RACING 2 SAVE LIVES GIVES $70,000
They call it a race. "But that's a misnomer," says Stan Foxworthy, executive director of the "Racing 2 Save Lives" organization.
It's not a race. Instead, the event allows motorcycle owners and even moto riders to get on a real race track to test their bike and their nerve by riding as fast as they dare, while getting a chance to hang out with top stars of motorcycle racing. It's a motorcycle fantasy camp.
R2SL's first event of the 2007 season, May 3-6, was held at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele. Despite rain that dumped for three of the four days, riders came from 19 states to participate. One man flew in from England, and a contingent of 30 riders came down from Canada.
The organizers divided the track in half at the Miller complex, creating two 2.5 mile tracks. Participants are cut into two groups; regular street riders who have little or no racing experience, and riders who hold racing licenses and are familiar with two-wheeled speed. Each group rides on one track; riders switch tracks every half hour during the three-hour session. "We want to keep it safe, with everyone riding within their own limits. If street riders are on the track with licensed racers, they will try to keep up, and maybe get in over their heads," Stan explains.
There are three sessions a day. Each rider pays $75 per session, which includes coaching from professional coaches who are there for every class of rider throughout the event. A motorcycle owner who has the endurance can pay for, and participate in, 12 sessions over the four days of R2SL. There are many who do.
The event, held at various motor race tracks throughout the country, has exploded in popularity since it began in 2004.
"We give street riders an opportunity to ride on tracks that normally would not be accessable to them. The track riding experience is so much more satisfying than riding your bike on the streets. this is where they get a chance to really experience the joy of motorcycle riding. They learn new skills, get to ride at speed, and all of that is extremely addictive," says Sharon Foxworthy, the R2SL president.
But the big draw for riders is the chance to ride with big stars they normally could only watch from the grandstands.
This year's guest celebrities were the Bostrom Brothers, Ben and Eric, of the Yamaha Factory Team (look for an upcoming story on these two famous bro's). To motorcycle afficionados, the Bostroms are rock stars. Ben has won gold at the X-Games, and both he and Eric are international champions in several different classes of bike racing.
Eric says, "This is our second year of being with R2SL. So many people are so generous to donate money and also merchandise for the silent auction. It's really nice to have someone so in love with your sport that they want to give something back to the motorcycle community. And the Larry Miller Motorsports Park is a good location for it, because there's not a big motorcycle base in Utah, so this is great."
Even before Sunday's wrap-up, R2SL gave away $70,000 from the event to children's charities. "We gave to the Larry H. Miller Charity Foundation, Make A Wish Foundation, Here's Life Inner City and other charities as well," said R2SL spokesman Michael Newhouse.
It's the second year the R2SL has used the Miller complex for their event, and they hope to be back again in 2008.