Racing by accident?

[backMARKr]

I was watching "Faster" the other day (NO RICK, NOT DURING CLASS!) and the interviews with Barry Sheene, Kevin Schwantz and some others...and realized there seemed to be a recurring theme.

None of them ever INTENDED ( at least according to them) to become motorcycle roadracers.

I was just curious as to how many of us "accidently" happened into roadracing motorcycles.

Personally, I blame Mitch Stein ( my wife says he's evil) for my initial exposure to this sickness by taking me along to the AMA National at Road Atlanta in 2004 and giving me an upclose look working with the Dunlop crew (and believe me that weekend was a classic example of the best and worst about "going to the track"). By the time we got home, I was building a racebike.

Kyle and Lonny and the rest of you schmos have just added to the craziness

Just a thought.....

[funsizeracing]

When I grow up I want to be a motorcycle racer.......or a ballerina.

[Super Dave]

I wanted to race something.  Kind of looked at cars on a dirt oval.  Then I got a bike.  I read a lot about the Suzuki Cup series, it was brand new that year, and it was really interesting.  Someone put up a note on a bulletin board at one dealership that said, "So you want to be an asphalt road racer," and there was a number.  I took it, but I never called.  The dealer I bought my bike at said they had a guy that just started, and they gave me his number.  I didn't call, but he called me.  The rest is history, I guess.  I never stopped, and I've been underemployed by choice ever since.

[spyderchick]

When I grow up I want to be a motorcycle racer.......or a ballerina.

You're too old to be a ballerina if you haven't already started studying...so racing it is!

[racerhall]

i have always been racing something, i dont know what i would do with my time and money if i wasnt racing
used to ski race for many years then went to dirt bikes then to snowcross then back to dirt bikes and then on to street bikes, next is something with 4 wheels
dont know when or how or what kind but thats my goal, i use this for now
i love to race

[Court Jester]

I started after goofing off on the street for a few years. I learned the roads and got into running from the cops for fun. Find on then turn around and wheelie past him, flip him off, sling a rock at him, whatever would get him to come along for the ride. Did pretty well with that and got stupid running my second cop for the day and got busted. Jail time, community service, and $4000 later, I lost my license and couldn't seem to ride normal and go without getting pulled over (which really sucks when you don't have a license).
I went on a ride to Putnam to check out a track day. I didn't even know at the time that they even did that. Two weeks later I did the 2 free sessions with NESBA, a few weeks after that I did two days with Cycle Options, then another and another and another. People started telling me I was wicked fast and I should try racing.
Turns out, I'm embarrassingly slow, but I still love battling for second to last place.

[LilJayRR]

No accident here. I wanted to race back in 1995, just couldnt afford it. Built a bike and ran out of $'s... fast forward to 2005, wanted a new bike, bought a crashed 636, and decided I wanted to goto the track.. the rest as they say is 'history".

[gpz11]

I started by hanging out with the wrong crowd, a bunch of motorcycle racers. I started by going to the track and wrenching on their bikes, got tired of that, and converted my street bike into a race bike. Now I still race and none of them do.

My poor wife got broken in early. I had to cancel our 2nd date cause I fell down at Grattan and busted my collarbone and popped my right knee.

[spyderchick]

My poor wife got broken in early. I had to cancel our 2nd date cause I fell down at Grattan and busted my collarbone and popped my right knee.

I keep tellin' guys: scars are sexy. ;)

[gpz11]

I would think in your line of work, you'd see alot of scars.

Fixin leathers and all that.

I keep tellin' guys: scars are sexy. ;)

[plasticweld]

I started dreaming about racing motorcycles back in 1968, I raced off road for 11 years, but always dreamed of being a road racer. it was not until I was 48 that I got my license and started doing more than dreaming I am now just a old slow guy who has the biggest smile out there. My son races with me now and there is not a weekend at the track that I do not think I am the luckiest guy alive

[Super Dave]

Great story!  Made me smile.