My passion for racing started while riding dirt bikes in the woods around my house with friends after school and on weekends. One of the friends I regularly rode with competed in the J Day Off Road series. I’d ride with him while he trained and was able to keep up with him in the woods — he told me I could hold my own on the track and gave me the confidence to enter my first race.

Years later, I met Chris Meehan while buying parts at my local dealership. We started talking about the Red Bull trophies sitting on his desk, and one conversation led to another. Eventually he convinced me to give SXS racing a shot — and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Some of the toughest moments happen before we ever reach the starting line. There have been plenty of late nights spent wrenching in the garage, trying to get the car repaired, prepared, and loaded into the trailer in time to race the next day. Sometimes we arrive at the track late and still have work left before making it to the starting gate the following morning.

Those moments can be exhausting, but pushing through them makes finally getting onto the track that much more rewarding.

It starts early — usually around 6:30 a.m., when we head to the registration booth to get signed up. Then it’s back to the trailer to look over the car: tire pressures, fuel, fluid levels, and every corner of the machine checked for loose bolts or problems.

Around 9:00 a.m. we head out for the sight lap to see how the track was groomed and figure out which lines will work best. The first moto begins shortly after, so anything we spot on the sight lap needs to be handled quickly.

After Moto 1 there’s usually a two-to-three-hour break before the final. We inspect the car again, refuel, adjust tire pressures, and make suspension changes based on how the track is evolving. Then it’s Moto 2 — and when everything goes to plan, we finish the day on the podium.

I connected with Damion before Ramp It Off-Road had fully become what it is today — back when it was still an idea being built by someone who genuinely loved the sport, and Northeast Trail Junkies was growing into a major community for off-road riders across New England.

We first met in Shin Pond, Maine, after Damion posted in Northeast Trail Junkies looking for people to ride with that weekend. My wife and I happened to be trail riding and staying at the same campground. We met up, clicked immediately, and have taken trips together ever since — from the Northwoods of Maine to West Virginia and Kentucky.

Ramp It Off-Road has helped me find the right clutching and tuning combinations to get my car properly dialed in. My job means long days, and sometimes I don’t have the time during the week to prep the car myself. When that happens, I bring it to Damion and know he’ll make it right — no questions asked.

His work keeps me on the track longer and prevents avoidable breakdowns, so I can focus on what’s happening behind the wheel instead of worrying about whether the car will let me down.

I’d highly recommend Damion and Ramp It Off-Road to anyone looking to have work done on their machine. His experience, attention to detail, and knowledge of parts have made a major difference for me. I’ve recommended him to other racers at the track, which has led to Ramp It Off-Road keeping several other race machines running throughout the season.