Andersen Airman excels in motocross

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shane Dunaway
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  Pilots deployed to Andersen have plenty of experience taking off and soaring through the air before returning gracefully to Earth.

One senior airman from the 734th Air Mobility Squadron has a unique hobby that gives him the same adrenaline rush and allows him to take flight, even if for a brief moment in time.

Senior Airman Jesse Clokey, an avid motocross junkie, raced in 17 races on island in 2009, winning 13. He took home the overall 2009 Open-Class Motocross Championship after completing a 10-race series Dec. 6.

"Motorcycles are my drug," Airman Clokey said. "It doesn't matter if it's a 1947 Harley Knucklehead or a 2010 YZ250F, both of which I own, the moment my leg goes over the seat, nothing else matters. It's an addiction no rehab can fix."

Airman Clokey's love of two-wheeled conveyance began at an early age.

"My mom and dad bought me a Suzuki RM50 when I was five years old and I haven't looked back since," he said.

Although motocross can be viewed by some as a dangerous activity, Airman Clokey doesn't seem to have a shortage of supporters.

"I often get asked at work, 'How did you do this weekend?' or 'How was your race?'" Airman Clokey said. "It's cool to see people are interested. I don't know about any fans, but there are some of the guys who come watch on race day."

Winning 13 races provided many memories in 2009 for Airman Clokey, his most memorable occurring in the second race of the 2009 Smoking Wheels races.

"The [second] race was a two-hour endurance race that was covered by the Outdoor Network television channel," Airman Clokey said. "With 30 minutes left in the race, my front tire blew out when I overshot a big triple on the track. I pulled into the pits where I had a spare front wheel. My crew chief Staff Sgt. Steven Ely, 36th Mobility Response Squadron, told me to suck it up and keep racing. I immediately went back out and fought to keep my bike up around every turn. Despite getting the flat tire, I finished with a very happy third place."

But Airman Clokey's love doesn't stop when he's racing. He spends plenty of off-duty time volunteering to help maintain the tracks.

"Motocross is my life and I want to help promote the sport as much as I can," Airman Clokey said. "Bob Bucek, the track steward, really has his hands full out there. It's a big track with a lot of land to maintain. He does a remarkable job and the track has really come around from a couple years ago. The dedication he puts in really motivates me to help. I usually operate some heavy equipment, moving dirt around, but there's a lot to do."

With a full slate of races to compete in throughout the year, Airman Clokey insists endurance and a good mindset are key requirements to being successful.

"A motocross race is just like running as fast as you can for 20 minutes straight, but you're also throwing around a 200-pound bike," Airman Clokey said. "However, the biggest thing is you have to have a strong mental attitude. You're sometimes jumping an 80-foot gap 35 feet in the air at 50 mph. When you wreck, it hurts - bad, but you have to be able to get back on and try it again. It might sound easy, but trust me after a few big wrecks, all the surgeries to fix you, the months doing rehab, the thousands of dollars to fix your bike and the toll it takes on your family taking care of you, it [may not] seem worth it, [but] to me, it is!"