Old School
- Updated: March 17, 2008
By David Porter
I still managed to get behind a few gates this summer. Before I get started with my first column of 2008, let me give those of you who might not know too much about me a little insight on who I am and why I’m the go to guy for this “Old School” feature.
I’ve been racing ATVs since 1981, yes I’m an old has been. Being a part of this sport from just about the beginning has made me pretty well versed in every aspect of ATV racing. My racing experience started with 3-wheelers and obviously progressed to quads.
Looking back I’ve been pretty lucky with my racing career. I was able to win three New York State Championships (the last one in 2006) and seven Grand National Championships (the last one in 2005). I followed the GNC series for seven straight years and on and off for 15! I also chased points in the WPSA series.
Jorge Cuartas, what a nut! In 1999 and 2000 I spun wrenches for John Natalie. In 2004 and 2005 I wrote a column for the GNC event programs, which were by far the coolest programs in our sport’s history, (thanks Jorge for making me a part of those great magazines). For the past few years I’ve been writing this piece for ATV Scene. You may have noticed that I call it like I see it. My columns have always been about what’s on my mind or what’s going on at the Nationals and/or the WPSA Tour. Please know that in no way am I calling myself an expert on anything. I’ve simply paid my dues and have seen and done a lot in this sport so I think I can continue to provide a fun, informative and entertaining read for you guys to check out every month.
I had a completely different plan for my first Old School feature of the year, but I don’t have all the details dialed in just yet. It’s going to be killer – well worth the wait. As for now I’ll list my top five experiences of 2007.
1. Retiring Sucks!
Here’s my “semi”-retirement home. In 2007 I entered a whole new world, the world of semiretirement. Not from my 9 to 5 job but from ATV racing. Actually I really couldn’t ask for a better way for it to happen. I spent the 2007 summer as a mechanic and team mechanic for the K&K ATV National race team, where we followed the WPSA series.
On the outset it seemed like a great opportunity and a heck of a lot of fun. And believe me it was all of that and more. But as the season progressed I realized I was slowly entering a place I never thought I would. I knew I would have to give up racing someday (but had vision of doing so at the age of 60 or so). I just didn’t think that not racing at the level I was used to was right past the first turn. I know at some point we as racers or athletes have to call it quits. If any of you have ever had to hang it up you know it stinks. Whether it’s a high school or college sport it stinks when it’s all over with it’s a real pride swallowing transition for any competitive individual. Let’s face it; some of us can make that transition from being in the game to sitting in the bleachers better than others. As for myself, I found out this summer I’m not a bleacher racer. Not being out on the track was way harder than I thought it would be.
2. Stranded on I-90
Number two on my list of 2007 memories was the time we were stranded on the side of the road in route to Rossville, Indiana. We had to sit on the side of the road for over 12 hours while the K&K toter-home, (which was brand new) was being fixed. We stayed with the trailer while the rig was being fixed. We assembled and disassembled a 450R bottom end at least five times. Basically, we had the time to kill and I needed the practice. While I was wrenching away the Indiana State Police stopped by with guns drawn. They got a report that people were braking into our trailer. That was pretty wild to say the least! Later a couple complete strangers stopped to see if we needed any help and one guy actually went into town and got us a pizza. How cool is that? I think he thought that ATV race people were cool so he went out of his way to help us out. What a great guy. It looks as though the growth of ATV racing is paying off in more ways than you might think.
3. The Stillwater Storm
It looked as though the very waterlogged Cooperland Raceway would be unraceable but come race time the WPSA grounds crew amazingly got the track dialed in perfectly. I must have heard about golf ball sized hale a hundred times over the years but I never really experienced it. Let me tell you, it’s definitely an experience!
We were at the Stillwater, Oklahoma round, where I’m pretty sure we went through every kind of weather possible in a matter of two days. One day it was a monsoon with at least a foot of water on the track and thanks to a mini-tornado five enormous trees blocked the impressive Cooperland Raceway track. At times on Friday it looked like we all needed to run for our lives and get the hell out of Dodge. By the end of practice on Saturday morning the track was dry and perfect. Go figure.
4. Homemade Ear Plugs
Being retired is frustrating, but actually not all that bad since I’m very involved with my son Matt’s race program. Throughout the summer of 07 there seemed to be a lot of odd (and later funny) things that happened to me, more so it seemed than typical years. There must have been a problem with the way Jupiter and Mars were aligned because that’s the only way to explain some of the crazy things that went down. This one comes to mind… At one of the very first races I had the privilege of sleeping with two chain saws that sawed wood all night, in other words two all-pro snorers. I couldn’t sleep and didn’t have any ear plugs. I had to try to drown out the horrible noise, so I improvised. I shoved tissue in my ears. Good idea right? Not so much. When I woke up I couldn’t pull it out. It had worked its way up there and lodged way up in my head. Travis Spader helped my little emergency and performed an ear plug surgery on me. His whole team never let me live that one down.
5. Woops I smashed my finger, AGAIN
Here’s where I’m about to destroy my finger for the 8th time! Rounding off my top five list is my poor little finger. I must have smashed the same finger minimally eight times this summer! I crushed it, pinched it, cut it and burned it. You name it – I did it to that same finger so many times you would have thought I had some sort of vendetta toward it. It would not have surprised me if my finger had just given up one day and said enough I’m out of here and just fell off. The crazy thing was every time it was some sort of freak accident.
Well, that’s all for now. Thanks for checking out this issue of Old School. See ya at the races!
