Jimmy McIlvaine
Spring 2007
You are a well-known competitor at Raceway Park and around the tracks in the area. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Well, I just turned 40 this past February. I am a husband, father to two awesome little girls and a union carpenter.
How long have you been racing? This is my 27th year racing motocross. Yes, I said 27 years!!!!!!!!!.
What got you started in racing motocross? When I was about 10 or 11 years old there was a legal place to ride right down the street from my house. All the older kids had dirt bikes. I would beg my parents all the time. One day my dad came home with a new XR 75. There was also a family of three brothers that I went to school with who raced and they helped me get into it
Looking through the district’s results you seem to be racing every weekend. How many races a year do you attend? I just started to slow down a little bit. I race almost every weekend from March to October.
How does your family feel about that? Well, you know, they are starting to get a little tired of it. Last year was very tough for me and my family. I fractured my shoulder in April and then broke my leg and ankle in September. That put a lot of stress on family life!
What do you do for a living? Union Carpenter – (UNION YES )
Between working full time and having a family how do you find the time to race so often? It is EXTREMELY hard. Most people really don’t understand. I go full bore from 5 in the morning until 9 pm. I usually bring my bike to work (load it up at 5:30 am) so I can go straight to practice after. If it was not for my wife doing most of the stuff around the house during the race season I would not be able to do it.
As a veteran racer do you have to train harder than the young up and coming kids? Yes, for sure. Especially this offseason with all of the injuries and that big birthday that I had!
Many guys you raced against have since retired. Who was your biggest rival? How about now? That is a tough one. There are so many that have retired that at the moment I can’t think of one. Now I consider anyone over 25 my rival.
What’s your secret for racing for so long? I guess it is that I truly love this sport. I do it for that reason only! I have met so many great people and have seen so many great places. I have lined up with some of the greatest riders in the world. There is nothing like taking that parade lap at Unadilla or lining up for the Supercross (lites now)main event at Giants stadium. Its been a pretty awesome time.
You have always had a great list of people helping you out, who is helping you out this season? First, has to be my entire family. They are not very happy that I didn’t hang up my boots after last year, but without them, it would be impossible. then, Monmouth Cycle, Silkolene,Vortex,Twin-Air,EVS,KPS,Sidi,Scott USA,MSR,Boyesen,Acerbis,Pro Circuit,Moto Masters,Moto-X Support,Skorbordz . Thank you to them and all the people that have helped me out in the past. Without them, it would not be possible for me to do what I love.
