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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1989-06-14, Page 3et irked mo oc ser , u re s - A. local man who is a former expert racer has reentered the motocross circuit in On- tario. Or rather his two sons re-entered him. 'Chris Lee of RR 3 Walton raced when motocross was in its heyday from 1972 until 1979. He worked his way from the Junior :elasses and rode in Expert classes for two years in Ontario, Quebec, Michigan and New York. He had his share of successes, placing third nationally in two Senior „' classes, and says when racing expert he could generally break into the top 10 in his class. During his two years of Expert racing he estimates he was somewhere in the top 25 or"SO.nationally out of about 1,500 registered motocross racers. But eventually a knee injury hampered him to the point where he was no longer able to race at that level. He put his motorcycles away and had nothing to do with them up un- til about a year and a half ago. Both of his sons, 13 -year-old Matt and 14 -year-old Brett, inherited a healthy dose of their father's love of motorcycles, and when motocross season started last year they got their dad back at his game. And this year he's back in a big way. "This spring I've been back at it every weekend. I guess I kind of got the bug," he admits. Brett too is motocross racing this year, but Matt sticks more to riding for pleasure. "Matt loves to ride and is every bit as good a rider, but is just not interested in racing," says his dad. When Mr. Lee quit racing he saw what he missed most in it and found what it was that he loved about the sport. "I liked motorcycles, and I liked the social thing that goes with racing, but I loved com- petition. That was the thing that really drove me to be as good at it as I was at the tune." But now that he has restarted his sport Mr. Lee finds the reason he loved it is still there. He now races in an Over 30 class,' but finds there is enough experienced opposition to offer him a challenge. . "I had a bit of a revelation about a year and a half ago. I find I'm enjoying it as much as I ever did," he says. "The competi- tion is there, and we're all in the same boat - we've all got families and businesses and we're out of shape to varying degrees:" And for the social bit -"It's great to get together with a bunch of people who have nothing in common than that they like to tear up real estate." Mr. Lee says in the Over 30 class there are about half a dozen guys who have a good shot atwinning any given race, making for stiff competition. He is at the tail -end of the Over 30 class and next year he'll race Over 40, so some of the competitors also have a physical advantage over him. Some may not think that physical condi- tioning plays much part in motocross, but Mr. Lee says studies show that professional motocross is among the top four sports in terms of physical demands. First, he says, you're not just sitting on a seat, you're crouched over it, and your body's muscles have to ;absorb the Shock of violent 'ac-' celerating'and decelerating. Where in some sports like running or cycling muscles work in a regular' or cyclical fashion, in motocross they are always tense but they don't respond to regular motion. Serious motocrossers use rigorous • exercise like mountain biking to get in shape motocross. "Half of the fun is the prospect of the kids racing," says Mr. Lee. Both boys saved their money and bought their own motocross bikes, and have been involved with motorcycles from an early age. There's a story their mom, Judy, likes to tell about this involvement. When one of boys was just a toddler he was "helping" dad work on a stripped down bike. But the bike didn't go together whole because a part was missing. Mr. Lee bor- rowed the part and got the machine finish- ed, but he could have waited. The next day mom found it in someone's diapers. "That's pretty involved," laughs Mr. Lee. Many parents would be worried about their children entering competitive motocross racing, but based on his own ex- perience Mr. Lee doesn't worry. "They say if you're not crashing you're not trying hard," he says, but adds that these mishaps seldom result in serious in- jury. "You wear protective equipment on the places you're most likely to he injured like in any other sport. Speeds are relatively slow compared to most motor races. It's rare you'd be going 45 to 50 miles per hour • and then only for short distances. Most times if you fall off it's in a corner or on a bump, and you're falling on loose dirt not asphalt. I don't think there's any more likelihood of him being hurt at that than there is at him playing his hockey." Mr. Lee sees motocross as being somewhat rejuvenated in recent years. Men like himself who left the sport for work and to raise a family are starting to come, back to it. He says a couple races in Ontario this year drew over 400 riders, which is as large an entry as ever. So far this year Mr. Lee has been to eight races and has never yet placed lower than sixth, and he has won three or four second THE HURON'EXPOSITOR JUNE 14 1989 — 3A placings. On June 24 the Lees will be going to On- tario's motocross event of the year, when bike they and over 250 other riders will compete in the first ever OMA Amateur Skydome Supercross. RIDING HIGH. HACK IN THE SADDLE - Chris Lee of Walton re-entered the com- petitive motocross circuit this year when his boys Matt and Brett once again got him interested. Mr. Lee raced for about seven years in the 1970's, including two years in E*pert classes. He says he is seeing a lot of former racers who, like him, lett motocross to raise families are returning to racing. Corbett photo. T 141" IlidOn,+iltl1si11Sb ar..s d Aglbdllydufilfg: OMPORitiAniptrlhe at.„dptlla. =itifeek;,>Mcllwroith,Photo. . nrabfa.oR:gf.OtiPa ifOr:the,4aupph;rotstitis jpalfgtatSChaal,tfuplvAnd ti0ld,day,last Barn and shed reduced to ashes A barn and .small shed were consumed by fire Saturday morning, on the vacant property across from the Tuekersmith Township shed. The blaze was reported at 8:48 Saturday morning, but when firefighters arrived on the scene the fire "was already fully in- volved,” says Fire Chief George Garrick. He adds the fire must have been going for some. time before it was noticed, and was aided by a strong wind. Over the 'three hours firefighters .were on the scene they could•onlyeontain the flames. Chief Garrick has suspicions,but has not yet determined the cause of the fire. No estimate of damage has yet been made, but ,he ,noted that the barn was ;in ser- viceable.condition. The property is owned byFBlll MacLean. 'F,ALSE.4LARM The 'fire.alarm sounded on Wednesday, June 7,,hut it:was,a false alarm 'the result of a fire,detector being set off by toast in the ,Spittal home southwest of Egmopdville. Memorial awards rare 1:Wished An,academie,award has been,establlsbed' in memory'0fithejute Glenn°Smi te,.a,wtlll r pecten bus ,dz ver ;for lima* s 'Public Marlene, $.ti111 ,and Juanita j$niith liiltarsi.pfAbe ,jate k•.$fili�il,etlave,gon , aFP .it0h°the ,, t%#tn*Pith d„ h is M, ipe ` van ran afl teql alt ,Time ,-',�0A' 11eted to��s�11'i1 i .4011eSe. dii b9App. reel g' a .NgatindtlrY sehoul $11011014OwiF!g M; . TuxuatojpFge 4A.• Wed., June 14 6:30 p.m. — Midget Hardball game at High School 6:30 p.m. — Minor Soccer et Optimist Park 8:80 p.m. — Seaforth Horticultural Society Meeting at Sealorth Public School 8:30 p.m. — ,Agricos vs. Shadows 8:00,p.m.—,Baytfeld Thunder vs. Walton Brewers. at Lions Park 8:00,p.m. — Fitness Is Fun at S.D.C.C. 7:3D p,m. — Ladles' 'Soccer at Optimist Thurs., June 15 B:30.8:30.a.m. J- Fitness is Funat Men''aaBallhockey,at S.D.C.C. 6:30,p,m. — Blyth .at Mite Girls 7:30;p,m.--Bolleramith vs. Beachwood t8i00,:p.m. — C4th;at Pae :.ee,Boya.& ,Girls 0:30 p.m. —;Brewers vs..Hags t9:30,p.m.--'8IM4town at Booley'sBruisera t9:30 p. m.—.Seahawks .vs. Topnotch :8:30sp,m. — Seatorth,MGrchants vs. kakestdeaahtligh :SohRol „Fri., June 16 Seatorth:Faatball Tournament ,starts 1041.411140lp+m. —4100.00 HBpAt'Toran>,o 1l buutftlawasnk, Seatorih.ep4't1P0A0e ,to Sllatatth4HRppltalluJk1k g ikttd 7•t10�p,m•—4(RQ9.tokatlfil dtt i.,0Ac. 1Stga,Ap,m•= (tltlb gerotiiaarkunaor Sat., June '17 11,AldhRoolbau 7ogefigtl'innt ontInuee Int 0014m• ,-"IHauaatNl1guealinor,dall 0048 , llaecdaxe 10:45, a.m. — Tigers ve. Cubs. Both at the High School Sun., June 18 Seetorth Fastball Tournament Continues 1:09 p.m. — Strathroy VS. Merchants at High School Mon., June 19 8:00 ;p.m. — Manley at Boaleys 8:00 p.m. — Angels ve. Sluggers 9:00 p.m. — Shadows vs. Straycats Tues., June 20 8:30.9:30,a.m. — Fitness Ia Fun at p.p.C.C. 8;30 p.m. — Wingham at Squirt Boys 7:00 p.m. — Ladies' Hoc. pun atLions Park 8:00 p.m. — Sluggers,at ,Manley — :Wildcats vs. Babes Wed., June 21 Pipyachfaca. ogfstratlonirom 7.9 p.m. at the Alecreatlen'Gentra •000fp4n.—.Minpr.Socoerpt9,,pptlmIst Park 4:30.p,m.—Mitesjgyg'0ractl9e 70;p,m•'—0al1.404119ts )40. at (irtotts 71,30p.tn. — Laldlee't ar014plitaletpprk 7<30p,m. —Zurich Itllrtppta ars. Walton AMMO 00:P4n. '411 1100. 430..Otay,a Brulaera i0;00:0471- ilaAttn, t'S,p c.,C. g40:11401.— ,;Sig9gE.ts i 4hltctdlw,O *Room. —14,09.6 ^0%41 TA089 �9st o,p,rn. — .toich4eno rllcatn of rich AiolonAlmown•AighAtittoPuttralotk