How I got started
It was 1989 and I was 19 years old. I owned an old 1982 CR250 and rode some trails behind my neighborhood. I knew of motocross but nothing more. I had never even seen a motocross track! I met a kid (Jason Jones) who did race motocross and I decided to go with him one weekend and race myself. He dug through his garage and found some numbers, but he only had three of the same #, and it happened to be the number 1. So, #1 I was and I had no idea what I was getting into. I was like a fish out of water and probably the laughing stock of everyone there with my #1 proudly displayed on my out dated machine. I left the track shortly after arriving with a broken colar bone, but I got a taste of motocross and I loved it! 6 months later I was back on the starting line with a more appropriate 1988 CR125: 20 years old and racing 125 beginner.
After a couple races and mid pack finishes, I attended a Steve Wise motocross school. After a weekend with Steve Wise, I applied what I learned and came home with a 1st place trophy the very next weekend. I moved up to 125 Novice and was racing almost every weekend in the Dallas area (3 hours away). I made it a point to race all the big races including GNC Texas Series, GNC Good Time Naitonal, AMA Regional, and other series races. I continued to race for 3 years and then "retired", sold the bike and focused on starting a family in 1993.
In 2001 I bought a CR 125 and started riding again and in 2002 got back into racing after 8 years of being off a bike. With little to no motocross activity in Corpus Christi area, I travel 4 hours one way to practice at tracks in Houston. My friends at the track call me "MadMan McCann" because of my determination and dedication to motocross and willingness to travel and compete. Driving 8 hours for 4 hours of riding practice is a normal routine for me, not to mention the distance I will drive to race (driving 22 hours one way for the RacerX Series).
In September of 2004 I moved to Louisiana (New Orleans area) and continue to live up to my name MadMan. I appreciate having tracks that are within a 2 hour drive, but I still drive the distance to ride / race at the tracks that will best prepare me to achieve my goals.
Goals for the Future
My goal for 2009 is to race local series, compete in some larger events, with an overall focus on qualifying and competing at the 2009 Loretta Lynn's Championship. The 2007 season ended early with injuries and 2008 got off to a very late start due to loss of employment. I have relocated to South Dakota with a solid job, and am finally back on the track and competing again with high expectations for 2009!