DAYTONA BEACH—
They are the youngest motorcycle riders at Bike Week 2011, little 5-year-old and 6-year-old boys revving up their Kawasakis and Suzukis.And they arrived with Mom, Dad and siblings, not to cruise Main Street, but to learn motorcycle racing from the man considered to be the Michael Jordan of motocross.
On Monday, champion racer Ricky Carmichael eagerly rode along with them at Daytona International Speedway, demonstrating the techniques that earned him 15 championships in motocross and supercross.
"I see these younger kids, 5 to 11, and it's so neat to see their talent," said Carmichael, the former motorcycle champion who crossed over to NASCAR a few years ago. "It's amazing how fast they can go and be so little."
Bike Week, considered the world's largest motorcycle rally, is dominated by Harley-Davidsons and baby boomers enjoying a vacation dressed in black leather, cruising and bar-hopping.
But the rally originally started as a motorcycle race, first run on the beach in 1937.
At Daytona International Speedway, the big bikes rumble outside and the Harley riders crowd the massive display tents, food stands and demo rides. Inside, the young riders test their skills on a dirt track of ramps and gullies, curves and speedy straightaways.
About 100 bikes zipped and zoomed, their higher-pitched engines buzzing like diesel-fueled bees, flinging dirt in their wake.
The students come from as far as Mexico and Alaska to participate in Ricky Carmichael University, the only such event of its kind in motocross. It's a daylong training course that features Carmichael and fellow champions Jeff Stanton, Kevin Foley and Jeff Emig.
That star power is the major draw, said Rod Yentzer of Carlisle, Pa., the father of 8-year-old racer Chase Yentzer. "It's like having football camp with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady," said Yentzer, also a former racer, as was his brother, Jeff. "For an 8-year-old to learn from Ricky Carmichael, that's just huge."
For a little boy, it's just a lot of fun, zipping around on a 50cc motorcycle and going airborne on the ramps.
"I like the whoops, and winning and being in front," said Chase Yentzer. "But you have to be strong and brave to do this."
There's no goofing around. At one of the drills, the kids had to negotiate a hairpin turn without wiping out.
Gage Pepin, 5, of Melbourne maneuvered it well. On a motorbike since he was 21/2, Gage did well during his first season on the Florida Motocross tour. But his dad, Travis Pepin, stayed nearby because the boy still has trouble pumping up the accelerator during the constant stops and starts. "He can ride it, but he can't start it," his dad said.
At another drill, the kids worked on their starts, aiming to gain every second possible from the starting gate. Julie Dellarco of Lake Mary kept a watchful eye as her 6-year-old, Colin, worked on the drills.
The Dellarcos were lucky to win free tuition for Colin, having won a Facebook contest for the $444 course (Carmichael's racing number is 4). Trying to support Colin's racing dreams is a huge commitment.
Races take place for several months of the year, with families planning their life around weekend trips in the camper, going from one venue to another. Funding the $30,000-to-$40,000-a year sport and keeping up with schoolwork is a tough juggling act for most families.
For the Dellarcos, the racing season is a summer with lots of family trips, all the siblings camping together, for Colin's love of speed.
"He's a diehard. This is just his passion," Julie Dellarco said.
llelis@tribune.com or 386-253-0964
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