Ok guys. So I'm finally taking the plunge. I was approached by a company called Gassrx thats stationed here in Nebraska. The owner saw me practicing on an mx course over the summer and they want me to race for them for next year in our Heartland Motocross Series. Guess they see that I have potential... or maybe they'll enjoy the marketablility I can bring them. Haha... dunno!

But anyways... since I'll be the only lady racing (IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF NE) ... what is the atmosphere like? I'm not looking for anyone to treat me any different or be easy on me. Any of you have experiences with this where there is no women's class and they race with the guys? I know that when on the track, you have no friends, but I'm hoping they respect me just as they would any other guy. Thoughts? Any input would be great because I've never done this before.

Umm I'd roost yah LOL. Jk
Honestly I think once u put the helmet on you'll be treated exactly the same

Not a chance, nobody is going to want to be beat be a "b!tch". Not that you are Misstify, but that's what the other racers will be thinking. I'm sure you're a talentd rider, but I'm also sure that your "marketabilty" is a plus for Gassrx. Good luck.

Ok, so they'll have negative thoughts about me but not say them? Or is it a big pride issue? Oh dear...

I disagree. There are a couple girls that race with us here, and nobody feels that way about them. As long as you don't act like a b!tch, you won't be treated as one. I used to race in the same class with a girl, and we actually all watched out for her and didn't stuff her into the berm like we did the other guys. But when she got more confident and started rubbing and bumping with us, then we treated her just like one of the guys.

But Misstify is definately NOT a b!tch, and I don't think she'll have any trouble with anyone. Even if they do think of her that way, why should she let those turds bother her and keep her from having fun?

what i meant is that before the race and just hanging out in the pit area, people might joke with you like we do on here lol. but it will just be out of fun and not because they disrespect you.

Once you get on the track, i think they will treat you exactly the same as any other rider, maybe give you a little bit of room like grant said. if you dont like that then bump em a little lol.

Mary, i think your going to face all the situations above, and probably more, im sure you know already, all guys are different, and their "pride" will make each one behave differently, you can probably expect a few a holes to be real mean about the whole situation, you can expect a few of the cool guys to be real nice and help you along, and probably everything in between. just dont worry about any of it. just go out, and handle your buisness! you will place how you place, and no one can change it.

you dont need to worry about how your going to be percieved as the first girl racing, you need to worry about the race. get your bike set up and dialed in, get your practice in, grow some "balls" and start whippin ass.

if she grows some balls, then none of this will matter hahah

Misstify,

While I don't have any experience at all in regards to MX or other forms of motorsports relating to the YFZ, I do have to agree heavily with what leveldrummer said in the quote above. I'm in the military, and in a pretty unique/specialized unit that has only had 1 female to ever make the selection process into this unit. I've seen everything from the "here let me take you under my wing" to the "GTFO" response from the guys. She had a strong heart and mind and was able to put up with the crap lots of the guys gave her all while performing just as well and even better than some of the fools giving her w00ter. During the time she was in the unit, she eventually got the respect and everyone treated her as one of the guys..

I'm sure you're a similar character as you're here in what we would all agree is a predominately male sport. I'd encourage you and any other female interested to go out and do your best, have fun, and not let the talk bother you. I think you'll get both the positive and negative from being "the one", but in time it'll all balance out in time.

I applaud you for taking the step. I'm sure you'll do great!

There you go...problem solved. haha



Seriously Mary, if your passionate about your riding(like I know you are) you are going to have a blast! The rush is like none other when it's realtime. Do I think you will be treated differently...sure. I think it will be both ways though. Most MXer's are at the track just to have a good time and meet new riding friends. Most won't hesitate at all to lend parts, tools and even their time to help a fellow racer. Some take it WAAAY to serious though and you simply keep that on the track. Don't get me wrong, I am serious about my racing, but it's not going to stop me from having a good time and making new friends! I think it's awesome your going to start racing! I can't wait to see some race photos.

Good luck and have great time! Don't take any crap from any of them turds...wait, that sounded funny. haha

Women should be barefoot and pregnant cooking dinner in the kitchen. They also should be seen as 'objects' and have no business on an MX track.









You're probably doing this now-------------->






















Kick ass and stop trying to please everybody. I raced with Dawn and she got alot of respect from the other riders. We were a tight nit group and looked out for everybody on and off the track. Hopefully you don't have to deal any azzhats out there.

If you beat any of them they will have no choice but to respect you. So chances are they will respect you as a rider...

ride in a bikini, no one will want to get infront of you, you will win every race!!!

i agree, id even ride double with yah haha

whoa!!!!!!!!

if you do that let me know so i can make the trip and enter that race! we'll all battle for second! haha

Haha.. you guys are great. I really appreciate the words of encouragement. I'm incredibly nervous and the anxiety is killing me. I already feel like I'm gonna get an ulcer from worrying so much. I used to do some sand TT races at our atv jamboree for fun, and even that was stressful due to the excitement.

I plan to make a lot of friends out there and maybe since I will be racing, it will bring other female riders in as well. I know I have the heart to do this and I really look forward to all the things I'm going to learn. The racing here doesn't seem to be very hardcore as it does down south. The most popular type of riding here is drag racing. Although, going fast in a strait line is fun, it gets very boring after a few runs. Plus... people automatically assume that if you're a great drag racer, then you're an awesome rider, and that isn't always the case.

I'm going to be racing with very little money put into my bike so this is going to be a HUGE challenge in my riding ability. I'm just glad that all the time I have spent working out, is going to pay off towards something.

Once things get under-way, I'll be sure to post up some pictures. Dunno about bikini pictures though. I guess anything is possible.

Thank you again for the words guys.

i was nervous as HECK thinking about lining up and watching/waiting for the gate drop on my first race

but really... watching it go down was NOTHING! the worst part was worrying about it so much.

because when it actually dropped it was ON! and you just race.

ill keep my fingers crossed for the bikini

well good luck mary, and like i and others have said, get the "first female" part out of your head, if you worry to much about what people think or how the guys will treat you, your not concentrating on the RACE! worry about all that other crap after a few races.

Maybe I can help you a bit....here's some pointers for you - from someone who has raced with the guys for many years!

Stop thinking about the fact that you are a chick on the track. You are a racer - you have as much of a right to be out there as anyone. Don't flaunt your chickness, don't rub it in if you beat some guys (some guys can take it, but most don't want to hear it.....), and don't let the fact that you are the only girl affect your confidence. EVERYONE starts somewhere......you are a PERSON, racing a quad.

I was welcomed at my local tracks by the guys I raced with for a few reasons, I think. I held my lines. I understood and practiced good track etiquette. I was repectful of my fellow racers. I congratulated anyone on a good race when we had some good battles on the track. I worked on my own quads. I was never helpless or a burden to anyone. Basically.....I was/am one of the guys on the track - and in the pits.

Will you have those guys that will pin the throttle, redline their quads and race like a madman past you once you pass them, only to be way above their heads and crash themselves out right in front of you because they can't stand the thought of being beat by a girl? Maybe once in a while.......but if that' a problem, don't wear pink and tuck your hair up in your helmet. Then they won't know till it's over. :) I made it a point for many years to NOT wear girl gear.

Rubbin's racing.....be prepared....most racers don't really want to wreck themselves or anyone else...it hurts. But a little contact it just the norm....some guys will try to be extra careful, and some just won't care. I always liked it when they didn't care.....meant I was just one of the guys. :)

Hope that helps a little. Try not to stress so much - if you are this worried already, you are going to be a mess on the starting gate!

That's the same thing I told her when she asked me.

But I have confidence in Mary. From what I've talked to her, she seems to handle pressure very well, she's confident, she thinks positive, she has high expectations for herself, and she seems to want to be good at whatever she does. Plus, she fits in here like one of the guys (except for the attention she brings to a post ) so why not at the race track too?

I race in michigan and there are a couple of women that race here. One i race against.

The one i race against was fast as hell, she would spank me. All the other guys in the class are cool with her racing and beating most of us.

Anyways just relax and have fun.

I don't know whether I would mind either.

this is nothing you should care or worry about.

when you're on the track, nobody should treat you any different or more special than anyone else. take the whole "being a girl" out of the entire equation if you wanna race with the boys and be their equal. there is nothing worse than someone considering themselves as different from everyone else in competition, either in a good way or a bad way. just concentrate on having fun and stop all the worrying.