Old School
- Updated: January 29, 2006
By David Porter
Back in the day the stepping stone class to the pro class was the 250A class. Here #5 Old School’s Dave Porter leads #64 Darren Ogden. This picture was taken the year Darren won every 250A TT National except one. That one race was the Chalenger GNC. The one and only rider to blemish his perfect season? Dave Porter.
All together I’ve got 25 years of ATV racing under my belt. I’ve been going to the GNCs for 15 years now, eight of them full time, with all that said I’ve got to tell you that preparing for this season has been the strangest. I’m not so sure I’ll be able to follow the GNCs this year – even on a part time basis. To be honest, I still have no idea what series I am going to compete in this year, or quite frankly if am even going to follow a national series at all. I can’t ever remember being at a point of indecision like I am at right now.
There are multiple reasons for my indecisions. Some are economic, some are based on personal reasons, and to put it plain and simple there is just not enough time in the year to do it all without giving up too much. By doing it all I mean trying to compete in the new “ESPN ATV Super Tour” series, or whatever it’s being referred to this month. It’s either this or the newly expanded GNCs. As the past few non-rideable snowy months of indecision have crawled by (I live in upstate New York, where we get about 300 inches of snow every winter), I have talked to a lot of people about this indecision thing. I found that I am not alone in this boat whatsoever.
Mind you, I have about 170 numbers in my cell phone and almost all of them are ATV industry related. They range form mechanics, suspension people, magazine editors, team managers, team owners, tire companies, motor guys, aftermarket companies big and small, clothing companies, amateur riders, pro and pro am riders among others. I have spent a lot of time on my phone daily dealing with ATV business stuff. What I’ve come to find out is that the indecision boat I am referring to is pretty full. A lot of folks are not real sure what they are going to do and their pretty frustrated just like me. The ones that are sure are just going to cut back a little or do the same as they did last year.
Dave’s 16 year old son Matt won the Open C National Championship in his first year riding a quad.
I guess this is what a lot of us have been asking for for years. We’ve been wanting our sport to grow, expand , move forward and make that big jump into the mainstream. Maybe we never thought of what could happen if things were to turnaround for the sport — careful what you wish for, right? A lot of people are not going to see all this first hand. For all the reasons I explained earlier – it’s just impossible for most to compete in as many races that are soon to be available.
Yes, I know it’s part of the growth process and it’s all good in so many ways, plus this is indeed what I’ve been wishing would happen to our sport for a long time. One thing is for sure, all the people that have gone out and supported ATV racing by spending all their time and money over the years sure do have a lot to be proud of. I also think it’s incumbent upon those of us who can afford to keep up with this new expanded quad racing growth never forget all those people who have given so much of their time, energy and lives to help us get to this point we’re about to embark on. We all know someone who fits this description. There’s a good chance that a few of us won’t be able to chase points at the Nationals like we used to and the end of their ATV National careers has suddenly arrived.
I am sure of one thing however, whatever I do it is going to be with my son. 2005 was his first season ever riding a quad and our ATV racing fun is just getting started regardless of where and how many times we travel somewhere.
Good luck to all of you regardless of your 2006 plans and be safe wherever you venture off to.
