Indian Rider Bill

from Born To Ride Southeast #119 - Jan 2023

Two, Who Are Born To Ride Part 2

I set up this second article in the December issue. They are both focused on two extraordinary riders who have shrugged off seemingly catastrophic physical challenges. I say seemingly, because I think for most riders, suffering a crippling injury would instantly keep them from considering riding again, let alone actually getting back in the saddle. Last month, we met Brittany, a go-fast rider, who lost her left leg below the knee in a bike crash. After a two-year recovery process, she’s back in the seat pushing, leaning, and pulling her way across the famous Tail of The Dragon. Next up, is a good friend of mine, Jason Griffin from Jason Griffin Racing. I first met Jason in Cherokee, North Carolina. He was coordinating the flat track racing series there; lining up schedules, running heats, scoring finishes, and also racing. During one heat, I stood at the third turn looking at the incoming wave of bikes as they kicked up rooster tails of dirt and hearing the sound of their throttles opening up on the straightaway coming towards me. It was then that I actually saw him. He was sliding his Ducati Scrambler 650 around the track with one arm. I looked hard to make sure of what I was witnessing. He was racing a flat track bike... with one arm.

Jason lost his right arm in an accident as a child and never considered his injury as an insurmountable challenge. His Ethos; Never Give Up, Move Forward and Be Grateful. If you’re familiar with flat track racing, they call them “left clankers” because of the steel boot, aka Hot Shoe, they wear on their left foot as they round left leaning corners and drag their foot for balance. Well, as Jason says, “By the grace of God, one only needs a left arm to push that bike around the track.” No right arm? No problem! Jason comes from a long lineage of riders. His Dad, Larry, raced bikes in the 1970’s and became a recognizable name in both Motocross and the Enduro circuit. Jason and his brother, John, both started riding when they were around four years old. He recalls that his father took both him and his brother to Daytona in the early ’80’s. It was there that Jason was introduced to flat track. He was absolutely impressed that “riders could slide a motorcycle sideways around corners.” He was hooked! After a few years racing in regional venues, he joined the American Motorcycle Association (AMA), and climbed up through the ranks. Jason is a fierce competitor in his class and has gone up against the best in other classes. Racing in the same lineup as the famous David Aldana, he’s earned the respect of national as well as international dirt track racers. His AMA career included two back-to-back championships in the Pro-Racer circuit and dozens of second place standings. Let me be clear, Jason and his other fellow adaptive racers, should never be considered handicapped. Remember that we’re talking about riders, both men and women, who boss a 250cc flat track motorcycle around a 1/4-mile dirt track where bumping and crashing is considered racing. As Jason’s career continued to grow, so did his reputation as an adaptive racer. He started to receive phone calls and emails about others who had also been handed life challenges and yet continued to pursue their dreams, particularly in the flat track arena. Jason, being a man of vision and not one to turn down an opportunity to help others, started his own adaptive racing academy known as The Sanctuary, in Pickens, South Carolina. The Sanctuary is a non-profit sports and recreational venue that sits on a ten-acre tract with RV and primitive camping. It’s a refuge for his students and friends to break away, ride, build community and enjoy their fellowship. The Sanctuary is home to the Jason Griffin Full Throttle Motocamp. The motocamp attracts riders from across the country to learn the requisite skills of bike handling, braking, cornering and so forth for youth as well as other amputee riders. Jason also created the Flat Track Warrior World Championship, a premiere adaptive flat track class for adaptive motorcyclists, held at The Sanctuary. As the 2023 racing season is about to kick off, please visit and support The Sanctuary on Facebook, his website, www.jasongriffinracing.com, and on Instagram @thejgrsantuary to view the schedule for his Flattrack Warrior World Championship and other AMA sanctioned races.