My 1st Motocross Race
by Rodney Perry

I bought my 1st dirtbike late in 1996 and man was I excited. It was a 1990 KX250 and I paid $1100.00 for it.  I rode it a few times before winter hit, then in 97' I got a chance to ride a few more times before the 1st race of the season at New Hartford.  A newly formed Motocross friend by the name of Rob Hughes was going to race at New Harford and I decided to go, 1st just to watch, but then I decided to race to see what it was like.

Rob is a fast rider and a good friend and I was glad he was there to help me with how to sign up and where to go and so on...  I signed up for 250C class and headed for the starting gate or should I say bungi cord and waited.  I was very nervous and cold, but once we took off I soon became really hot and sweaty.  I was not last off the gate so I was happy and after a lap or two I was able to pass a few guys.  Well this started from being a learning experience to an all out  competition.  Which ended up being my downfall,  needless to say I was riding way over my head and I paid for it.

I was jumping the double double double section by the trees and I got out of control, I hit the 1st set of doubles and when I landed I grabbed a fistful of throttle(not on purpose).  Well this made the bike shoot like a cannon over the next set of doubles,  all I could do is hang on for the ride of my life.  I shot straight up and towards the trees and all I could remember after that was me waking up and wondering why all these people were hovering above me.

From what the people who saw it said I hit a smaller tree with the left side of myself and  the bike, which broke my wrist and threw me through the air smack into a much larger tree.
I hit flying backwards and after hitting the tree I slid down the bank almost into the stream.  I received a concussion and a big crack on my helmet from that, and my bike was wedged in between a couple of trees. They Red flagged the race and the ambulance came to the rescue, it took me a little while to come to my senses, but I finally realized what had happened.

I joked around with the ambulance guys for a while and they said I could stay if I was not in too much pain.  So I sat and watched the rest of the races with a broken wrist and and major headache.
That night I was not allowed to sleep so I sat up watching the motocross pro's do it the right way, and wondering how much it was going to be to get my bike fixed and how long a wrist takes to heal so I could race again. I LOVE this Sport!