Trail Rider Magazine

28 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com Rocket baby…c'mon…we're gonna fly! Def Leppard frontman Joe Ellio 's lyrics swirl inside my head while I beat upon my bikes with various repair utensils in rhythm with the driving drum beat from the late eigh es hit. My last-minute crescendo of maintenance is the culmina on of an offseason that seems, as always, agonizingly long. In truth, the Mid-Atlan c (MA) gang had gathered rela vely recently for its season Countdown Commencing for 2024 – Round One - AHRMA Mid-Atlan c Moto- cross and Cross-Country – ending banquet as a bit of offseason reprieve, but the eagerness to saddle up on some vintage iron is an intoxica ng de- sire. I've been anxiously awai ng the words "Ten Seconds!" since the checkered flag flew at White Rose in October, or more accurately a er I took a low-al tude flight over the bars a er pancaking an expansion chamber on a hidden log. Thankful- ly uninjured and undeterred, I was ready for the 2024 season to start immediately therea er! So now, we have collec vely survived the offseason and an cipa on turns to jubila on as rigs pull into the sweet digs of Rocket Raceway in rural Three Springs, PA. The racers and fans are greeted with open arms by Rocket Raceway's owner Corey Wolfe and team as well as Mark Carlson who graciously grants permis- sion to use his surrounding property for the bulk of Sunday's cross-country loop. As ac vi es begin to commence on Saturday morn- ing, AHRMA Mid-Atlan c's frontman Dave Kutskel shares with the gathering gaggle of par cipants that the kick-off to the 2024 season marks twenty years of Rocket Raceway's par cipa on in the series. Certain- ly, an unmatched benchmark for the region's vintage scene and more reason to celebrate this opening weekend and share thanks with Mark and Corey for partnering with AHRMA consistently throughout the years. Fi ngly, there's no be er way to celebrate than to pack the star ng gate full of lus ul vintage dirt bikes and get the full sensory overload at the drop of the gate. Motocross is where the season gets its start, and Saturday is chock full of racing ac on taking place across the picturesque valley upon which the Rocket Raceway motocross course is sculpted. A good deal of rain leading up to the event, including some rain Friday a ernoon and evening, was creat- AHRMA Rocket Raceway AHRMA Rocket Raceway By Joshua Schucker By Joshua Schucker Photos By Lorena Walker Photos By Lorena Walker

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