August 14, 2007

Photos

By Ken Stewart

© Copyright 2007

Not Your Ordinary Six Year Old

It's probably a sure bet that when the kids in Sam Chisham's kindergarten class were learning all about their numbers and finger painting, Sam's teacher and parents were learning that he was no ordinary five year old. Instead of T-ball he was learning how to shift gears and power out of a turn on his blue 50cc Yamaha motorcycle.

Sam was learning the sport that has been part of his family for three generations. Sam's grandfather, his dad, his uncles, his cousin and his older brother, are all Flat Track motorcycle racers. So when your part of a family like that, it is a probably sure bet that Sam would take up the sport sometime too. Just not when he was 5 years old!

After all, his older brother Dillon began racing at age 12 and now that he is almost 16, he wants to turn Pro. Sam couldn't wait until he was 12 to climb on a motorcycle. Maybe it was from watching Dillon practice on the families backyard track, near Indianapolis. Or maybe he was influenced by watching his uncle or cousin racing on tracks throughout the mid-west. What ever the reason...  Sam decided at age 4 that he too, wanted to race.

So his dad, Dave Chisham,  got Sam out-fitted in the very best safety equipment, a professional helmet, a leather riding suit, shin, knee, elbow and shoulder guards, chest and back plates, gloves and boots, and then, with his mom's OK, turned him loose on the backyard practice track. 

Soon after the practice sessions, and a few spills, bumps and bruises, Sam was in a real race. He finished last in his first 50cc beginner race, but that did not discourage him. He entered his second race and then his third, and kept getting better and better. By the time he had 30 or so races to his credit Sam finished second in his class at the 2007 AMA Black Cat Gold Dirt Track Grand Championships, held July 1-7, at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois.

When we caught up to Sam he was waiting his turn to get on the track for his first practice lap at The Lawrenceburg Motorcycle Speedway in the Dearborn Count Fairgrounds.

As Sam was waiting, with his motor idling, his dad was there giving him encouragement and tips on how to power through the turns.

After taking his practice laps, Sam would go and rest up in the back of their camper truck for when he would compete in both the 50cc Beginner and the 50cc Junior races later in the evening.

As it turned out, Sam didn't win either race but he never gave up. And since he is still a boy of six he had his favorite toy with him in every race to help him out.

With Curious George strapped to his back, and a family history of winners, Sam will surly become a star rider in a very short while... Unless he decides he likes pee-wee football or baseball more. But somehow I doubt it...

Ken Stewart