At last year's Grand Prix of Italy, I spent some downtime hanging with Red Bull Rookie racers Cameron Beaubier and future 2008 championship winner JD Beach, who were both as plucky as you'd expect teenage knee-draggers to be. When they raced later that day, the drama of 13 to 17 year-olds battling it out at speeds up to 140 mph was nothing less than intense. A few months later, the high stakes of the series were driven home when 14 year-old rider Toriano Wilson was fatally struck during a race following an accident at Virginia International Raceway.
Chronicling this year's Rookies Club competition from the perspective of the series' three American riders, a new eight-part web series called Ride Fast. Live Young. premieres tomorrow (Friday, November 20) on www.VBS.tv. This YouTube trailer gives you an idea of what to expect, and begs the question: would you encourage your kid to compete in a series intended to groom youngsters for the ultimate goal of MotoGP racing? Drop a line with your thoughts.
Related:
Photo © Gillim Solis for GEPA Pictures; click to enlarge
This is a great series and there are far worse aspirations for a young person to have than a future as professional MC racer. It ends early…late 30’s at best, but it could certainly set the stage for a very enjoyable career.
Would I encourage my son / daughter if they were interested? …. In a heart beat!
Pete,
There’s no denying I’m insanely jealous of these kids. But I don’t have children (yet), so it’s hard to say how’d I’d feel about putting them out on the track. Tempting, though…
Basem
Basem,
Jealous? …You & me both! I raced 550 production – longer ago than I care to divulge – for a few years and I’d love to do it again. There are vintage (the bike…not me) classes that would be a ball, or a class at Shannonville MS Park just outside Toronto devoted to twins that get’s more & more interesting the more I think about it.
If you wanna go racing there’s of ways to do it that aren’t crazy expensive.
Remember ….The fastest way to make a small fortune racing, is to start with a large one!