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HERALD Wednesday Jnne 11 IMS INONEOFHlSTESTSOFENDURANCEandBtamlnaln the motocross course at Cope Town Jon placed first overall He was twelve years old at the time Calgary Jon was twelve years old at the time Nothing holds him back The leathers are on the engines rev the flag goo down the crowd cheers and the dust begins to fly What are your thoughts as you wait anxiously for the starter to drop the flag I think how Im going to get to the first corner before everyone else Plain and simple thoughts of thirteenyearold Jon of Georgetown Jon has been racing motorcycles since he was seven Jons world revolves around motorcycles He has competed in some 200 races ranging from to flat track to trials He usually places In the top three and has at least trophies displaying his ambition and ability How did it all begin With his father Norm and mother Betsy both riding bikes Jon decided he wanted to get Into the action I started because dad had been riding for a long time One day I said Dad I want to start to ride like you So on his fifth birthday Jon got his first minibike After about one year of riding he worked his way up to a Honda a Honda 90 and is now riding in the Junior class It s not just a simple matter of climbing AT TWELVE YEARS OF AGE Jon competed In motocross competition in Cope Town racing his onto the bike kicking it over and driving off Professional racing takes willpower ambition hours of exercise and guts I practise riding at least twice a week I exercise and stay off garbage food as much as possible Motocross the result of physical mastery over machine and terrain is one of Jons favorite forms of racing an ultimate test of a bikers physical strength and stamina Within the closed course bikers race through ravines bushes mudpuddles enduring endless jolts from the rough hilly terrain Its hard on you but when you finish you feel total satisfaction in knowing that you complete the course and did a good job at It What is going through Jons mind as he reaches speeds of to mph on a quartermile course in a flat race I usually wonder if my bike will hold together and if and how I can catch up to the guys ahead of me If I am ahead I just con centrate on staying ahead Is it all for the money or the knowledge and need to be a winner or the ultimate ego trip that Jon practises and eagerly waits for his next race Jon races for the fun of it There Is so much competition In the sport and you get to meet so many people I go out for the fun of it If you are out there for the money and your bike breaks down you really get uptight But when Im out there for enjoyment and something happens I just think stuff it theres always next weekend When the motorcycle gangs began challenging the world with their bikes and power people began to classify all bikers as troublemakers of society Since then motor cycles have been considered a symbol of threat and rebellion However Jon strongly believes that it is up to the younger generation to tell the world thatf iB not all bad and that there is plenty of good in It The sport has a lot of possibilities If people would go out and watch the sport they would quickly change their image What this fairhaired confident and very ambitious youth striving for I want to try and get as good as I can so that maybe one day I can get to the world finals in But that will take lots of exercise and work He handles bike like an expert While racing against boys his age and men up to the age of one could not notice the great age dif ferences between Jon and the other riders He has placed first overall in the Ontario Motocross Championships and second overall in the Canadian Championships Considering his accomplishments already obtained at the mere age of 13 and considering the tremendous amount of willpower and am bition within Jon he one day may very well be a World Champion by Doris LIndauer