With the broken ankle we could not make it to quite a few of the races, I still received 2nd because I had so many points. In 2003 we started stadium racing. I won the Megacross 12 round series on a 400 EX CRF 450 power quad and won the state championship race. I was stoked and decided I wanted a street bike, It wasn’t too long before I became a victim of a drunk driver. He was pulling back into the bar and took out the rear end of my bike. I ended up with a totaled bike, covered in road rash, bruises and cuts, and worst of all I lost my leg just below the knee. Six months later we got another quad. This time it was a Suzuki LTR 450. I really felt that I had something to prove. My prosthetic was not fitted or paid for. I raced Mendota for old times sake without my leg or my prosthesis in the C class and finished second in the B class. That is something I am proud to say has happened 3 times (all in different classes). 2009 I raced in the Illinois State Fair in the Pro quad class and placed second, I truly feel that I would have placed first, but my prosthetic came off twice during the race. Here we are in 2010 and I am riding a 2009 WR 450F which I have converted into a motocross bike. The electric start is something I have come to find extremely helpful. I have found riding the bike is more of a challenge, and easier on my body at the same time.