Happy New Year! As 2016 kicks off I am heading to Huntington, West Virginia for the West Virginia Indoor Motocross Championship. An annual event I have done for the bigger part of 20 years now. If starting the new year out at the track is any indication of what the future holds it looks like I will have a full season.

Unfortunately, there will be no ATV racing but it does get my mind wondering what the possibilities of a national indoor championship may be. The recent strides that have occurred in our sport may be a good indication that it could be a next step.

Speaking of the next step, the next step for the ATV Racin’ Nation is here. Well at least 2016 is and that gets us focused on the coming ATV SX at Daytona International Speedway. I am blown away at how different things are heading there this year. Last year there were so many unknowns and the biggest was not knowing if it would be a success or not. Well now we know and from the looks of social media many are getting amped up for the return. I am too honestly as it will mark an anniversary of sorts for me personally as I, like so many have invested a number of years and energy in trying to help the series see new levels. The anniversary may only be the first technically but for those of us that have been here for so long it means so much more.

What does the future hold in 2016 for AMA ATV Motocross National Championship? After the milestones and leaps of last year can we make more this year? I say yes we can. It may or may not be with new one off events that develop throughout the season but more so building and curing the current situations we have created. We must as a racing community through word of mouth, social media and physical attendance manicure what we have.

One to remember as we plan and head through the upcoming year is that we as a racing community cannot rest on the morals that last year was a success so there is no need to be involved this year. That statement could not be farther from the truth. It may be more vital now than ever to support everything that was achieved last year. We must not only do it but we must be better at it. If you didn’t attend any of the specialty events last year you really should this year. If you were there last year you really need to be there again this year. In order for the success to continue it must see support so let us not get lazy and let the golden opportunities we have been given slip away. As I have said I have been around a long time and I know how long it has taken to get to this point and if history teaches us nothing else we know that our favor as a racing community can fall much quicker than it can rise.

I for one am hopeful for what the new year brings. Again we approach it with a lot of uncertainty but possibly more hope than we have seen in a number of years only because of last year’s hopes coming true. I am also nervous as I know time has taken its toll on many and it seems like there is not much at the end of the rainbow but a quick look into the crystal ball may see a new and brighter future on the horizon. I will say that the accomplishments that have been made in recent years may bare more fruit than we know at this time and it won’t be long before little bits and pieces start finding our ears. The harvest is still a little way off but seeds were planted and they have sprouted and with time we will taste the sweet fruits of ATV racing.

That’s it for me for now. Let’s check into Gloop’s Loop and with Ken “hunting season isn’t over” Hill. Till next time, have a blessed New Year. God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs!

In The Loop with Gloop:

Pablo Vera getting some training in before 2016

Awesome to see SSI working with Harv Whipple on some new tech stickers.

Keeping Up with Ken Hill 

Well, Christmas 2015 is a done deal! It would appear that everyone who came here had a good time, ate tons of food and had plenty of presents to share and open and from the images strewn across social media it looks like all of you had quite a good time as well! So many pictures of the kids, the families and that is what is all about, good times with good people, it made me very happy to see it all! The big day was five days ago and I can finally open the refrigerator without catching the endless supply of butter dishes that do not hold butter, from falling out all over the place! The endless combination of leftovers is all but gone and the huge tub of holiday cookies are but a few crumbs so now it is time to look at the new year and what it brings!

Now the meme’s have already started, the “New Year, New Me” hype and the backlash it gets is funny to read. There is nothing wrong with setting goals folks, in fact I know two people on my friends list that set goals in 2015 and accomplished exactly what they set forth to do and are healthier for it! Ok, two out of nearly 5000 but that shows just how many of us do not lay out things and work towards obtaining that which we seek. I met my goal; I attended every single ATVMX and GNCC event along with both banquets, and something I had never done in a decade. It was a personal challenge to help me keep active and moving forward. It felt really good, no it felt great actually! So even if you do not make your plans public, write them down somewhere as a reminder you can accomplish anything if you put a shoulder down and drive to whatever it is that you seek!

Now I am pretty stoked for 2016 and I do not really know why. There is no secrets or insider information that has me pumped and I have not quite figured out exactly why. Usually it hits me about the first of February and the weather is foul and heading south just seems like a good thing. With temps here in the 60’s and 70’s the weather so far has me busting my hump daily here as I work on my property so until it gets nasty out I have no real wish to roll out but that underlying feeling is not creeping up on me this year, it ran up and tackled me! Maybe the Fly Racing Daytona ATVSX had me curious and a bit unnerved last year, you know, new location with a bunch of rules I am not used to. Just a tip, do not step into the grass without the proper credentials or a sniper team in turn two will target you for instant removal! Speaking of the Daytona race, get off your rear end and get registered and come see how cool this event is! Make it a vacation, bring some friends, buy a Harley, and get a tattoo and let loose, it is bike week after all! Maybe it is just finally being comfortable to do my job no matter what the race or the weather throws at me that has me shouting “BRING IT”! I may be confident but I pray daily for good weather at every event, bad weather blows! It could also be that I have a grasp on the travel this year and can enjoy the trip a bit more as there are some awesome places to see during our highway hell, I might even be able to relax enough to stop and see my moms place in Texas. So you know now that I am getting fired up and I am seeing builds start and the top riders are all hinting that they will soon be turning dirt down south so it is indeed time to turn up your program.

Now how about this photo a day challenges? At first I was like no, not another scheme to get you to post pics or share this or that but after a few weeks this is really turning out to be a great way to spread ATV racing all over social media. I have been challenged and will be doing several and I encourage you to participate and have some fun with it. This is exactly the type of thing that you can use to help promote yourself and your sponsors so really pay attention when you post and tag the racing series, your sponsors and anyone that helps keep you rolling. In that respect this challenge is genius and you really should not let this opportunity to slip past without taking full advantage! The chance to promote aside, how cool is it to see some of the throwback images! Seeing the trikes and the legends that helped make this all happen is flat awesome!

Hey that is all from me this week. The sun is up although a gloomy thick gray fog that has settled in here hides it. Much better though than say snow and ice so I am off to dig holes to plant trees and complain about the crappy weather that really isn’t all that crappy! Be safe, enjoy your New Years holiday and set those goals!