Off the Cuff with Jacqueline Ross
By Jacqueline Ross
Greetings humans,
Originally, this month’s column was going to be about something completely different. I had all my random thoughts jotted down in my notebook and I just needed to type them out and send it! However, I was so inspired about an hour ago, I knew I had to make an adjustment as this month’s column took a turn and was about to quickly write itself. Let me tell you about my latest moto lesson.
Allow me to introduce one of my lil homies, Nick Polly; ”Notorious Nick” as I like to call him. He’s a super cool kid, quiet and composed, but he’s got that bulldog in him. Honestly, I forget he’s only eight years old!
We were about an hour-and-fifteen-minutes into his two-hour lesson and we started working a corner. As all of you know, working on a corner and developing a corner technique is such an integral part of racing. It will also test your patience and grow your character with how precise each step has to be executed.
Nick is having a phenomenal day and he’s starting to put the corner together. Great entry speed, little brake and down shift action at the right time, set up is on point, and he’s powering through the turn. He is getting better and better at this and it’s so fulfilling to watch the
progression.
The two-hour lesson was over 20 minutes ago, but when the momentum is building like that, ya gotta keep rolling with it. It definitely brought me back to the times of my dad and me working a corner. Sometimes spending up to 8 hours in one corner! Yes, you read that right. Back to Nick.
This corner lesson has now turned into a whole family affair. Nick’s
sister Izzy is helping me out on the track and here comes his dad. We’re all fully living in this moment. It’s getting dark, goggles are off, and we may need to turn the car headlights on to see the track. However, Nick is determined.
Again, again, again. He finishes his last three, which I will say were the best ones of his life, comes in and asks, ”Can I do it one more time?” I looked down, grinned, and looked back at Nick, gave him a high five and said,
”Absolutely.”
How many ”One more time” moments have you had in your life? Times where you’ve been on the edge of something you desire and maybe you’ve failed time and time again, but you pick yourself up and try. One. More. Time.
P.s. Happy Early Birthday, Notorious Nick! Thanks for always giving your best and thank you for the wonderful inspiration for this column!
All the best,
Jacqueline
