Ben Brown

Ben Brown
Age
21 Years Old
Location
Weston, NS
Main Sport
ATV > Motocross

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Unadilla 2009

Me waiting to line up at Redbud

Not Letting my Disability Hold Me Back

Some Personal Information About Me:

I’m 21 years old and I am a T-5 paraplegic which was a result of a bad crash in august 2006. I love to ride, and race atvs that’s all I pretty much think about. I have Yamaha YFZ 450 that is fully adapted for me to ride. I ride 2-3/3-5 times a week for about an hour and a half to 2 hours each time on my practice track mostly. I also play wheelchair basketball and race wheelchairs. I work out at the gym lifting weights twice week. I also moderate a local motocross site. I am a gradute of the Therapeutic Recreation Course at the Nova Sctoia Communtiy College and currently looking for work. I'm the first paraplegic to race motocross in Canada, so I will be opening new doors for myself and other people with physical disabilities. I attend quite a few races to cheer on my friends have plenty of sponsor stickers on my chair. I will be racing at Loch Lomand Motocross series and at county fairs when I am not racing AMA's in the 2009 season. I am very motivated and willing to put in the extra effort when I ride and race. I keep my quad very maintained and clean and have plenty of sponsor stickers on my quad, truck, tool box and wheelchair.

Why do you compete?

The rush I get when the gate drops when I hit a big jump, nothing sounds like a high revving motor. Its the most fun thing to do.

How's Life Treating You?

Pretty good actully I can't complain

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I am attending Nova Scotia Community College Truro Campus taking Theraputic Recreation to become an adapted sports director

Why do you like this sport?

Well Its hard to explain to me nothings like going out on a track and just going fast and hitting big jumps all the things that bug me seem to go away for the amount of time I am on a quad. It’s my stress relief; it’s brought me a lot of friends and a lot of self confidence in myself.

What are your main goals for the 2009 season?

I am racing the Loch Lomand Motocross series and am going for 5th overall or better in the series in the ATV/Quad class. I plan on racing the Unadilla ATV NAtional and plan on qualifying for the 450C and OPen C classes

What other sports are you gonna be competeing in?

I will be playing wheelchair basketball this winter for the Halifax heat and I currently hit the gym 2-3 times a week

What is keeping you motivated to ride and race atvs after getting seriously hurt?

#1 Ricky James every time I see his video on transworldmx.com it motivates me to wanna push it. My friends,my family, the fact I have never won a race, I know I got lots of races left in me, to proove that I can still go out and do it, I want to be the 1st person from my region to race atvs thats in a wheelchair, and because atv motocross is a major part of my life and I want to be involved in it physically not just behind the scenes.

Music what pumps you up before you get on a quad?

Metallica, Motley Crue, Slayer, Pennywise, Motorhead, Motleycrue, Pantera, Megadeth,Egypt Central,Stone Sour, Damage Plan Ignite, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach,Strungout, Godsmack, AC/DC, some country,Syfin anything with a good beat or fast paced. Not a fan of techno and rap

What was the main highlight of the 2008 atv racing season for you?

Making my return to motocross at the Stuntaplooza Arenacross in SUmmerside, PEI it was very fun and all my hard work payed off. I finised 6th in the main. There were 12 riders when it 1st started but due to break downs and some people not showing up with proper safety equipment things worked out for me. I may have gotten lapped by my friends but they were pros and I was the only amatuer on the track and the only one with a disability and I all I cared about was being out there with them. 2 weeks after that I became the 1st paraplegic to race an AMA ATV national at Redbud. it was a stressful but unforgettable weekend. Thanks to Todd Macke I was able to race both 450 C and Open C classes. I finished 24th out of 27 in 450c just missing the main by 4 spots my 1st outdoor and 1st ever national! and 26th out of 31 in Open C not bad for a guy who didn't race mx for almost 2 years eh. I may of missed the mains but I got to race in the Industry class the next day against magazine test riders, pros and pro-am riders. These riders included Tim Farr, Shane Hitt, John Ragon, Hunter Miller, Cody Grant, Mitch Reynolds, Chase Cunningham and the list goes on. I stalled it 3 times off the gate for some reason but once I got going I was fine. I got lapped by Tim Farr, Shane Hit and a few others by the final lap which didn't bother me it was hot as can be out there but I can say racing against Tim Farr and Shane is something not many of my friends can ever say they did. I would like to thank Paul Turner of Factory Yamaha for hooking me up for the clutch I needed when I fried mine, Thomas Brown and his father Ken for parts, Rich Hetrick for adjusting the clutch Craig Sugs, Rick Stockton and Guy Sutton working on Todd's YFZ so I could race it. Guy Sutton and his family for letting me crash at there house while I was down, Mitchell Shelton and his family for letting me stay in thier motor home on the weekend, Jermiah Jones for letting me use his accessable shower, Amy White for letting me race at Redbud and for the accomodations she made to make my dream of racing an ATV national come true. Lastly I just liek to thank everyone whos involved with my racing program weather it be local, provincial, regional and in the US. It means alot to me.

Photo Gallery

Ability Riders of Tomorrow

Big Daddy Motorsports

Blomidon Performance Aylesford, NS

Browns Equine Center Weston, NS

Everywhere Signs New Minas, NS

Fasst Co.

FXT: Fundy Xpress Transport Aylesford, NS

ITP Tires

JB Racing

Marks Auto Body Cambridge, NS

Moto X Nutrition

Powermadd

Ready Racing

Rekluse Motorsports

Rox Speed FX

Streamline Braking

S&S Xtreme Motosport Hilden, NS

Valley Glass & Mirror Ltd. Aylesford, NS

Valley Tire Kentvile, NS

Tabor Cycle and Service Cambridge, NS

My Favorites

Favorite Car: 1969 Dodge Charger
Favorite Magazine: Dirtwheels, Quad, MXP, Racer X Canada
Favorite Movie: Carpe Diem 4, 3, &2, Fallout 1& 2, Huevos 1-4 and 7
Favorite Trick: Superman
Favorite Event: Riverglade Nationals
Favorite Rider: Glen Baker, John Natalie,Chad Weinen, Ricky James, and Doug Gust