Florida Trail Riders - December 2025

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Kyle Fischer | Photo by Clint Kison

DECEMBER

2025

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2025

DECEMBER

FEATURES WHO TO CONTACT

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PREZ SEZ

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CHAPLAIN’s CORNER

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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OSDR ARTICLE

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MotoPT

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TECH TIP

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ALORA RIDING TIPS

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VINTAGE EXCERPTS

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EVENT SCHEDULE

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EDITOR: KURT LUCAS ftreditor@floridatrailriders.org All content herein is copyrighted © by Florida Trail Riders, Inc. with all rights reserved, and may not be reproduced without permission. “FTR” and “Florida Trail Riders” are trademarks of Florida Trail Riders, Inc. Unauthorized use of these registered trademarks is prohibited by law.

Florida Trail Riders, Inc. P.O. Box 462 Yulee, FL 32041-0462

(352) 538-6291

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Tallaksen Family | Photo by Garren Wright

2025

DECEMBER

Area Directors & Club Info AREA #1 - Out-of-State, Panhandle Brandon St. John (912) 674-6127 ktmbrandon21@yahoo.com AREA #2 - Hamilton, Suwannee, Columbia, Baker, Union, Bradford, Nassau, Duval, Clay, Putnam, St. Johns

AREA #7 - Seminola, Osceola, Orange Will Busick (317) 507-6636 willb763@gmail.com AREA #8 - Brevard, Indian River John Happel (321) 759-1474 ftrforester@gmail.com

James Benton (904) 589-0093 bentonracing116@yahoo. com

AREA #9 - Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, DeSoto, Highlands

AREA #3 - Gilchrist, Alachua, Levy, Marion, Citrus, Sumter, Lake

Brian Dugre (941) 893-7898 brian@mycentec.com

Allen Pearce (352) 339-5644 Allen.Pearce17@gmail.com

AREA #10 - Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin

AREA #4 - Flagler, Volusia Mike McGuire (386) 871-0666 makmcguire@yahoo.com AREA #5 - Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas Dale Ellis (407) 467-1196 dellis117ktm@gmail.com AREA #6 - Hillsborough, Polk West Anderson (863) 604-1868 jetster220@gmail.com

George Pollard (772) 349-6534 ktmgeorge811b@gmail.com AREA #11 - Charlotte, Lee, Glades, Hendry, Collier Ken Redford (239) 297-7170 redford_kenny@yahoo.com AREA #12 - Palm Beach Austin McAfee (561) 337-0998 amcafee379@aol.com AREA #13 - Borward, Dade, Monroe Max Rash (954) 609-1812 maxr@rivaracing.com

Big O Trail Riders Tommy Clay (863) 532-1952 tommy_clay@yahoo. com Big Scrub Trail Riders Curtis Bell (386) 679-8201 curtbell@rocketmail. com Central Florida Trail Riders AJ Stagg ajstagg@gmail.com (407) 929-2114 Daytona Dirt Riders Joe Carrasquillo (386) 615-0722 secretary4ddr@gmail. com Greenville Enduro Riders Chris Poole (864) 617-4342 info@greenvilleenduroriders.com Nature Coast Trail Blazers Rob Swann (813) 731-5552 naturecoasttrailriders@ gmail.com Old School Dirt Riders Ben Kelly (941) 650-1473 ftr90racer@yahoo.com

Palm Beach Track & Trail Randy Rash (954) 931-5709 motodadfla19@aol.com Perry Mountain M/C Brad Belcher (205) 340-4298 perrymountainmotorcycleclub@gmail.com River City Dirt Riders James Benton (904) 589-0093 bentonracing116@yahoo.com Sarasota Area Dirt Riders Randy Faul (863) 244-3709 randt817@gmail.com Suncoast Trail Blazers Mark Scalzi (352) 601-6917 suncoastbiz1@gmail. com Sunrunners Dirt Riders West Anderson (863) 604-1868 jetster220@gmail.com Treasure Coast Trail Riders Ken Harris (772) 370-4434 khei9862@gmail.com

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RIDER REPS AA/A ENDURO Mark Mannschreck (813) 310-2067 hondamm61@aol.com B/C ENDURO Sam Boydstun (407) 467-3951 woodsracercfl@rr.com SPECIALTY A/B ENDURO Ronnie Hames (386) 547-2397 ronnie@hbdmotografx.com SPECIALTY C/WOMEN ENDURO Elesa Berard (407) 376-7115 AA/A HARE SCRAMBLE Troy Gardner (561) 329-7866 troyracing41@gmail.com B/C HARE SCRAMBLE VACANT SPECIALTY A/B HARE SCRAMBLE Paul Lucas (305) 244-7531 happytimesamuse@msn.com

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OFFICERS PRESIDENT Randy Faul (863) 244-3709 president@floridatrailriders.org VICE PRESIDENT Pete Rose (941) 270-1189 vicepresident@floridatrailriders.org SECRETARY Bill Toreki (352) 372-1135 secretary@floridatrailriders.org TREASURER Kayla Vawter (863) 381-2649 treasurer@foridatrailriders.org HARE SCRAMBLE CHAIRMAN Randy Rash (954) 931-5709 hschair@floridatrailriders.org ENDURO CHAIRMAN George Tolson (863) 698-3837 gjtolson63@gotmail.com

SPECIALTY C/WOMEN HARE SCRAMBLE Holly Langford (954) 504-2659 hollylangford10@gmail.com

HARE SCRAMBLE REFEREE Jeff Hazeltine 941-468-7204 hsref@floridatrailriders.org

SATURDAY CLASSES HARE SCRAMBLE Derek Tremain (863) 634-8183 derektremain@gmail.com

ENDURO REFEREE Peter Magee (352) 262-4974 cr250m@bellsouth.net

QUADS Pete Rose (941) 270-1189 pwrracingktm@gmail.com

BUSINESS MANAGER Darlene Riggs (352) 538-6291 businessmanager@floridatrailriders.org

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DECEMBER

PRES SEZ. X WORDS: RANDY FAUL Practice Makes Perfect As rounds two and three seemed to appear overnight, the excitement of heading to the east side of the Bartow property was building.

As I write this, round four is only a couple of weeks away. It is amazing how fast time flies when you are having fun.

As most clubs can relate, it takes many weekends of hard work to put on a full weekend of racing. Making sure everything is covered requires a team of volunteers who are committed to giving the membership a positive experience. Along the way, we ask our members to contribute to that experience by conducting themselves in a positive and responsible way.

Too many times we get caught up in the rush of unloading, racing, then packing up and heading home. I understand it. The problem is when we forget to walk our campsites before leaving. The “anything” we leave behind is usually trash. Several of our neighbors and passing members have seen items left behind and stepped in to pick them up and dispose of them properly. These people go out of

their way to make a difference, and that effort benefits all of us.

Most of our clubs have landowners who visit the property during the event or late Sunday evening. It is very important that the first impression is a positive one. Clubs are always looking for new property and promoting the organization as responsible motorcyclists. Behind the scenes, property owners talk to each other, especially since many are involved in cattle or agriculture.

In today’s world, with development spreading in every direction and our sport being a minority activity, we cannot afford to let something as simple as trash become a deal breaker. Please take this as constructive criticism and be more aware of your surroundings. Sweep your campsite before you leave.

Pack it in, pack it out.

Thank you for listening, and I hope this serves as a wake-up call as we continue to meet in the cow fields and leave them as we found them.

Randy Faul FTR President

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CHAPLAIN’s CORNER

X WORDS: RODNEY BOYETTE

Hey FTR family! What an amazing season so far. I have been truly moved by how loving and welcoming you all have been as I have stepped in as Chaplain. It is such a blessing to see how God is moving and how He is working through FTR and Fuel Ministry.

First, let me say Merry Christmas!

This is the season we set aside to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the beginning of God’s greatest gift to His creation.

John 3:16 summarizes this beautifully: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him

¡Hola, familia de FTR! Qué temporada tan increíble estamos viviendo. Me ha conmovido profundamente el cariño y la cálida bienvenida que me han brindado desde que asumí el cargo de capellán. Es una gran bendición ver cómo Dios se manifiesta y obra en FTR y en el Ministerio Fuel.

Permítanme comenzar diciendo ¡Feliz Navidad! Esta es la época que hemos elegido para celebrar el nacimiento y la venida de nuestro Salvador, Jesucristo, y el inicio del

will not perish but have eternal life.”

What an incredible gift. The best part is that you cannot earn it. It is freely given, and that is where its power lies. Freedom from bondage and sin has been given to us through Jesus, through what He did on the cross and when He walked out of the tomb.

As we head toward Christmas, buying new bark busters, fresh rubber, new grips, or even a simple pair of socks, let us not forget the true reason for the season: Jesus.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

regalo más grande del amor de Dios para Su creación. Juan 3:16 lo expresa a la perfección: “Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en Él cree no se pierda, sino que tenga vida eterna.”

Jesús, a través de lo que hizo por nosotros en la cruz y cuando salió de la tumba.

¡Qué regalo tan increíble! Lo mejor de un regalo es que no se puede ganar. Se recibe gratuitamente, y en eso radica su poder. Ese regalo, la libertad de la esclavitud y del pecado, nos ha sido dado por medio de

Mientras nos acercamos al día de Navidad, comprando nuevos protectores de manos, neumáticos, puños o incluso un simple par de calcetines, no olvidemos la verdadera razón de esta temporada: Jesús.

Les deseo a todos una muy Feliz Navidad y un próspero y bendecido Año Nuevo.

DECEMBER

2025

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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION – AMR CARD INFORMATION What Is an AMR Card?

The Annual Release (AMR) card confirms that a competitor has already completed the liability release form required for AMA-sanctioned events.

This release is kept on file by the AMA. At Florida Trail Riders events, the AMR card is accepted in place of the paper release form.

How to Apply for an AMR Card 1. Verify Active AMA Membership All participants must have an active AMA membership for the electronic annual release to be accepted.

Before submitting the release request: • Log into your AMA profile at ama. users.membersuite.com • Under “My Info,” click the pencil icon to verify or update: – Your email address – Your date of birth The date of birth on the Smartwaiver application must match the date of birth in your AMA membership profile. If they do not match, the waiver will not be processed.

own release form.

2. Submit the Electronic Annual Release The AMA provides an electronic annual release for both minor and adult racers.

After submitting the Smartwaiver: • You will receive a confirmation email from Smartwaiver—this is not your AMR card.

• If everything is correct, the AMA will email the digital AMR card as a PDF attachment.

• The card will be sent to the email address in your AMA profile (and the address used during Smartwaiver submission if different).

• Processing typically takes two to four weeks.

Annual Release Cards are only valid for the current calendar year and expire on December 31.

Questions and Answers Do I need to fill out separate forms for more than one racer in my household?

Yes. Each racer must submit their

Does each racer need an AMA membership to receive a card?

Yes. Release cards are valid only when the racer has their own active AMA membership.

When does the release card expire?

Every December 31. A new form must be submitted each year.

Do both parents or guardians need to sign the minor release?

Yes, unless one parent has legal sole custody.

Florida Trail Riders Recommendation FTR recommends all members apply for their new AMR card after December 31, 2025.

The new card will be effective until December 31, 2026.

This renewal schedule does not coincide with your AMA membership renewal date. Your AMA renewal date is the date displayed on your AMA membership card.

FTR ELECTION RESULTS Vice President Landon Lynn 103 Kyle McAfee 69 A.J. Stagg 58 Kayla Vawter 48 Treasurer Brandon Bloomquist 97 Mike McGuire 78 Area Directors Area 1: No Candidates

Area 2: James Benton Sr. 11 Area 3: Brandon Underhill 15; Kyle Turnis 9; Codie Benton 2 Area 4: Corey Pierce 21 Area 5: Tyler Miller 3; Dale Ellis 1; Chris McGuckin 1 Area 6: Shawn Clark 12; Michael Stewart 2 Area 7: Will Busick 13 Area 8: John Happel 14 Area 9: Brian Dugre 24; Jesse Ansley (no total submitted)

Area 10: Kenneth Harris 11; George Pollard 10 Area 11: Chuck Schomann 5; Ken Redford 2 Area 12: Todd Hallman 17; Kellie Mantell 5 Area 13: Max Rash 3 Respectfully Submitted William E. Drymon, Election Committee Chairman

2025

DECEMBER

How Do They Do That?

An inside look at setting up a Hare Scramble with OSDR Vice-President Pete Rose Words: Larry Kuhn It was a typical hot, muggy summer morning in the pit area of the Melon Bash Hare Scramble and I was standing next to Old School Dirt Riders (OSDR) President Ben Kelly...sitting cross-wise on his quad…talking on the radio about the missing post hole digger. As I watched Ben chew on his week-old toothpick, my eyes were suddenly distracted by #17A (see editorial disclaimer at the end of the story) who was only partly dressed for the occasion.

He was walking down the fire lane…shirtless, and his boots unbuckled…with a 5-gallon jug of VP race gas to drop at the gas stop.

The morning sun reflected brightly off his bald head as he grinned…thinking only of the destruction he would soon bring to his starting line competitors. His pecs were bulging and his biceps popping (think Popeye) as he curled the gas jug like a 4-pound dumbbell (I couldn’t do that with a bag of potato chips). While my natural inclination was to yell at him to put a shirt on, I restrained myself…knowing that any comments from me would only diminish my own toxic masculinity.

Once past that thought, my attention was caught by the banging of the Porta John door being slammed repetitively, by a Pee Wee rider in poorly fitting oversize riding gear, who felt the urge to find out how much noise he could generate. “Kids”, I

thought…and just shook my head. As I gazed past the little noisemaker, my OCD took over, and I noticed that the Porta Johns were perfectly aligned along the fire lane…perfectly…as if the fire chief had placed them himself.

After a few questions to Ben, each of which was answered with his usual “uh huh” (you would have thought I was trying to find out where he buried his overworked club members), my mind wandered back to the Porta Johns…how they got there, who lined them up, who fills the TP, who, what, where, how…questions that only my hairdresser…and Pete Rose…would know the answer to.

So, I left Ben to his toothpick and ventured off, through the un-arrowed woods on my Mike Wilshaw modified (Mods by MRW) Yamaha 250X with stunning FTR-compliant graphics and solitary AARP sticker on the swingarm (thank you to my corporate sponsors), looking for Pete…to find out what goes into putting on an event.

Braap…braap.

After 10 minutes of dodging loose vines and banana spiders, I found Pete… swinging a machete…with reckless abandon…muttering about how this was “gonna’ be the best race ever!” Pete was hot, sweaty, and dirty, so I handed him a cold one and asked him

if he needed a break. In actuality, I handed him my Camelbak and told him he looked “half-dead” (but that's typical for members of Ben’s chain gang). So, we found a solitary oak tree, for shade, and I whipped out my iPhone to record our conversation as we sat in his side by side.

LK: There’s a lot of folks that show up at a race with no idea what goes on behind the scenes to promote a hare scramble or enduro. As Vice President of OSDR, and Chief of Logistical Operations for OSDR (VPCLOOSDR), can you tell me what is involved?

Pete: Do you have 7-10 business days to go through it all?

LK: Well, let’s start at the beginning.

Pete: Let’s see…the biggest and most important piece of the puzzle is finding a piece of property. Undeveloped Florida is being consumed by land development. Housing and commercial development are taking away the land we use for races.

Oh! and the Greenies… can’t ride “here” or “there” and we don’t want to hear you! There just aren’t many places to race. We need a minimum of 1000 acres… in that thousand we need a pasture for parking and some form of woods to ride through. Oh, and it can’t be subject to flooding since

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13 ensure that we don’t have folks getting stuck on the way in or out. Roads need to be wide enough for two-way traffic and we like to start with smooth roads.

Eventually, they all end up with stutter bumps, but we don’t want whoops.

LK: So, on to trail layout?

we have to keep our trails from being underwater after hurricanes and local torrential downpours. One further restriction is that we can’t run on hunting properties during hunting season. So, finding property is a major ordeal. Once we find a potential piece of land, we go meet with the landowner to work out the details.

LK: Once you find a piece of property, you’re ready to lay out trail?

Pete: I wish it was that easy.

The next step is to ride the property…typically on 4 wheelers or side by sides.

We take the landowner so we can identify fence lines, gates, accesses, suitable parking areas…and places that he doesn’t want traffic.

We have to look for wet

lands and places that are potential floods, swamps, and mud bogs so we don't get 3 or 50 people stuck.

Randy Rash doesn’t mind pulling RV’s out of the mud in pastures with the tractor, but he gets a little cranky when he has to pull ‘em out of mud holes on the trail by hand.

We talk to the owner about cattle and how we can avoid creating steak and hamburgers with inadvertent collisions. We also talk about the owner’s role in moving livestock to mitigate risk to livestock and riders. About this time, we also look at aerial photos of the race venue for trail layout, parking, and a medical helicopter landing zone.

And that reminds me. We work on the entry roads to

Pete: As we say in south Florida, not yet…time to arrange property access for the club.

We can’t always access the property will-nilly. Access must be coordinated with the landowner to identify times when club members can get on the property for trail work. Then we set up the workdays with club members. Frequently, it takes 5-6 full work weekends for an established property, new property can add several weekends to this…and that’s if we have a good turnout…say 15-20 people.

LK: What else do you have to do before getting to the trail?

Pete: Lots of administrative stuff. The FTR Business Office needs to be contacted to arrange event insurance coverage, the county must be contacted to arrange for event permits, and the Sheriff’s Office has to be contacted to identify any requirements that they may have. We arrange for deputies to be onsite during the event.

LK: How does the club assign tasks?

Pete: Our club meets monthly at Sarasota Power

Sports. Before the event, we assign duties to members and establish a budget for pre-event expenses. We also talk about any nonrace events that we may host. Those may include the Stacyc event, pit bike races, fun run, musical entertainment, Trick or treat events, or water-based activities like the slide. One of our events is at Christmas, so we like to host Santa. We talk about club food for the race weekend, vote on trail boss, and establish a Pee Wee coordinator.

LK: Cut Trail?

Pete: We’re getting there.

Next, the Trail Boss does an initial survey of the property with club members to get an idea of where we want the course to run.

Ribbons and spray paint identify the trail so members can start swinging machetes. There may be some preliminary clearing by this team so that 4-wheelers and bikes can access the proposed trails.

LK: Man, that’s a lot of work…and we haven’t even started clearing trail.

Pete: (laughing). That’s right. Next, we inventory available marking supplies.

This includes ordering those lovely bright orange FTR arrows, course ribbon, fence posts, silt fence, orange fencing, starting grid markers, Hard/Easy split signs, bridge markers, and mileage markers.

LK: Time for the machetes?

Pete: Well, back in the old days, we used machetes. Now, with the advent

2025

DECEMBER of Artificial Intelligence we have mechanized equipment. We check out our club equipment and perform any maintenance.

That includes sharpening blades and changing oil in the bushhog, chain saws, auger, mowers, tractors, and checking the function of our generators…lots of elbow grease.

LK: So, now we’ve spent a couple weeks in preparation for trail work. Is there anything else being done before we get to the fun part?

Pete: Well, now that you mention it, yes. We have to contact vendors and identify how many are coming so we can make space for all of them in the vendor area. Along that same line, we lay out the parking area to include the vendor area, fire lanes, starting grid, pit area, and scoring trailer.

We also address gate crew logistics…who will manage it, how much to charge, and who will man it from 6 am to 11 pm.

bottle of Tums yet?

LK: Cut trail?

LK: So, we’ve started to clear the trail. What else is going on during the week?

Pete: Lots of administrative background work. We order dumpsters, finalize the Sheriff’s Office arrangements, plan with Safety Team Coordinator for EMS services, and contact the AMA for event insurance coverage. A couple months ahead of time, our club gets final renderings completed for event T-shirts and then places an order at the appropriate time.

Speaking of designs, we get our final order completed for event trophies (who doesn’t love a good piece of wood?).

Pete: Well, AFTER we arrange for race weekend Porta John rental…we hit the woods for a weekend workday. But there’s a lot that goes into that, as well.

We announce the weekend and get an idea of how much manpower is available. We need to procure fuel for the equipment and food for the man (and woman) power. Many clubs will have a “cook” who manages the food for workdays and the event…that is a major task by itself. But some clubs really go all out and provide a “feast for a king”.

LK: As Chief of Logistics, have you finished a whole

Pete: Probably only half a bottle...gotta’ leave some for race weekend.

LK: Anything else?

Pete: There is always “anything else” ...lots of it. Directional signs for parking, fire lanes, starting grid, foot traffic, pit area, and Peewee course must all be printed.

We also try to contact local businesses to look for prize donations. Since our OSDR HS is near Christmas, we try to arrange for a theme event like hosting Santa Claus, and we finalize any gift-giving event plans.

LK: As we get closer to the event, are there specific jobs that club members are assigned?

Pete: We need more VOLUNTEERS on race weekend. We assign team leaders to manage the volunteers. We need folks for the sign-up trailer, merchandise sales, course marshals, sweep crew, towing crew, trophy distribution after races, and T-shirt sales. We also need

floridatrailriders.com folks to help with traffic at bridge crossings, road crossings, mud holes, and water crossings. The Pee Wee event places a big manpower need on the club, as well. Lots of folks needed there!

LK: Where do all these people and workers come from?

Pete: Well, 95% are club members who VOLUNTEER their time to help promote and manage the tasks of completing a successful event. Every event has a flyer posted on FloridaTrailRiders.com website.

That flyer lists the trail boss and his contact phone number. Folks that work an event get points toward their year-end trophy. We are always grateful for nonclub members who pitch in either for work credit or just for the camaraderie.

LK: So, we’re now within a month of an event. What else are you working on?

Pete: Lots of follow-up. Food vendors, merchandise vendors, dumpster folks, Porta John, T-shirts, and trophies are all time-consuming phone calls that have to be made. The race course needs to be GPS mapped with mileage for the Safety Team and course workers. The Peewee track needs to be finalized and ridden by little people to get an idea of the lap times.

Discussions with FTR Pee Wee Coordinator James Benton and HS Scorekeeper Tim Nordle (the guy who assigns nick names like “Mushroom”) regarding starting grid, scoring trailer location, and lap times help minimize race day

problems.

LK: We’re almost to race week. What “almost” final preparations are you working on?

Pete: Cows love to eat arrows for some unknown reason, so we wait until the last couple of days prior to the event to do final arrowing. At the same time, silt fence is erected, the starting grid needs to be mowed and marked with stakes and signage for starting rows. The grass fields need to be staked with arrows and mowed.

Signage for parking area/ vendor area/helicopter landing zone goes up, the pit area gets cordoned off, and the Porta John and dumpster folks need guidance on locations for placement.

LK: What does race week look like for the club?

Pete: Very little sleep… plus, a lot of worrying.

This is where many club members make big sacrifices. Remember, all this work has been completed by volunteers. Come race week, many club members voluntarily take time off from their job to make final preparations for an event.

Many camp at the race site from Wednesday before the race until Tuesday after the race to help finish the work.

LK: Wait! Wat!?, they camp until Tuesday?

Pete: Yeppers, the race doesn’t end on Sunday.

Everything we’ve talked about has to be “undone” …arrows, fences, signage, stakes, and posts all have to come down. Trash

15 needs to be picked up… including tear-offs(!) and water bottles. Trail has to be rehabbed. We run two skid steers, a tractor with a tiller, and tractor with a box blade to go over the entire course to smooth it back out and fix (replace) all the “relocated dirt”. All those berms have to be smoothed out. The parking area must be swept clean because most of our properties are working ranches with livestock. Cows will eat plastic and other trash, so we have to canvas the entire property to pick up trash. We also have to run through the parking area to smooth that out, as well.

LK: So, back to race weekend. What’s left?

Pete: The last few items are setting up the gate crew, including getting change from the bank, verifying trail markers and arrows, confirming that the safety team has what they need, and helping get the scoring trailer into position.

We supply the safety team with a GPS patterned map with mileages and access trail shortcuts so they can quickly get to an injured rider. Without those maps, Coon Dog would be lost.

We also coordinate with the Stacyc folks and any special event folks to be sure they have what they need. We cross our fingers and hope that a freak storm doesn’t blow in and tear up all the arrows, ribbon, and silt fence – which has happened. We sign off all the work credits, review the Protests with the referees, and review the injury reports with the AMA Coordinator on the Safety Team.

From Friday until Sunday

afternoon we police the parking area, monitor and enforce the pit riding rule…all while juggling 20 other tasks – good fun!

LK: You, know Pete, that is a lot of work done by volunteers.

Pete: It is. But we take pride in putting on a good event that families will enjoy.

Non-club members are always invited and welcome to join us. It’s a great way to meet new folks and ride your bike.

LK: Thanks for all your effort. The time invested by your club members is reflected in a quality event, year after year.

LK: Check back next month for...Part 2...the rest of the story Editorial Disclaimer: We are sometimes asked to redact the names of guilty parties, or participants in the federal Witness Protection Program, from the main body of our stories.

In this case, neither applied so we will clarify the record.

Some may have confused the reference to 17A with a good-looking former ISDE and Golden Master A rider, but this17A had no hair. It was actually FTR’s very own Silver Master A studmuffin George Edwards.

(The dimple on his chin gave it away).

Warning: This article mentions several potentially dangerous implements. As part of the ongoing attention to issues of safety, the Safety Team Coordinator has compelled me to provide the following warning: Parents, please don't let your children play with sharp objects like machetes and toothpicks without adult supervision.

2025

DECEMBER

Selling homes faster than I ride dirt bikes!

Kurt Lucas Real Estate Agent 786-385-7771 kurtlucas@kw.com www.kurtlucas.kw.com

Freedom Cleaning Solutions keeps your facility as clean as a fresh-groomed race line. Count on us for recurring janitorial, event staffing between heats, heavy-roost construction clean-ups, and pressure washing that scrubs away track-day grime. Fast, flexible, fully insured—so your business can stay wide-open. Get a free quote and ride on!

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THANK YOU ROCKY MOUNTAIN ATV M/C FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF FLORIDA TRAIL RIDERS OVER $100,000 IN RACE GAS GIFT CARDS EACH YEAR!

DECEMBER RIDERS: JOHNATHON COLARUSSO & KACYN VAUGHAN PHOTO: GARREN WRIGHT

2025

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DECEMBER

2025 Incorporating Best Evidence: Why Racers Need a Physical Therapist for Hip Mobility, Strength, and Endurance

MOTO

PT

IMPROVE

YOUR MOVE WORDS: DR. MATT DAUGHERTY Orthopedic Physical Therapist and Racer

Hey FTR family, Dr. D the MotoPT here. I’ve spent years treating riders as an Orthopaedic Doctor of Physical Therapy and a harescramble racer myself. Something I often see in our community is hip stiffness that is blamed on age, crashes, or hard riding, when it’s often the result of untreated mobility deficits earlier in life that alter how we load our hip joints. In rehabilitative medicine, we have been publishing large summative papers called Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for various orthopedic conditions for over a decade. These CPGs include comprehensive information based solely on research. A group of researchers just published the CPG for tight hips, and I wanted to summarize this information for you.

Here’s what the latest research is pointing to: reduced hip mobility, especially internal rotation, is one of the earliest signs of dysfunction and can lead to pain in the knees, low back, and even the shoulders over time. These limitations change how your body absorbs impact, stands in an attack position, leans in turns, and handles constant vibration. When your hips can’t rotate or stabilize, other joints are forced to do the job, and they were never designed for it.

This is where physical therapy makes a difference.

Unlike general fitness training or generic stretching programs, physical therapists are specifically trained to identify what limits your hip mobility: joint capsule tightness, bony restrictions, muscle imbalance, trigger points, weakness in deep hip rotators, or deficits in endurance of the hip stability system. That matters because every rider’s hip issues aren’t the same, and cookie-cutter stretches don’t fix individual mechanical problems.

Physical therapists trained in manual therapy, joint mobilization, dry needling, and neuromuscular control can unlock movement in ways that a simple flexibility program or yoga cannot. Techniques like long-axis hip distraction, mobilization with movement, and targeted manual therapy are designed to restore joint motion, not just stretch muscles (Koc, et. al, 2025). Add dry needling to the deep hip musculature and short-term mobility gains become even greater, allowing strengthening to be more effective.

Once mobility is restored, the real magic happens through individualized strength and endurance work.

Our type of racing is not based on a short, explosive effort. Your hips need stabilizers that can work for hours under vibration, uneven terrain, and constant

floridatrailriders.com shifting of load. A PT’s job is to build durable strength that supports the endurance demands of racing, not just gym strength. It’s strength that keeps you standing on the pegs longer and prevents early fatigue, pain, and compensation.

We also train proprioception and balance, crucial for riders who rely on body-bike interaction and constant sensory feedback (Koc, et. al., 2025). Better hip control means smoother cornering, more precise weight shifts, greater traction, less wasted energy, and more speed without more effort.

The takeaway is simple: your hips are mechanical joints that require skilled intervention. A stretching routine alone won’t prevent degenerative changes or keep you strong on the bike. A physical therapist who understands racing can evaluate your unique mechanics, restore motion, and build specific strength and endurance to help you ride longer, safer, and faster.

Think of it like tuning your suspension: you don’t just add preload and hope for the best. You match the tune to the rider, terrain, and bike. Your hips deserve the same attention. Let’s keep them moving like a well-dialed chassis.

Before acting on any information in this article, I recommend that you consult a physical therapist or physician for a general health and physical activity readiness screening. If you are experiencing pain while riding, it is always beneficial to have a complete evaluation by a qualified physical therapist or physician. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at contact@motopt.com or call/text 904-395-5379. Let’s IMPROVE YOUR MOVE so you can ride pain-free with MotoPT. Dr. Matthew Daugherty PT, DPT, OTR/L, MOT, DBA Associate Professor and Director of Residency Programs Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists Manual Therapy Certified Intramuscular Dry Needling Certified Koc, T. A., Jr., Cibulka, M., Enseki, K. R., Gentile, J. T., MacDonald, C. W., Kollmorgen, R. C., & Martin, R. L. (2025).

Hip pain and mobility deficits — hip osteoarthritis: Revision 2025. Clinical practice guidelines linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 55(11), CPG1–CPG31. https://doi.org/10.2519/ jospt.2025.0301

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DECEMBER race TECH TIPS

2025

with JESSE ANSLEY

The Importance of Vapor Honing for Your machine Vapor honing, also known as wet blasting, is a crucial process for restoring and maintaining your bike or ATV's metal components. By using a fine slurry of water and abrasive media, vapor honing effectively cleans and polishes parts without causing surface damage. This method not only removes dirt, grime, and corrosion from engine parts, suspension components, and casings, but also seals the metal for better longevity and a smoother finish. The result is improved part performance, reduced wear, and a like-new appearance—all of which contribute to a cleaner, more efficient machine that performs better on the track or trail.

In addition to its cleaning benefits, vapor honing can also enhance the overall durability of your bike or ATV. The process creates a smooth, satin-like finish that reduces surface imperfections where dirt and grime typically accumulate, making future maintenance easier. It can also help to reduce friction in certain moving parts, leading to improved performance and longer component life. Whether you’re prepping for race day or doing a full restoration, vapor honing is an excellent way to keep your machine running at peak performance and looking its best.

TF Racing Suspension is excited to announce that we now offer vapor honing services! Whether you're prepping for a race or maintaining your machine for the long haul, we're here to help keep your suspension and engine parts in tip-top shape for peak performance. We look forward to working with you and making sure your ride stays race-ready!

For more information on suspension and fine-tuning, TFsuspension.com to learn more about this race tech tip.

For over 50 years, TF Racing has been elevating the off-road riding and racing experience for countless enthusiast while building champions on and off the track.

Contact us today for a custom quote

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23

ALORA Riding Tips with Alex Lugar For a lot of riders, “prep” means throwing in an air filter and changing the oil. But in reality, it’s so much more than that. Racing dirt bikes is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports out there. Showing up on race day anything less than 100% ready is a recipe for underperforming—or worse, getting hurt.

While some factors will always be out of our control, you should still be doing everything you can to be prepared. When we think about getting ready for a race, it boils down to two main areas: your bike and your body. A couple months back, I talked about what a proper training program looks like.

If you didn’t catch that entry, I highly recommend checking it out.

Bike Prep Take it from me—get your bike work done early. Showing up to the line hoping your bike makes it through the weekend (or scrambling for parts Saturday night) is a sure way to add unnecessary stress, and possibly earn yourself a DNF. Start simple and make a checklist. Clean air filter, fresh oil, a properly adjusted chain, new sprockets, and fresh tires are the basics.

From there, go through the bike and ensure all bolts are snug or torqued to spec. Before the first round, it’s never a bad idea to tear the bike down and grease all the important components—link-

age, steering stem, wheel bearings. Doing this upfront prevents headaches halfway through the season.

And trust me—from one very unprofessional mechanic to another—it’s not as hard as it seems. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it, let someone who is. It’s worth it.

Next, take a look at your suspension. Make sure your seals and fluids are fresh.

The last thing you need is a blown fork seal leading to lost brakes and a dangerous situation. Once you’ve covered the basics, check your engine maintenance. Staying ahead of pistons, valves, top ends, and hour intervals is crucial—not just for performance, but for avoiding costly failures. Keeping a maintenance log with hours and what you’ve done is one of the best habits you can build.

Body Prep A good bike is nothing without a good rider. Even the most dialed machine won’t save you if you show up physically or mentally off. We’ve already talked about training programs in a previous issue, so let’s focus on race-week and race-day preparation.

Aim for a balance of water and electrolytes, roughly one-to-one. Store-bought drinks are okay in a pinch, but try to avoid ones loaded with sugar. I personally use Liquid IV and Skratch because they provide clean electrolytes and quality carbs.

On race day, make sure you’re waking up early enough to fuel properly. My goal is 2,000 calories before I’m on the line, spread across breakfast, shakes, bars, and lunch. It’s a lot, but we burn a lot.

On race day, consider taking a carb mix during the race— either in your camel pack or bottles. We burn 2,500–3,500 calories in a two-hour race, so replenishing with clean calories is essential.

This might be the most overlooked piece of the entire puzzle. Quality sleep is huge.

Even if you nail everything else, lack of sleep will leave you far from 100%.

Nutrition Keep your diet consistent throughout the week. Don’t overhaul your eating habits just for the weekend—it usually backfires.

Focus on clean, nutrient-dense foods. Avoid fried foods, heavily processed options, and junk. You don’t have to eat salads all week, but keep things clean. As race weekend approaches, I try to ease off high-fiber and dairy foods to avoid stomach issues—nobody wants a mid-race bathroom break.

My race-weekend meals look like this: Breakfast: eggs, meat, and a good carb

Hydration Start hydrating early in the week—not just Friday and Saturday. With the heat we face at the early rounds, this is huge.

Lunch: simple, clean options like chicken and rice Dinner: steak, potatoes, and greens—no heavy sauces or hard-to-digest dishes

Sleep

Aim for 7–9 hours each night leading into the race.

And if you’re driving early on Sunday morning, being well-rested is even more important.

Consistency Matters Remember: none of this matters if you only start thinking about it on Friday. Preparation begins at the start of the week. Keeping your body, habits, and routine on a steady schedule makes a massive difference.

Different things work for different riders, but if you’re anything like I used to be, covering all the bases will completely change your results.

Excited to see everyone at the races this season! If you want more tips or have questions, you can always reach me at @alexlugaroffroadacademy on socials. Best of luck, stay safe, and most importantly—have fun!

DECEMBER

2025

THE ARCHIVES Excerpts from the December 1991 issue of the Florida Trail Riders Magazine.

floridatrailriders.com

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813-502-1228 sclark@mosaicfingroup.com mosaicfingroup.com Photo by Photoman386

Just finished up the OSDR Harescramble.

What a great course! Lots of woods which is nice as most of our Florida properties have large field sections. It was great to change things up with a nice amount of woods racing. Also, the dirt was almost perfect. I heard they got a big rain during the week which made for great racing conditions.

Honestly, my enjoyment of the course is usually only based on one thing – the dirt.

If the course gets plenty of rain during the week, I usually like it. I am not a huge fan of the dusty races even though we usually encounter several throughout the season.

My enjoyment of the course is based on something out of anyone’s control – rain.

That has me thinking, what is the one thing that could make or break your retirement?

Are there things that may not even be in your control that could derail your retirement? There might be things you do not know about that could have a massive impact on your retirement savings. Things like taxes, Medicare costs, political landscape, and market downturns can have a large impact on a retirement plan. If you are unsure that your retirement plan will weather these storms, we might be able to help. Give us a call and set up a complimentary 15-minute introductory phone call.

Investment Advisory Services offered through Continuum Advisory, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor, located at 873 E. State Street, Eagle, ID 83616. Mosaic Financial Group is not an affiliate of Continuum Advisory, LLC but is a DBA (doing business as) of Continuum Advisory. For More information on Continuum Advisory, visit https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/283155

DECEMBER

2025 RIDER: ZANE LEACH PHOTO: ZACH HODGES

floridatrailriders.com

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DECEMBER

2025

floridatrailriders.com

RIDER: GAGE LANE PHOTO: CLINT KISON

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2025

DECEMBER Strong Roots Fitness Built for Riders.

Back by Results

@strong_roots_fitness_llc trainwithstrongroots@gmail.com

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31

2025 -2026 FTR Competition Schedule *dates and locations subject to change

FTR’s BOD has voted to transition to a Calendar-Year (January to December) Season. So, for the 2025-2026 season, we will have a ONE-TIME 18-month schedule. After that, we will run from January through December. This was done to comply with AMA promotion rules. The approved preliminary schedule of 15 Hare Scrambles and 13 Enduros.

August 31, 2025 Enduro #1 Litlle Brown Jug Clinton, SC September 28, 2025 Enduro #2 Orange State Croom, FL October 10-11, 2025 HS #1 CFTR Bartow, FL October 25-26, 2025 HS #2 SADRA Bartow, FL November 2, 2025 Enduro #3 Gobbler Getter Maplesville, AL November 8-9, 2025 HS #3 Sunrunners Bartow, FL December, 6-7, 2025 HS #4 OSDR Punta Gorda, FL January 3-4, 2026 HS #5 SCTB Brooksville, FL January 17-18, 2026 HS #6 PBTTR Okeechobee, FL Jan/Feb 31-1 2026 HS #7 TCTR Indiantown, FL February 8, 2026 Enduro #4 Sumter National Wedgefield, SC February 14-15, 2026 HS #8 BSTR Lake Butler, FL February 22, 2026 Enduro #5 St. Mary’s Shoals Macclenny, FL March 1, 2026 Enduro #6 Straight Arrow Richloam, FL March 14-15, 2026 HS #9 NCTB Dade City, FL April 11-12, 2026 HS #10 OSDR Punta Gorda, FL April 19, 2026 Enduro #7 Armadillo Lake Butler, FL May 31, 2026 Enduro #8 Cherokee Greensboro, GA September 6, 2026 Enduro #9 Little Brown Jug Clinton, SC September 20, 2026 Enduro #10 Diamondback New Augusta, MS September 27, 2026 Enduro #11 Orange State Croom, FL October 10-11, 2026 HS #11 CFTR Bartow, FL October 24-15, 2026 HS #12 SADRA Bartow, FL November 1, 2026 Enduro #12 Gobbler Getter Maplesville, AL November 7-8, 2026 HS #13 Sunrunners Bartow, FL November 15, 2026 Enduro #13 St. Mary’s Shoals Macclenny, FL November 21-22, 2026 HS #14 OSDR Punta Gorda, FL

DECEMBER

2025