The Cavalier daily :: Thursday, May 17, 1973 :: University of Virginia Library

Motorcrossing is often conceived of as a sport for hoods
and "Hell's Angels" types. If anything, it is just the opposite.
Dirt bike riding is an expensive proposition with-costly foreign
bikes and accessories predominating.

In UVa's recent motorcross rally against VPI there were
Swedish, Austrian; Czech, and Japanese bikes present. The
only American machines were Harley-Davison models and
these bikes are manufactured in Italy, as third-year riders Al
Cooper and Jeff Cooke explained. Motorcross is definitely a
sport of the rich and, to a lesser extent, the middle class.

Dirt bike riding is a hard, physically demanding sport that
requires unique skills and strong concentration. "It differs
from a sport like basketball," Al said. "There you can be
thinking of your date last night and get away with a few yells
from the coach. In motorcrossing, unless it has all your
concentration, you'll probably crash."

This sport emphasizes a one-to-one relationship between a
rider and his machine. To avert disaster, he must always
remember his limits. Riders and spectators alike cannot ignore
the ever-present danger – the ambulance at every race is a
constant reminder.

At the race against VPI, in which both Al and Jeff
competed, there were numerous times that riders went down
as well as one instance in which a rider was run over.
Fortunately he was not hurt badly and was up and racing in a
later heat. The ambulance carried no one away from the race
that Sunday.

Numerous jumps, steep embankments, sharp turns, and
rutted straightaways pockmark the track. While a dirt bike's
top speed is usually about 65 mph, it is doubtful that the
riders would race that fast on such a treacherous course.

The first turn of the race is one of the most crucial and
dangerous to the riders. A racer's position right after that turn
determines to a large extent what his position will be for the
rest of the race.

It also presents the greatest possibility of a crash as all the
bikes try to shoot through the small area of space at the same
time.

The jumps are probably the most spectacular feature of the
entire sport. It is here that the bikes are in the air for a few
seconds before thundering back down to the ground. For
example, the first rider of the day came over a 30 foot high,
sloped embankment and seemed to hang in the air for a
number of seconds. Coming down, he almost crashed, and
nobody else came over that jump with quite as much speed for
the rest of the day.

It is interesting to observe the different styles of particular
riders. An experienced rider will usually put his weight forward
while accelerating to avoid doing a "wheelle" – thus saving
time. Also, a better rider will usually keep off his seat to avoid
physical wear and tear while going over ruts and jumps.

There were actually nine races in the motorcross race
against VPI with three heats for each different engine
classification. Al is primarily an Enduro (long distance) rider
and had never ridden in a motorcross before. After going down
three times in his first heat he decided to sit out his other two
races until he had more practice. In contrast, Jeff had raced a
good deal in motorcrosses and finished third overall in
competition that day.

Jeff and Al are principle founders of the Virginia
Motorcross Club. After putting an ad in The Cavalier Daily last
year, a number of other riders indicated their interest and the
club was started. Their main problem was finding a place
where they could race. Last spring they were using some
University property near the airport, but a University official
told them they would have to leave when a private developer
started building houses on nearby land.

The developer started building houses, again leaving the
club without land. Jeff and Al contacted several realtors and
inquired about land which they might use. Finally the Virginia
Land Company said they had some scrub land which the club
could rent for $75 a month and build a track on.

CD/Jim Wilson

'The Jumps Are Probably The Most Spectacular Feature'

Membership increased to about 50 members once the club
had obtained land and the club built a track itself. One biker
had access to a bulldozer with which they built the jumps and
the rest of the club gathered tires and other necessary items for
the course from other places.

The race against VPI was "the culmination of our efforts,"
Jeff said. He thinks the club will have an easier time next year
with established facilities and a substantial membership.

Riders and spectators alike may be interested in motorcross
next year. Jeff's pensive comment sums it all up. "It was fun;
it was a diversion. Besides you can't be serious all the time."