CATCHING UP: MEGHAN GAGNON

Meghan Gagnon first started riding, like many others, during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Quebec native had always ridden quads, bicycles, go-karts so the transition to dirt bikes went very smoothly. You could say Meghan has some natural talent when it comes to racing, she won the Junior Girls Hare Scramble Championship in her first FTR season and also qualified for the Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship in the Women 12+ class. “I heard about Loretta’s when I first arrived in America and everyone told me it would be impossible in my first-year riding,” said Meghan, “This motivated me, and I decided to make that my newest goal.”

After winning the Junior Girls Championship Meghan decided to set her sights on the

Junior C class and mix it up against the boys. “Winning the Junior Girls Championship and receiving an AMA Number One Plate was a dream come true and motivated me for the next season,” said Meghan. Meghan continued her riding and training over the summer and continued to enter in various motocross races. In August she entered in a race at WW Motocross up in Jacksonville and unfortunately for Meghan she was bit by the injury bug.

“I was hitting this 100ft triple all day with no issues, in my last race when the track was beat up I hit a kicker and it just sent me into a nose dive and I went over the bars,” said Meghan, “I ended up knocking myself out and suffered from a very bad concussion, I broke my back, collarbone and bruised and displaced my lungs.” Perhaps the scariest part of her injuries was the fact that she lost peripheral vision due to the concussion, this went on for two months and Meghan and her family were starting to worry that she would never regain her vision. “This was the scariest part of my accident, it felt like a miracle when it came back.”

Now, for some racers and injury like this might make them question if they want to get back on the bike or not. This was not the case for Meghan, “The doctors laughed because my first question was how long until I can ride again,” said Meghan.” Meghan had to go through intense therapy in order to regain her strength, but she was able to remount a bike in just five months. Meghan had a new goal in mind after missing the first few races, finish top three in Junior C for the year. Her first race back was the Coyote Revenge Hare Scramble in Brooksville where she finished second in Junior C. Meghan would finish the season with three wins and two seconds which was good enough for her to reach her goal of a third overall in Junior C.

Meghan has her sights set on a new goal, qualify for Loretta’s again. She is well on her way, she just made it through the Southeast Area Qualifier at Lazy River MX. Be sure to follow Meghan’s journey on Instagram @meghan_gagnon17.

RIDER: MEGHAN GAGNON PHOTO: TYLER MILLER