Primal X Motorsports Charity MX Invitational
- Updated: September 19, 2011
Photos by Amanda Moyer Fowlkes
The first annual Primal X Adaptive Invitational event at Amelia Motor Raceway in Amelia, Virginia on September 17, 2011 raised money for the Mid-Atlantic Fallen Riders Association and allowed adaptive (and able body) riders to display their abilities in an organized race.
The event provided a great venue for disabled riders to compete and enjoy the sport. Veteran quad racer, Todd “Ironman” Macke, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, made the long drive from Decatur, IL to race his Yamaha YFZ and talked about the experience with us.
All adaptive racers who competed in the Extremity Games 6 were invited to the first annual Primal X Invitational where they would compete in some 15 classes for over $4000 in purse money and prizes, (which didn’t quite happen according to Todd).
Explain your journey to Virginia Todd.
I finally got approval to race my ATV in the Adaptive (Limb Difference) class. I was all ready to go, took two days off of work, drove 800 miles to get to this Virginia track tucked in the country side of southeast Virginia and I was the first racer to arrive on Friday with my man Harold Glissen (www.onlyoneinspiration.com) from New Jersey coming in right behind me. The Childress family just bought the facility and it was only their second race. I was blown away at the awesome banked short track on the front of the property. Friday evening the promoter wasn’t there yet so Harold and I helped with parking and the gate. We later went to dinner at Mario’s Pizza for some pasta and bench racing that seemed to grab the waitress’s attention. Harold is straight out of Jersey Shore, a classic middle age man that’s still 18 years young. We had a blast.
Harold Glissen of onlyoneinspiration.com
Latney Fowlkes
How did your race go?
Saturday was race day and my quad was prepped and ready to go. The weather was cloudy, cold and there was a light rain. Practice went well, the track had a great flow and was fun to ride. The race was a three moto format instead of two. My first moto started great. I launched off the gate and surprised the other racers how fast I really am compared to the pit bike I that I had to race in the last event like this. On the second lap I hit a rock that knocked my chain off and cracked my side case. 800 miles and I was already sidelined one lap into the first moto.
It says you won your class though
The flagger working the corner where I rolled to a stop was a guy by the name of Latney Fowlkes from Dry Fork, VA. He made my weekend! He happened to have his race-ready YFZ with him in his trailer and offered it to me. It was my lucky day, and his generosity really showed the kind of family race community our sport has. I went to the line for my second moto on a quad I’ve never seen or rode but still managed to launch off the gate and rocketed to the first turn again. I continued racing, having fun, jumping, railing a bowl berm, doing some cross-ups over jumps for a photographer and had a smile on my face the whole time. It was great!
I finished in first place for my Adaptive XII class (Limb Difference). I definitely showed everybody that I can race a quad and be competitive. The announcer was a guy who knew me from racing on the ATV National scene. He announced the Unadilla Quad National in 2006. He did a quick interview with me and I proudly announced my sponsors (ART Racing, ITP, BIG Daddy Motorsports, ALBA, Fast FLEXX, FLY, Durablue, SIDI, DeCal Works, Evolv shoes and of course mentioned ATV Scene.com). I quickly loaded up my trailer, changed clothes and got ready for the 800 mile drive home.
What’s this about the purse not being paid?
I went to collect the prize money that was available for my class but was told that the promoter wasn’t going to pay the purse because the energy drink sponsor backed out of the deal. The other Adaptive classes didn’t get their prize money either, nor did the Pro bike class. Other than this it was a great event. It just would have been nice to get what was promised, or at least a plaque to hang on the wall.
What’s next for you?
After talking with Harold, we are thinking of racing the Adaptive X Games Snocross event in Aspen, Colorado in January. They take 12 riders and only had eight show up last year. The X Games Snocross would be incredible to be compete in, so I’m definitely looking for a sled and means to get out there so I can cross it off my bucket list.
I also plan to race Extremity Games 7 next May if I can talk them into letting me race my ATV instead of a pit bike, or possibly move the event to another location that allows quads on their track.