We all know motorcycling is great family fun. When we think of family motorized recreation, we think of mom, dad and the kids out trail riding on dirtbikes and having a good time.
But there are also roadracing families.
And there were a bunch of them at the AMA Road Race Grand Championships held at Putnam Park in central Indiana Oct. 8-9.
Take little Palmer Kling of Augusta, Ga., who was racing for Scott Van Hawk’s Four Feathers Racing, and his dad, Kerry. Kerry says his wife, Michelle, and other kids, Preston and Devinne, all enjoy heading off to the track to help Palmer race.
“It’s a family affair,” he says. “I get to spend time with my kids, and they all have smiles on their faces. We do a lot of traveling and spend a lot of time together.”
Racing is great for Palmer for a lot of reasons, Kerry adds.
“You learn in winning and learn in losing,” he said.
Palmer was a winner this weekend, taking home the national No. 1 plate in the Lightweight GP class. Palmer is also a winner off the track. With Four Feathers Racing support, he takes his race bike to area schools and talks with kids about the importance of wearing motorcycle and bicycle helmets.
Meanwhile, racer Greg Kappen, who had his family and friends at Putnam Park and who earned a national No. 1 plate in the Lightweight Formula 40 class, describes the experience of racing with his wife and kids with him nonchalantly.
“Change a diaper, put a tire warmer on…,” he says.
