This year being the 21st year running of Day in the Dirt, some would say it has reached maturity. That is has reached a level of mastery in its ability to hold a successful event. Maybe even grown complacent and stale, repetitive? Nope, that is not the case here. This is as much a successful and established event now as it is brash and full of youthful enthusiasm as a teenage boy getting his first brand new motorcycle on Christmas morning. It’s the end of the year, the end of racing seasons. Spirits are high and full of holiday cheer. There are people from all walks of life at Day in the Dirt. If there is one event a year that people are going to race it would be this one. Racers, Stuntmen, movie producers, pro surfers and skaters, lawyers, doctors, surfboard shapers, carpenters, and everything in between. People are here for fun, to celebrate all things motorcycles and all the wonderful things that go with it.
For this years Deus crew, it was our first DITD, late to the party, yes, but better late than never. We had three generations of friends and racers amongst us. Kelana, the grom of the trip at age 11, Forrest, Micah, Todd, Madchook and Carlin making up the middle and Todd Cram Sr. and “Grandpa Tippy” Brandon Tipton holding it down for the 35+ crew as well as a slew of others. The racing was fierce with stacked full of legends of the sport as well as legends of the night time camp site shenanigans from the night before. Some more hungover than others.
It’s not all about winning, but it sure ain’t about losing! We all gave it our best and were able to take home some hardware. The Deus A team taking home a win in the Bossa Nova team race, Kelana taking home The 65cc GP class, Forrest a pair of 3rd places in the 2 stroke and Pro/Am GP classes, Micah becoming the XR100 world Champ, Madchook and Carlin Dunne on the Podium in their respective classes and Todd taking the win in the vintage class aboard his ’78 YZ250.
At the end of each day everyone hangs around the campfire trading race stories and bragging rights against buddies. Trash talking about the next days race and who would win what. Those are the moments we all live for, celebrating motorcycles and the people in it. Having fun and enjoying it all. Just another Day in the Dirt.
Special thanks to Motocutz for teaming up with us and supplying all of our riders with Deus graphics.
And of course a huge thanks to Fast House and Redbull for putting on a such a great event.
Images by Monti Smith
Text by Forrest Minchinton
