4 minute read
FROM THE TRACK TO THE TREES WITH SHAWN CLARK
Shawn Clark airs it out at the Melon Bash 5 in Punta Gorda, FL - Photo by Jamey Perdue (Photoman386)
“I think I was born with a dirtbike in the garage” says Shawn Clark, when asked about how he got his start. The southern Indiana native started riding at three-years-old and would begin racing shortly thereafter. Shawn got his start riding motocross and was a talented rider from a young age. He made his first trip to the world-famous Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National at age seven and would return ten more times before his amateur motocross career was finished. Although, Shawn never won a title at “The Ranch” he finished runner-up multiple times to riders like Davi Millsaps, Josh Lichtle and Broc Hepler and mixed it up with James Stewart and Ryan Sipes on several occasions.
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Shawn first got his start in the professional ranks in 2004 with Team Green, a Kawasaki supported venture. Growing up in Indiana meant snowy winters, not exactly the dream scenario for a motocross rider. Due to the weather Shawn spent a lot of time racing barn races, which featured tight turns and aggressive tactics. Shawn would go on to win the 2006 AMA Anrenacross Lites Championship
With his experience on the tight“I ended up er tracks Shawn decided to start off in the AMA Arenacross series. At his first ever AMA Arenacross dislocating my race Shawn led the majority of the main event until a crash with a few laps to go caused him to shoulder seven times place fifth. He was still able to turn some heads and the next year he received a full ride with and had to have three Kawasaki to compete in arena cross. surgeries to try and fix Shawn was not your traditional pro motocross rider. He started out in the arenacross ranks it, I would not before trying his hand at supercross, at the time that was the have been riding opposite way of doing things. Shawn also attended public high school while he was racing pro, anyway.” which is virtually unheard of.
This limited which races he could attend, so he kept his focus on arenacross. In 2006, Shawn would go on to win the AMA Arenacross Lites championship.
After his title, at the ripe age of 20, and in his prime, Shawn decided to step away from racing professionally. “I’ve always had a really strong faith,” says Shawn, “I just felt like God was calling me to step away.” Although Shawn says he did not quite understand at the time, it turned out to be the right decision as a shoulder injury hindered his ability to ride. “I ended up dislocating my shoulder seven times and had to have three surgeries to try and fix it, I would not have been riding anyway.”
After retirement Shawn went and earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Ministry and a master’s degree in Divinity at Indiana Wesleyan University. Shawn would also serve as a pastor at his local church until he moved down to Florida in 2013. During his college years he transitioned more into off-road racing. He attributed the lighter pace and more structured schedule as to why he began to favor the woods, “I just love to come race, hangout and then go home whereas in motocross you just sit, race for five minutes, sit, race for five minutes.”
After Shawn moved to Florida, he looked up the local hare scramble series and then found FTR. “I showed up to a race and really enjoyed it, now every year I seem to be more involved and going to more races,” says Shawn, “I just bought a camper so I am sure I will be at even more this year.”
It is the family aspect that keeps him coming back, something he has always felt is most important since his first days on a bike. Shawn has a family of his own and his father, Kerry Clark, races the Golden Master A class, “to this day going to the races with my dad is still my favorite thing to do.” Keeping racing as a hobby is what kept Shawn going for so long, not letting pressure build and remembering to have fun with it, “If I can make a recommendation to any young racers, just have fun with your family and that will provide long-term success.”
After multiple years of racing AA and 30+ in the afternoon Shawn will transition to the 10:30 race in Vet A in 2020- 2021. “I’ll probably still do some AA races at my favorite properties, like Mondon Hill, but the morning race will be a lot easier for my family when they come.”
Shawn wants to thank his family, friends, Barney’s Motorcycle and Marine, Fly Racing, Gaerne Boots and ZRThrottle for their continued support.
