Virginia Motorsport Park Dirt School

The weekend is past and Thanksgiving is here upon us. We completed a Dirt School at Virginia Motorsports Park on Saturday and Sunday. It was so much fun!!!!

Ike Dejager was there to teach, coach and lead the parade by directing the show. Alan Lipa made sure that the photography was taken care of and up in facebook and on the website, in as short a time as possible. The rest was left up to Dustin Young, Push Oneeightysix, Saleem Williams, Peter Doan, Jennifer Forello, Patricia Fernandez and Djuana Allen to learn, improve on and perfect their riding skills and most of all there to enjoy and benefit from what the Dirt class had to offer.

One of Ike’s MX students Jackson spent the weekend with the Dirt School and Mark McCann made sure that all the School’s Dirt Bikes remained in good and first-rate running order.

The field or ground we used at Virginia Motorsports Park was ideal for beginners and advanced Dirt School and with the help, assistance and co-operation of Bryan Pierce, Motorsports Park General Manager. We will now make Virginia Motorsports Park a monthly venue for our Dirt School.

Before we talk about the Dirt School, I would like to mention that Drew Kessler and Rob Allan spent the Friday with Ike Dejager at MX Park East MX track in North Carolina as their intention was to be at Busco Beach for the weekend. On the way to Busco Beach Drew and Rob booked into a hotel in Goldsboro, North Carolina. To cut a long story short all of their dirt bikes were stolen off the back of their pickup at the hotel. After reporting the theft to the local police, nothing seemed to happen as far as the recovery of their bikes. Rob and Drew decided to go into the hood themselves and try to locate or possibly trace their bikes.

Working from a local tipoff Drew and Rob managed to track down their bikes, and the only way they could get their bikes back was to pay a blackmail fee. The way I understand the situation is that the local police were of no help what so ever in the recovery or salvage of their bikes. Both Drew and Rob had to pay good money to have their bikes back.

I think it is sad state of affairs when the authorities, our tax paid protectors cannot help and we then have to do our own thing in the recovery of our property. So guys when travelling make sure your bikes are secure and safe and not vulnerable to theft.

Back to the Dirt School at Virginia Motorsports Park – Dustin was his own self with so much gusto, zeal and zest, bubbling with eagerness being maybe a tiny boisterous at times, but always enthusiastic and a wonderful sport. Patricia as always showed her patients, being tolerant and enduring by taking Djuana under her wing and for the whole day, unrelentingly spent one-on-one showing Djuana the important basic skills in riding the dirt. Well done Trish we are proud of you.

Push Oneeightysix took to riding the dirt like a fish to water and seemed absolutely at home in the saddle. While Jennifer Forello had to be the most improved rider of the day and her picture will most definitely feature in the ‘Best Racer’ gallery on our website www.twistandhold.com she showed no intimidation or fear of the dirt and was like the proverbial sponge sucking in as much information as she possibly could. Ron Williams was himself being the quite gentleman he always is speaking with grace, learning with intent and going out of his way to please. The Sunday Dirt class was when Ron processed all that he had learned on Saturday and excelled beyond words.

Peter Doan has to be the most prepared road bike dude on the dirt, he kitted out to perfection for the school, from the perfect shades, sweater shirt to ideal MX boots. Thank you Peter for respecting the dirt and Ike in your manner, dress code and good attitude. This approach and mind-set showed in how quickly you mastered most of the riding skills of the day. Lastly but not least Djuana Allen attended the Dirt School by being slightly nervous and possibly a tiny intimidated. With the help of Patricia her riding ability improved momentously by the day’s end. Good for you Djuana.

Yesterday Bryan Pierce, General Manager at Virginia Motorsports Park called us expressing that he was impressed with the way we did the Dirt class from a professional aspect to a visual look. He has now showed great interest in us jointly coming together at Virginia Motor Sports Park and running programs for Dirt, Cornering, Road Bikes, Motocross and general motorcycling skills. We will keep you informed on the progress of our discussions with Bryan Pierce.

All that is left for me to say,’ HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING and go slowly on the food’.
Al