Should BITD Have Let Max Gordon (8yr Old) Race??

JoeyD23

#utvunderground
Jan 9, 2009
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Well, I have been getting blown up since last weekend about this subject. Initially, its a feel good story. I mean, with the recent events involving the Gordon family you can't help but just want to say "hey, let the kid race with his dad and let the both of them just not think about the tragedy while doing something they love" and I still feel that way. I am a father, seeing my kids participate in racing always puts a huge smile on my face and you could tell that RG was having the time of his life while his extremely talented son wheeled that Arctic Cat Wildcat like a seasoned pro. But you do have to look at the big picture here.

Again, I am not shaming RG for making this happen for his son, I think any of us can see the pics and video and recognize that this is no ordinary 8 year old. I mean, he beat half the UTV field. But, he is only 8 and up until this point I had been under the impression that drivers in a BITD race had to be at least 16 or licensed to drive? I could be wrong so maybe someone can correct me. Only other exception has been the UTV World Championship production and youth races.

But a friend brought up a good point. What if, and thank God it didn't and hope it NEVER does, but lets say what if they would have crashed and Max got hurt? What would the ramifications have been for our sport? Its a fair question to ask if this was the smartest decision by BITD to allow this to happen. I get it, it was a UTV only race, but like others mentioned there were a few slow or wounded UTVs still on course when the 6100s were let loose in the following race. But I can see that side that you got one of the most experienced racers of all-time riding shotgun, with his son who clearly can drive and you know RG would not want his kid to be in danger so he must have had total confidence and nothing did happen but what about next time?

So as we debate and discuss this I want to ask a couple of questions and get everyones take for the sake of conversation.

1. Do you think BITD made a smart decision?
2. Do you feel safe passing or being passed by a 8 year old?
3. Does this mean that now we can have youth entering into our class and how do you feel about that?
4. If this was a one time thing does the exception made for RG (who technically was suspended for the year from BITD) bother you?
5. What do you think would have happened had something gone wrong and how do you think it would affect the sport?


To conclude, I do not think it was a smart decision, BUT I do think it was totally cool that they did that as I saw it as such a great healing event for a heartbroken family. I would never feel safe passing someone else's kid at race speed or having someone else's kid pass me at race speed. It would bother me immensely if I was involved in wrecking the young man and he was hurt, and if he wrecked it would bring a lot of heat back onto the promotor. I would imagine this was another one of those "one time" special exceptions made by Casey and maybe Cory. I think if he wrecked, it would reflect in a negative way upon our sport. It would show bad judgement and further the argument that off-road racers are a bunch of buffoons. In the end, I hope to one day share an experience like that with my own son.

RG 2.jpg RG 1.jpg
 

NIKAL

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2012
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Hell Yes he should have been able to race! BITD requires all minors have a parental consent form filled out and signed by the parents. Plus he was entering one of the shortest BITD races, and was co-riden by a very experienced adult racer. When Justin Lofton (now TT Driver) entered his first desert race, he was under 16, and when he entered his first BITD race he was under 16. Both races were in class 10. I was his designated co-rider and his parents asked me to ride with him because of my experience. I was the old vet on our team.

Max probably has more behind the wheel UTV experience then some of the adults did when entering their first race. Max has been driving UTV's around the Super Truck courses for awhile now. (Yes he is jumping the ramps too!) Before Robby signed up with Arctic Cat, Robby had modified a RZR for Max that he drove on the Super Trucks training courses in North Carolina.

So its not like this is a kid with some go-kart experience and his dad is living his dream through his kids. This is one of the only real professional teams in desert racing, and this is not some garage build dream. Just wait until the Parker 400 (250) when Max shows up in a real race built UTV. (Hearing the new RG Arctic Cat will be released by then and Max will be in one)

I do agree that Max or any minor should have an experienced adult racer in the car with them at all times and that should be a rule for anyone under the age of 16-18 or whatever BITD desides. I also think it was smart of Robby to have Max's first race be a short desert course like the Bluewater. I dont think BITD should allow a first time minor to be on a course where faster vehicles would also be on the course at the same time. But again how many first time, inexperienced, bucket list, want-to-be adult racers sign up for races like V2R, Mint 400, Baja 500, Baja 1000? Crap loads and yet we seem to think that is OK?

How many "More Money then Brains" guys do we see buy class 1's, Spec TT's or TT's and think they are as fast as Robby Gordon? To me that is a bigger problem then some (young kid) entering a desert race in an entry level class like UTV.


Check out the on board footage of Max driving at the Bluewater.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLbskRdBAQF/

 

sand shark

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Mar 30, 2009
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Watching that video he looks like a vet behind the wheel. When he gets a capable UTV he might be making mince meat of the UTV class by the time he is 12. Lol!

As it was a shorter race I think it was okay to let him race. Obviously he has some skills and he is not an ordinary 8 year old.


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sand shark

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Mar 30, 2009
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I would also add those that doubt the suspension set up Robby helped design for AC, should have no doubt it works.


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Sport10

Active Member
Feb 14, 2015
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Maxwell is a talent no doubt...I watched this car come by me and it was working freaking great!
 

Glamisfan

Active Member
Oct 26, 2009
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imperial valley
I thought it was weird having an 8 year old in the race. But, with what the Gordon's have been through, I think it was great that they got to do this.

Passing or being passed....with RG as his co driver, it's all good.

Youth entering. I thought that most organizations require 16 or maybe 15 for insurance reasons? If that's the case, then that's what it should stay at. I do think it would be strange to have 4-14 year olds out on the track with adults. But, like Nikal said, Max probably has more experience then some adults entering their first race.

One time exception doesn't bother me.

If something went wrong, Joey has some good points.
 

NIKAL

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May 13, 2012
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So what if we had multiple 8 year olds with "experienced" dads showing up next year?
I doubt you'll see multiple 8 year olds and their dads signing up to race. But if they did I would expect the competition to sort it out.

Don't we have this same thing now with the Trophy Karts in Short Course. Most of those kids have dads racing in ProLite, P2 or P4. Some of those Mod and 450 karts are fast!

Maybe it will be a case by case basis with the promoter deciding if they can race. Does the promoter know the family, what's their racing history? What is the child's experience in the vehicle? What class are they signing up to race? Have they been around the races and understand the sport? Who is riding with the child and their experience?
 

rockstarcustomz

RoCkStAr CuStOm MoToRsPoRtS - UTVUnderground Appro
Sep 16, 2009
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I don't mind that Max is 8, but I do mind that it was no where near being a race legal safe car. Stock bolt on cage, opening doors and so forth. Put him in a legal car. Make it safe, not just for him, but for the rest of us if we hit him or vice versa.
 

bdk

New Member
Jul 28, 2016
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I don't necessarily think a person should have to be 16 but there probably should be an age limit. 12 seems reasonable but I can't justify my thoughts on that. Maybe they could implement an experience rule for racers under 16. Something like 2 years experience in short course and also have a 5 year minimum experience level for the co-driver. There are a handful of kids that that can legitimately handle a race like this and should be allowed to race but they're going to have to set some basic rules to keep everyone as safe as possible.
 

NIKAL

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May 13, 2012
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I don't mind that Max is 8, but I do mind that it was no where near being a race legal safe car. Stock bolt on cage, opening doors and so forth. Put him in a legal car. Make it safe, not just for him, but for the rest of us if we hit him or vice versa.
This I agree with. The cars should be race legal. The Arctic Cat that Max raced is one of the cars used to race in the Super Trucks series. So it does have some safety features add, like welded in door bars behind the opening doors. The window nets are attached to the doors, so without the door opening you could not get in. (IMO some of the other UTV's racing with their hinged window nets should not be legal too! They only have one locking mechanism and if it fails the whole net and frame come off.)

I agree the cage should be a welded in part, but again we know Cory with BITD has allowed this in the past as a one time deal. I'm assuming this to be the case as I don't believe Max will be racing BITD again until maybe Parker from what Robby was saying.

For me the safety of any vehicle is more of an issue then the age or experience of the occupants. It's the failure of a safety component that will hurt the series more then driver experience.

Again IMO and from what I've seen, if all the UTV's went through the actual BITD tech and if the safety rules were to be followed to the same letter as the other classes, many UTV's would not be passing tech.
 

CodyNygren

#1916 Lone Star Racing
Apr 25, 2013
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Farmington, NM
I say let him race. As a parent I would not put my daughter in a situation where I didn't feel she would be safe or she couldn't handle the situation. I dont agree with them allowing him to race in that car, like Lacrecia said, put him in a legal car and let him rip. BITD should have also let us know in the drivers meeting and should if this happens again, so that we are aware as well. But I have no problem racing with Max or any other talented young, old, hairy, ugly, driver. If you have what it takes and the proper car come race and follow those dreams.

Do I see this to be a growing trend that we will see more kids stepping up and racing the same class not likely but if it is I welcome them.

I like seeing kids have the opportunity to race and follow in their parents footsteps. Its great that they get to race at the UTVUGWC race and it would be cool to see more of it but I also feel that the age limit for the youth race is to high. Once again I believe that it should be a parents consent not an age restriction. I know many of us racers and supporters have kids and already have them driving their own 170s since the age of 4, so if we feel that they have the experience and can race safely then I say let them race don't restrict them cause of their age. Especially when they are in a youth race of their own.
 
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Markflexes

Tear It Up 2011 RZR XP
Feb 28, 2012
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I say no way Joey. Firstly, I get the feel good part of the story. It is really cool. But getting out there and racing in the desert is no joke. God forbid if something happened to him could you imagine the media hey day over it? It could garner all kinds of negative attention to the sport we all love. If I were king I would make a rule that no one under 16 could get on the track. I am not even sure how Casey could get his insurance company to cover it?

In my business I have dealt with minors and things happening to them. I will tell you all the liberal lawyers have no mercy in these situations. Disclaimers and releases mean nothing. With that said, obviously the kid is an up and coming star and it was a real nice feel good story.
 

CSG

xc racer - UTVUnderground Approved
Jul 13, 2009
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My son started riding co-drive in XC races at 9. My only real concern is to the other drivers. When you know the other guy is 8 you are not going to get aggressive at all with a pass, etc. Is it fair to put the other competitors in that spot? Not sure myself how I feel about it.
 

the stripping shop

RACER - UTVUnderground Approved
Jan 29, 2009
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SGE3: The entry applications of persons under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign the release form. All entrants under 18 years of age must have entry form notarized.
SGPT3: No person(s) under suspension by Best In The Desert Racing Association will be permitted to participate or be permitted to enter the pits or race area.
The good no rule about age, I am pretty sure there are some quad kids out there too. The bad rules are bent.
 

CrawlerJamie

Active Member
May 21, 2016
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With proper safety equipment, and an experienced desert racer in the car - I think it's ok
 
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