Jason Pridmore

Women of action

April 28, 2017 By Carol Carpenter

Women of action – make your mark!

So many times we discuss women helping women, yet it is just about that, mere talk with no action. What many of us forget is that as an individual you can change the course of things, including what inspires and motivates you, whose life you can change and how you make an impact on the world. You may not be able to do it alone, but as a group you can make a difference. Using this very philosophy after being an instructor for many track day companies over the years and being the go between for customers and the organization, it was time to fix what I felt was broken. You get to see the good, bad and ugly of the rolling circus and after listening to customers and how they felt, I could understand their frustration and decided to venture off on my own. Believing I could make a difference even though it honestly scared the living heck out of me, being fortunate enough to be in the position of my sponsorship and relationships built over those years, it was time to tackle this endeavor full force. It has been a very quick education of how track days are run and how the passion for the sport I love is not a great business plan for financial gain. However, I love this sport, I love every aspect, nook and cranny of it…the fact that it feeds my soul and makes me feel alive and I believe you must do what you are passionate about.

When I decided to start doing track days I was fortunate enough to speak with Doreen Walmsley, owner of Ducati Richmond, who has been an avid supporter and sponsor from the beginning. She’s gone so far as to close her shop one of the days to come join our events. She not only sponsors our events, but she brings her employees to join in the fun as well as customers and yes we are talking about them driving from Canada to participate. It has been a great honor to have her on our team and attend our days. This is a prime example of a woman owned business owner helping another and allowing growth and exposure together. She has been paramount in our success and we are proud to have her on our team year after year.

When we asked Jason Pridmore to do event days with us (yes I’m aware he’s not a woman), the truth is I never imagined he’d agree to do anything with us. He surprised me, not just that he believed in our mission, but he was so open minded and believed together we could make these events truly special. When I say we are unlike any track day company, it is completely true. CC TrackEvents/MotoVixens a woman owned track day company and the only one that I am aware of in the PNW and maybe even on the west coast. We are also the only track company that does special events currently in the PNW (not just days called events, but events sponsors donate items for raffling off, is catered, is done on a special schedule, includes vendors, etc. to make it truly special) and hires a guest coach who is so sought after he doesn’t have the time to do many of these events. Jason Pridmore (only coaches our track events in the PNW) is currently the only coach on the west coast that has won multiple championships worldwide, coaches MotoAmerica racers and is the commentator for beIn Sports. JP has been an instructor since his teens and the thousands of people he’s instructed will tell you that he is the best coach/instructor around. To top it all off his ability to teach any level of rider is astonishing, probably why his Star Motorcycle School sells out all the time. His list of credentials only requires a google search and you will find an extensive resume of his accomplishments (he would kill me if he knew I was writing this). We are also the only track day company where our focus is on education and comfort level of the student above all and our low numbers offer the ability for our elite instructors to give you the most efficient use of track time and help you achieve your goals for the day. Caroline Olsen (here’s our amazing woman) and Benny Solis , current MotoAmerica racers and JP43 training proteges, come up and help and we couldn’t have asked for two more charismatic and kind individuals to be a part of our events. If you haven’t signed up spaces are going quickly and I know because Doreen booked quite a few for her crew already.

MotoVixens recently teamed up to sponsor Caroline Olsen (AKA Carro43 and Caroline Racing). It is rare to meet a woman in this industry that is so composed, confident, personable, intelligent, kind, determined, driven, focused and professional and yet so young. When she heard about JP doing events with us, she jumped on the phone to me to say she’s excited and wanted to come and help. I’ve been fortunate to have these two women that I respect greatly and consider my friends, supporters for me as I am for them. Needless to say when I heard of Caroline’s need for funding, when it became possible for me to help, I did it without hesitation. To say racing is expensive is an understatement, the crew of people it takes for that machine to run smoothly is unbelievable and imagine being a racer having to try to fund this on your own, it’d be impossible. We are one of many sponsors that help keep Caroline racing and allowing her to focus on riding. We are incredibly proud to sponsor this young athlete and look forward to seeing her grow and succeed (bear in mind she is not in a special class, she is racing with the boys and always placing in or near the top 10), we know that Caroline will be an amazing up and coming racer. If you ever wanted the opportunity to get on the track with her or Benny come out to our events and ride with these two amazing young riders and yes our lovable JP too! Let’s support each other in our endeavors whatever they may be, together we can do great things and opportunities will naturally open up for all of us. Let’s be women of action…not just words.

Let’s ride! The season is upon us and after this lousy winter and spring, we deserve a bit of two wheeling fun in the sun.

Races at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway

September 20, 2016 By Carol Carpenter

I sat down to write about the September 10th track day, but after watching Caroline Olsen and Benny Solis race on Sunday, I felt compelled to write about my trip first. Chuckwalla Valley Raceway is about 3.5 hours southeast from Santa Clarita, CA where I am presently residing, off the 10 Fwy by Palm Desert and Joshua Tree National Park. To say it was hot would be an understatement (I mean huge), it was scorching (the high was 110 degrees that day), so the thought of riding and racing in triple digit weather did not sound in the least bit appealing. The track is 2.68 miles with 17 turns and the entire track can be seen from the bleachers by the hot pits. I arrived to see Jason Pridmore (Star Motorcycle School www.starmotorcycle.com) coaching this duo at their pit. The series is Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA – www.cvmaracing.com) and it was their first round of races of the season, they don’t start until late when the weather is more manageable and ride through the winter and spring, I can totally understand why now.

Upon my arrival I was met with smiles and hugs from everyone as they were getting ready for the first race of the day which Benny and Caroline were both entered in. Benny Sr. (Benny’s Dad) is Benny’s pit crew, always there encouraging and handling the bikes in the pits and the board at hot pit while Marco (the one in the background) does data acquisition. Caroline was racing Benny’s backup bike and to watch the two of them talking was heartwarming, they are each other’s support system, encouraging each other all long the way. The first race ended with Benny taking first and Caroline, second which ended up being the way it went all day for the races they were both entered in together. However, on the one race with just Caroline, to see her do her thing was nothing less than pure art. She is so smooth and determined and to just imagine what those guys felt as she took the lead with an amazing start, I could only imagine it as deflating. I did watch them try to catch her, but it didn’t take long for her to break away. What’s even more impressive is that she wasn’t on her own bike, a slight disadvantage, but she rode it like she had be on it for years. And Benny, he’s amazing, lightning quick and so in control, in fact he won every race with a significant gap to those placing second. Not to mention his amazing hair even after the helmet came off (see picture below)!

Pre ride talk

I got a chance to speak with both Benny and Caroline between races in the trailer and for two 20 somethings they are wise, focused, disciplined and kind. In particular, Caroline and I got a chance to speak in private about our industry, this gal is a fireball, you have to be in a male dominated industry, as well as thick skinned and strong willed. Listening to her I had nothing but admiration for her dedication, overcoming adversity and becoming one of the fastest, if not fastest girl in the US today. Being in the age of social media, you can become easily mislead, people posting about how fast they are or in cases of the female variety using their feminine wiles to get them noticed (not that there is anything wrong with that, but what are you saying, I’m fast or I’m hot). True talent doesn’t require talk or pictures, the proof is in performance. These two not only deliver, but they do it with a humble nature. To me it says a lot about the way they have been raised. I am looking forward to seeing these two rise to the top and what makes it extra special is knowing them and how deserving they are of it.

Jason is the consummate coach, making sure they are hydrated, talking to them immediately before they race and right when they get back in the pits. He’s timing, watching every corner, pass, supporting and cheering them on from the pit wall. You can tell he loves what he does, but above all he cares deeply about them and wants the absolute best for them. There is a mutual respect and a lot of ribbing, I had a great deal of fun watching everyone have their turns with each other. David Kolb, who drove up a handful of bikes from California for our two day event, was also racing on Sunday and JP was there at the wall for his races encouraging him all along the way. With this group you aren’t just friends, you are family and that’s what this sport is all about.

We are currently ironing out dates with JP and his crew to join us again next year and we hope you will take this opportunity to join in and learn from an amazing coach and his talented riders, otherwise you will have to wait for the following year. The information and techniques you will learn will open your eyes and watching everyone have these moments of clarity made putting these event days on worth it.

Looking forward to next season, now get out there and ride!

June 27-28 Event Report

July 5, 2016 By Carol Carpenter

What an incredible two days at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA with Jason Pridmore, Caroline Olsen, Benny Solis, Redspade (Anna Rigby), her hubby Steve and David Kolb (marketing/social media/transportation-jack of all trades). We couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to come instruct and ride, than this crew. The weather was stellar, the people were in wonderful spirits and the pits were filled with riders grinning from ear to ear. Jason being the consummate professional and perfectionist squeezed in a lesson plan so filled to the hilt that it will require the remainder of the year to work on the intricacies of those techniques to feel confident enough to execute them consistently. The general consensus being that those who took the special session learned more in one day than they ever knew was possible.

In an environment of overcrowded track days and after instructing in many so overly filled every session that it was more a parade lap than the chance to work on practicing your techniques and working on your riding, we proved there is a better solution. The danger associated with overcrowded track days comes down to the sheer numbers of individuals on the track and the various skill levels. The two combined lead to crashes that could be avoided if we had less people on track and more room to maneuver. If we can provide an environment with far less riders where people can learn, go faster, is significantly safer and you can get knowledge from a renown world class coach who you can ask anything wouldn’t you want to? It’s a question I’ve asked myself through the years and after witnessing this during our event days, know that this dream is now a reality. Less traffic on track means more opportunity to work on your riding, making that plan and being able to implement it to practice and improve the timing and confidence of that technique.

JP and his crew are amazing people, not just referring to their riding abilities, but as individuals. Knowledgeable, kind, helpful, gracious, lovely and immensely talented people who truly want to better this sport and raise rider education awareness. JP having retired from racing, although still quite involved in training riders such as Caroline Olsen and Benny Solis (who are on the rise in MotoAmerica) as well as commentating with beIN sports for MotoAmerica, is still at the top of his game. JP and his crew rode with our clients, towed and instructed them and by the end of the day I saw remarked improvement in each rider. Sitting in the classroom and listening to JP teach and answer questions made me want to hop on a bike and go out and ride with all of them but alas I could not and still run the show. JP’s teaching style is one I’m especially receptive to, purely because when a question was asked, it was answered with facts to support the answer. No one left that room without a plan to adhere to on their session out on track, yet with that mission there was a levity and ease knowing that while we are working on these drills, we can’t forget why were are doing this…our love of riding. While this sport is inherently dangerous and things can happen, with the proper training you can only improve…your riding, knowledge and confidence.

From the outpour of emails, texts and calls since the event it is clear to me that people want more of what we offered with JP and our event days. When I started instructing, it was different, there was a sense of family and community in the organizations, but over the years that has changed. My goal is to kill two birds with one stone, provide an environment where staff feels appreciated as well as a part of a family and the clients have the best experience possible while in our care. I do this out of passion, for the love of the sport and keeping riders safe. This is not a lucrative business (very seldom is one done from passion), I could very easily just do track days and jam them full of people, but I love this sport and teaching riders is important to me. A great deal of planning goes into keeping costs down to pass them on to the clients, this is in hopes we make lifetime riders from everyone we touch. Whether you ride a cruiser or a sport bike, we just want to you have the skills necessary to enjoy this sport and share it with everyone around you. If you missed our event with JP we will be bringing him back again next year, so stay tuned for the announcement later this year (once I can pin him down with a schedule).

Our second day ended with a birthday celebration for Troy, the last two years have been celebrated at the track and how poignant since motorcycles brought us together three years ago. Clint and Di prepared a feast for JP, Caroline, Benny, Anna, Steve, David, Troy and I where we stuffed ourselves then got everyone on horses to show them what horsepower used to mean! The friendships we developed from this event, the memories and laughter we shared are experiences that we will remember for a lifetime. More than being about business is the sense of community and family which we will strive to bring back into our industry. Passion fuels my desire to make this successful, giving people opportunities that are hard to come by and options to achieve their goals, creating an environment to develop and grow, supporting our industry by providing continuing education to riders and advocating for rider safety.

Come out and ride with us, we have another date on September 10th and signups are limited. JP will be in New Jersey, but Troy Cook will be holding classroom sessions which will be listed the day of the event. The schedule will be that of a typical track day, 20 minute sessions every hour. Check the event listing for more detailed information.

Special thanks to Oliver Jervis (for breaking in my new bike and driving me around the track in his snazzy car), Spero Benias, Wendy Leber, Chrissy Wiley, Jenny Besaw, Brian Pinkstaff, Moaka Clay, Alan Schwen, Steve Cook, Troy Cook, Pat O’Connor, Adan Mendoza, Matt Staples, Chris Larabee, Tyler Oxos, Matt Darling, Marie Kile, Renee Johnson, Cory Osburn and James Ketchum who with their dedication and support on these days made it possible for me to focus on making this event fantastic for all who attended. Thank you Clint and Di for the lovely BBQ and fun at the farm for the gang after our two day event, they had more fun than they ever could’ve imagined. Also, huge thank you to Fred and Andy at the Ridge Motorsports Park for allowing us to take it over and put on an amazing two days. Not to be excluded all of our sponsors who so generously donated products to help make this event truly special: Ducati Richmond, Pacific Powersports, Triumph of Seattle, South Sound Honda, South Bound Honda, I-90 Motorsports, Sena, AGV, Dainese, Dunlop Tires, Cycle Gear, KFG Racing, Mike Sullivan, Cycle Wipes and Racer Gloves.

Who is Caroline Olsen?

June 16, 2016 By Carol Carpenter

In our continuing and now final installment of “Getting to know” is Caroline Olsen. Let me start off with Caroline is so down to earth and bubbly you wouldn’t know she is this fierce and badass competitor in a sport dominated by testosterone. One thing that strikes me about the truly talented and dedicated individuals in this sport is that those that have accomplished so much are the most humble and kind individuals I’ve met, which in my opinion is surprising. It reminds me of what I’ve always told my sons, if you work hard, practice and give your 100% you needn’t speak of your accomplishments, they speak for you. Caroline is indeed one of these individuals and with her coach and friend, Jason Pridmore by her side we will be seeing a lot of this incredible woman racer in the future. Hailing from Sande, Norway Caroline rides for Team Hammer contending in the 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Supersport 600 Championship competing under the M4 LOXY Suzuki Banner.

CC: For many new to riding, they might not know who you are can you give us some background and a summary of your accomplishments?

CO: I’m the typical Norwegian chick. I was into handball and horse riding when I was younger. During the winter I would go skiing or snowboarding with my friends and when we were lucky enough to have a couple of good & warm summer days you would find me surrounded by family at my grandfathers cabin by the ocean. Nothing in my life indicated that I could potentially be a future roadracer, but I have always loved speed and adrenaline.

CC: When did you get into riding and why?

CO: When I turned 16 I was old enough to get my 125cc motorcycle drivers license. I didn’t have any previous experience with motorcycles before then and I guess you could say that I kind of fell into this sport by accident. I got my license mainly to get back and forth to the stable quicker, but I was reckless and stupid. I got in trouble for speeding and I ended up crashing a lot. The last time I crashed was with my little brother on the back on our way to school, not cool! We were ok, but my mum was furious. She said that I could not ride any more motorcycles before I learned how, and that’s when she thought she sent me to a traffic course, but it was actually a license course for roadracing. That was in 2008 and I’ve been in love with the sport ever since!

CC: What do you feel is your greatest moment or accomplishment while you were racing and why?

CO: I started racing in Norway back in 2008. In 2009 I won the Rookie 600 cup and in 2011 I won the Norwegian Superstock 600 Championship. I placed 2^nd in the Swedish championship in 2012 and got a 3^rd place in the Nordic championship that same year. I got the chance to come and race in the US in 2013, so I packed my things & sold most of my stuff to follow my dream of becoming a professional roadracer. I’ve lived a great life with so many good memories already, but my greatest accomplishment has to be when I won the finale race of the Norwegian championship back in 2011 and secured the gold medal with only a couple of points margin to the runner up. What a great day!

CC: What challenges do you face as a woman racer?

CO: I’ve had my fair share of challenges. It’s hard to find people & teams that believe in me like they would believe in any other male racer. I’ve experienced sabotage on my bike causing me to crash and I’ve seen male racers take stupid risks trying to pass me just because they have too much of a ego to have a girl beat them. With that said, there is a “woman improvement” movement out there and girls like Danica Patrick’s in Nascar, Marit Strømøy in F1 boat and Elena Myers in MotoAmerica have most defiantly made it easier for girls to come up through male dominated sports to make a name for themselves.

CC: Do you have any pre-riding routines and/or superstitions? For example, Aaron Yates used to wear the same socks until he crashed, do you have a list of things you do on and off your bike?

CO: No I don’t, but maybe I should find something? Whatever I can do to go faster, I’ll do it!

CC: Who do you admire, consider a hero or a mentor?

CO: I’m so lucky to have a lot of great people around me, but I owe everything to Jason Pridmore. He helped me get a ride here in the US back in 2013 even though he didn’t know me. He opened up his home and has been a great coach and mentor ever since. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for him.

CC: What is something about you that people might not know?

CO: I crashed 28 times my first year of racing.

CC: What is your favorite bike of all time you’ve ever ridden? (Who is your current sponsor?)

CO: I fell in love with the Suzuki gsx-r 600 I was riding back in Norway last season. The bike was amazing!

CC: Why do you feel rider education is so important?

CO: It’s all about safety. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re a street rider or a professional roadracer. When you’re on a motorcycle you’re exposed, and it’s all about minimizing the risks. My whole life with motorcycles started because I was reckless. I wasn’t only a danger to myself but to people around me. That’s why it’s important for me to share my experience, tell my story and make motorcycle racers aware of the dangers out there so they don’t make the same mistakes I did and only hope of being one of the lucky ones.

CC: What are your hobbies away from riding?

CO: I love horses, being outdoors and spending time with my family. Norway is an amazing country and If/when I get more time I want to see more of what this country has to offer.

CC: What keeps you grounded and focused?

CO: My family. Racing is my life and passion, but It’s important to know that there is more to life as well. I’m not sure I could be over here in America chasing my dreams if It wasn’t for the support from my family. I’ve worked so hard for my accomplishments and to get where I am today, I don’t ever want to take this life for granted.

CC: What do you want to do after racing?

CO: I could see myself staying in this sport when my career is over. I’ve learned so much from working with my sponsors, marketing, logistics & media, and I believe that my experience one day might be helpful to others. I’m not sure where I would be if I had never discovered racing though, I can’t picture myself with a better life then the one I’m living right now.

http://www.motoamerica.com/women-motoamerica-caroline-olsen-team-loxy-m4-suzuki

Getting to know Jason Pridmore

May 31, 2016 By Carol Carpenter

In our continuing “get to know” series, I wanted to do a blog on JP. I have never met JP face to face, but have spent many hours on the phone speaking to this amazing and kind man, which strikes me as surprising and refreshing since I’m around type-A men who are usually ego driven (excluding Troy of course). JP is not like that, he’s genuine, self-deprecating, humorous and kind. Not at all what I expected from such an accomplished individual as himself. He doesn’t want to talk about motorcycles, he wants to talk about life, how you are, how he can help, …he is a very giving individual. I wanted to ask him some serious questions and some fun ones too and there was a question I had asked him at the end of our Q & A that he answered with such humor, which I can’t print, that reminds you of what you already know…he’s awesome!

CC: For many new to riding, they might not know of you, can you give us some background and a summary of your accomplishments? (JP is very humble, he doesn’t like to list his accomplishments or talk about them)

JP: I’ve been riding since I was 2yrs old. I was lucky enough to be born into a racing world, my father Reg is a 3 time AMA Superbike Champion. Been very fortunate to win a number of AMA races along with countless podiums and 2 AMA National Championships. Also, I have won 2 FIM World Endurance Championships including winning at the Le Mans 24hr in 2014. Up until last year I was the only American to ever stand on an FIM World Supersport podium and was also very fortunate to race in World Superbike. I’ve raced all over the world, I have been a very lucky guy.

CC: What do you feel is your greatest moment or accomplishment while you were racing and now post racing?

JP: Wow, honestly there have been so many great memories. Winning my first AMA National at Brainerd, Minnesota was amazing. Most don’t know that I won the Imola 200 in Italy. Winning Championships are always pretty defining and I was fortunate to scoop up some of those all over the world.

Post racing is easy. Helping people realize their riding goals, working with military and mentoring kids. All those make me keep going everyday.

CC: What do you consider as your defining moment and why?

JP: Not sure I can think of one. I do know this, nothing beats pulling into the winners circle and seeing your team, family and friends overwhelmed with your success. I had some moments racing that I only wish I could relive one more time.

CC: Do you have any pre-riding routines and/or superstitions? For example, Aaron Yates used to wear the same socks until he crashed, do you have a list of things you do on and off your bike?

JP: This is a funny one. I never went to sleep the nights of race weekends on my back with my arms folded across my chest. Always creeped me out, I am sure you can figure out why.

CC: What is your favorite post victory riding memory?

JP: Having my mom (Who doesn’t love this guy?) at the races anytime I won was so rad. Taking Richard Stanboli for a victory lap after winning the Formula Extreme Championship, that guy was amazing to work with.

CC: Who do you admire, consider a hero or a mentor?

JP: My dad for sure, couldn’t have ever got where I did without him. Ken Greene is someone not many know but I look up to and admire to this day, incredible rider and mentor to me.

CC: What is something about you that people don’t know?

JP: As much as I travel, I am a homebody. I would do almost anything to just chill in my house and enjoy my time at home. Also, I was the first guy to win an AMA National on the GSXR 1000 which was at Sears Point in 2001 in the bikes very first race. Good trivia question for people. I qualified for the US Amateur Golf Championship and 2 US Mid Amateur Golf Championships. Guess that’s 3 things, haha.

CC: Other than your current sponsor, what is your favorite bike of all time you’ve ever ridden? (JP is currently sponsored by Kawasaki)

JP: Ridden so many bikes but the bike I won my Championship with Richard Stanboli on in 2002 was incredible. Can’t say it was the funnest at times because it was straight violent but it made me a better rider. 2002 GSXR 1000. Also, my very last race was the Le Mans 24hr for factory BMW, bike was amazing and made me wish I was 20yrs younger so I could keep racing.

CC: You run Star Motorcycle School, why do you feel rider education is so important?

JP: Bikes these days are incredible. I see too many people that have plateaued with their riding and have stopped their advancement. Being able to break down the fundamentals again will make people think about what they are doing again and make them better and safer riders. I know what almost every rider out there wants, to get faster!!! Let’s take the time to learn every technical aspect of riding so we aren’t riding off into a dark room. Too much seat of the pants riding out there, I wanna fix that.

CC: You’re a golf addict, can you tell us what got you started? Who you admire most as a golfer?

JP: I miss racing a lot. But there comes a time when you have to realize you have to move on as an athlete. I never accomplished everything I wanted to as a racer but it wasn’t because of lack of effort. Golf now is something that allows me to keep my competitive juices going. It’s such a hard sport and I get so much satisfaction playing well.

I recently played 54 holes of golf with Rickie Fowler and was a fan before we teed it up. Now I have huge admiration for him. Besides being top 5 in the world, the guy is just pure class.

CC: Do you feel golfing helps your riding? Why?

JP: No doubt golf has helped my riding and riding has helped my golf. Both sports you can really only control what you do, can’t control anyone else. Golf has taught me patience even though I don’t exude that trait very well sometimes.

My thanks to Jason taking his time out of his busy schedule to participate in this Q & A. He travels nonstop coaching and announcing, most of the time I had conversations with him while he was driving to yet another airport. He’s a trooper though and the consummate professional, he actually felt guilty that he was late in getting his answers back to me, yep that is the type of guy he is.

Jason Pridmore will be at the Ridge MotorSports Park June 27-28 for a special two day event. There are 3 groups that rotate throughout the day. Group 1 and 2 are track only groups, Group 3 is the special session with Jason Pridmore in the Classroom and on track. Group 1 and 2 are open to all makes and models of bikes and both men and women. Group 3 on the 27^th is dedicated to women and the 28^th to men. We have confirmed Caroline Olsen will be joining us as well as Corey Alexander. This is an event you won’t want to miss, there has never been this much talent on the track at one time in the PNW. Save yourself time by signing up online and reserving your spot for this special event. Look forward to seeing you out there for this amazing event and opportunity to meet and learn from some of the most talented riders this track has ever seen in one place at one time!

Who is RedSpade?

May 11, 2016 By Carol Carpenter

With the upcoming event on June 27-28 I thought it would be fun to interview a few people who are special guests so you could get to know them more personally. For our first installment, RedSpade, aka Anna Rigby, will be our subject. Jason Pridmore, our guest speaker and coach for the upcoming event, made the introduction and it only took a few minutes of speaking to Anna before I realized that JP associates himself with people very much like him. Anna is very sweet, centered and humble, which I find so refreshing in this sea of narcissism and social media. Let’s get to know Anna who will be RedSpade for the purposes of this blog. I want to thank Jason and Peter Bacon, Marketing Manager for Dainese, North America for supporting us and our mission to educate riders by providing events where riders can learn from the best coaches out there today. Anna and her husband, Steve will be at the Ridge on both dates, please don’t hesitate to come and say “hi”!

CC: I first took notice of you when JP mentioned you and asked me to check out your Instagram under RedSpade. What inspired that name?

RS: I wanted to come up with something unique, memorable and symbolic. The name “spade” comes from the Italian word “spade” or “sword” which often represents logical and rational thought cutting through uncertainty and falsehood. The spade is also usually the most powerful suite in a deck of cards and a sign of luck. I assigned the color red to it to make it one of a kind and unique. At the time I had fiery red hair so the color was symbolically a representation of a part of me. Later on for our logo the spade took on a shape of red and white rumble strips which specifically correlates to our company [RedSpade Racing].

CC: I love it when company names carries a deep personal meaning, it reminds you why you do what you do and it shows in every decision you make, person you touch and keeps you driven.

CC: I love the pictures you post how’d you get started in documenting your journey?

RS: I fell in love with the machines and the atmosphere of track life—which is really where I was officially exposed to motorcycles. After shooting a few local WERA races I realized that I was in love with the way guys piloted these machines and I really wanted to ride one myself (at the time I was only a passenger with my husband). Since my feed already consisted of motorcycle photography it was a natural progression that I started documenting my journey from my first MFS class onward.

CC: You are the ambassador for Dainese/AGV, can you tell us how you got involved?

RS: Funny story actually—I’ve always been a fan of Dainese and their products. They always seemed to be the best quality and had the best designs. But when my husband crashed twice on the street and walked away safe and sound in his Dainese leathers I was sold. In general I posted a LOT about safety and proper motorcycle gear. 4 years ago when I started riding there weren’t as many gear choices for women as there are now. I remember reaching out to Dainese begging them to create something more for women and that many sizes weren’t readily available in the US. It wasn’t until 2 years ago that Dainese reached out to me and asked me to come on board as one of their brand ambassadors. They had told me they were watching me on social media for some time and simply liked how I represented the motorcycle community and the sport. I was floored, to be honest I still can’t believe I get to work with a company I believe in so much.

CC: I still believe the choices are slim. However Dainese was the first street gear I bought, loved and continued to add to because of how flattering it is for women. In fact, my very first race suit was Dainese and it’s been crashed over and over and it’s scuffed up but it’s still in one piece! It’s not as beautiful as it was, but I use that suit now as a rain day suit or loaner suit for gals who want to two up at track days. I still think we need more choices with color and designs, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Wearing a small boot size, Dainese is the only boot manufacturer I can wear. I wear a Dainese 6 (36), they fit amazing and while you can’t get the top of the line race protection, you can get pretty damn close with their boots. I am sure there will be changes with the increase of women riders and their demand for better looking and fitting gear, ladies will make that known for sure!

CC: When did you get introduced to riding? What enticed you to ride?

RS: I guess that goes back to your previous question about me shooting photography. Racing was sparked my interest to ride really. I was super impressed with guys dragging their knee and getting low to the ground—that was like absolute black magic to me. At the time I was absolutely terrified and never thought I would get to experience it myself, but I dreamed of it. It wasn’t until I met a female racer that encouraged me to go take the MFS course and see if it was for me. Until then I hadn’t seen any females ride like that and I honestly didn’t even know it was possible. She single handedly convinced me to take the riding course and jump-started my journey.

CC: That’s why I want women to see other women ride, not everyone started at a young age, many of us started much later. We are all different, from our goals to our knowledge and understanding of riding, I want them to understand that persistence, practice and perseverance go a long way in helping them get confident and building their skill set. We need to help encourage other gals and give them the tools they need to succeed at their goals.

CC: Who sparked your interest to ride and why?

RS: My husband Steve definitely was the key person to spark my interest. All the men in his family ride or rode at one point or another. Steve also rode dirt bikes and trails when I met him so there was always a history of two wheels with him. As a matter of fact, our first date was a story in itself—we ended up crashing and my right leg got all rashed up pretty bad. But that was over 16 years ago and who would have thought that 12 years later I would finally build up the courage to learn to ride myself.

CC: It’s exciting to see an increase in women riders, what words of encouragement would you give them?

RS: This is still very much a male driven sport whether you’re just a casual street rider or aspiring track addict. Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t as fast, as skilled or as talented as others. Riding is a very personal skill that you develop on your own and within your physical and mental abilities. I learned this the hard way 2 years into my riding. I was so blinded by trying to be a better rider that I was beating myself up and struggling, I had lost the joy of riding because I was getting ahead of myself. All my riding friends and family had been riding for years and were quite skilled, I was and still am the slowest—I took this very personally. I had to re-evaluate what I wanted out of riding at that point and find my center again. Everything will come in due time as long as you keep working towards your goals, but don’t let your goals overwhelm and control you.

CC: Couldn’t have said it better. We are all competitive by nature, but this is very individual, treat it as such, once you start comparing yourself with others you lose sight of your goal. We tell everyone to ride within your abilities and comfort zone, but that can be hard to do when you want so badly to be up front with the fast guys. It’s not about only being fast, it’s about being fast safely and within your own mental and physical abilities. We are all very different, stop comparing.

CC: What do you currently ride? What is your dream bike?

RS: right now I have 2 bikes—both 2008 cbr600rr. one is pretty much stock for street and the other is a race bike I bought from a track coach—It’s loaded with goodies that makes my street bike jealous 😛

I’m not sure I have a dream bike really. I’m very practical which is why I own Hondas (they take a mean beating and still keep on going!) I would have to saw that for a practical bike I would love to own a new 636 Kawi—I really enjoyed it when I rode at the Start School and the electronics made it so easy to handle compared to my Honda. If I could have a money pit of a bike I’d definitely go for a looker like the Panigale!

CC: OK, I have to confess I bought my dream bike, I love it and it’s only been on the track a few times (figured my luck would eventually run out there). It’s the 848 EVO, I bought it the last year it was made knowing it was now or never. It’s my go to street bike, twins are so much fun to ride on the street and when it looks equally beautiful, what could be better? Italians know how to make things sexy and that bike is just that!

CC: Do you ride on the track and on the street, which do enjoy more?

RS: I still ride both street and track, but I most definitely love the track to death. I feel safer and excited when I ride the track, at the same time it’s my meditation and truly the only time I feel alive. As for the street I tend to stick to country roads and mountains. I still struggle with tight curvy roads so I get a bit stressed out—I definitely don’t like riding around cars. I didn’t have this feeling when I started riding, the more track I do the more street unnerves me. There’s just too much that can go wrong and it’s all out of my hands.

CC: What challenges as women do you feel we face as motorcyclists?

RS: To be honest I’ve always felt that riding a motorcycle was one of those things that either sex could do pretty damn well. I gotta admit though that I get a mixed bag of responses from men when I pull my helmet off and I can’t always tell if they’re genuinely bewildered, intimidated or being condescending lol. Apparently even though I know so many ladies that ride, we’re still rather rare. I think we are still seen as feeble and weak which is a bit frustrating, although I understand that physically I will never be as strong as my husband or have the stamina. However I get to encounter some commentary on social media that is always making me question if certain people are still living in the 50s lol! I suppose this is true for any sport or profession these days though.

CC: What do you feel about gear and safety?

RS: I definitely have a strong stance of motorcycle safety in general. I try to keep my opinions to myself these days but since you ask 😉 Nothing about riding a motorcycle is safe. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it, but it means that you should value your life, the life of your friends and family, and do everything in your power to ensure your safety. Basically I would like people to be mindful and responsible for themselves. I cringe when I see girls in leggings and sneakers on their bikes. I hear it all the time “I know what I’m doing, I know I can get hurt and I’ll deal with it when it happens.” Wrong. You won’t be the only one dealing with it—your family and friends will be the ones taking care of you. I look at it this way, if I can minimize my time in the hospital when I eventually crash, then why not? Accidents happen and it’s inevitable. Maybe I’m so adamant about this because of all the terrible accidents I’ve seen in the last 4 years of my riding—I ride mainly in the mountains and accidents there are extremely unforgiving. Many if them would have been much worse or fatal if there was no gear involved. And some of them were exceptionally tragic because the people involved weren’t geared up. Gear isn’t a save all, but in the end I just don’t want to have any “what ifs” or regrets.

CC: I agree completely. Ignorance is not bliss in this case. My stance is if you choose to not gear up, you clearly haven’t crashed bad enough to think you are lucky to just walk away with minor bruises and scrapes. Anybody that has crashed knows and won’t risk it. You don’t necessarily need to be the one to make the mistake, but you are the one that will live with the repercussions. It blows my mind people don’t ride with gloves, our instinct is to put our hands down to break a fall, why would you make that choice?

CC: What’s your favorite motorcycle quote?

RS: Well that would have to be Marco Simoncelli’s “You live more for 5 minutes going fast on a bike than other people do in all of their life.” This speaks to me on a very personal level bc if it wasn’t for riding a motorcycle I wouldn’t be here in life and having so many wonderful experiences and meeting so many great people. I used to be extremely introverted and shy; riding helped me overcome many of my fears and taught me to believe in myself. Where I would normally say I can’t now I believe I can and am no longer afraid of failing and trying again 🙂

CC: Great Quote! Motorcycling is a wonderful community to be a part of, I have met the most interesting people and it has enriched my life greatly as well. Thank you so much for taking the time and letting us get to know you better. I look forward to meeting you in person at the June 27- 28 event!

Investing in yourself

April 20, 2016 By Carol Carpenter

I wish someone had introduced me to motorcycles at this age, taken away all the mystery and fear associated with it and given me the ability to concentrate on strategy. What a wonderful gift that would’ve been, but since this is real life and my parents were deathly afraid of my brother riding motorcycles, that meant an absolute no for me. There is an inherent fear of motorcycles and the danger associated with them, when you get into a discussion with non-riders you find yourself almost defending why you ride, I had people go so far as to say I’m a terrible mother for wanting to put myself at risk. It’s interesting that people have such strong opinions about riding. For me and I believe for many of us that ride, it is our place of zen, somewhere where you can reconnect with yourself, have fun, feel the outside world whizzing by your face and through your body, it is completely visceral and centering.

Sure riding is inherently dangerous, however just like any other sport, the more you practice and are coached, the more knowledgeable and more confident you become. It is an investment in yourself. As riders we invest in gear, exhausts, aftermarket stuff, but we don’t invest in us and the knowledge we need to possess to continue riding for a lifetime. All that bling doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t ride it or are deathly afraid of it. Better to save your money, learn to ride skillfully and then bling out your dream bike. Let’s be honest, you will lay your bike down, you may lay it down a lot to start. It will hurt like hell if you have put on all the bells and whistles and it gets totaled. It may even keep you from continuing this amazing sport, so save your money for pimping out your bike in a savings account as a reward and invest in improving your skills. If you don’t think you have anything to learn, try a class and find out, I believe you will be surprised.

I’ve had the opportunity to travel and attend track schools, but I know for many this isn’t in their budget. I always wished they would come up to our area and put these schools on, but to this day only one currently does and with a hefty price tag. I started doing events to bring top level coaches and riders to our local track and give people the opportunity to experience the level of instruction that makes the difference. I believe that to be the best you need to learn from the best in the business. You may never reach their level, but you can always strive to be better every time, implement skills everyday and improve your riding every time you throw a leg over. It is a fraction of the cost of traveling to a track school and for many this will be their first time on the track so we try to make this as accommodating and comfortable as we can so you can have an amazing day of learning. Last year we had Ken Hill instructing and this year we have Jason Pridmore of Star Motorcycle School (currently commentating for beIn sports and MotoGP) for our two day event. On June 27th there will be three sessions: Group 1 and 2 are co-ed and open to everyone in limited numbers and Group 3 is the special session with JP in the classroom and then on track (please see the event schedule for more details). Group 3 for the 27th is a women’s session (which JP will love me for) so that we can provide an environment for gals who want to learn at their pace, no matter what level you are. On June 28th, Group 1 and 2 are co-ed and limited numbers and the special session is for men. Last year after putting on the event, I was approached by men asking if I would do one especially for them as well…you asked, I delivered. Click on the CC Track Events on the home page for more information and to signup. Spaces are limited so sign up and reserve your spot today. If you have groups of people 5-10, please contact me directly at caroltcarpenter@motovixens.com.

We will have giveaways and this year we have Dunlop Tires (a set to give away each day), KFG has donated a few setups, Cycle gear is donating gift certificates and the list is growing each day. There will also be demos available from dealerships (to be announced soon), JP will be doing two ups (get in line boys and girls, I get the first dance :D) as well as other world class riders he’s bringing to help you get the most out of your experience. JP will have a q & a during lunchtime open to everyone and then he and his boys will be riding as we spectate in the corners. The catering will be done by Viet NomNom food truck and lunch will be provided for participants. Snacks and water will be available, please bring anything you may need if you have dietary restrictions. Also, don’t forget to bring fuel for your bike, sunscreen and warmer clothing for the morning and cooler gear for later.