newspaper story on atv racing

[sunreporter]

Hello,
I'm a reporter for the Gainesville Sun writing about Gatorback Cycle Park and ATV racing. After two recent deaths there, Alachua County commissioners are looking into putting restrictions on the track. I'd like to hear from ATV riders from the Gainesville area or others who have raced at Gatorback. Please e-mail me at crabben@gvillesun.com with a contact number.

Thanks,
Nate Crabbe

[Da_Mtg_Man]

Welcome to the site.
I have a funny feeling that we are either going to make you famous nationwide or else get you killed by the tree huggers....lol.....
I hope you have alot of room in your inbox because it may fill up quick. Please keep checking in here too.

[MOTOCROSS MAVERICK]

i think that is a load of crap!!!! they restrict our riding ares enough as it is now they want to restrict the tracks!! that is if we have any left! people die every day due to car accidents and they are not putting any ristrictions on where we can drive!

[americanhighlander]

Thats Sucks    No  more gatorback to go back to!!
(If this happens) 

Well have anybody on here try contact all big
supporters out there for gatorback mx track? 

[americanhighlander]

  Btw i just got off from phone while ago
from my friend in (Lake city)
He told me use to ride at gatorback long time ago,
and he said: They shouldn't pass restrictions on the track
to have all riders have right to ride there.He thinks the odds
won't happen there.

Plus what he told me,accidents crashes happen
all time everywhere in florida.

But if they have all their safely gear on and
i can  see if they had high Hq chestprotecters on riders there. 

I understand where everybody coming from on this iuess
on here! 

Ps:We know who our real atv friends are out there and,
onies don't like us.We know onies we can trust, and  onies we don't! 

[dreth]

they did not say they were closing the tracks down! they are thinking more like you must ride a quad that meets your age requirements or you must be 18 to race or you must wear certain gear...........etc. etc. .

the problem is not the track or the rules! the problem is the word RACE, everyone out there wants to win and some will push the limits to do that even when its not safe!  for example..........the wreck that took place on the little step up, the kid went for the jump when the guy in front of him did not and they made contact which resulted in a bad crash and the guy being ambulanced out! Its the nature of the beast! It is always going to be that way and all the riders know the risks involved so what is the big deal? If you choose to go sky diving you know the chute might not open but you jump anyway so basically you said to yourself that if I die doing this it was my choice to do.

Griffen chose to race and he new the risks, an accident took place and he died.

the paramedic that chose to ride without a helmet , was an idiot. and she died.

2 different situations so why are they classifying them that way?

[A.T.steVe_k]

hey dreth i agree. whats up dude sorry i missed you guy's last weekend . any north florida riders or anybody for that mater e-mail your opinion to crabben@gvillesun.com i did  just sent my rant on the situation .

[americanhighlander]

they did not say they were closing the tracks down! they are thinking more like you must ride a quad that meets your age requirements or you must be 18 to race or you must wear certain gear...........etc. etc. .

the problem is not the track or the rules! the problem is the word RACE, everyone out there wants to win and some will push the limits to do that even when its not safe!  for example..........the wreck that took place on the little step up, the kid went for the jump when the guy in front of him did not and they made contact which resulted in a bad crash and the guy being ambulanced out! Its the nature of the beast! It is always going to be that way and all the riders know the risks involved so what is the big deal? If you choose to go sky diving you know the chute might not open but you jump anyway so basically you said to yourself that if I die doing this it was my choice to do.

Griffen chose to race and he new the risks, an accident took place and he died.

the paramedic that chose to ride without a helmet , was an idiot. and she died.

2 different situations so why are they classifying them that way?

Thanks' for telling me That!!! 

I agree, With You
about iuess what your saying on here.

[trx#9]

One of the problems is that these tracks were made for dirt bikes and dirt bikes are skinny compared to quads. To pass someone at a track like gainesville you have to take a chance because there's only one line. If the track was wide enough the boy that got landed on would be here today most likely. If these tracks want to accomodate quads you have to give us the proper width and different lines to race more safely.

[svtbolt04]

Gatorback was wide enough to pass if you ask me... Well, you could actually ask johnny gallager SR. when I passed him....

[qt314nfla]

I am in complete agreement with Dreth and second Moto's opinion on cars.

Most of us have a sport of some kind.  Whether it be fishing, hunting, atv's, crochetting, horseback riding.  They all have different risks.  We know the risks before we do our hobbies yet we still do them.

We all take risks everytime we get behind the wheel and drive.  If we continued regulating auto rules until there were no accidents or deaths we would be riding bicycles every where.  Why?  Because there is no way to regulate it to this point w/o slowing down traffic to the point where a bike would pass.  And even then there would be accidents just ppl wouldn't die.

When you get on a track there are waivers to sign.  That's one form of regulating so that you know the risks.  You not only have to pay for your quad but you have to pay for the track.  Another regulation.  Helmets and safety gear must be worn on all tracks I know of if you are racing.  These are all regulations yet there are still and will always be accidents.

Look at car racing.  There are deaths all the time.  Yet in order to keep it a sport you can't regulate it until there is no speed, or no competition.

Good luck w/ your article.  All I ask is that you are fair and don't attempt to portray our hobby and sport in a bad light.  We already have enough of that from outside sources that can't either understand what we do and why we are so into it.  Or they just can't understand that they should heed their mothers lessons and don't say anything if you have nothing nice to say.  I don't go running around bashing the nature walkers that non-stop are negative about us.

[Chuck_Norris]

well lets see NASCAR put restrictor plates on the cars in an attempt to slow them down.
how about the high diver that hits his head on the platform, or the Jockey that falls off his horse. lets not forget the Baseball the goes foul and hits a fan. They are accidents and it is unfortunate. Racing and competition has it risks, every sport has its risks quite truthfully. The thing that makes things worse is the negative spot light that the ATV rider have already by a select few who refuse to wear the correct gear or consume alcohol and try to maintain correct operating ability or just flat ride irresposibly. It is the select Few that makes the rest look bad.   Mr Grabben allow me to encourage you to address the ATV related issues and as DA-MTG-MAN said you'll either catch alot of flack or become our best friend. Look into where the TAX money goes when we purchase or machines and how that money is spent. certain is not benefitiing the riders.
***just me ranting***

[svtbolt04]

Lets not forget about how us racers that travel actually support people who run hotel's, small mom and pop diners and what not.

If you put restrictions on racing, you might as well give us hover ' rounds.

[rideracelive87]

i dont live in florida but i was at the national and racing in the class that zak griffin died racing in. I honestly will never go to that track again. It was the 1st and last time I will be going there, sure you can crash at any track at anytime on a atv and racing it pushes the chance of crashing but normaly when you crash your alright, I flipped head first at georgia racing nationals in 4th gear into SAND, and I was fine, you try doing that at florida on that hard packed track I would have broken my neck no dout. Gatorback is a very dangourous track its so hard it should be ran as a supermoto track, wayyyy to many people got hurt at gatorback at the national this year. The track layout is cool and all but when you flip at 50 mph on that hardpack track, your gonna get messed up. The part of the track zak died on was as hard as a street road. It didnt help a quad also landed on him, but he might have had a chance if the ground wasnt so hard. I dont think there should be restrictions on that track, but they should either change the dirt and put mulch or something on it or be shut down before anyone else gets hurt there. Just my opinion.

[novadave]

If you choose to go sky diving you know the chute might not open but you jump anyway so basically you said to yourself that if I die doing this it was my choice to do. THis is so true.

[rideracelive87]

i wanna hit on this again before someone reposts.

i wanna comment on dreth.

"the problem is not the track or the rules! the problem is the word RACE, everyone out there wants to win and some will push the limits to do that even when its not safe!  for example..........the wreck that took place on the little step up, the kid went for the jump when the guy in front of him did not and they made contact which resulted in a bad crash and the guy being ambulanced out! Its the nature of the beast"

you obviously no little of what happend and i dont want to get into it. but my best friend is the one that hit him. zak stopped right at the lip becuase something got messed up with his bike, he hit the jump everyother lap and my friend followed him right over it. my friend would never do anything to hurt another person just for a better possison and same goes for a lot of people out there, you act like he just jump on to him becuase he went for the jump and he was trying to pass him. thats not at all what happend. and he deid instantly. there was nothing either of them could have done before they knew what the result of their crash could have been. zak griffin died doing something he loved to do. he knew all the risks of racing and so does everyone else. but theres a big diffrence between falling off you bike and braking your leg hurt over actually dieing. after racing for 4 years, ive never been at the track were a death took place. and this will change me forever. if people actually thought theres a good chance of dieing why would they do it. there is not a huge chance of you dieing racing a quad. I crashed at georgia the weekend after 4th gear flat out right on my head, but becuase of georgia's track being sand, I can walk. If I flipped on my face at gatorback in 4th gear, no dout i would have broken my neck becuase of how hard the impact would have been on that track. I saw people being medivacted out of gatorback every five minutes and at georgia the SAND TRACK.  I saw and only hurt of one kid going to the hositptal and he crashed with me and came back to get 5th in the main. that track should be made of something else and is to dangrous. sure theres a good chance of getting hurt on a mx track, but that track multiplys the chance of getting seriously hurt by 2. Donny hit the ground so hard, it paralized him for 10 mintues. and i want everyone on here to think about if it was your kid on here everyone was talking about that died at gatorback. would you think its right for peoples kids to be riding on that track as well risking being plowed into that road hard dirt they call a motocross track, I honestly think that he might have had a chance at living if it was a sand track, and its not like theres not enought sand in florida to change that track into sand.  I would donate money to the cause of gatorback being shut down or changing to a sand track.
and you people act like it was his choice to die. like he knew it was likley and could easly happen. and i bet if that lady that died there a few weeks ago would have rolled her quad onto her in the sand were your body can actually move instaed of hitting a rock hard surface she would have lived.

GATORBACK SUCKS

[needforspeed]

The old saying is there is three sides to every story. Your side, my side, and the truth.

No matter what sport we do in life, there is always a risk. I get up in the morning ride my bike to work, there is that risk I will not survive. No matter how careful I am, someone is always out to get me. The only reason why I survived this long, is I have kept my wits about me, and always looking for a place to get off if I have to.

Donny I believe (that's who hit the kid) he has to live with this the rest of his life. That is going to be tough, especially if they were friends. They both knew the risks when they went out there, they both should of known there might be that change that they wouldn't survive.

Something like this, makes you stop and think. Maybe the question should be not making the track safe, but what could I have done to prevent this, from the stand point of the me and the ATV. It is easier to put the blame on the track, but how about some of the blame on riding the ATV, why did that happen, and how can I prevent it next time.

If this keeps happening all the areas will be closed.

[Quad32x]

I  have  been  told  a  story  will  be  in  sundays  Gainesville Sun.  Pick  one  up  and  lets  see  how  it  turns  out.  Was  told  it  will  show  both  views  and  would  be  fair.  I  sure  hope  so.

[LE450-RACER#77]

The old saying is there is three sides to every story. Your side, my side, and the truth.

No matter what sport we do in life, there is always a risk. I get up in the morning ride my bike to work, there is that risk I will not survive. No matter how careful I am, someone is always out to get me. The only reason why I survived this long, is I have kept my wits about me, and always looking for a place to get off if I have to.

Donny I believe (that's who hit the kid) he has to live with this the rest of his life. That is going to be tough, especially if they were friends. They both knew the risks when they went out there, they both should of known there might be that change that they wouldn't survive.

Something like this, makes you stop and think. Maybe the question should be not making the track safe, but what could I have done to prevent this, from the stand point of the me and the ATV. It is easier to put the blame on the track, but how about some of the blame on riding the ATV, why did that happen, and how can I prevent it next time.

If this keeps happening all the areas will be closed.

I will say that I saw the crash & there was nothing the kid could do from hitting Zak's quad so don't try & put the blame on him. This was a freak accident that noone had any control over. Maybe it was just a wake up call to everyone because if you think about it WHEN ITS YOUR TIME TO GO YOUR GONE WITHOUT ANY CONTROL.

THOUGHTS OF ZAK WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEAD !!!!!!!! I didn't know him but seeing that just makes you think.

[arod]

i was there, raced ,saw the crash and went home,sad. the loss of human life is irreplaceable, my thoughts and prayers to their family(i even cried while sitting in the stands, i have children too) when i got there to gatorback the first thing i did was walk the whole track. i had never been on that track. and the first thought i had was wow this is a hard pack track a wreck here WILL hurt. at that point and moment  I made MY desicion to race, and signed up. everyone has had and will have the same opportunity BEFORE you race. excersize your judgement BEFOREHAND. should they close down gatorback?  i don't think that would be fair to the owners and the rest of the atv/dirtbike community. gatorback is also one of the few facilities/racetracks that run qualifiers to major race venues. when DALE died at DAYTONA, they did not close it down. instead they found ways to make the drivers safer.  yet to every fan that goes to DAYTONA knows someone lost their life there.  maybe gatorback officals will take into consideration a softer suface eventhough gatorback is made out of a rock pit. as with me, everytime i go back to gatorback from now on i will always remember ZAK GRIFFIN.

[americanhighlander]

  I think, somebody should
call gainesville sun editor the ones
put storyies topics in newpaper and tell
 them about your point of view about track
should change to soft white sand track
and tell them why gatorback shouldn't be shut down track? 

[needforspeed]

Seeing that will make you think, but in time the wounds will heal. Everyday I go out on the road on my road bike, If I see a motorcycle accident, the hairs go up on my arms. It scares the daylights out of me. That scene sticks in my head for several days. As a matter of caution, I don't ride for 3 or 4 days.

The old saying is there is three sides to every story. Your side, my side, and the truth.

No matter what sport we do in life, there is always a risk. I get up in the morning ride my bike to work, there is that risk I will not survive. No matter how careful I am, someone is always out to get me. The only reason why I survived this long, is I have kept my wits about me, and always looking for a place to get off if I have to.

Donny I believe (that's who hit the kid) he has to live with this the rest of his life. That is going to be tough, especially if they were friends. They both knew the risks when they went out there, they both should of known there might be that change that they wouldn't survive.

Something like this, makes you stop and think. Maybe the question should be not making the track safe, but what could I have done to prevent this, from the stand point of the me and the ATV. It is easier to put the blame on the track, but how about some of the blame on riding the ATV, why did that happen, and how can I prevent it next time.

If this keeps happening all the areas will be closed.

I will say that I saw the crash & there was nothing the kid could do from hitting Zak's quad so don't try & put the blame on him. This was a freak accident that noone had any control over. Maybe it was just a wake up call to everyone because if you think about it WHEN ITS YOUR TIME TO GO YOUR GONE WITHOUT ANY CONTROL.

THOUGHTS OF ZAK WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEAD !!!!!!!! I didn't know him but seeing that just makes you think.

[450R_Matt]

i wanna hit on this again before someone reposts.

i wanna comment on dreth.

"the problem is not the track or the rules! the problem is the word RACE, everyone out there wants to win and some will push the limits to do that even when its not safe!  for example..........the wreck that took place on the little step up, the kid went for the jump when the guy in front of him did not and they made contact which resulted in a bad crash and the guy being ambulanced out! Its the nature of the beast"

you obviously no little of what happend and i dont want to get into it. but my best friend is the one that hit him. zak stopped right at the lip becuase something got messed up with his bike, he hit the jump everyother lap and my friend followed him right over it. my friend would never do anything to hurt another person just for a better possison and same goes for a lot of people out there, you act like he just jump on to him becuase he went for the jump and he was trying to pass him. thats not at all what happend. and he deid instantly. there was nothing either of them could have done before they knew what the result of their crash could have been. zak griffin died doing something he loved to do. he knew all the risks of racing and so does everyone else. but theres a big diffrence between falling off you bike and braking your leg hurt over actually dieing. after racing for 4 years, ive never been at the track were a death took place. and this will change me forever. if people actually thought theres a good chance of dieing why would they do it. there is not a huge chance of you dieing racing a quad. I crashed at georgia the weekend after 4th gear flat out right on my head, but becuase of georgia's track being sand, I can walk. If I flipped on my face at gatorback in 4th gear, no dout i would have broken my neck becuase of how hard the impact would have been on that track. I saw people being medivacted out of gatorback every five minutes and at georgia the SAND TRACK.  I saw and only hurt of one kid going to the hositptal and he crashed with me and came back to get 5th in the main. that track should be made of something else and is to dangrous. sure theres a good chance of getting hurt on a mx track, but that track multiplys the chance of getting seriously hurt by 2. Donny hit the ground so hard, it paralized him for 10 mintues. and i want everyone on here to think about if it was your kid on here everyone was talking about that died at gatorback. would you think its right for peoples kids to be riding on that track as well risking being plowed into that road hard dirt they call a motocross track, I honestly think that he might have had a chance at living if it was a sand track, and its not like theres not enought sand in florida to change that track into sand.  I would donate money to the cause of gatorback being shut down or changing to a sand track.
and you people act like it was his choice to die. like he knew it was likley and could easly happen. and i bet if that lady that died there a few weeks ago would have rolled her quad onto her in the sand were your body can actually move instaed of hitting a rock hard surface she would have lived.

GATORBACK SUCKS

I think dreth was talking about another wreck on the step up. Not the one that Zak was in.
The wreck happened on the big jump coming towards the grandstands.
It wasnt the the other person landing on him... it was after he got knocked of his quad, landed on the groung and the other quad fliped in the air and landed on its front bumper right in zaks mid section after he was laying on the ground.  At least thats what i think I saw.

[Inyourdraft2000]

I couldn't just read this topic and not post. The tragedy that has taken place has an intense impact on all whether you know this person or are just a fellow rider. No one honestly wakes up each day thinking about death or what one might do to cheat death. W/ out rambling and repeating some of the other good points made I would like to point out how important it is for us as people to be right w/ God and pray each day to keep a close relationship w/ him. The fact that this person passed away at such a young age is all the more reason to see that we are not promised tomarrow. Everyone is obviously going to die and how we go is not known. But through salvation we have a promise from God that we will enter through the pearly gates and will reunite w/ those who have accepted him as their personal saviour.
I dont claim to be a preacher or any Holier then though individual but for those who right this post off please think on this last thought.
In some of the above mentioned comments it was repeated several times that we as riders know and  or should know the risk at hand before we ride/race yet we still go out and do it for the love ride itself. If we can get on our bikes and accept the risk or chance injury or death why would you not live your life or trust in Christ as a precautionary to prevent eternal life in Hell. You wear helmets to protect your head/brain and you wear chest guards to protect your chest, we wear seatbelts to increase our survival rate in the event of an accident.
Get in on the salvation plan  to protect yourselves from Hell.
Sorry if I have offended any in this post but after reading the story  about Zack it was on my heart to speak out.
RIP Zack and our prayers are w/ your family and friends..

[53yfz450]

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060326/LOCAL/203260351/1078/news