Darryl Park #27

Age: 52

First Bike:  Honda XL100

Vintage Number #27

Vintage rides: 81YZ465, 76 Honda Elsinore 250, 76 Husky CR250.

Still in the works: 75 Ossa Phantom 250, 72 Husky CR450, 81YZ250 and a couple others.

Favorite Foods – anything that’s not considered healthy, that I shouldn’t eat but I eat anyway.

How I got started:

My dad took me to a major motocross event in the 1970’s at the original Blackfoot Motorbike Park that was actually televised on ABC Wide World of Sports. I remember going to the race and being completely enthralled. My neighbor around the same time got a brand new Hodaka Ace 100 that he used to let me ride once in a while. In addition, I picked up a book called “More Than Courage” by Michel-Aime Baudouy at my school library. It’s about a boy who finds an old motorcycle in a barn that he fixes up with his friends and enters a motocross race.  Well that was it; I was hooked.  If you ever see a copy of this book, pick it up.  My daughter found a copy for me on the Internet and after not reading it for 40 years it’s still a good read.

Anyway enough of that ancient history, fast forward to my 20’s. I raced primarily cross-country and trials events plus I entered a few motocross, flat-track and roadracing events. I opened up Pro-Am Motorcycles in the early eighties which I had to sell due to a major injury that kept me in and out of hospital for a couple of years.

I went back to riding at 46 and was hooked again. I have to thank Hans Christensen for getting me into vintage bikes. I would see him at Blackfoot riding around on the older bikes. At first I thought, why would you bother to ride those but the more I saw him the more I became interested.

What I enjoy most about riding is the friendships and camaraderie. There’s nothing better than having a good duel with a fellow rider and then BS about it later.  Of course the stories get bigger every time they’re told but that’s part of the fun.  Thanks Gord for starting up Vintage racing !!